Building PXE-ready ReactOS
Development goes on in 2012 :-)
ReactOS PXE Project Team:
Xpert
Shao of Etherboot-project
hpoussin
In revision 51517 in ReactOS was introduced support for PXE boot. It is still not possible to completly load the OS from a client computer.
Contents
Preparing the LAN
For this scenario, we need two computers. One client (may be diskless or empty HDD) and one server (Windows, or better, Linux). Both have to be connected to the local network.
The server must run a DHCP-server and a TFTP-server. The client needs a PXE-ready network card. Most onboard network cards support it.
Preparing the server
You first need to install a TFTP server and a DHCP server on the remote computer. These steps will be only lightly covered here. Let's assume now that your TFTP server root is in /path/to/tftpboot, and that pxe boot filename is 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 /path/to/tftpboot/ 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.
Remember that both DHCP and TFTP servers should be running and there should not be another DHCP server in the same network.
Creating contents on TFTP server
You need to download some ReactOS ISO file, for example here
Put the ISO file in /path/to/tftpboot with the name ReactOS-LiveCD.iso
Extract loader/setupldr.sys to /path/to/tftpboot, and rename it to freeldr.sys
You need to download SysLinux 4.05, or a more recent version, for example here
Extract core/pxelinux.0 and com32/modules/chain.c32 to /path/to/tftpboot
Create /path/to/tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg directory and put in it a file named default (no extension) with the following contents:
DEFAULT chain.c32 APPEND file=freeldr.sys seg=0x0F80 keeppxe
Create /path/to/tftpboot/freeldr.ini with the following contents:
[FREELOADER] DefaultOS=LiveCD_Debug TimeOut=3 [Display] TitleText=ReactOS LiveCD StatusBarColor=Cyan StatusBarTextColor=Black BackdropTextColor=White BackdropColor=Blue BackdropFillStyle=Medium TitleBoxTextColor=White TitleBoxColor=Red MessageBoxTextColor=White MessageBoxColor=Blue MenuTextColor=Gray MenuColor=Black TextColor=Gray SelectedTextColor=Black SelectedColor=Gray ShowTime=No MenuBox=No CenterMenu=No MinimalUI=Yes TimeText=Seconds until highlighted choice will be started automatically: [Operating Systems] LiveCD="LiveCD" LiveCD_Debug="LiveCD (Debug)" LiveCD_Screen="LiveCD (Screen)" [LiveCD] BootType=Windows2003 SystemPath=ramdisk(0)\reactos Options=/MININT /RDPATH=net(0)\ReactOS-LiveCD.iso /RDEXPORTASCD [LiveCD_Debug] BootType=Windows2003 SystemPath=ramdisk(0)\reactos Options=/DEBUG /DEBUGPORT=COM1 /BAUDRATE=115200 /SOS /MININT /RDPATH=net(0)\ReactOS-LiveCD.iso /RDEXPORTASCD [LiveCD_Screen] BootType=Windows2003 SystemPath=ramdisk(0)\reactos Options=/DEBUG /DEBUGPORT=SCREEN /SOS /MININT /RDPATH=net(0)\ReactOS-LiveCD.iso /RDEXPORTASCD
Booting
Try to boot your client computer via PXE. After some seconds, a ramdisk is loaded and ReactOS starts. Don't expect it to boot fully. You'll probably be welcomed with a INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE or IO1_INITIALIZATION_FAILED BugCheck.