Using LTSP with a Netvista
Downloading and specifying the Netvista kernel image:.
If you're following along, you have already downloaded the fw-kernel.zip file
that contains the correct kernel for the Netvista to boot. If not grab it now, unzip it, and save the kernel file vmlinux-2.4.19-LTSP-IBMNC
into the /tftboot/lts directory. Make sure your /etc/dhcpd.conf file references the correct name and location, the filename section
should look like this, and not be remarked out.
The all important lts.conf file:.
The last part of the configuration that needs to be completed is to add the proper entries in the /opt/ltsp-4.1/i386/etc/lts.conf
file. I have a copy of my working lts.conf file here. Download it, and unzip it into the /opt/ltsp-4.1/i386/etc/ directory. Now open it with an editor, and change the top few entries for the servers to your actual values. Here are the lines you will need to change.
DNS_SERVER = 192.168.10.20 ## Enter your primary DNS IP address here ---------------
DNS_SERVER = 192.168.20.41 ## Enter your secondary DNS IP address here--------------
Setting the Netvista to boot from the server:.
Now we can get the Netvista set to boot over the network via DHCP If you have not updated the firmware, and reset the bios to default state, you should do so now. If you have,
when you power up the Netvista, following the bootsplash screen, you should see a menu offering either Workspace On Demand,
or NS Boot for Network Station Manager
and Automatic
Selection
. The correct choice here is NS Boot for Network Station Manager
. highlight that choice, and press [enter]. The
Netvista will reboot using your boot selection.
If you do not see those menu choices, go back to the bios reset page and follow those procedures through again, this time go into Configure Network Settings
and make sure that DHCP is
selected as the first priority, and BOOTP and Local(Nvram) are both set to disabled as shown below. Save your changes and exit the system setup utility. As the system boots you will now
be given the menu to choose Workspace On Demand,
or NS Boot for Network Station Manager
and Automatic Selection
. Choose NS Boot for Network Station Manager
and press [enter]. The Netvista will now reboot using your choice.
Booting Up:.
As the Netvista starts up, if all goes well, it will display a nice DHCP graphical boot screen showing the Netvista retrieving the kernel from the server, followed by a familiar Linux boot screen,
Including our friend Tux's image in the top left corner, followed a few seconds later by the Graphical desktop login provided by the display manager you have setup on your LTSP server.
If all does not go well, you should try resetting the BIOS back to defaults, review the steps above again and make sure you select the NS Boot for Network Station Manager
choice for the boot options choice when it is presented.
If you are getting a gray screen with a X shaped cursor then you need to review the LTSP docs about that problem, it usually means you are not running a display manager on the server, or you are not booting you server into the correct runlevel to start the display manager automatically.To help resolve this, see the LTSP display manager troubleshooting document (see section 7.6.1). There are three display managers that I'm aware of, XDM, KDM and GDM. Configuration is different for each so review the documentation provided on the LTSP site for display manager setup.
I have my LTSP configuration set to provide three sessions, a graphical Linux login to the terminal server on screen(2) which is the default, a bash shell (running on the Netvista) on screen(1) , and a RDP (Windows terminal server) session on screen(3). If you want to change any of these, just look through this section of the LTSP documents about the screen
settings, and then look at the lower portion of the ltsp.conf file. It is pretty much self explanatory.
The only other major consideration may be the screen resolution and monitor frequencies. I use this Netvista with a Monitor than can do 1280x1024 @ 75Hz, and I use LTSP at 1024x768 @ 75Hz. So, if you get it to boot up, but cannot see the desktop because it's scrambled, you more than likely have too high of resolution or too high of a frequency selected in the lts.conf file. Just edit it, trying lower resolutions, or frequencies, save the file and reboot the Netvista to try again.
Once you begin to understand how LTSP works, you will quickly come to realize how much effort has gone into making LTSP, and how good of a job the developers have done. As always, if you use and enjoy the benefits of their efforts, I would suggest that you support the continuation of those efforts by donating to the cause.
File download links:.
