Creating a PXE Boot menu for deploying Linux with Windows Deployment Services (WDS)

Requirements

PXELinux - part of syslinux PXELINUX - Download
Windows Deployment Services already setup (setting up WDS is outside of the scope of this article)
- NOTE: $WDS-ROOT will reference the WDS root folder location in this case D:\RemoteInstall\

How To Setup Windows Deployment Services with PXELinux

Download syslinux from http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/boot/syslinux/
Extract core\pxelinux.0 com32\menu\vesamenu.c32 and com32\modules\chain.c32 from the syslinux download and put it on your WDS server in $WDS-ROOT\Boot\x86\ and $WDS-ROOT\Boot\x64\(substitute WDS-ROOT for where your WDS root folder is)
- Depending on the version, you may also need additional modules such as ldlinux.c32, libcom32.c32 and libmenu.c32. See also ELF missing dependencies
In the $WDS-ROOT\Boot\$ARCH folders Rename pxelinux.0 to pxelinux.com
Create a folder named pxelinux.cfg (in the $WDS-ROOT\Boot\x86\ and $WDS-ROOT\Boot\x64\ folder)
In the pxelinux.cfg folder create a text file named default and add the following to it (you can substitute MyMenuBackgroundPicture640x480.jpg for any image you want as your menu background)

 DEFAULT      vesamenu.c32
 PROMPT       0
 NOESCAPE     0
 ALLOWOPTIONS 0
 # Timeout in units of 1/10 s
 TIMEOUT 300
 MENU MARGIN 10
 MENU ROWS 16
 MENU TABMSGROW 21
 MENU TIMEOUTROW 26
 MENU COLOR BORDER 30;44		#20ffffff #00000000 none
 MENU COLOR SCROLLBAR 30;44		#20ffffff #00000000 none
 MENU COLOR TITLE 0 		#ffffffff #00000000 none
 MENU COLOR SEL   30;47		#40000000 #20ffffff
 MENU BACKGROUND MyMenuBackgroundPicture640x480.jpg
 MENU TITLE PXE Boot Menu
 #---
 LABEL wds
 MENU LABEL Windows Deployment Services
 KERNEL pxeboot.0
 #---
 LABEL Abort
 MENU LABEL AbortPXE
 Kernel	abortpxe.0
 #---
 LABEL local 
 MENU DEFAULT
 MENU LABEL Boot from Harddisk
 LOCALBOOT 0
 Type 0x80

Make a copy of pxeboot.n12 and name it pxeboot.0
make a copy from abortpxe.com and rename it to abortpxe.0
Create a folder named Linux (in the $WDS-ROOT\Boot\x86\ and $WDS-ROOT\Boot\x64\ folder)
- Open the Windows Deployment Services Console,
- Right Click on your Server and Select Properties,
- From the Boot Tab change the default boot program for your architecute (x86 and x64 as well) to Boot\x86\pxelinux.com and Boot\x64\pxelinux.com respectively
- NOTE: In the WDS included in Windows Server 2008 R2 the UI has changed and you have to use the command line to set the the default boot program.
- Thus to change the boot program to pxelinux.com, the wdsutil command line tool has to be used: (do this also for x64 if you have x64 clients also)
  - wdsutil /set-server /bootprogram:boot\x86\pxelinux.com /architecture:x86
  - wdsutil /set-server /N12bootprogram:boot\x86\pxelinux.com /architecture:x86
Now when you pxe boot a machine you will get your custom boot menu

Adding Linux images to boot/install

Debian and Ubuntu

Download the netboot files (initrd.gz and linux) from a debian/ubuntu mirror
Create a folder on your WDS server under $WDS-ROOT\Boot\arch\Linux called Debian (or Ubuntu)
Copy the downloaded netboot files initrd.gz and linux to the new folder
Create a menu entry at the end of the $WDS-ROOT\Boot\arch\pxelinux.cfg\default file (boot menu items for debian and ubuntu can be found in the download site under boot-screens in the text.cfg file)

 label debian5-0expert
 menu label ^Debian 5-0 Expert install:
 kernel /Linux/Debian5.0/linux
 append priority=low vga=normal initrd=/Linux/Debian5.0/initrd.gz -- 
 #-- 
 label debian5-0rescue
 menu label ^Debian 5-0 Rescue mode
 kernel /Linux/Debian5.0/linux
 append vga=normal initrd=/Linux/Debian5.0/initrd.gz rescue/enable=true -- quiet 
 #-- 
 label debian5-0auto
 menu label ^Debian 5-0 Automated install
 kernel /Linux/Debian5.0/linux
 append auto=true priority=critical vga=normal initrd=/Linux/Debian5.0/initrd.gz -- quiet 
 #-- 
 label debian5-0amd64expert
 menu label ^Debian 5-0 amd64 Expert install
 kernel /Linux/Debian5.0/linux-amd64
 append priority=low vga=normal initrd=/Linux/Debian5.0/initrd-amd64.gz -- 
 #-- 
 label debian5-0amd64rescue
 menu label ^Debian 5-0 amd64 Rescue mode
 kernel /Linux/Debian5.0/linux-amd64
 append vga=normal initrd=/Linux/Debian5.0/initrd-amd64.gz rescue/enable=true -- quiet 
 #--
 label debian5-0amd64auto
 menu label ^Debian 5-0 amd64 Automated install
 kernel /Linux/Debian5.0/linux-amd64
 append auto=true priority=critical vga=normal initrd=/Linux/Debian5.0/initrd-amd64.gz -- quiet 
 #---
 label ubuntu-expert
 menu label ^Ubuntu Expert install
 kernel /linux/ubuntu/linux
 append priority=low vga=normal initrd=/linux/ubuntu/initrd.gz -- 
 #-- 
 label ubuntu-cli-expert
 menu label Ubuntu Command-line expert install
 kernel /linux/ubuntu/linux
 append tasks=standard pkgsel/language-pack-patterns= pkgsel/install-language-support=false priority=low vga=normal initrd=/linux/ubuntu/initrd.gz -- 
 #--
 label ubuntu-rescue
 menu label Ubuntu Rescue mode
 kernel /linux/ubuntu/linux
 append vga=normal initrd=/linux/ubuntu/initrd.gz rescue/enable=true -- quiet 
 #-- 
 label ubuntu-expert-amd64
 menu label ^Ubuntu-amd64 Expert install
 kernel /linux/ubuntu/linux-amd64
 append priority=low vga=normal initrd=/linux/ubuntu/initrd-amd64.gz -- 
 #-- 
 label ubuntu-amd64-cli-expert
 menu label Ubuntu-amd64 Command-line expert install
 kernel /linux/ubuntu/linux-amd64
 append tasks=standard pkgsel/language-pack-patterns= pkgsel/install-language-support=false priority=low vga=normal initrd=/linux/ubuntu/initrd-amd64.gz -- 
 #-- 
 label ubuntu-amd64-rescue
 menu label Ubuntu-amd64 Rescue mode
 kernel /linux/ubuntu/linux-amd64
 append vga=normal initrd=/linux/ubuntu/initrd-amd64.gz rescue/enable=true -- quiet

Gentoo

Download the latest gentoo minimal install CD from a mirror
Extract the files isolinux/gentoo isolinux/gentoo.igz image.squashfs from the iso to a temporary folder
Make a folder on the WDS server under $WDS-ROOT\Boot\arch\Linux called gentoo
Copy the extracted gentoo file to the $WDS-ROOT\Boot\arch\Linux\gentoo folder on the WDS server
Copy the extracted gentoo.igz and image.squashfs files to a temporary location on a linux machine (i.e. /root/tmp)
In the /root/tmp location create a folder called gentoo and change into this directory
- mkdir /root/tmp/gentoo
- cd /root/tmp/gentoo
Type the following command and press enter (this extracts all the files from the gentoo.igz file)
- gunzip -c ../gentoo.igz | cpio -idv
Make the follwing folders (in the extracted folder)
- mkdir mnt
- mkdir mnt/cdrom
Copy the image.squashfs to the new created mnt/cdrom folder
- cp ../image.squashfs mnt/cdrom
Make a backup copy of the init file
- cp init init.orig
Edit the init file with the following modifications

    Change the line:
      -- if [ "${REAL_ROOT}" != "/dev/nfs" ] && [ "${LOOPTYPE}" != "sgimips" ]
    To:
      ++ if [ "${REAL_ROOT}" != "/dev/nfs" ] && [ "${LOOPTYPE}" != "sgimips" ] && [ "${REAL_ROOT}" != "/" ]
    Change the line (under  # Check for a block device or /dev/nfs):
      -- elif [ -b "${REAL_ROOT}" ] || [ "${REAL_ROOT}" = "/dev/nfs" ]
    To:
      ++ elif [ -b "${REAL_ROOT}" ] || [ "${REAL_ROOT}" = "/dev/nfs" ] || [ "${REAL_ROOT}" = "/" ]
    Remove the line:
      -- cache_cd_contents
    Change the line:
      -- mount -t squashfs -o loop,ro ${NEW_ROOT}/mnt/cdrom/${LOOPEXT}${LOOP} ${NEW_ROOT}/mnt/livecd
    To:
      ++ mount -t squashfs -o loop,ro /mnt/cdrom/${LOOPEXT}${LOOP} ${NEW_ROOT}/mnt/livecd

Compress everything back into a file again by this typing the following and press enter
- find . -print | cpio -o -H newc |gzip -9 -c - > ../gentoo.igz.new
Copy the new gentoo.igz.new to the $WDS-ROOT\Boot\arch\Linux\gentoo folder on the WDS server and name it gentoo.igz
Create a menu entry at the end of the $WDS-ROOT\Boot\arch\pxelinux.cfg\default file

 LABEL gentoo2008-x86
 MENU LABEL Deploy Gentoo 32 bit
 KERNEL /linux/gentoo/gentoo
 append root=/dev/ram0 init=/linuxrc dokeymap looptype=squashfs loop=/image.squashfs cdroot initrd=/linux/gentoo/gentoo.igz real_root=/ vga=791
 #--
 LABEL gentoo2008-x64
 MENU LABEL Deploy Gentoo amd64
 KERNEL /linux/gentoo/gentoo-amd64
 append root=/dev/ram0 init=/linuxrc dokeymap looptype=squashfs loop=/image.squashfs cdroot initrd=/linux/gentoo/gentoo-amd64.igz real_root=/ vga=791

GParted

Download GParted live zip file (You have to use 0.3.7-2 or later, network drivers are only included after that), and unzip all the files in a temp dir
Copy necessary boot files (vmlinuz1 and initrd1.img) to a new folder on your WDS server ($WDS-ROOT\Boot\arch\Linux\gparted)
Copy /tmp/gparted/live/filesystem.squashfs to your http web server. (If on IIS create a new virtual directory and set the mime type for .* extension to text/plain)
Edit your PXE config file /Boot/arch/pxelinux.cfg/default, and append the following:

 label GParted Live
 MENU LABEL GParted Live
 kernel \Linux\gparted\vmlinuz1
 append initrd=\Linux\gparted\initrd1.img boot=live union=aufs noswap noprompt vga=788 fetch=http://$webserverIP/gparted/filesystem.squashfs
 ###//NOTE// Replace $webserverIP with your IP address of http server.

As of GParted-live version 0.3.8-3, fetch=tftp is supported. Just copy the filesystem.squashfs file into the same folder as vmlinuz1 and initrd1.img (in the above example it would be \Linux\gparted. The above append can then be replaced with:

append initrd=\Linux\gparted\initrd1.img boot=live union=aufs noswap noprompt vga=788 fetch=tftp://$tftpserverIP/linux/gparted/filesystem.squashfs
# //NOTE// Replace $tftpserverIP with the IP address of your tftp server.

F-Secure Antivirus Rescue CD

Download the latest f-secure Rescue CD from http://www.f-secure.com/en_EMEA/security/tools/rescue-cd/
Extract the kernel from the ISO image (boot/isolinux/fsecure/linux) to a new folder on your WDS server ($WDS-ROOT\Boot\arch\Linux\fsecure)
Extract the boot/isolinux/fsecure/minirt.gz file and whole KNOPPIX folder from the ISO
Copy the extracted minirt.gz file and KNOPPIX folder to a temporary location on a linux machine (i.e. /root/tmp)
In the /root/tmp location create a folder called fsecure and change into this directory
- mkdir /root/tmp/fsecure
- cd /root/tmp/fsecure
Type the following command and press enter (this extracts all the files from the minirt.gz file)
- gunzip -c ../minirt.gz | cpio -idv
Copy the KNOPPIX folder extracted from the ISO to the mnt-system folder
- cp -r ../KNOPPIX mnt-system
Make a backup copy of the init file
- cp init init.orig
Edit the init file with the following modifications

find the findknoppix devices section and delete everything from it

findknoppix(){
-- local dev
-- for dev in "$@"; do
--  [ -b "$dev" ] || continue
--  echo -n -e "\r${CRE}${BLUE}${SEARCHINGFOR} $DISTRO in: ${MAGENTA}$dev${NORMAL}   "
--  trymount "$dev" /mnt-system >/dev/null 2>&1 || continue
--  if [ -r /mnt-system/"$knoppix_dir"/KNOPPIX ] ; then
--      # We must have also fsecure structure present else we might try to mount something wrong.
--      if [ -d /mnt-system/fsecure/rescuecd ] || [ -d /mnt-system/boot/isolinux/fsecure ] ; then
--         echo -e "\r${CRE}${GREEN}$DISTRO ${FOUNDAT}: ${MAGENTA}$dev${NORMAL}       "
--         return 0
--      fi
--  fi
--  umount /mnt-system
-- done
-- return 1

Add return 0 to the findknoppix devices section 

++ return 0

}

Compress everything back into a file again by this typing the following and press enter
- find . -print | cpio -o -H newc |gzip -9 -c - > ../minirt.gz.new
Copy the new minirt.gz.new to the $WDS-ROOT\Boot\arch\Linux\fsecure folder on the WDS server and name it minirt.gz
Create a menu entry at the end of the $WDS-ROOT\Boot\arch\pxelinux.cfg\default file

  LABEL fsecurerescuecd
  MENU LABEL F-Secure AV Rescue CD
  KERNEL Linux/fsecure/linux
  APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 lang=en vt.default_utf8=0 apm=power-off vga=0x311 initrd=Linux/fsecure/minirt.gz nomce quiet loglevel=1 nolapic_timer nosound console=tty10 video=noblank

Knoppix

See http://pxe.dev.aboveaverageurl.com/index.php/PXE_Booting/Knoppix for details

Citrix XenServer (Redhat/Centos)

Download the latest XenServer ISO's
Make a folder on the WDS server under $WDS-ROOT\Boot\arch\Linux called xenserver
Extract the following files from the first XenServer ISO

    /install.img
    /boot/xen.gz 
    /boot/vmlinuz
    /boot/isolinux/mboot.c32
    the whole /packages.main folder

Extract the following files from the second !XenServer ISO
- the whole /packages.linux folder
Copy the extracted files to the $WDS-ROOT\Boot\arch\Linux\xenserver folder on the WDS server
Create a virtual directory in IIS on the WDS server called Xen$version (i.e. xen5-5 ) with read access pointing to the $WDS-ROOT\Boot\arch\Linux\xenserver folder
On the new IIS virtual directory add the mime type for extension .* text/plain
Edit your PXE config file /Boot/arch/pxelinux.cfg/default, and append the following:

 label xenserver5-5beta
 menu label Citrix ^Xen Server 5.5 install
 kernel /Linux/xenserver/mboot.c32
 APPEND /Linux/xenserver/xen.gz dom0_mem=752M com1=115200,8n1 console=com1,tty --- /Linux/xenserver/vmlinuz console=ttyS0,115200n8 console=tty0 --- /Linux/xenserver/install.img

when installing xen select install from http/ftp and type in the location of your wds/web server (IIS webserver as configured above, i.e. http://172.16.0.1/xen5-5 )

WDSLINUX

Contents

Requirements

How To Setup Windows Deployment Services with PXELinux

Adding Linux images to boot/install

Debian and Ubuntu

Gentoo

GParted

F-Secure Antivirus Rescue CD

Knoppix

Citrix XenServer (Redhat/Centos)

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