Remote boot question
We are setting up a network with Linux and need some help. We are
attempting to remote (network) boot the Win95 systems that we already
have as
clients for our Linux server. The problem is this: We have been looking
into
using ROM chips plugged into the network cards on the clients, but
commercial
solutions are too expensive. We could burn the ROMs ourselves, but we
have no
program to burn in.
We were wondering if anyone could help us find a less expensive /
difficult
solution. The idea has come that it might be possible to use a
mini-dist. of
Linux as a OS to boot the system. It then might be possible to put into
the
startup script a set of commands which would start up the network card,
use
DHCP or BOOTP to get IP information (or we could assign static IPs if
necessary), then have the Win 95 image be downloaded into memory (and
swap
space) where it could replace the running Linux kernel and boot as if it
were
the only operating system there.
Please keep in mind that we are an educational institution (SNVTC, a
school in
Las Vegas, NV) and that any money we spend will be out of pocket as the
school
system wants NT/NetWare and will not spend ANY money on our cause. This
system, once operational, will be used to show the abilities and
cost-effectiveness of Linux solutions. Should this network succeed, the
entire
school system could easily be convinced to switch to Linux. How's that
for a
community victory?
Sincerely yours,
Eric Richard Monson
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