A newbie in networking needs help with PXE for booting an Compaq-HP laptop...

What I like to do is to understand/learn the process to boot that Compaq nx9010 laptop with at least one of the Puppies I've frugally installed in my VAIO VGN AR250G Notebook.

I'm running right now Puppy Linux 528.005 (frugal). Have a DSL router with wifi capabilities & both of the computers are supposed to have it, too. I'm planning to use a LAN cable for that purpose.

How/where can I start this?

Thanks for any helpful tips/links or instructions!

PS. My main more objective use for this's transferring a really big iso file between the respective hdds.

http://puppylinux.org/wikka/PXELINUX

Is a generic page but links to a page where a tutorial of sorts exists. I have never tried to use a single install, rather an image or set of files in the tftp or other server is used.

The best way to start may be to boot to a knoppix 5 cd and start knoppix terminal server.

I was reading a post by gcmartin (at murga-linux forum) around this issue & started to consider something NEW: what about a VAIO (64 bits word)=PXE Server & the HP Compaq nx9010 (Pentium 4, but can't tell if it's a 32 or 64 bits word processor)=PXE Client?...

What should I d/l as the pet files in this case?

I spent > 1 hr trying to find out which architecture it has but failed to obtain the desired data. Any help on this (32 bits or 64 bits) processor?

For testing use 32 bit. It is the default test and for what you are doing makes more sense.

I've d/l the 'dnsmasq-2.55-static.pet' & 'netboot-server-3.pet' files for a 32-bits cpu already. Now, in the process to follow instructions as per:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...t?hl=en&pli=1#

Hope to have some good luck with this..., I'll keep posting as the waves carry me!

Edit: I opened a console & received a 'command not found message' after issuing "mknetboot.sh". To amend this imported 'lupu_devx_528-4.sfs" to an appropriate place & installed it. After it was done the command started fine.

The outcome of it follows:
"# mknetboot.sh
5445 blocks
268030 blocks
rm: cannot remove `/root/tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg/vmlinuz': No such file or directory
rm: cannot remove `/root/tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg/initrd.gz': No such file or directory
/usr/sbin/mknetboot.sh: line 42: 30999 Terminated Xdialog --title "mknetboot" --no-buttons --infobox "This will take a while. Please wait ..." 0 0 60000 (wd: ~)
#
In relation to the above I don't have a clue as to what happened there! Do you?

I followed the instructions &, after clicking on Menu>Network>Netboot-Server it appeared to be running; & it was! GOOD! I started the HP (removed the broken HDD) & it started to import all the needed data, but failed at the point it was loading 'initrd.gz'. Then, apparently, it waited for a predetermined time & started it all over again: it failed again.

Any clue as to what to do next?

Edit (II): I've tried for the 3rd time to boot the hp & it went up to trying loading the initrd.gz file, apparently, going far into that process but failed at the same, again.

Any clues?

Some other questions aroused after dealing with this:

1) Does it matter which OS I'm using for the PXE Server (from my list I've the following ones):
a) PL511
b) PL525
c) PL528
d) PL528.005
e) WARY 512
f) Puppy Studio ?

2) For the iso file I'm intending to use to boot the PXE CLient, which of the above, if any, I can use?

I was thinking of going back to a puppy I've used & liked a lot: PL431. I've read that there're some 'retro' versions of some puppies based on that one, are they recommended or better than the original for this?

Thanks in advance for any tips!

PXE server is a collection of a few tools. tftp usually and maybe dhcp. The tftp server may be the most important because there are some choices there that affect how the client can use it. Some special settings need to be added. Syslinux has some tools that may affect this too on some boots.

I'd have to test each one or know that the iso has been tested to be used over pxe boot. As a rule most iso images are not good choices to use. They need a special or rebuilt intrid (I think it is that one) file.

After trying to do this for a few days now & never getting farther than to the point where "initrd.gz" is getting loaded but never finishes I've thought of trying an OS that has worked there: DSL. The problem is that I don't find the iso file within my folders &, in the case I can d/l it, I don't know if my installation in the Flash Drive would be the same as the one that I would d/l, or if that matters at all.

I tried the modifications cited/proposed at a googledoc that I was following for this but with no difference. It could be that I'm passing over a MINOR detail or fundamental error that I'm not seeing. Time might tell...

At the moment, and if no other tip/input is received from any source, I'm considering the DSL thing. If it works I'll post that below.

Why don't you start with a known web page that tells how to do some install or boot over pxe?

In your first post, jefro, you mention: "The best way to start may be to boot to a Knopix 5 cd and start knoppix terminal server". What was in your mind then that made you suggest specifically that one?

Yesterday I tested in a new Toshiba running (I think) Windows 7 a live cd with Ubuntu 8.10, the same I've tried with the HP lately (but it insists on going to PXE booting) & the same one I used more than a year ago that, then, alerted me of a 'serious disk failure'.

Thanks for any tip!

My issue is with the list of your distro choices. While the process of making a pxe tftp dhcp server is documented a bit, almost each page you read is different than the others.

I'd say start at some page that tells how to do the tasks needed to create a pxe server. (advanced topic, gpxe/ipxe)

When I said to use Knoppix, I meant that the scripts that the icon named Knoppix Terminal Server perform can't be seen easily. What you can see if the results of the scripts. The places where tftpboot is and the file locations and such. Then you can test your lan pxe boot to some client.

Many issues affect this too. The pxe version on the card. The ability of the image sent to allow it to boot, the ability of the client to have enough ram. Different versions on the way the pxe is handled.

I have used a very old windows 2000 box that I used tftp32. It was pretty easy if you have to run windows. Might have to runas tftp32 as a admin user.

The post about www.netboot.me is an example of a gpxe boot to an internet http file that can load some os.