Table of Contents
Boot Windows disklessly with AoE (ATA over Ethernet)
1 - Preparing Windows to Boot Diskless with VirtualBox/Virtual PC/Vmware
Install Windows 7/8/2003/2008 on a Virtual Machine ( create a disk type .vhd with fixed size ) open a cmd as administrator and type two commands:
C:\>bcdedit -set TESTSIGNING ON
C:\>bcdedit -set loadoptions DDISABLE_INTEGRITY_CHECKS
- reboot the virtual machine
- Download and Install WinAoE Driver as Storage Controller
- Download and Install CCBoot Client without options
- Shutdown Virtual Machine
2 - On Server
- Copy .vhd to server (if is the same dont need)
- Install a DHCP Server with option bootfilename: grldr
- Install a TFTP Server and set tftp-root folder
- Download grub4dosand extract 'grldr' and 'menu.lst' files to the tftp-root folder
- Edit menu.lst file with this content:
title === MENU BOOTS ===
()
title
()
title Windows 7 Diskless
map –mem (pd)/ipxe.iso (0xff)
map –hook
chainloader (0xff)
- Create a text file 'conf.ipxe' with this content:
#!ipxe
dhcp net0
set keep-san 1
sanboot aoe:e0.0
Download ipxe.iso and with UltraISO, open the ipxe.iso with UltraISO and edit ISOLINUX.CFG with this content:
SAY iPXE ISO boot image
TIMEOUT 30
DEFAULT ipxe.lkrn
LABEL ipxe.lkrn
KERNEL ipxe.krn
INITRD conf.ipxe
- Update the ISOLINUX.CFG on UltraISO with new content
- Drag the file 'conf.ipxe' to inside UltraISO and save the file.
- Put ipxe.iso on the tftp-root folder
- Start DHCP Server
- Start TFTP Server
- Download and install WinPCAP and vBlade Target System ( AoE ) and export the target of .vhd:
- First find the Device Name of your Network Card with bogus caracters (xxx).
vblade -b 65 0 0 xxx “d:\path_to_you_vhd\windows.vhd”
after copy and paste the \Device\{value}
vblade -b 65 0 0 “\Device\{value}” “d:\path_to_you_vhd\windows.vhd”
Ready ! Boot one machine by LAN Boot, or create a VirtualBox/Vmware Virtual Machine without Disks !
You can boot a lot of Machines creating a specific ipxe.iso for each one, dont forget to edit 'conf.ipxe' with diferent targets ( e0.0, e0.1, e0.01), create respective ipxe-e0.0.iso for each workstation, add the menu.lst entry too for each ipxe-e0.x.iso
have fun !
More detailed Configuration with Video Tutorials in Oficial How-To.