Re: PXE install, without internet?

[Scott Ferguson <scott.ferguson.debian.user@gmail.com>]

On 30/01/14 18:07, Anubhav Yadav wrote:
> Thanks for everything. I have observed that a few packages are being
> downloaded from the internet. They maybe the security packages and
> updates released after package the iso. ( I have imported the
> packages from the iso )

See the apt-cacher-ng management page (more details further down this
post), click on
the button and look at the hits and misses for more information.

> 
> Now taking all this to a new level, is there a way to mirror
> official debian ftp repositories like debian main, debian security,
> debian updates etc on the apt-cacher-ng database, and maybe update
> those repositories once twenty days?

Yes, yes, and, yes. :)
Look at the bottom of the apt-cacher-ng management page (Apt-Cacher NG
Command And Control Page):-
http://$yourAptCacherNgServer:3142/acng-report.html

And read the installed documentation

> 
> 
>> Leave the slash off e.g.:- d-i mirror/http/proxy
>> http://172.16.4.104:3142
>> 
>>> 
>>> ###
>>> 
>>> It should work right?
>> 
>> Now it will :)
> 
> I will test the preseed and let you know whether its working or not!

Please do, I'm sure others will also appreciate a link to working
preseed examples.

> I am taking some days off from the college for a well deserved
> holiday.

Enjoy, you deserve it for persevering. I hope the experience and the
self-confidence that came with it proves useful.

> 
>> TFTP doesn't handle more than about 100 simultaneous installations
>> - the solution there is to use GPXE (which also allows greater
>> flexibility with the location of the server) - and use http instead
>> of tftp. For more than 1000 simultaneous installs I'd suggest GPXE
>> with http via slamd.
>> 
> 
> There are only 20 PCs in the lab that I am trying to manage. So that
> shouldn't be a problem right?

No. Probably a DNS problem, alt+f4 in the affected installation to see
where the error is.

> 
> When I boot the PCs and escape to boot menu, I select network from 
> list of devices to boot from and after the PC stucks on finding the
> PXE server.

I've seen the problem but don't recall a specific cause - I also don't
know your DNS, PXE and TFTP server setup. I generally use an IPCop
Firewall and DNS, with PXE and TFTP on a separate (VirtualBox) machine,
so my experience may not translate.

> 
> When I try to restart the tfpt-hpa service from the service, the 
> service never starts sometimes.

Logs?

> 
> I am not able to find out the real pattern as to when the tftp
> server stops working.
> 
> Sometimes just restarting the isc-dhcp-server service on the server 
> will solve the issue, and sometimes restarting the dhcp service wont
> help.

Sorry, I don't have any insights there, I'd look at the logs and also
see if only a certain type of machine is affected.

<snipped>

>> When it comes to administering all those boxes you might also find
>> Steve Kemps debian-admin site interesting:- 
>> http://debian-administration.org/
>> 
> 
> Thanks for the website, maybe one day I will be telnet-ing or
> ssh-ing to the same PXE server that I have setup and will be
> installing so many packages together on so many machines at the same 
> time right from my bed. :)


Test them first, perhaps on a VirtualBox machine, you'll find change
control is the belt *and* suspenders that enables you to avoid the
occasional problem/s that may overshadow the gains mass deployment and
management give.

Kind regards