remote boot image size

  • Thread starter Thread starter Greg
  • Start date Start date
G

Greg

Hi, I need to create a remote boot sdi file, the goal is to boot with PXE,
so I can format hard drive and copy real image over.

This sdi just need to make sure system boots up and connect to the network.
Any one has done this?

My RAM is only 128 MB, when I tried my image, it worked if I have 256 MB. I
read the book by Seam Liming or other doc. they all say the image has to be
1/2 of the Ram size, so I target image is 64 MB. Any one has ever create an
image is around that size?

Or can I use a MSDOS boot disk with networking build in, then covert it to a
SDI file? I know Ghost just use one floppy to boot. But I need to remote
boot.

Any suggestions is much appreciated.

Thanks!

Greg
 
Hi Greg,

Use minlogon, and add manually components that are absolutely necessary.
You can make image for this purpose in around 40 MB. 64 MB is not a problem.

Regards,
Slobodan
 
Greg,
This sdi just need to make sure system boots up and connect to the network.
Any one has done this?
Click to expand...

Yup.. My mini SDI image (Minlogon/CMD) was about 36Mb (compressed, though).
I used it to download a "big" XPe image to the target CF card.
My RAM is only 128 MB, when I tried my image, it worked if I have 256 MB. I
read the book by Seam Liming or other doc. they all say the image has to be
1/2 of the Ram size, so I target image is 64 MB. Any one has ever create an image is around that size?
Click to expand...

Use Minlogon.
Or can I use a MSDOS boot disk with networking build in, then covert it to a SDI file? I know Ghost just use one floppy to boot.
Click to expand...
But I need to remote boot.

I've done that once but it was with MS RIS (not RBS). I then used the DOS image (OS) to get up and running on network.
If you want to do the same, take a look at 3COM RIS (DOS) solutions.
 
Greg said:
Hi, I need to create a remote boot sdi file, the goal is to boot with PXE,
so I can format hard drive and copy real image over.

This sdi just need to make sure system boots up and connect to the network.
Any one has done this?

My RAM is only 128 MB, when I tried my image, it worked if I have 256 MB. I
read the book by Seam Liming or other doc. they all say the image has to be
1/2 of the Ram size, so I target image is 64 MB. Any one has ever create an
image is around that size?

Or can I use a MSDOS boot disk with networking build in, then covert it to a
SDI file? I know Ghost just use one floppy to boot. But I need to remote
boot.

Any suggestions is much appreciated.

Thanks!

Greg
Click to expand...
Hi
I once used 3COM DynamicAccess Managed PC Boot Agent (MBA) to create a
DOS image for PXE boot. MBA is free to download and is very well documented.
Several useful utilities are included. As far as I remember it worked on
the first trial. (or was it the second or third).

You can include network support in DOS.
To do this I once used:
Microsoft LAN Manager also called Microsoft Network Client.
You can find it on an NT4 CD. /CLIENTS/LANMAN/...
Note that this uses the NetBEUI protocol by default not enabled in XP,
but it is in W2000. I have also tried TCP/IP protocols on DOS but there
was memory problems together with Ghost.

You could let DOS start Ghost.exe (automatically if you want) reading
an XPE Ghost imagefile over the network.
As easy as: "net use X: \\PcName\ShareName"
"Ghost (some args I don't remember) X:\ImageName.gho

The XPE-Ghost image file could be created by DOS - Ghost from a disk
with a working XPE.

MBA is found on http://support.3com.com/infodeli/tools/nic/mba.htm

Perhaps you could replace remote network boot with USB CD boot.
(a bit easiar)
I use an USB - bootable DOS CD. It automatically starts Ghost
which takes the XPE-Ghost imagefile from the CD.

Lasse
 
You guys give me some hope!
Thanks!
Could you please share a little more?
I am not clear after you boot up, how do you configure the network, format,
partition the hard drive, then xcopy the image over?
Please share what's the sequence of commnads looks like!

Thank you very very much!

Greg
KM said:
Greg,


Yup.. My mini SDI image (Minlogon/CMD) was about 36Mb (compressed, though).
I used it to download a "big" XPe image to the target CF card.
an image is around that size?

Use Minlogon.
Click to expand...
to a SDI file? I know Ghost just use one floppy to boot.
But I need to remote boot.

I've done that once but it was with MS RIS (not RBS). I then used the DOS
Click to expand...
image (OS) to get up and running on network.
 
Greg,

If you go with XPe minlogon image:
Could you please share a little more?
I am not clear after you boot up, how do you configure the network,
Click to expand...

Start with "Basic TCP/IP Network" component and resolve its dependencies.
Including Netshell (netsh.exe) will also help you set up the network
connection.
Adding net.exe and other netowrk utilities may also help you a lot.
format, partition the hard drive,
Click to expand...

Use tools like diskpart.exe, format, convert.
then xcopy the image over?
Click to expand...

Assuming long file name support is there (XPe), you can use tools like
xcopy, xxcopy, robocopy (NT/2K/XP Resource Kit).
Please share what's the sequence of commnads looks like!
Click to expand...

If you include Command Prompt Shell, you can do all steps manually.
Or you can automate the procedure (using a set of batch files, or FBA
Generic Command resources, or both).

KM
 
Hi Greg,

Commands: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/...WINDOWSXP/home/using/productdoc/en/ntcmds.asp
Disk Part: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=300415

For Format you will have to use undocumented switch "/y" to skip prompting before formatting.
Disk part should use txt command script file.

For copy operation you can use selfextracting exe file. This way you will have smaller amount of data to transfer over the network.
Or if you want to copy images. You can use SDI files, or make your own disk copy program, this is not hard if you are programmer.

Regards,
Slobodan

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Thanks again!

When I do all these commnads, I need to do them at the server.

I have a remote boot sever and a PC needs re-image.

I reboot the PC remotely, and it uses PXE to boot from the server.
From the server, I need to issue commands to format the hard drive, ...,
copy the image, then reboot PC to boot from itself, then I want to remotely
(using remote desktop) to make sure the new image is running correctly. The
goal is that I do not to be there phycally to do the whole thing. I can
remotely get into the server through remote control (ex. remote desktop or
pcAnywhere). The PC is already running on the network and I can get to it.
It is running on Windows 2000 prof. now. I need to change it to XPE.

So the questions is after boot up with XPE, from the server, do I check the
DHCP to find out what IP it picked up? So I can get to it. But how do I
execute commnads remotely from my server to format the hard drive?
Or do I have to create a batch command file to run it automatically when XPE
boot up from the server. Then how do I make the command file run when boots
up the first time? Where do I put the command file.

I hope you see where I am confued at. Your help is greately appreciated!

Greg
 
Greg,

You can make headless XPe, that will do things by itself, no need for overcomplicating such easy thing.
If you want to use same XPe image for different tasks then your application or batch file can be located on server if not you can
put whole script in XPe image.

For running bat file, you can make set in registry run value so your application/bat file is executed on each boot.
Or you can create custom shell component that will run your application see in TD help about this.

Regards,
Slobodan
 
I definitly want the bat file on the server, but how do I see the PC when it
boots up from the server?
Thanks!
Slobodan Brcin (eMVP) said:
Greg,

You can make headless XPe, that will do things by itself, no need for
Click to expand...
overcomplicating such easy thing.
If you want to use same XPe image for different tasks then your
Click to expand...
application or batch file can be located on server if not you can
put whole script in XPe image.

For running bat file, you can make set in registry run value so your
Click to expand...
application/bat file is executed on each boot.
 
First that XPe image can have unique network name for instance "XPEDeploy".
So you can always access it by name, but this is not what you want.

I suggested that XPe access server that have known IP address or name and to use script file from server.

So client ask server for what to do and not vise versa like "Server command client to do things."

Regards,
Slobodan
 
Greg,

You rather make the server to be seen from the device.

Assuming your device got DHCP IP, it then launches a batch (Run/RunOnce option) from a predefined server (hardcoded name or IP). If
you have the batch file on the server it may be easier to change it later

This is how I implemented things for our Minlogon device (not headless but not required user/admin interaction).
 
I know runonce is in the registry setting
Do I do this in the TD Extra Registry Data? or modify the created image
after FBA?
Then I have to manaully copy the comand file to a dirctory that I manually
create right? Also copy diskpart.exe the run that in runonce commnand file
to partition the hard drive?

Please let me know if this is correct!

Thanks!
KM said:
Greg,

You rather make the server to be seen from the device.

Assuming your device got DHCP IP, it then launches a batch (Run/RunOnce
Click to expand...
option) from a predefined server (hardcoded name or IP). If
you have the batch file on the server it may be easier to change it later

This is how I implemented things for our Minlogon device (not headless but
Click to expand...
not required user/admin interaction).
 
Greg,

You may use FBA RunOnce resource (TD Extra Resources). Please read the XPe docs about the command options.

You may have all the utilities (diskpart.exe, etc.) on the server side (a network share), or you may include the in to your image
(TD Extra Files, e.g.).

As soon as you get access from the runtime to network share, you are flexible in the directions to go.
 
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