my current ipxe setup

README.md

All of this should go into a directory that is available via HTTP and NFS. In variables.ipxe you can provide the HTTP root and NFS root paths, which are used later. Also there are some variables to set the default iscsi root (without the last part after the colon) and the initiator iqn. These are used to auto-fill the iscsi menu options.

You should tell iPXE to boot bootstrap.ipxe.

The bootstrap process reads a bunch of files and sets a bunch of variables. Of importance, it will read the file macs/XXXXXXX.ipxe based on the mac address of the card. This file should do nothing more than set the name variable, which is then used to load names/${name}.ipxe. Between these, a bunch of variables are set, most notably the iscsi variables and ${arch}, which will be one of i386 or x86_64. The name file can then do what it pleases, and when it exits, the menu in default.ipxe is shown.

A whole bunch of things that are not included here, but which you should get:

• grub4dos/grub.exe - a chainloadable pre-packaged grub
• syslinux/
  • extlinux - can read and boot linux off extN
  • memdisk - can read and boot drives loaded into memory, including ISOs
  • syslinux can read and boot linux off FAT and other windows fs
• memtest86 - neat to have around
• windows/wimboot - able to boot WinPE images
• windows/winpe-${arch} - WinPE images, straight from copype.exe
• gentoo/minimal-${arch} - Gentoo minimal install CD info, which can be extracted from the CD with the included script.
• ubuntu/xubuntu-${arch} - mounted xubuntu isos, which should be NFS-shared

Almost all of these have paths defined in variables.ipxe. Fedora is not listed here, because the installer can be loaded directly off the internet. Awesome, huh?

bootstrap.ipxe

#!ipxe

# setup a default name
set name ${mac:hexraw}

# load the MAC-specific file, should just set name, that's all
chain --autofree macs/${mac:hexraw}.ipxe ||

# set up default variables
chain --autofree variables.ipxe ||

# load the name-specific file
chain --autofree names/${name}.ipxe ||

# now load the menu
chain --replace --autofree default.ipxe

default.ipxe

#!ipxe

########## code starts here #########
:start

menu bifrost netboot for ${initiator-iqn}
#tem --gap --             -------------------------                   ------------------------------
item --gap --             -------------------------       Tools       ------------------------------
item memtest              Memtest86
item grub                 Grub4Dos
item xubuntu              Xubuntu
item gentoomin            Gentoo
item fedorainstall        Fedora Installer
item freedos              FreeDOS
item freedosinstall       FreeDOS Installer
item winpe                WinPE
item --gap --             -------------------------       iSCSI       ------------------------------
item iscsiinit            Set iSCSI initiator
item iscsihook            Hook iSCSI target
item iscsiboot            Boot iSCSI target
item --gap --             -------------------------        PXE        ------------------------------
item --key m masq         Masquerade as...
item --key c config       (c)onfigure iPXE
item shell                drop to iPXE shell
item reboot               reboot
item --key x exit         e(x)it and continue BIOS boot
choose --timeout ${menutimeout} --default ${menudefault} selected || goto cancel
set menutimeout 0
goto ${selected}

:cancel
echo menu cancelled, dropping to shell

:shell
echo type 'exit' to get back to the menu
shell
goto start

:failed
echo something failed, dropping to shell
goto shell

:reboot
reboot

:exit
exit

:config
config
goto start

:masq
echo -n Masquerade as: && read masqas || goto start
set name ${masqas}
chain --autofree variables.ipxe ||
chain --autofree names/${name}.ipxe ||
chain --autofree --replace default.ipxe || goto failed
goto start

######## iSCSI ########

:iscsiinit
echo -n Initiator IQN: && read initiator-iqn || goto start
goto start

:iscsihook
set hookdrive ${iscsiroot}:${name}.
echo -n Target to hook: && read hookdrive || goto start
sanhook --drive 0x80 ${hookdrive} || goto failed
goto start

:iscsiboot
set bootdrive ${iscsiroot}:${name}.
echo -n Target to boot: && read bootdrive || goto start
sanboot --drive 0x80 ${bootdrive} || goto failed
goto start

######## Tools ########

:memtest
echo booting memtest86
chain memtest86 || goto failed
goto start

:grub
# from http://ipxe.org/appnote/work_around_bios_halting_on_ipxe_exit
echo booting grub4dos
chain ${grub4dos} --config-file="commandline" || goto failed
goto start

:xubuntu
# following guide from http://www.howtogeek.com/61263/
echo booting xubuntu
kernel ${xubuntupath}/casper/vmlinuz root=/dev/nfs boot=casper netboot=nfs nfsroot=${nfsroot}/${xubuntupath} initrd=${xubuntupath}/casper/initrd.lz --
initrd ${xubuntupath}/casper/initrd.lz
boot || goto failed
goto start

:gentoomin
# created using the method outlined at: http://blog.dastrup.com/?p=12
echo booting gentoo minimal
kernel ${gentoopath}/gentoo initrd=gentoo.igz root=/dev/ram0 init=/linuxrc loop=/image.squashfs cdroot real_root=/ dokeymap vga=791 nodhcp
initrd ${gentoopath}/gentoo.igz
boot || goto failed
goto start

:fedorainstall
# from http://ipxe.org/howto/fedora
echo booting fedora installer
kernel ${fedorarepo}/images/pxeboot/vmlinuz initrd=initrd.img repo=${fedorarepo}
initrd ${fedorarepo}/images/pxeboot/initrd.img
boot || goto failed
goto start

:freedosinstall
echo booting freedos installer
#sanboot --drive 0x81 ${root}/${freedospath}/fd11src.iso || goto failed
initrd ${freedospath}/fd11src.iso
chain ${memdisk} iso || goto failed
goto start

:freedos
echo booting freedos
#sanboot --drive 0x81 ${root}/${freedospath}/fdfullws.iso || goto failed
initrd ${freedospath}/fdfullws.iso
chain ${memdisk} iso || goto failed
goto start

:winpe
# slighly modified from http://ipxe.org/wimboot
# images created using copype.cmd, and copied directly
# http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc709665(v=ws.10).aspx
# modified to have my realtek nic drivers
echo booting winpe
initrd ${winpepath}/ISO/bootmgr bootmgr
initrd ${winpepath}/ISO/boot/bcd BCD
initrd ${winpepath}/ISO/boot/boot.sdi boot.sdi
initrd ${winpepath}/winpe.wim boot.wim
chain ${wimboot} || goto failed
goto start

gentoo-pxe-convert.sh

#!/bin/bash

# automates the procedure outlined at: http://blog.dastrup.com/?p=12

MOUNT=$1
OUT=$2

if [ x$MOUNT == "x" -o x$OUT == "x" ]; then
	echo usage: $0 [MOUNT] [OUT]
	exit 1
fi

echo converting gentoo iso mounted at $MOUNT into PXE-bootable stuff at $OUT

mkdir -p $OUT
cp $MOUNT/isolinux/gentoo $OUT/
cp $MOUNT/isolinux/gentoo.igz $OUT/
cp $MOUNT/image.squashfs $OUT/

mkdir -p $OUT/work

pushd $OUT/work > /dev/null 2>&1
echo decompressing initrd
xz -d -c ../gentoo.igz | cpio -idv > /dev/null 2>&1
mkdir -p mnt/cdrom
mv ../image.squashfs mnt/cdrom/

patch -p0 --ignore-whitespace <<'EOF'
--- init	2013-12-11 20:19:32.467354073 -0500
+++ init	2013-12-11 20:20:37.395542359 -0500
@@ -449,11 +449,6 @@
 		[ ! -e "${NEW_ROOT}/dev/tty1" ] && mknod "${NEW_ROOT}/dev/tty1" c 4 1
 	fi
 
-	if [ "${REAL_ROOT}" != "/dev/nfs" ] && [ "${LOOPTYPE}" != "sgimips" ]
-	then
-		bootstrapCD
-	fi
-
 	if [ "${REAL_ROOT}" = '' ]
 	then
 		echo -n -e "${WARN}>>${NORMAL}${BOLD} No bootable medium found. Waiting for new devices"
@@ -590,7 +585,7 @@
 		else
 			bad_msg "Block device ${REAL_ROOT} is not a valid root device..."
 			REAL_ROOT=""
-			got_good_root=0
+			got_good_root=1
 		fi
 	done
 
@@ -669,8 +664,6 @@
 	[ -z "${LOOP}" ] && find_loop
 	[ -z "${LOOPTYPE}" ] && find_looptype
 
-	cache_cd_contents
-
 	# If encrypted, find key and mount, otherwise mount as usual
 	if [ -n "${CRYPT_ROOT}" ]
 	then
@@ -711,7 +704,7 @@
 				# Upgrade to cached version if possible
 				[ "${DO_cache}" -a -f "${_CACHED_SQUASHFS_PATH}" ] \
 						&& _squashfs_path=${_CACHED_SQUASHFS_PATH}
-				mount -t squashfs -o loop,ro "${_squashfs_path}" "${NEW_ROOT}/mnt/livecd" || {
+				mount -t squashfs -o loop,ro "/mnt/cdrom/${LOOPEXT}${LOOP}" "${NEW_ROOT}/mnt/livecd" || {
 					bad_msg "Squashfs filesystem could not be mounted, dropping into shell."
 					if [ -e /proc/filesystems ]; then
 						fgrep -q squashfs /proc/filesystems || \

EOF

echo recompressing initrd
#find . -print | cpio -o -H newc 2>/dev/null | xz -9 -c - > ../gentoo.igz
find . -print | cpio -o -H newc 2>/dev/null > ../gentoo.igz
popd > /dev/null 2>&1
rm -r $OUT/work

echo done.

variables.ipxe

#!ipxe

######### autodetect variables #########
cpuid --ext 29 && set arch x86_64 || set arch i386

######### file root paths ##########
set root http://192.168.1.1/tftpd
set nfsroot 192.168.1.1:/var/tftpd

######### iscsi #########
set iscsiroot iscsi:192.168.1.1::::iqn.2013-04.net.rakeri.bifrost
set initiator-iqn iqn.2013-04.net.rakeri.asgard.${name}:initiator

######## syslinux helpers ########
set memdisk syslinux/memdisk

######## wimboot ########
set wimboot windows/wimboot

######## grub4dos ########
set grub4dos grub4dos/grub.exe

######### various distro paths #########
set fedorarepo http://download.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/releases/18/F$
set gentoopath gentoo/minimal-${arch}
set xubuntupath ubuntu/xubuntu-${arch}
set freedospath freedos
set win7path windows/seven-${arch}
set winpepath windows/winpe-${arch}

######### menu settings #########
set menutimeout 0
set menudefault 0