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gPXE (formerly Etherboot) is an open-source Preboot Execution Environment (PXE) implementation and bootloader. It can be used to enable computers without built-in PXE support to boot from the network, or to extend an existing PXE implementation with support for additional protocols. While traditional PXE clients use TFTP to transfer data, gPXE adds the ability to retrieve data through other protocols like HTTP, iSCSI and ATA over Ethernet (AoE), and can work with Wi-Fi rather than requiring a wired connection.
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gPXE can be loaded by a computer in several ways:
gPXE implements its own PXE stack, using a driver corresponding to the network card, or a UNDI driver if it was loaded by PXE itself. This allows to use a PXE stack even if the network card has no boot ROM, by loading gPXE from a fixed medium.
Although its basic role was to implement a PXE stack, gPXE can be used as a full-featured network bootloader. It can fetch files from multiple network protocols [1], such as TFTP, NFS, HTTP[2] or FTP, and can boot PXE, ELF, Linux, FreeBSD, multiboot, EFI and Windows CE images.
In addition, it is scriptable and can load COMBOOT and COM32 SYSLINUX extensions. This allows for instance to build a graphical menu for network boot.
gPXE development has stalled recently[3], and several projects are migrating[4] or considering migrating[5] to iPXE as a result.
heh,
ok. I use VM's here a lot because I don't have a large number of machines to use anymore. I haven't tried creating a PXE server though. that would be something new. and yeah, I suspect that booting PXE over the internet would not be doable except on a very secure, very fat pipe. :)
anyway, it would be something new for me to learn.
-Eric
On Dec 29, 2010, at 11:01 PM, Lisa Kachold wrote:
> Thanks Technomage,
>
> That's not exactly what we require. A VM of what? Laugh!
>
> I can build a VM also, but why would I, when I can just build the system and configure the gPXE quicker?
>
> On Wed, Dec 29, 2010 at 10:33 PM, Technomage Hawke <technomage.hawke@gmail.com> wrote:
> Lisa,
> I could build a vm for that if you want. I could even give ssh access to it on a non-standard port if needed. I already have a vm of ubuntu already installed here. otherwise, I can save it off as an image and we can dd it to a new drive from a dvd.
>
> let me know.
>
> -Eric
>
> On Dec 29, 2010, at 9:35 PM, Lisa Kachold wrote:
>
> > I promised to assist by building a gPXE build server for the Installfest.
> >
> > So, we want to coordinate efforts and request suggestions.
> > (Thanks so much Joseph Sinclair for your good advice).
> >
> > When do we want to build her?
> > What is the target hardware?
> >
> > Other information we might need?
> >
> > Wifi card? Any donations over and above what's available?
> >
> > Let's start making the list and make this nice?
> >
> > Drive Space?
> > TB at least?
> >
> >
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