Building PXE-ready ReactOS

Development goes on in 2011 :-)

ReactOS PXE Project Team:
Xpert
Shao of Etherboot-project

Prepare LAN

For this scenario we need two computer. One client (may be diskless or empty HDD), one server (Windows or better Linux). Both have to be connected to the local network.

The server must running a DHCP-server and a TFTP-server. Additionally we need a pxe-client: pxelinux. The client need a pxe-ready network card. Most onboard network card are capable.

Pxelinux config in /srv/tftp/pxelinux.0

DEFAULT vesamenu.c32
MENU BACKGROUND bootscreen.png

PROMPT 0
NOESCAPE 1
TIMEOUT 200
MENU WIDTH 45
MENU MARGIN 9
MENU PASSWORDMARGIN 9
MENU ROWS 14
MENU TABMSGROW 25
MENU CMDLINEROW 18
MENU ENDROW 25
MENU PASSWORDROW 18
MENU TIMEOUTROW 24
MENU HSHIFT 1
MENU VSHIFT 5

menu color screen 37;40 #80ffffff #00000000 std
menu color border 37;40 #40000000 #ff8093a1 std
menu color title 1;37;40 #ffff8b00 #ff8093a1 std
menu color unsel 37;40 #fff0f0f0 #ff8093a1 std
menu color hotkey 1;37;40 #ffff8b00 #ff8093a1 std
menu color sel 7;37;40 #ff1c2a33 #667799bb all
menu color hotsel 1;7;37;40 #ffff8b00 #667799bb all
menu color scrollbar 37;40 #40000000 #ee000000 std
menu color tabmsg 37;40 #ffff8b00 #ff8093a1 std
menu color cmdmark 1;37;40 #ffff8b00 #ff8093a1 std
menu color cmdline 37;40 #fff0f0f0 #ff8093a1 std
menu color pwdborder 37;40 #40000000 #ff8093a1 std
menu color pwdheader 37;40 #ffff8b00 #ff8093a1 std
menu color pwdentry 37;40 #ffff8b00 #ff8093a1 std
menu color timeout_msg 37;40 #afac2a33 #00000000 none
menu color timeout 1;37;40 #ffff8b00 #00000000 std
menu color help 37;40 #ff1c2a33 #00000000 none
menu color msg07 37;40 #90ffffff #00000000 std

MENU AUTOBOOT Selection starts in # seconds

MENU TITLE Menu

label harddisk
        localboot 0x80
        MENU DEFAULT 

label ReactOS live

(new options here)

label pxelinux
        kernel pxelinux.0

The Linux way

I used dhcp3 and tftpd-hpa. Use your favorite Linux and install them. I used Bind at home, but you can leave that out.

# Sample configuration file for ISC dhcpd for Debian
# $Id: dhcpd.conf,v 1.1.1.1 2002/05/21 00:07:44 peloy Exp $
ddns-update-style none;
# option definitions common to all supported networks...
option domain-name "home.local";
option domain-name-servers 10.0.0.254;
# If this DHCP server is the official DHCP server for the local
# network, the authoritative directive should be uncommented.
authoritative;
# Use this to send dhcp log messages to a different log file (you also
# have to hack syslog.conf to complete the redirection).
log-facility local7;
subnet 10.0.0.0 netmask 255.255.255.0
{
        range 10.0.0.10 10.0.0.19;
        option domain-name-servers myserver.home.local;
        option domain-name "home.local";
        option routers IPofYourServer;
        option broadcast-address 10.0.0.255;
        default-lease-time 28800; # 8 hrs
        max-lease-time 86400; # 1 day
        allow bootp;

        host myclient
        {
                hardware ethernet 00:0F:EA:66:07:48;
                fixed-address myclient.home.local;
                filename "pxelinux.0";
                server-name "myserver.home.local";
        }
}

Check if present, xinetd/inetd config for tftpd.

service tftp
{
        disable         = no
        log_type        = SYSLOG daemon info
        log_on_access   = PID HOST USERID EXIT DURATION
        socket_type     = dgram
        protocol        = udp
        wait            = yes
        user            = root
        server          = /usr/sbin/in.tftpd
        server_args     = -vv -s /srv/tftp/
        bind            = IPofYourServer
}

The Windows way

On the Windows server, a combination of the free tools TFTPD32 (you'll only need the DHCP server!) and the SolarWinds TFTP server (because the built-in server of TFTPD32 does not work well with its DHCPD) has been proven working.

In your TFTP working directory, you'll need a config file pxelinux.cfg/default (no extension) with these contents:

DEFAULT menu.c32

PROMPT 0
NOESCAPE 1
TIMEOUT 200

label ReactOS
(new options here)

label pxelinux
       kernel pxelinux.0

This config file provides a simple boot menu which allows you to boot the ReactOS live image. Remember that both DHCP and TFTP servers should be running and there should not be another DHCP server in the same network.

Booting

something changed at the ReactOs boot loader, so we try a new way to boot with PXE.