Running FOG 1.2.0

[Altster]

Ok all, who is going to admit to me that they have tried running FOG v1.2.0? (and it needs to be v1.2.0)

I've been trying and trying and trying to get it to work properly with Ubuntu Server 14.04 for the longest time and am either just not getting it, or I'm just too dense to fully understand what I'm doing. At least I'm getting pretty good with using CLI in the server version of Ubuntu. I am able to bridge to other VM's so that they can boot to the PXE boot menu at least.

I'm running it via VMWare v5.0.8 r103449 on my home computer - Dell Precision T3400 Quad-Core 2.4GHz, 8GB Ram, 500GB boot drive, 2.0TB data drive (where I save the VM's), Windows Pro. 64-bit.

I've been all over the internet looking for help for many things, but most help I've found is not for FOG 1.2.0. And yes, I've read thru their help forums, but to no avail! Just tonight I've been searching for ways to update the PXE menu but again, most of the help I've found online has NOT been for v1.2.0 - but older version(s).

It sure is getting frustrating.

And yes, I had give WDS a good looking at. But I'm not buying Server 2008R2 out of my pocket when I couldn't get it to work back when. And this is another setup that I did a lot of research on ------- grrrrrrr!

Anyway, if anyone has any suggestions I'm all ears!

 

[NJW]

Anyway, if anyone has any suggestions I'm all ears!

It would be helpful to know what the symptoms are, any pertinent error/log messages and what you have tried to resolve the issues.

I am able to bridge to other VM's so that they can boot to the PXE boot menu at least.

What is 'bridge' in this context? (I am not familiar with VMWare, but is this a VMW network arrangement?)

 

[kwisher]

Here is another open source project similar to FOG. I've been running FOG v.32 on Ubuntu 10.10 server for years at my 9 to 5 and see no reason to upgrade yet as we will most likely stay on Windows 7 for a few more years.

http://cruciblewds.org/

 

[Altster]

It would be helpful to know what the symptoms are, any pertinent error/log messages and what you have tried to resolve the issues.


What is 'bridge' in this context? (I am not familiar with VMWare, but is this a VMW network arrangement?)

Another way of setting up the VMWare Network settings - rather than using NAT.

 

[Altster]

It would be helpful to know what the symptoms are, any pertinent error/log messages and what you have tried to resolve the issues.

It's not so much "symptoms" that I'm having but rather the online help that I've come across does not pertain or agree with the way my software is installed. To try to be more clear:

I've installed the server software Ubuntu in the VM) using the default folder & file tree(s).

I installed FOG v1.2.0 following the directions to the "T" - allowed it to install in all of its default locations (which appear to be quite different from many of the online help forums indicate.)

...more to come

 

[Markverhyden]

VMWare v5.0.8 r103449

Don't you mean VirtualBox v5.0.8 r103449?

 

[Altster]

Don't you mean VirtualBox v5.0.8 r103449?

It was merely a "test" Mark - to see who was paying attention (since it wasn't me, obviously.)

I knew someone would catch me making mistake(ss).... LOL

 

[Markverhyden]

It was merely a "test" Mark - to see who was paying attention (since it wasn't me, obviously.)

I knew someone would catch me making mistake(ss).... LOL

LOL!!! Well after all we are talking about FOG here.....

 

[NJW]

Don't you mean VirtualBox v5.0.8 r103449?

Well spotted! My short-circuit logic ignored everything after 'VMWare'.

I am able to bridge to other VM's so that they can boot to the PXE boot menu at least.

Can you register a client with the server? (FOG wiki)

Also, what is your expected outcome? What use-case do you have in mind? If it isn't large(ish)-scale image deployment, would Clonezilla be a better fit? FOG needs a lot of investment to be useful.

 

[Altster]

Well spotted! My short-circuit logic ignored everything after 'VMWare'.


Can you register a client with the server? (FOG wiki)

Also, what is your expected outcome? What use-case do you have in mind? If it isn't large(ish)-scale image deployment, would Clonezilla be a better fit? FOG needs a lot of investment to be useful.

Cannot register with the server. That option does NOT appear on the boot menu.

My expected outcome would be to have some sort of bulk imaging capabilities that (after some tutoring) anyone in our service department can use to deploy images to computers - to cut down on O/S load time (mostly Windows 7 at the present time.)

 

[NJW]

My expected outcome would be to have some sort of bulk imaging capabilities that (after some tutoring) anyone in our service department can use to deploy images to computers

(This is mostly WAG.)

If you are going to be sending one of a standard set of images to a closed group of machines (e.g., IT department of a large company), then FOG is probably the tool to use.

However, reading between the lines (and your intro. post), you want to make standard images (e.g., sysprep Windows) available to technicians servicing a changing pool of machines – client repairs? I don't think that FOG is the tool for this. For one thing, with FOG, each machine is addressed by MAC address, which has to be registered in the FOG server database. This database is going to be continually growing, mostly with machines that will only be seen once.

I'll pause here, in case I have completely missed the point ...

 

[Altster]

(This is mostly WAG.)

If you are going to be sending one of a standard set of images to a closed group of machines (e.g., IT department of a large company), then FOG is probably the tool to use.

However, reading between the lines (and your intro. post), you want to make standard images (e.g., sysprep Windows) available to technicians servicing a changing pool of machines – client repairs? I don't think that FOG is the tool for this. For one thing, with FOG, each machine is addressed by MAC address, which has to be registered in the FOG server database. This database is going to be continually growing, mostly with machines that will only be seen once.

I'll pause here, in case I have completely missed the point ...

I think you've hit the nail "directly" on the head. And since this is (actually) my third time at attempting to setup FOG and am STILL unable to make it work like it should I'll just quit fooling with it and chalk it all up to (more) experience.

Thank you for your suggestions and your help, though. I currently use clonezilla for doing imaging delivery but on a 1 to 1 basis. But this is ok since there is no one else whom seems interested in quicker deployment rather than loading one machine at a time, etc., etc., etc.. I'm just looking for a faster way to get it done - a more time-saving way of getting the job done.

 

[NJW]

I currently use clonezilla for doing imaging delivery but on a 1 to 1 basis.

This is my way, too. I rarely need to load more than one machine at a time, so I haven't spent a lot of time looking in that direction. Clonezilla has its Server Edition, which uses client PXE boot and has multicast capabilities. You have the same problem with requiring the MAC address of each client (or using a separate subnet, possibly). For me, just finding and then managing the MAC address is too big a hurdle.

Even so, there is much that can be done to make a better system using Clonezilla Live. Booting the client machine from a USB stick (or Zalman) and using the 'to ram' boot option means that once started, the boot medium can be removed and used on the next machine. A little time invested in producing the Clonezilla command-line instruction for a given image and customising the Clonezilla boot menu, could go as far as making the process automatic, after setting the boot preference (or using the start-up boot device menu). You already have one advantage over me, in that you can use the default US keyboard.

With a standard file name for the latest image, stored on a local server, there would be no need to change the Clonezilla Live parameters on the boot medium. Update the server image file(s) as necessary and continue using the prepared USB sticks, with each stick dedicated to one of the common images. A generic Clonezilla Live stick (perhaps with some of the options preset in the boot menu) would cover the less-used images and other special cases.

 

[4ycr]

have you tried http://cruciblewds.org/ I got it working on my freenas just as a test but not really used it

 

[Altster]

have you tried http://cruciblewds.org/ I got it working on my freenas just as a test but not really used it

I am giving it a real good "look-at" at home on my via my VM and it looks very promising. Esp. since it has the ability to collect the MAC addresses during the boot process. I hope to further look into running it on a computer here at the office as I have several to choose from and it works so very well under a Windows installation. More later....

 

[Altster]

This is my way, too. I rarely need to load more than one machine at a time, so I haven't spent a lot of time looking in that direction. Clonezilla has its Server Edition, which uses client PXE boot and has multicast capabilities. You have the same problem with requiring the MAC address of each client (or using a separate subnet, possibly). For me, just finding and then managing the MAC address is too big a hurdle.

Hopefully with the next go-around (CrucibleWDS in a Windows environment) I'll be able to get past this.

Even so, there is much that can be done to make a better system using Clonezilla Live. Booting the client machine from a USB stick (or Zalman) and using the 'to ram' boot option means that once started, the boot medium can be removed and used on the next machine. A little time invested in producing the Clonezilla command-line instruction for a given image and customising the Clonezilla boot menu, could go as far as making the process automatic, after setting the boot preference (or using the start-up boot device menu). You already have one advantage over me, in that you can use the default US keyboard.

I've even thought about doing this in the past. Still I'd like to make it so easy that even a person with next to no instruction (from me) could use it. Seems that any time I mention it runs in Linux they all shy away from it - fearing it is too difficult to do. Well if they would just take the time to READ the screens as they come up.....(duh!) And if they mess up, that's part of the learning experience - at least it was for me.

With a standard file name for the latest image, stored on a local server, there would be no need to change the Clonezilla Live parameters on the boot medium. Update the server image file(s) as necessary and continue using the prepared USB sticks, with each stick dedicated to one of the common images. A generic Clonezilla Live stick (perhaps with some of the options preset in the boot menu) would cover the less-used images and other special cases.

This is kinda what I'm shooting for. I've even offered to duplicate the external drive(s) I've been using so that they (actually HE) could use to get this job done. But again, it is based on LINUX and he seems to be afraid of it. But I would really prefer to have the ability to PXEboot into a network environment so that we can bypass all of the USB booting.

Don't people ever get tired of using the same old way to do things all the time? I know I have and that's another reason I've taken a liking to Linux as an alternative O/S for (hopefully) making some of these tasks easier to do. But don't take me wrong, I still like to find ways to make life easier using any windows-based add-ons (such as CrucibleWDS.)

Thanks for your suggestions, nick. They are much appreciated.

 

[NJW]

[Clonezilla] is based on LINUX and he seems to be afraid of it.

The client side uses Linux.

Tales like this make me appreciate working alone!

 

[Altster]

Tales like this make me appreciate working alone!

Too bad we are separated by so much distance. I'm willing to bet we'd make quite a team.

 

[NJW]

Statler & Waldorf?

 

[Markverhyden]

have you tried http://cruciblewds.org/ I got it working on my freenas just as a test but not really used it

Thanks for the tip. I'll have to give that a look see as well.