I would like to submit the scripts and tarball at the URL http://www.arl.rdg.ac.uk/gentoo/ to the Gentoo community. These scripts (maybe with some tweaks) generate a Gentoo NFS root filesystem on a server's hard disk. This can then be used in conjunction with Etherboot (on x86 architecture) or most openboot-like proms (on other architectures) to boot Gentoo across a network. This could be used for network installs, but I personally use it for diskless workstations and mobile robots running Gentoo. It even boots Gentoo across an 802.11b wireless LAN, on a P100 in around 60-90 seconds. Reproducible: Always Steps to Reproduce: 1. Ensure the NBI utilities are emerged (net-misc/mknbi package). You will also need an etherboot rom / disk for your client host if it's x86 architecture. 2. Ensure you have a working TFTP server of your choice 3. Ensure you have a working DHCP server 4. Put the stage 3 tarballs for your target architectures in a directory on your NFS server's hard disk 5. Amend the variables at the top of the mknfsroot and mknetboot scripts to point to the appropriate directories on your server. 6. Use the mknfsroot script to generate the root filesystem for the client 7. Chroot into the root filesystem for the client and compile the kernel 8. Use the mknetboot script to generate the TFTP boot image 9. Ensure your client is listed in DHCP... you will also need to specify the "filename" and "option root-path" flags for your client, pointing to appropriate places. 10. Use the etherboot disk / openboot prom to boot via TFTP and dhcp Actual Results: Client system boots via TFTP and NFS Expected Results: Client system boots via TFTP and NFS None.
Olivier, could you guys maybe have a quick peek - I would rather have us make something more generic or at least some docs/whatever for the NFS support already added for Adelie ? Thanks.
be better for this to be a document i think
