I am trying to install mandrake 7.0 via ftp.

I have a windows 2000 server pc running as the domain controller on the domain nebulus.hak.
There is no dhcp server running.
Bulletproof ftp is also running on the this pc, with f:\ as a share for the user account admin. (f:\ contains the directory structure: f:\lin\mandrake\base\stage2.img)

I boot up my soon to be linux box with the mandrake 7.0 boot disk.

I select my ethernet card (intel etherxpress) and then select auto probe.
I then assign the pc an ip address 192.168.0.3
and then am asked to wait "while determining the domain and host name"
I enter in the domain name nebulus.hak
and then the host name mybox
nothing for then additional nameservers

hit next and fill in the ftp server details
server address 192.168.0.1
directory lin
select not anonymous ftp
enter in the username admin and the password
then am told to wait as the second stage loads

meanwhile on the win2k server bulletproof has logged that:
user admin has logged in on ip 192.168.0.3
asked to download the file f:\lin\mandrake\base\stage2.img
access has been granted
and then the error message 426 cannot retrieve appears.

on the linux box the appropriate error has appeared.

I log into the ftp from another windows pc through my web browser and no problem i can download the file, same story with an ftp client, however when i telnet to the ftp and issue the command RETR /LIN/MANDRAKE/BASE/STAGE2.IMG
i get the same error "CANNOT RETRIEVE"

anyone have any ideas on this i have just about run out of options.

sorry about the huge explanation, but i didnt want to miss anything, its all so dependent.
cheers

did you keep the same directry structure from the server or the cd you copied the installation files from?

Yup exact.

I know it seems really strange for this to occur?
the only things i can think of are that either bullet proof ftp is impossing more security than the linux ftp installation requires (which doesnt really seem to be the reason because i can request the file ok and the ftp server allows me access), the other thing that may be the problem is that maybe the linux ftp installation hasnt said where it is going to store the file, so the transfer is never initiated (this seems more likely), because the same issue arises when i telnet to the ftp and request the file, i am allowed access to the file but the transfer is never started (with the same error on the ftp server "cannot retrieve") this could be that i havent said where to download the file to?

hmmm, its becoming rather frustrating
one step at a time thats the best way!

have you checked to make sure that the same permissions are on the file on the ftp server as are on the cd?