NFS boot and with loadable Ethernet drivers possible?

ErnstJohansen · 12-20-2013, 02:22 AM

Is it possible to boot over NFS and have the Ethernet drivers as loadable modules - not statically linked?

zhjim · 12-20-2013, 03:02 AM

Depends on how you understand statically linked. An initramfs does not really need to be statically linked and uses loadable modules. Also you somehow have to get the kernel and the initramfs over to the machine which needs some kind of ethernet driver. Also with PXE or similar you only need a very basic one.

All in all I vote for yes.

jefro · 12-20-2013, 04:07 PM

Are you trying to set up some service that auto selects for nics on boot?

There are so many variables that I can think of on a nfs boot scenario, not sure I could even ponder a guess. You may have to describe each step on how you are booting this and to what.

I know that Knoppix had a deal where one can easily setup a pxe boot server and while in the setup of Knoppix terminal server, one can add in extra nic support. I'd look there for starters.