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+--- Thread: [LINUX] HOW-TO create a XBMC server for diskless PXE network booting clients (/showthread.php?tid=83840)
- opdenkamp - 2011-01-22
ah ok, that should have been fixed in source but not in the packages indeed.
I'll create new packages today
- tag8tag - 2011-01-27
Nicely done,
FYI if you want to use a debian stable server to provide ubuntu images, you need to manually update squashfs since the debian version is 3.1 which isn't compatible with newest versions. I've used the 4.1 from http://squashfs.sourceforge.net/
- kopetnik - 2011-01-31
Yesterday I installed xbmc-diskless solution using Ubuntu running on VMware. Works as a charm! (well maybe except of MCE remote)
Anyway, my current home network setup consists of:
- HTPC <- let's make it diskless
- NAS (DNS-323 running some basic linux + Fonz packages + Optware)
- DD-WRT router (TP-Link 1043ND)
- Gigabit LAN
- some workstations that are not always on
The router can serve DHCP with PXE option, the NAS can serve TFTPD and NFS. The only missing deamon is NBD.
In fact I managed to implement DHCP/PXE/TFTP part and what next?
Is it possible to replace NBD and Squashfs with NFS (or something else that can run on NAS)?
Would it be slow, running everything from NFS?
And what about using some RAM disk? Is it possible to load xbmc.img into RAM?
---
Thanks for any ideas and help,
- opdenkamp - 2011-01-31
It's possible to use NFS only, though it'll be a lot slower. You can follow any manual on the web that explains how to install nfsroot. Just add the desired xbmc ppa to the installation afterwards and install xbmc-live.
You probably could change the initramfs to mount the squashfs image over nfs too.
- kopetnik - 2011-01-31
I also found GPXE project - replacing or extending normal PXE, it's possible to load everything using HTTP.
- Xedar - 2011-02-02
Hi!
a nice feature would be adding --arch to debootstrap.
You my not always have the same arch as the server.
Regards.
- stryker - 2011-02-02
found this at ebuyer.co.uk for about £140 it has an nvidia ion graphics, wonder if it would for with this diskless setup?
http://www.zotacusa.com/zotac-zbox-zboxhd-nd01-u-intel-atom-330-1-6-ghz-dual-core-all-in-one-mini-pc.html
- stryker - 2011-02-02
kopetnik, read my posts above, lirc I think is what I had to run to make my MCE remote work! only a one off task.
HTH
- opdenkamp - 2011-02-02
Xedar Wrote:a nice feature would be adding --arch to debootstrap.yeah noticed it too myself when I tried to create images for i386 on x64
You my not always have the same arch as the server.
don't have time to look into this, since the PVR work has prio now. if someone else sends me patches, I'll be happy to apply them. the source can be found on github (in my sig and in the OP)
- spartan711 - 2011-02-03
Part of the benefits of having a bootable image for me would be the customization aspect. Is there a way to have certain plugins installed on the image, such as Hulu, TedTalks, Synchronized Audio/Video, etc?
- opdenkamp - 2011-02-03
you can do that by using "provisioning files", as explained in the OP.
- spartan711 - 2011-02-04
Oops... that flew over my head. Thanks for the heads-up. I don't mean to belabor the point, but are you planning to work on central db management integration w/ PXE boot? I get the sense that you are focusing all your energy towards the PVR branch. Thanks for all your hard work!
Also, is it possible to use openelec's version of xbmc with this? I feel as though that would run super fast.
- opdenkamp - 2011-02-04
I planned to add more features (as some others suggested in this thread), but I don't have the time to do it now. The PVR branch has priority indeed, until it's ready to be merged with mainline XBMC.
I haven't looked much into openelec, but I can't think of a reason for it not to work.
If someone wants to spend time on it to add/fix features or porting it to another dist, I'll be happy to provide you any info that you might require.
- LeWaN - 2011-02-04
How to make an image of an existing XBMC Live installation where everything already works?
And then just move it to the server.
- opdenkamp - 2011-02-05
there's no easy way to do that with the scripts I provide.