tc-terminal-server and persistence

[gmc]

Greetings,

I am ready to set up a permanent PxE server using TCL.  My problem has to do with persisence.  I have read the wiki and searched the forums but the more I read the more confused I get.  Much of the information I find seems to apply to older versions of TCL.  What I need is a clear explanation of how to set up TCL to automatically start the terminal server at boot time with all the required settings in place.  I want it to start with the modified menu.c32 'default' menu and the related support files (boot images) already in place.

I would be most grateful for any assistance.

[gerald_clark]

Mys suggestion is to use dnsmasq to do your dns, dhcp, and tftp.
Configure it to serve files off your hard drive.

[gmc]

Hi gerald_clark - Thanks for the quick reply.  I played with dnsmasq quite a bit and it looks good - but what I need now is help with persistence and auto-start.  Once I have those mastered the sky's the limit.

[Rich]

Hi gmc
Add the commands you use to start the PXE server to your /opt/bootlocal.sh file. Add any config files you modified to
/opt/.filetool.lst.

[gerald_clark]

http://wiki.tinycorelinux.net/wiki:persistence_for_dummies

You can add startup code to /opt/booltocal.sh.

[tinypoodle]

Once configured, I replace binaries in netboot (i.e. kernel, initrd's and syslinux binaries) by symlinks, then add "netboot" to /opt/.filetool.lst.

[gmc]

Hi Rich, gerald_clark and tinypoodle.  Thanks for all your tips, most useful!  As soon as I figure out how to change the HP T5740's DOM from read only to writable I'll begin to implement these ideas.  I tried cfdisk and testdisk but they don't appear to have the option to make a drive/partition read only/writeable.  My copy of Partition Magic doesn't like the DOM for some reason.  So I am off to search for a good tool for the job...

Thanks again for you help!

[gmc]

Hi all - I have been reading lots and testing as I go.  I have two areas I am not clear on:

1.  What are the startup commands I would use to start the PXE server?

2.  How are the symlinks used in this particular setup?  (I understand the theory and command syntax but not the actual how-to details.)

A doctor friend used to say that to learn a surgical procedure they were taught to "see one, do one, teach one".  Well, at this point it would help if I could see some actual steps.  Then I can "do one".  Who knows, someday I might actually "teach one"!  (Scary thought, eh?)

It feels like I am almost there...

[tinypoodle]

1. Something like:

Code: [Select]

sudo udpsvd -E 0 69 tftpd /netboot &
sudo udhcpd /netboot/udhcpd.conf &
2. e.g.:

Code: [Select]

ln -s /usr/share/syslinux/pxelinux.0 /netboot/
and alike for kernel and initrd's.

[gmc]

Great!  That is just what I needed.

The code I have in /opt/bootlocal.sh is:


sudo udhcpd  /netboot/udhcpd.conf &
sudo udpsvd -E 0 69 tftpd /netboot &

Said code works if I enter it manually in a terminal windows but not automatically at boot time.  Any ideas?

Thanks.

[gerald_clark]

bootlocal.sh runs as root.  Do not use sudo.

[gmc]

I have tried it now without sudo - no change.  Is there some way to see what is happening at the time bootlocal.sh is read?  Any other ideas?

Thanks.

[Rich]

Hi gmc
Maybe the network isn't up yet.

[Rich]

Hi gmc
This might be helpful:
http://forum.tinycorelinux.net/index.php/topic,14731.msg83695.html#msg83695

[gmc]

Rich - you nailed it.  The network was not up yet.  As a quick test I put Robert's settime.sh script in front of the udhcpd command, saved the bootlocal.sh file and rebooted.  As soon as the server was up I rebooted a PXE client - and for the first time ever (here) the client immediately found the PXE server and booted into TCL 4.7.6 (command line interface only).

I have a lot more to learn before I get this server set up the way I want but thanks to all the help from all of you it will happen.  Thank you all again so very much.