PXE boot CD/DVD ISO images...

Billy41684 · #1 11-05-2007, 12:28 AM

Anyways, I just setup a PXE server earlier today and it's working great (I followed this howto on Debian Administration). So far I have Debian Etch & Lenny both working over PXE. However, I could not help notice that I was forced to download the netboot files from the debian mirrors. I already have the CD/DVD ISO images for Debian and I would like to use those if at all possible.

Another reason I want to use regular ISO images is because of the fact that I have ISO images of all the main Windows versions (OEM - for when I reinstall Windows on my customer's computer - I'm a computer repairman) and I would love it if I could PXE boot these ISO's over the network.

Some of my customer's dont have CDROM drives, so it requires me to open the box and temporarily install a CD/DVD drive. Other times I find the my CD/DVDs have either become scratched or lost, so I end up having to burn more - which takes time and money.

I have searched endlessly on google and various Linux related websites and it seems a lot of people are wanting to know how to do this very thing, but very few people are giving answers. And at that, the answers are always either "it's not possible" for a number of reasons (mostly that cdrom iso's communicate directly with the hardware, which is not possible over PXE) or the person vaguely gives a rundown on what it takes do make it happen, but doesn't actually tell how to do it or what it takes. It's getting frustrating to see this type of responses, especially in the open source world.

But anyways - I am sure there is some way I can boot my ISO's over PXE - if not directly, then some round about way. I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty to make this PXE server how I want it, no matter how complex things may get.

Does anyone know anything at all? Please - help me out here!

Thanks!

sgliggett · #2 01-03-2008, 07:05 PM

I've never heard of a virtual CD/ROM but man that would be soooooo coooool.

Let me know if you run across one for windows while your looking.

THANKS

Billy41684 · #3 01-03-2008, 07:36 PM

lol!

Well, sorry to say, but Windows is in it's own world on its own. Windows can't do half the things that a *nix system can. Like sharing of drives or mount points over a network (NFS). Or even just mounting its own image files as loopback devices.

But..

I believe you have misinterpreted my original post. Has nothing to do with sharing a cd/dvd device over a network. Thats a whole other concept, which is very easily doable on any *nix environment. My original post is dealing specifically with PXE (do a quick google search to see what PXE is).

As for a little update, I still have not found a way to do what I want, however, I have come really close! Here's the rundown on what I have been experimenting with:

Booting grub via PXE while sharing the cd/dvd drive via NFS. Grub is capable of booting via NFS on its own, and its capable of booting via PXE. Finding some middle ground seems to be an issue so far.

I'll keep you posted.