Starting Fedora 42 installer from IPXE

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1

I have installed tftp /dhcp server (on FreeBSD 14.3 :+1: ) that I use to start Linux distros via IPXE (netboot).

Something like this (IPXE script) works for Suse Leap 16 but not so well with Fedora.

:fedora
set repo ${url}/fedora-42
kernel ${repo}/boot/x86_64/loader/linux ip=dhcp ipv6.disable initrd=initrd root=live:${repo}/LiveOS/squashfs.img
initrd ${repo}/boot/x86_64/loader/initrd
boot || goto failed

Fedora 42 workstation starts Live DVD but I have to start installer manually from the terminal. And for some reason it asks me to enter my details (username and password) before starting live environment.

Is there a way to start installer automatically?

Fedora 42 KDE also starts but it opens login screen first. I dont know what to enter there so I didnt manage to install it at all.

I think I need to add some parameters for kernel but I am not sure what.

I have seen examples only for old versions of Fedora (36). :man_shrugging:

Can someone point to me to right direction / documentation or useful examples?

Does anyone know how to start Fedora Server installation from IPXE? I downloaded the DVD but it doesn’t have LiveOS image on it. :man_shrugging:

3

Did you see this … it is for F41. The everything image should still be the old installer.

1 Like
4

Does it help if you add rd.live.image to the list of kernel parameters?

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5

yes, it works ! Here is my ipxe script for reference:

:fedora
set repo ${url}/fedora-42
kernel ${repo}/boot/x86_64/loader/linux ip=dhcp ipv6.disable rd.live.image initrd=initrd root=live:${repo}/LiveOS/squashfs.img
initrd ${repo}/boot/x86_64/loader/initrd
boot || goto failed

:fedora-k
set repo ${url}/fedora-42-kde
kernel ${repo}/boot/x86_64/loader/linux ip=dhcp ipv6.disable rd.live.image initrd=initrd root=live:${repo}/LiveOS/squashfs.img
initrd ${repo}/boot/x86_64/loader/initrd
boot || goto failed

Snippet from my dnsmasq.conf

dhcp-vendorclass=set:UEFI,PXEClient:Arch:00007
dhcp-vendorclass=set:BIOS,PXEClient:Arch:00000

dhcp-boot=tag:UEFI,ipxe.efi
dhcp-boot=tag:BIOS,undionly.kpxe

dhcp-match=set:ipxe,175 # iPXE sends a 175 option.
dhcp-boot=tag:ipxe,tag:UEFI,http://192.168.1.32/efi.ipxe
dhcp-boot=tag:ipxe,tag:BIOS,http://192.168.1.32/boot.ipxe
6

I think it is BIOS mode loader on IPXE web page. I am using UEFI.