Using LTSP with a Netvista

LTSP.org home page

LTSP, or the Linux Terminal Server Project was my first experience:.

With a thin client / terminal server combination. I discovered it while looking for new and different things to do with my Linux installations that I couldn't do on Windows, either because the software was too costly, or didn't exist. In reading the on-line information I decided to give LTSP a try, because it claimed to give me a normal complete desktop environment limited in speed and power only by my terminal servers's CPU and memory. My system at that time was an Athlon 1600+ with 512 Mb of memory. I have since upgraded to a 2600+ (I don't do the Intel thing) and added memory up to 1Gb. I first experimented with LTSP by getting it running on some older PCs I had lying around. For this setup, I was able to get things setup and running using a boot floppy with an etherboot image I had downloaded from ROM-O-Matic.net. This site dynamically generates Etherboot ROM images using a web based form / wizard. In the simplest form you just have to specify your NIC for the client, and the boot image type (Floppy bootable ROM image .zdsk), download the boot image and write it to the floppy. Once you follow these simple steps, and Bobs your uncle, instant network boot. This simple combination allowed me to get the necessary services running correctly, before trying something more challenging. There are several services that need to be working correctly, including TFTP, DHCP, and NFS. Neophytes may find getting all of the services functioning correctly to be the most difficult part. But there are many documents to help. They are available on the LTSP documentation page.

After getting things running smoothly using the full PCs I quickly decided that I didn't want to mess with boot floppies any more, and that there was not really a good reason to use a PC that is capable of running the full operating system as just a thin client. Plus the fact that they still had all the disadvantages of PCs such as all the noise, heat, spinning disks and a large footprint. So I went in search of a thin client that could boot directly from the network, with no boot floppy or hard drive. I discovered that others had used a token ring version of the IBM Netvista (8364-TUS) to boot LTSP by installing a boot image to the CF card. But by doing a little further research, I discovered that the ethernet version on the Netvista (8364 EUS) was capable of booting using the built in ethernet interface directly from the network. This is when I made up my mind to see if I could make the little Netvista boot and run as a thin client connected to my more powerful LTSP-server/desktop PC.

So I did the eBay thing and secured a Netvista 8364-EUS which is also sometimes referred to as the Netvista n2800, for a paltry $26.00 plus $20.00 shipping. Once it had arrived, I slipped the case off and checked the internals, cleaned it up, and powered it on. It was trying to boot from the network, but found no boot image on the server. This is the beginning of a long and convoluted path to success that had I known about up front I might not have started in the first place. I have since discovered the combination of changes and configuration tweaks (including a special kernel image) that are necessary to get this little PC to boot and run. I will attempt to simplify the days of experimenting with different options, and all of the on-line searching into something usable, hopefully eliminating many of the errors and problems I discovered along the way. So that anyone wanting to duplicate this setup can do so fairly painlessly. Buckle up, and follow along. Its easier than you might think!

Here is a short list of the steps needed to get LTSP booing on your Netvista.

Get TFTP providing boot files for the Netvista:.

The first step in the journey is to get the TFTP server correctly handing out boot images to the Netvista, and configure DHCP to tell the Netvista the networking options to use. The TFTP server will eventually be used to provide the boot images, but right now we have to get it running to supply the correct firmware image to update the flash image on the Netvista. Some of my Netvistas have come with firmware that will not boot from the terminal server correctly, so that needed to be corrected by uploading a new image to the Netvista's flash area. Fortunately it is a pretty simple process that we will get to in a minute.

I have provided a copy of the /etc/dhcpd.conf file that I use. It specifies the DHCP options to use, and the image file for the TFTP service to provide. Download the file to a convenient location and unzip it. Save your original /etc/dhcpd.conf to a safe filename and copy my working copy in its place in the /etc directory. You will need to make changes to the MAC address in the file to reflect the MAC address of your Netvista. The MAC address is printed on a small white label on the middle of the cross brace, it is visible when you remove the case. Make sure to enter it in the 00:06:29:xx:xx:xx format. More than likely you will need to change the IP address information that the DHCP server will provide. Change this as required to match your network environment. These items are standard DHCP options, and are not unique to the installation of either LTSP, or the Netvista. So if you get stuck, and my sample file doesn't work for you, dig into the DHCPD-HOW-TO file over at linuxdoc.org You will notice in the file I have three image file lines, with one for the LTSP kernel to boot from, and two additional lines for Firmware images. Download and unzip the firmware and kernel image zip file. and unzip all three files into the /tftpboot/lts directory. There are two firmware images that I have seen, but only one seems to support booting both from the network and from a CF card, so even though both are provided in the zip file, you should only use the older H4071601 version. Its named bflash.2800.linux.

Once you have the firmware image, you are ready to update your Netvista. If your Netvista is at a different firmware level, jump to the firmware update page. Or if you are already at the correct firmware level, just skip to the -Article-Next- page and continue.

If you've already updated the firmware, but need to reset the BIOS to factory defaults, follow these directions to set the BIOS back to factory defaults, and reset the password.

Otherwise, lets continue with downloading and specifying the Netvista kernel.