Introduction

The links from this page describes:

• how to setup a machine so that it can boot up a remote node
• what is required to install SuSe on a new machine

If I've set everything up correctly then the only link required to set up a new machine should be the second link above.

Steps for a Preboot eXecution Environment (PXE) boot

After everything has the been set up properly the following should happpen automatically:

1. Get the IP address through DHCP. DCHP is run on the TFTP server (currently ellesmere) and the IP address is stored in /etc/dhcpd.conf on TFTP server. (If this doesn't work check that DHCP is really running on TFTP server - it seems to stop a lot)
2. Read the config file on TFTP server (currently /tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg/default). Tells the remote node the name of kernal, image disk and where to find the SuSe installation and the remote control file
3. Load up the kernal and initial RAM disk (initrd) from tftp directory (/tftpboot on TFTP server)
4. Locate the SuSe installation directory using NFS and load up YaST. (If this doesn't work check that SuSe installation directory is available through the NFS server on TFTP server)
5. Basic hardware check followed by reading of the control file (/var/lib/autoinstall/repository/node.xml on TFTP server) with NFS again. (If it can't find control file then check that the control file directory is also available through the NFS server on TFTP server)
6. Installation