gPXE - PXE booting without a PXE boot ROM

[speedyone]

HI Pigdog,

I'm on the the very first link in rom-o-matic (http://rom-o-matic.net/gpxe/gpxe-git/gpxe.git/contrib/rom-o-matic/) and I'm not seeing the RTL 8169....from what I'm seeing, the RTL series only goes to RTL 8139 and never gets to the RTL 8169 series? Am I missing something?

thx,

speedyone 

[speedyone]

I had a similar problem when trying to make the USB drive work.

Did you just copy the file across or did you follow pigdog's instructions? As below:

To make a bootable floppy on a GNU/Linux system, put a formatted floppy in your floppy drive and do:

    $ cat eb-5.4.4-yournic.zdsk > /dev/fd0

where "eb-5.4.4-yournic.zdsk" is where you stored your downloaded ROM image.

On a DOS/Windows system, use the RAWRITE program to write the .zdsk image to a formatted floppy.

RAWRITE is available on most GNU/Linux installation CDs or on the web.

I did " dd if=image-disk.zdsk of=/dev/fd0"

I used the CD version which is an ISO file and then I used Sonic Record Now! on a windows box to burn the image.

From what you have said it would not boot at all (like mine when I tried it) rather than it booted and then took a dump becasue it found the wrong NIC.  So it seems your struggle is getting it burnt to the media or getting you mobo to boot from that media.  judging by my experience it is burning it to media.  This is where I struggled with the USB drive and the original point to this thread

Techstyle,

I also used the CD ISO file and I used the r8169:10ec8169 -(10ec,8169) file and not my actual (which is the RTL 8169 --ROM-o-matic doesn't have a listing that I could find for the RTL 8169).... Anyways, I got the MD to boot off the CD with the message that "we annouced ourselves to the router".

I just walked out to my MD and saw that it had rebooted and went through it's startup, but never got the MD launched.

I think I'm it that crash mode that Pigdog talked about due to the incorrect gPXE file. I probally need to find the RTL8169 series file or get another brand of PCI NIC card.

Any thoughts?

thx,
Speedyone

[pigdog]

The GPXE NIC listing gives you two choices from the Realtek family to boot from.

However, if you got the we announce ourselves to the router message you have obviously PXE booted!

So now via webadmin from your Core you can check to see if a MD was created under Media Directors, or,

from the command line look at usr/pluto/diskless directory to see if you have a number there.

PLEASE NOTE: If you have a core/hybrid there will be a number associated with the Core MD. 

If you have a CORE/Hybrid and a second MD you will have 2 numbers.  A Standalone Core + separate MD = 1 number in diskless directory.

If you have MD in diskless directory for your new MD and webadmin show a MD entry in media directors then you have a possible architecture mixmatch.

What is the type of cpu for the MD?  Intel? AMD? 32-bit/64 bit?

Your MD problem could also be related to your default display setting.

See http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=3931.0

There's a start.

Cheers.

[Techstyle]

So is the device in a reboot loop?

if it is you should find out if fearingsept got around his problem in this (http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=5782.0) post.

I think like Pigdog says check the architecture is correct on the MD page of webadmin, if it isn't change it and then update and rebuild the orbiter.

Did you hit the 'setup diskless MD' button on the MD page before you booted your MD?  If you did, You do not want to do this the button is leftover from previous versions and is not required now.  Just start it up.

[speedyone]

The GPXE NIC listing gives you two choices from the Realtek family to boot from.

However, if you got the we announce ourselves to the router message you have obviously PXE booted!

So now via webadmin from your Core you can check to see if a MD was created under Media Directors, or,

from the command line look at usr/pluto/diskless directory to see if you have a number there.

PLEASE NOTE: If you have a core/hybrid there will be a number associated with the Core MD. 

If you have a CORE/Hybrid and a second MD you will have 2 numbers.  A Standalone Core + separate MD = 1 number in diskless directory.

If you have MD in diskless directory for your new MD and webadmin show a MD entry in media directors then you have a possible architecture mixmatch.

What is the type of cpu for the MD?  Intel? AMD? 32-bit/64 bit?

Your MD problem could also be related to your default display setting.

See http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=3931.0

There's a start.

Cheers.

The MD cpu is an AMD 32-bit. Thanks for the tip on the dsiplay settings and the link for help. This came in handy as I was finally able to boot and run through the AV wizard---sweet success!!

After the wizard, the MCE launch manager does it thing and then I get back to a black screen with a white arrow that I can move around with my mouse...but I can't see the normal media director screen.

Any ideas?

thx,

speedyone 

[pigdog]

Hi speedyone,

Your architecture type should be i386.  It probably is.

The normal MD screen will be the flickr background and menu bar if you chose UI2 medium or UI2 alpha.

Your problem may be related to your video setting.

Did you set UI2?  If so try UI1 to start.  You won't get the fancy eye candy but we will eliminate some other (possible xorg.conf) problems.

What is your video card?

[speedyone]

Hi Pigdog,

I'm so happy!!!! my MD is up and running "the talking lady"!!!

I did set  to UI2 and moved it to UI1 and this solved the problem. My video card is a "EVGA pci 512MB DDR2-8400GS".

Now all I need to get is an audio adapter that comes from my mother board audio port to the input port on my TV. I'm guessing that these are a common adapter that I can get at the store today?

I'll keep you posted.

I can't say thank you enough for all the help you and Techstyle have been!!! It's truly amazing!! What great people you are!! You both spend a lot of your time & effort helping clueless strangers like myself!! What a wonderful world it is indeed!!!

Kind regards,

speedyone

[pigdog]

Hi speedyone,

Gee, that EVGA (nvidia) 8400gs should be able to do UI2 medium for sure and UI2 alpha if you really wanted.

I'm running a MSI NX8400GS @ UI2-alpha on my Aquos LCD no problem.

I'd try UI2 medium for sure.  UI2 alpha can cause some problems with video playback in LMCE variant 710 (tearing).

Glad to hear you're running anyway.

Cheers

[speedyone]

Hi Pigdog,

I am up and running!!!

I'm also surprised about the (nvidia) 8400gs. This is a pci video adapter and not a pci express adapter. My old IWill MB doesn't support pci express. None the less, I currently have the video adapter in the 3rd or 4th pci slot on the MB. I'm going to move it to the first slot, just to see if that would make a difference.

The MD is connected to my TV via "S" video. It's not very easy to read or see the MD menu.

I'll have to play with this.

Thanks again,
Speedyone 

[pigdog]

Hi speedyone,

I've got a nvidia 6200 PCI card hooked up to a RCA Proscan 35" CRT via S-Video.

It's configured at 640x480 NTSC-M UI2.

Graphics will not be that good because of the nature of the TV beast.  It (a CRT TV) only has so many lines of resolution.

Movies, photos etc will look good but trying to use the KDE desktop for web browsing, or graphics, will not.

Cheers.

[speedyone]

Thanks for the reply thus saving me a big headache and time trying to improve my TV graphics which is not possible on my "old style" TV.

Kind regards,
Speedyone