How to Setup Network Bootable Utility Discs Using PXE

We’ve shown you how to  network boot the Ubuntu LiveCD. In this article we’ll show how to make some other utilities network bootable, which will give you the knowledge to replicate the procedure for other utilities you may be using.

Note: this article is not geared at beginners, though you’re welcome to keep reading!

Image by Steve Jurvetson

Overview

This guide aims to give you the tools with witch, you will be able to convert utilities, to be PXEable. While unfortunately, it will not be possible to convert any tool under the sun, we wouldn’t be geeks if we didn’t at least try.

As mentioned on the “How To Network Boot (PXE) The Ubuntu LiveCD” guide, If you are not already using Ubuntu as your number one “go to” for troubleshooting, diagnostics and rescue procedures tool, what are you waiting for?

With that said, one has to acknowledge that there are things that simply cannot be done within the Ubuntu LiveCD (like BIOS upgrades), or that you are already using a different tool that you like and would rather keep on using for whatever reason.

Recommendations, Assumptions and Prerequisites

It is assumed that you have already setup the FOG server as explained in our “What Is Network Booting (PXE) and How Can You Use It?” guide.

You will see the “VIM” program used as the editor, this is mainly because it is wildly available on Linux platforms. You may use any other editor that you’d like.

The Ultimate Boot CD (UBCD) is used as an example, as unlike some other utility collections, it is free to download and the programs it bundles are free to use.

Why not just use ISO over PXE?

This is often the first question asked when talking about PXEing. The short answer is that while technically it is possible to take an ISO image and PXE it to the client machines, almost always the content of said ISO, will be expecting to have the physical manifestation of itself accessible in the physical CDROM drive. Therefore, what ever the content of said ISO may be, it will try to look for the “post boot-sector” files in the physical CDROM drive of the client machine, will not find them and fail to boot.

Read more: How-to-geek

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