Using RPL to remote boot

[Minczér András <bandi@eltecgroup.net>]

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I don't understand, why remoteboot as Win9x client.

In case of NT server, I think you just need boot diskless DOS clients,
and run loadlin from "NT-created" virtual drive "C:"

 

If it falls, try it from RAM-drive D:.

 

As far as I know, NT 4.0 doesn't use any boot image:
files (autoexec.bat, config.sys, io.sys, etc.) sit on NT's hard disk "as is",
(in special directory structure, however) and you may edit, copy, delete them
just as others (no something like DOSGEN or mknbi-dos).

 

As a sample skeleton for installing DOS-clients on NT4, I recommend look at

 

http://support.intel.com/support/etherexpress/pro10/6246.htm

 

(I was able with this skeleton install NT clients as novice in networking - about 3 years ago).

 

We use a couple of inexpensive motherboards (maybe PM 9100, I cannot
exactly remember at the moment) with onboard SIS900 NIC and built-in BIOS RPL option.

 However, there is a Novell server in our net, so I was created some plain DOS boot images
by Novell's DOSGEN command.

 

A sample configuration (works fine with Novell server, I think it will work with NT4, too.)

 

Include files:

 

IO.SYS
MSDOS.SYS
COMMAND.COM
EMM386.EXE
HIMEM.SYS
RAMDRIVE.SYS
CONFIG.SYS
AUTOEXEC.BAT
LOADLIN.EXE
VMLINUZ
STARTLIN.BAT

 

CONFIG.SYS like:
  DEVICE=A:\HIMEM.SYS /testmem:off
  DEVICE=A:\emm386.exe noems
  DEVICE=A:\ramdrive.sys 1400 /e

 

AUTOEXEC.BAT like:
  copy a:\loadlin c:\
  copy a:\vmlinuz c:\
  copy a:\startlin.bat c:\
  c:
  c:\startlin.bat

 

STARTLIN.BAT like:
  c:\loadlin.exe c:\vmlinuz root=/dev/nfs rw vga=3 nfsroot=192.168.1.2:/tftpboot/ws02

 

Note: I think, RAMDRIVE isn't necessary, but my real clients have a boot-menu
      in Config.sys, and can run some special measuring programs on C:, which
      does'nt work under DOSEMU.

 

  Of course, "192.168.1.2" is our's BOOTP-DHCP server IP (with SUSE-Linux 6.4),

"/tftpboot/ws02" is the root directory for the workstation.

 

Sample bootptab

# Novell-RPL DOS remoteboot+loadlin machine (SIS900 netcard, no linux-bootimage)
ws02:\
  :ht=ether:\
  :ha=00e006e345b4:\
  :ds=192.168.1.9:\
  :ip=192.168.1.202:\
  :sm=255.255.255.0:\
  :ts=192.168.1.9:\
  :rp=/tftpboot/ws02:\
  :hn
#

 

Kernel "vmlinuz" was compiled just as usual for our remote-boot linux boxes with
(THANKS for it, Gero!) netboot's MAKEROM created EPROM.

 

 

 

          bandi@eltecgroup.net