[gPXE] gPXE debugging

[Gerry Reno]

On 05/03/2010 02:43 PM, Stefan Hajnoczi wrote:
> On Mon, May 3, 2010 at 5:35 PM, Gerry Reno<greno at verizon.net>  wrote:
>    
>> On 05/03/2010 02:58 AM, Stefan Hajnoczi wrote:
>>      
>>> Does the light on your network port blink during the time when you
>>> suspect gPXE is running?
>>>
>>>        
>> I do not see any lights blink on my network card.  I tried downloading
>> an iso from rom-o-matic and it does the same thing.  What I see is that
>> the CD drive light is blinking for around 20-30 seconds but the screen
>> is blank, no lights on the network card, and then finally my regular
>> linux boot menu shows up.
>>      
> When you boot an ISO gPXE is loaded by the ISOLINUX (part of Syslinux)
> bootloader.  You should see messages like the following before gPXE is
> executed:
>
> ISOLINUX 3.86 debian-20100418 ETCD Copyright (C) 1994-2010 H. Peter Anvin et al
> Etherboot ISO boot image generated by geniso
> Loading gpxe.krn.......ready.
> gPXE initialising devices...
>
> Do you get the ISOLINUX messages?  What is the last message you see on
> the screen?
>
> Do you have any BIOS options like console redirection/serial enabled?
>
> Stefan
>
>    
Stefan, no options in BIOS for serial or console.  It is a Phoenix BIOS 
and on this laptop (HP Pavilion) it is very simple.  Only real options 
are for boot security and for boot order which on mine is Floppy, ATAPI 
CDROM, then Hard Drive.

I see no messages of any kind on the console until it finally goes GRUB 
Loading stage 1.5 then GRUB Loading and finally the linux boot menu.  My 
network access is via a PCMCIA Gigabit TrendNET card.  There is a built 
in NIC 10/100 which I think is RTL8139.

-Gerry