Hello all, We are trying to make our own NFSroot via PXELINUX without the e1000 ethernet module compiled into the kernel. All works fine, we have a ramdisk that can setup networking from information provided by $ip, however I would like to download the specific e1000.o via tftp before inserting it into to the kernel. Since ramdisks are static I rather not have the situation where we have to recreate the ramdisk everytime we install a new kernel. So the question is: can I download via tftp the Ethernet module using the same or similar mechanism provided in PXE while being in the ramdisk? We use busybox in our ramdisk, so we have a relative large number of commands available, a.o tftp, ifconfig. In fact, what I would like to do is to download a specific script instead of the e1000.o module so on the server site we can control things dynamically. If using tftp without having the Ethernet module inserted in the kernel, what possible other options do I have? Regards, Alex
Hi, "Alex Ninaber" <alex.ninaber at clustervision.com> schrieb am 30.10.03 12:50:26:> We are trying to make our own NFSroot via PXELINUX without the e1000 > ethernet module compiled into the kernel. All works fine, we have a ramdisk > that can setup networking from information provided by $ip, however I would > like to download the specific e1000.o via tftp before inserting it into to > the kernel.You can't do this. After the linux kernel is loaded you have no access to the PXE code on the ethernet card, so you need to have some driver either in the kernel, or in a module in the initrd.> Since ramdisks are static I rather not have the situation where > we have to recreate the ramdisk everytime we install a new kernel.A ramdisk isn't static at all, gunzip it and loopback mount it, then you can exchange any file you like. As you are already changing the kernel you should also exchange the kernel modules in the initrd.> If using tftp without having the Ethernet module inserted in the kernel, > what possible other options do I have?Either you need it compiled in the kernel, or need it in the initrd. You need some usable network connection either in the kernel or in the initrd, and it seems that you only have the e1000 network connection. It would be possible to get this via some second connection, but that's usually not an option since I think you'd have done this if it was available. Regards, Josef ______________________________________________________________________________ Horoskop, Comics, VIPs, Wetter, Sport und Lotto im WEB.DE Screensaver1.2 Kostenlos downloaden: http://screensaver.web.de/?mc=021110
Alex Ninaber wrote:> > Hello all, > > We are trying to make our own NFSroot via PXELINUX without the e1000 > ethernet module compiled into the kernel. All works fine, we have a ramdisk > that can setup networking from information provided by $ip, however I would > like to download the specific e1000.o via tftp before inserting it into to > the kernel. Since ramdisks are static I rather not have the situation where > we have to recreate the ramdisk everytime we install a new kernel. So the > question is: can I download via tftp the Ethernet module using the same or > similar mechanism provided in PXE while being in the ramdisk? We use busybox > in our ramdisk, so we have a relative large number of commands available, > a.o tftp, ifconfig. > > In fact, what I would like to do is to download a specific script instead of > the e1000.o module so on the server site we can control things dynamically. > > If using tftp without having the Ethernet module inserted in the kernel, > what possible other options do I have? >This is really what initramfs is for -- instead of a ramdisk, just use one *or more* cpio archives. Now, initramfs is still new in 2.6-test and a lot of the infrastructure isn't quite there yet, but work is ongoing. -hpa