Setting up PXE boot

This was done on a Ubuntu install.

1. Create /tftpboot directory
   
2. Copy pxelinux.0 from /usr/lib/syslinux to /tftpboot
3. Statically assign an IP address to the MAC of the ethernet adapter (192.168.1.200) (I use tomato on my router so it is pretty easy).
4. Create a pxelinux.cfg directory in tftpboot.
   
5. 192.168.1.200 is C0-A8-01-C8 in hex notation so add the following 0 length files(use touch) to the above directory:
   C
   C0
   C0A
   C0A8
   ...
   C0A801C8
6. Also "touch" a file with the MAC address of the client adapter. Prepend 01-... For example: 01-23-55-03-34-09-11 (use you MAC address)
7. Add dchp-boot=pxelinux.0,,ip of tftp server - to the custom dnsmasq configuration (again in tomato advanced->DNS).
8. Enable the TFTP server.
   

If you start your client computer you should get to a boot screen. If you try to boot, there won't be an image there yet. Will get to that in the next post.

Reference websites:

• PXE Boot with Tomato
• PXELinux
• Setting up a PXE Boot Server
• Myth diskless frontend

My web domain

Recently my contract with my hosting service came up. The cost is $190 for 2 years, which seemed high, since new contracts were going for less then that.

Well a couple months ago, they recommended switching my email to google apps which was pretty painless and much better then their mail app.

So I was thinking, I don't do much on that host anymore so could I get rid of them. Turns out I could and save myself $190 a year. I am now using dnsexit.com for my dns purposes, which will freely take care of DNS for mail and sub-domains on your domain. And Google Apps for the website I use, and email (plus calendars, docs, ect for gratis).

Only cost (6.99 / yr) will be if I can't figure out how to forward the mail domain from my router to google as well. But even requiring a www at the frontend isn't that big a deal.

Some interesting posts

From: As a programmer what perks do you get?

Wavicle 18 points 2 hours ago[-]

I work for a fortune-50. We get:

• Free overtime! We can work all the overtime we want without it impacting our salary.
• Your very own laptop with VPN. Excellent for getting all that free overtime.
• Customized bureaucracy. Each org unit within the company gets to make its own!
• On-site cafeteria with prices just slightly above nearby restaurants and food almost as good.
• Annual stock option grants of constantly declining share value! I can buy hundreds of company shares for just a modest premium over market value!

Suck it, small-timers!

I like where this is going.

• We were growing by leaps and bounds for the last 3 years and the board said that instead of giving employees bonuses they'll use the extra money to grow even more. Now that our sales volumes have dropped and we're in the red, the board generously mentioned that part of future profits will go towards bonuses!

• In the interest of making management's job easier things like telecommuting are being discouraged and taking time off for personal reasons is made more difficult.

• I've been instrumental in the data design for our new productivity tracking system except half of my suggestions are noted but eventually forgotten. Then when it's brought up later on they ask why they didn't get around to this sooner. Or they'll give credit to someone else on the team for suggestions I made months ago.

• I have the privilege of paying for basic medical coverage. I opted out of the extended medical plan though since i don't really need to pay extra from my paycheck for prescription eyewear, massages and dental. I just cough up the cash when i visit the dentist.

• When I come in hung-over I need to stop over at 7-11 first since they got rid of the powerade from the vending machines.

gaoshan 32 points 6 hours ago[-]

My company offered to let us buy coffee cups, with the corporate logo on them, for a special employee rate of $6.99. I thought that was a pretty sweet deal.

deong 13 points 5 hours ago[-]

Tickets to our company picnic are $10.