TC Server and clients

[guillaumetld]

Hi everybody !
I have a question for you.

I have more or less 20 PCs, old ones (Pentium 3, 512Mb RAM mostly), connected to a server. These computers are used only to access to a database, located on another server, using firefox. Then i would like to have a very small and very fast linux distribution, which could boot in the RAM in these computers. Nevertheless, i dont want to do any update directly on the machines, but use the server to make the updates for all the computers at the same time.

Can I use TCLinux for client, for server ?

I have 2 test machines available, but i dont know if TCLinux can be adapted or is made for what i want.


Thank you very much, and sorry for my english, i am french, but intern in USA.

[Rich]

Hi guillaumetld
Here are a couple of links to get you started:
http://wiki.tinycorelinux.net/wiki:netbooting
http://forum.tinycorelinux.net/index.php?topic=3937.0

[guillaumetld]

Thank you !

I just have to check some things on the OS itself, and i read this just after, but it seems it's exactly what i am looking for !

[guillaumetld]

Hi guys !

I can connect to this. I use the wiki path, i configure my tc-terminal-server with default options.

Then i boot my client for network. On his screen, that's what i see:

Client Mac Addr: 00 02 A5 57 31 C1 GUID: DEFB254B-411E-D511B0D2-D93D43436719
Client IP: 192.168.0.20 MASK: 0.0.0.0 DHCP IP: 192.111.1.67
TFTP:......

PXE-E32: TFTP open timeout
TFTP......

And after it exit and boot on HD


Can you help me ?


edit: I tried it again, and now, it doesnt find the DHCP server. My first station is installed in frugal installation on HD.

[curaga]

Perhaps your hw too needs "boot_file /netboot/pxelinux.0" added to the dhcp config file (without the "option" in the start)?

Any messages in the server's window?

[guillaumetld]

OK, my dhcp.conf is like this (without comments)

start
end

interface

opt dns
option  subnet
opt router
opt lease 864000
opt tftp 192.111.1.67
127.0.0.1
option bootfile /netboot/pxelinux.0

I have juste "tftp timeout" several times in the server window.

[curaga]

It does need an entry for each point, just pressing enter would create empty entries like that. There are no universal defaults, each network is different.

[guillaumetld]

ok, i thought just press enter was fine, now i corrected it.

I have now:

start 192.168.0.30
end 192.168.0.60

interface eth0
option subnet 255.255.255.0
option tftp 192.168.0.20
option /bootfile/pxelinux.0

Now it works perfectly !

Thank you very much !

[guillaumetld]

How can i add some extensions like firefox, or make modifications on my clients on the server.

I mean, what have i to add to the conf files on /netboot ?

[curaga]

You could either remaster, or have the clients mount extensions off a network share on the server. See the wiki.

[guillaumetld]

Hi, i have still some problems and questions.

I would like to make a frugal install (or a normal one) of TClinux on my thin clients using the server. I mean is there an option to add in the conf files to install on the client?

Moreover, i saw that everytime i reboot my server,  /netboot is deleted. Is there a mean to have a permanent folder for that, I would like to launch tc-terminal-server at boot on the server. Is it possible ?

[Rich]

Hi guillaumetld
You didn't actually say but I assume the server is also Tinycore. If you add the line

netboot

to the file   /opt/.filetool.lst   that directory will be backed up when you reboot and restored when
Tinycore loads.

A frugal install would mean the workstations could boot without the server. Is this what you want?

[guillaumetld]

Yes. In fact, i would like the stations can boot without server, even in a minimal mode with no updates at all, in case of server crash. The activity of the clients shold not stop if the server have a problem.

So:

Usual boot: Net boot, with server
In case of crash: possibility to boot localy (so need at least one local installation)

[Rich]

Hi guillaumetld
I see what you are trying to do. The simplest thing would probably be to boot each workstation
from a CD and run the Install utility from the Control panel. Then install the minimum number of
apps you need. I don't know anything about remote booting but you have to insure that your
setup can find the remote  /tce  directory when booting from the server.

[guillaumetld]

The problem is that the stations are not at the same physical place (some US, other Canada), so i can't install them directly from CD.