How to pxe boot to Ghost in 4 steps

[bandgeekmafia78]

Hi.

I'm sure this has been done already in multiple threads but I thought I'd share with you how I've managed to get my computers pxe-booting to Ghost over the network in just FOUR steps...

Do all of these steps on your Ghost Server!!

1: Install 3Com PXE Boot Services

This is on the GHOST Installation CD under ‘extras’. If you don’t have the CD search for ‘master.exe’ in the ‘extras’ folder. By default, only the Administrator option is selected, which will install only the management tools. Remember to change this to Server during the install. Accept all other defaults.

After installation, start the 3Com PXE Server and 3Com TFTP Server services (services.msc). Set the startup type to Automatic.

2: Create a Network Boot Image

Start Ghost Boot Wizard, and select option: TCP/IP Network Boot Image. Select PC-DOS, then select the universal driver, and store the boot image in the C:\TFTPBOOT directory.

3: Create a PXE boot menu

Using the 3Com Boot Image Editor, select Create a PXE Menu Boot File.

Click Add and select Boot From Hard Drive as the default entry, then click Add again to create a second entry containing your boot image file (the .sys file you just created in step 2). Save the file.

4. Create an entry in the BootPTab control file

Start the 3Com BootPTab editor.

Delete the existing entries and go to Edit > Add Host… - add a wildcard host id "????????????" as a node identifier, and point it at the PXE Menu Boot File that you created in step 3.



Hope this is useful.

Alan

[sidewinder]

This has been useful to me.

Although I can't quite get it working!

The client connects to the TFTP server fine, starts PC-DOS, then brings up a load of 0x00 (00 being various numbers) on the screen, then just says

'sending status to 192.168.1.10'
'acknowledged by 192.168.1.10'

over and over, like it is waiting for something

Any ideas?

[sidewinder]

Sorted it...I was being an idiot and not following instructions, I'd created a Ghost console boot image instead of just a Ghost one

Works fine..thanks!

[jimothy]

You are a star sir, I've been after this information for years!! Thank you, no more ghost boot CDs!!