Re: Installing Debian on an Alix 2d3 using PXE
On Wednesday 07 October 2009, Urs Hunkeler wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I'm trying to install Debian on an Alix 2d3 board (installing from
> network using PXE, the installer runs in a serial console). When I
> select a mirror, the installer tells me that it is going to verify the
> mirror, and then immediately gives me an error message saying that the
> mirror is invalid. A tcpdump on the relaying computer shows that there
> was absolutely no traffic on the network (ie. the installer is not
> trying to access the network at all, not even dns lookup). When I open
> the console and use netcat (nc, as ping, ifconfig and other such tools
> are not available in the minimalistic environment), I can access
> different servers without any problems, so I have to assume that the
> network setup is working.
>
> What is going on? Why doesn't the installer use the network? How can I
> debug this?
>
> I managed to boot the Debian text installer over PXE on an Alix 2d3. The
> Alix does not have a graphics card, so the installation has to be done
> using a serial console. Also, since so far I only got the basic
> installer running, I have a very limited system running, which
> unfortunately limits the debugging options.
>
> Any help is appreciated!
>
> Cheers,
> Urs
I have never used PXE for a PcEngines board, but always done it by building
the CF image using a USB-CF adapter and then moving the CF to the
Wrap board (as it was then). That works quite happily. I built the CF image
using debootstrap in a chroot. I did have some difficulty getting Grub2
to work with the serial console, but that is a different story (I stuck to
Lilo in the end) and may be different with a more up to date copy, and with
the Alix board.
David
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