Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

[raffy]

Net-booting has been here in Puppy Linux since version 2.16, so you might as well try it in a few steps:

1. Get TFTP for Windows from here. Unzip to an appropriate location in a Windows PC in your LAN. (It will have a directory /pxe.)

2. Download initrd-humongous-2.16.1-93952k.gz from ibiblio or its mirrors (see http://puppylinux.net/download/downpage.htm ). Rename to initrd.gz and put in the /pxe directory (see #1).* [EDIT - as of June 11, 2008, this file is no longer in the Puppy repositories. See Barry's instructions in creating a humongous initrd below.]

3. Start TFTPD32.exe. Tell Windows to allow it through the firewall (if firewall is activated). Change some IP numbers like IP pool starting address and Default router (see image below) then save and restart.

4. Connect to the LAN a client PC, set it to boot from PXE/network, and restart it.

4.a Puppy will look for the zdrv_216.sfs file*, so plug in a USB drive (with zrdv) while net-booting, or first make sure that zdrv is in the hard disk. You can use a save file and extra sfs, just like locally-booted Puppy.

* The available initrd-humongous-2.16.1-93952k.gz has no zdrv_216.sfs in it. To roll your own initrd, see the reproduction of Barry's news page below (quoted).

Notes: Thanks to Philippe Jounin for TFTPD and Mark Hinge for the how to, Steven Shiau for net-booting help, and Barry Kauler for everything.

- Windows is used as server for simple deployment. Even Win98SE should work (98SE has Internet Connection Sharing, so it can function as the router, too).

- The client PC should have more than 128 MB RAM (256 MB RAM is recommended).

- The Windows PC (server) should have a fast ethernet card (this is generally valid in WinXP PCs).

- Net-booting of Puppy Linux works given certain changes in Puppy's init (in initrd.gz). Versions before and after 2.16 are not known to be ready for net-booting.
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Barry's news page about creating humongous initrd.gz:

[enigmaaaaa]

Does the instructions Barry wrote for making a humongous intrd file for Puppy 2.16 also work for Puppy 4.1.2?

Hay anyone tried succesfully to make and boot a humongous intrd file for Puppy 4.1.2 following the instructions?

[MagicZaurus]

Hi!

I tried it yesterday and was not successful to build the humongous initrd.gz. There is another thread mentioning that there might be a problem with the Unleashed 4.1.2.

http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=37270[/url]

[raffy]

To immediately test net-booting for your PC (no dual-cores please), try this:
http://minipc.org/pxe/
That is based on Breeezy (Puppy 2.13), the ALSA (audio) of which has been updated to work with the eee 701/900.

EDIT - There is no humongous initrd for 3.01, but see farther down for netbooting initrd.gz for 4.1.2.

[costinel]

raffy, that doesn't work
tested in a virtual machine with 256 mb ram and the provided files and config into a tftpd server

http://i44.tinypic.com/5lv47k.png

[raffy]

Sorry, that has been tested for net-booting in a real machine, not in a virtual machine*. For testing your own working pup_21x.sfs and zdrv_21x.sfs, I have uploaded the netbooting-forge files (these are the unleashed files of Puppy 2.16):
http://minipc.org/pxe/netbooting-forge-files.tgz
http://minipc.org/pxe/1-netbooting-readme.txt
----------------

EDIT: * Did you specify the ramdisk_size? If errors persist, you can use the frugal method to boot this in virtual machine. If you get problems with DOS file names, shorten the names vmlinuz and initrd.gz to 8.3 format (these default names are OK).

[enigmaaaaa]

I aslo tried to build a humongus initrd with Puppy 4.1.2 Unleashed and ran into multiple erros and ultimately failed.

Really wish Barry and the team could fix it up. It would be a shame that we do not make Puppy capable of a complete booting experience that includes CD, USB, Hard Drive, Floppy, and Network.

[MagicZaurus]

I built a humongus initrd.gz with Unleashed 4.1.1 and it works. I'm posting this from a client which booted into Puppy with PXE-Network Boot. So the problem is really related to Unleashed 4.1.2.

I had to disable the DHCP-Server of my router in order to do the network boot. Later I had to set back the Gateway and DNS address to the router IP address, as it automatically gets set to the IP address of the TFTP-Server.

[MagicZaurus]

It's also possible to built a Unleashed 4.1.2 humongus initrd.gz and do a network boot.

After downloading the core and packages I did the following 2 things.

1) Copy 'depmod' from puppy-unleashed-4.1.1/boot to puppy-unleashed/boot.

2) Copy puppy-unleashed-4.1.1/boot/initrd-tree0/dev to puppy-unleashed/boot/initrd-tree0/dev.

After that I just used the ./createpuppy and no problems or errors observed.

MagicZaurus

[enigmaaaaa]

Thank you MagicZaurus! I finally got it to build. Success at last!

Thanks all.

[raffy]

That's nice. Perhaps you want to share the humongous builds - you can upload here: ftp://puppy:puppylinux@ftp.servage.net

[enigmaaaaa]

I was able to successfully build (and boot) a humongous initrd for puppy 4.1.1, and am uploading it right now onto your ftp share into the "humongous411" folder.

I haven't been able to build one for 4.1.2 though. i gave it a try following MagicZaurus's instructions but didnt work. MagicZaurus, maybe you can share your 4.1.2 initrd by uploading it to raffy's ftp share?

[MagicZaurus]

Hi Raffy!

Which files do you need? vmlinuz & initrd.gz?

I only built with 'barebone' packages as I just wanted to test and it's smaller. Initrd.gz is about 59MB. I'm also running the DHCP and TFTP on a Puppy Linux machine.

Paalam.

[enigmaaaaa]

never mind. I got 4.1.2 to buid successfully second time around. MagizZarus' instructions works!

I am uploading the file to your ftp share now, raffy, into "humongous412" folder.

[raffy]

Thanks, guys.

MagicZ, it's the initrd.gz that matters - that's the "humongous" one, right? Salamat (thanks) for your help.

Thanks also to enigma - I guess your build is more than "barebones" as it is 90MB+.

Wolf Pup has posted a barebones netbooting ISO here:
http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=37571

For the record, the FTP site is compliments of GermanPup, European Urologist and Puppy Linux enthusiast.