creating a tftpboot server [solved]

DaggyStyle · Watchman Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 5909

Greetings,

I have a x86_64 server and a arm64 board, I want to setup a ftfp server on the x86_64 server so I can use it to boot the arm64 board.
I've taken a look at this: https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Diskless_nodes but I'm not sure what parts of it I need.
I have the arm64 board's kernel image compiled, what I need to setup so I can boot that kernel image?

Thanks.
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bbgermany · Posted: Sat Oct 28, 2017 2:49 pm Post subject:

Hi,

you need at least the dhcp server, the tftp server and the nfs server for the root filesystem.

Then you can choose between pxeboot or etherboot. this is your choice.

greets, bb
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P.Kosunen · Guru Joined: 21 Nov 2005 Posts: 309 Location: Finland

Dnsmasq is quite easy choice for server side, DHCP/DNS/TFTP/PXE boot in same tool and easy to configure.

I think PXELINUX does not support ARM, so you need to load kernel image directly from TFTP root.

dnsmasq.conf:

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Sat Oct 28, 2017 6:50 pm Post subject:

DaggyStyle,

What will run on the arm board to fetch the kernel over tftp?
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bbgermany · Posted: Sat Oct 28, 2017 7:01 pm Post subject:

As far as i can see, it should be u-boot which needs to fetch the kernel via tftp.

greets, bb
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DaggyStyle · Watchman Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 5909

as said below, the board uses u-boot so I want to fetch the kernel via tftp and boot from the root which on the board's card.

do I need dhcp server? I've already have one on my server.
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Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the former - Albert Einstein

P.Kosunen · Guru Joined: 21 Nov 2005 Posts: 309 Location: Finland

DaggyStyle · Watchman Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 5909

so I can use the Diskless_nodes tutorial minus the dhcp configure?
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Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the former - Albert Einstein

P.Kosunen · Guru Joined: 21 Nov 2005 Posts: 309 Location: Finland

Yes i believe and also no PXELINUX part.

DaggyStyle · Watchman Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 5909

but if I can use existing dhcp, why do I need to define dhcp.conf?
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Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the former - Albert Einstein

bbgermany · Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2017 5:37 am Post subject:

The dhcp server need to provide the information for the tftp boot file/server iirc. Otherwise your system will not start as well.

greets, bb

EDITH: maybe this can help you a bit more then the diskless howto: https://rechtzeit.wordpress.com/2013/01/16/tftp-boot-using-u-boot/

It looks like, you just need a working dhcp server for providing an ip and the tftp server. then fire up your system with u-boot and stop the autoboot process and continue with the howto

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DaggyStyle · Watchman Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 5909

got it to work but unfortunately, I'm getting an error. it seems that the tftpboot is working so this issue is solved.
to put it simple, I've installed tftp-hpa, modified the conf file, started it, posted the files in the folder and the rest was done via uboot.
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Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the former - Albert Einstein