anyone use netboot?

twoodcc · May 4, 2008

so i'm thinking about trying to use netboot. i could never get sharing home directories to work correctly with network users, so i though i'd give netboot a try.

i seem to have read that you can't use netboot over wireless. is there any way around this?

Cromulent · May 4, 2008

twoodcc said:
is there any way around this?

Nope. Your going to want at least a 100baseT ethernet network if you want to use netboot.

rezenclowd3 · May 4, 2008

I HIGHLY recommend using Netboot alongside Bombich's Netrestore and Netrestore Helper found here. If you are not familiar with it, this guide helps: http://rogue.sdsu.edu/netboot/

twoodcc · May 5, 2008

Cromulent said:
Nope. Your going to want at least a 100baseT ethernet network if you want to use netboot.

yeah, but 802.11n is faster than that, correct?

rezenclowd3 said:
I HIGHLY recommend using Netboot alongside Bombich's Netrestore and Netrestore Helper found here. If you are not familiar with it, this guide helps: http://rogue.sdsu.edu/netboot/

thanks for the links, i'll check them out.

is there any way to make the home folder mount with the netboot image? i was able to get netboot to work, but i can't log-in with a user account, and it won't write to the image

Krevnik · May 5, 2008

twoodcc said:
yeah, but 802.11n is faster than that, correct?

On paper, yes, usually it is a little slower though because of interference and other real-life conditions.

twoodcc said:
thanks for the links, i'll check them out.

is there any way to make the home folder mount with the netboot image? i was able to get netboot to work, but i can't log-in with a user account, and it won't write to the image

Netboot images are meant to be read-only. What you want are managed home folders, which are setup on the server.

twoodcc · May 5, 2008

Krevnik said:
Netboot images are meant to be read-only. What you want are managed home folders, which are setup on the server.

yes, that is what i want. i did read somewhere about having those home directories with netboot. maybe i read wrong though.

Cromulent · May 5, 2008

twoodcc said:
yeah, but 802.11n is faster than that, correct?

Only in the same way that USB 2 is faster than Firewire 400. In practice ethernet is a) a much more reliable and stable connection and b) faster.

twoodcc · May 5, 2008

Cromulent said:
Only in the same way that USB 2 is faster than Firewire 400. In practice ethernet is a) a much more reliable and stable connection and b) faster.

right. and i understand that. but it seems for laptops, 802.11n would be more convenient. and i read online that it does work over wireless with the Macbook Air.

anyways, enough of that. what about the managed home directories? is it possible to have those mount with the netboot image?

also, how can i update that image? like if i wanted to install a new application, would i have to create the whole image again?

Cromulent · May 5, 2008

twoodcc said:
anyways, enough of that. what about the managed home directories? is it possible to have those mount with the netboot image?

My understanding is that if you want to have managed home directories you need to have them setup on the server separately from the netboot image. Basically you configure the settings in the image and then have the home directories on a share that is outside of the netboot image if that makes any sense? I could be completely wrong on that front, in fact I'm pretty interested in hearing about this myself.

I don't have any direct experience with OS X Server but from what I have read that seems to be the method to use. Are you using Leopard Server?

twoodcc · May 5, 2008

Cromulent said:
My understanding is that if you want to have managed home directories you need to have them setup on the server separately from the netboot image. Basically you configure the settings in the image and then have the home directories on a share that is outside of the netboot image if that makes any sense? I could be completely wrong on that front, in fact I'm pretty interested in hearing about this myself.

I don't have any direct experience with OS X Server but from what I have read that seems to be the method to use. Are you using Leopard Server?

thanks. i am using leopard server. i have a open directory master running, but i always have trouble with the clients logging into the server from the log-in screen. that's why i thought i'd give netboot a try

Cromulent · May 5, 2008

twoodcc said:
thanks. i am using leopard server. i have a open directory master running, but i always have trouble with the clients logging into the server from the log-in screen. that's why i thought i'd give netboot a try

What problems specifically?

twoodcc · May 5, 2008

Cromulent said:
What problems specifically?

well, right now at the client log-in screen, it shows the network accounts available, and when i try to log-in, it just stays at the log-in screen.

before, i was able to actually log-in at one point, but i could never sync with portable home directories

sgarringer · May 5, 2008

twoodcc said:
well, right now at the client log-in screen, it shows the network accounts available, and when i try to log-in, it just stays at the log-in screen.

before, i was able to actually log-in at one point, but i could never sync with portable home directories

You're not giving us a lot to go on. All problems are solvable. Have you looked at the logs while you're logging in, DirectoryService.error.log and also /var/log/syslog ? Those should explain what is failing so you can fix it.

BigPrince · May 5, 2008

Just because it might be faster doing it via a wired network, doesn't mean its the correct option....

Laptop implementations are not usually hard wired. So this would require you to create a hardwired network or go into a a hardwired lab and use its resources.

I would much rather start the machines up, netboot wirelessly and doing something else for the morning.

twoodcc · May 5, 2008

sgarringer said:
You're not giving us a lot to go on. All problems are solvable. Have you looked at the logs while you're logging in, DirectoryService.error.log and also /var/log/syslog ? Those should explain what is failing so you can fix it.

well, i have changed networks. i had my wireless network in my dorm, but now i am back at my parents' house. i have my network setup again, but a little differently. the server's ip address changed. i ran the changeip command, but i don't think it solved the problem.

but it wasn't working totally correct before. but it was working better than it is now.

but back to netboot and home directories, can it work?

BigPrince said:
Just because it might be faster doing it via a wired network, doesn't mean its the correct option....

Laptop implementations are not usually hard wired. So this would require you to create a hardwired network or go into a a hardwired lab and use its resources.

I would much rather start the machines up, netboot wirelessly and doing something else for the morning.

i agree. and i have read that it will work with the macbook air

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