Can't boot off of network

[Haim Lichaa]

Background:
This is not my first time configuring, booting and restoring off the network using ignite.

I have 2 K420s hooked up back to back using a crossed ethernet cable.
Both are back to back using a crossed ethernet cable, where the Ignite server uses a 10/100 HSGC adapter set to 10HD-TX (using lanadmin) and the client is using it's only bootable 10HD ethernet card.
When connected both adapter leds are positive for a link.
The server adapter is set to 192.1.1.2 and the
/etc/opt/ignite/instl_boottab has the entry
192.1.1.3:::

When issuing the "boot lan install" command I get the following error message in the server syslog file:

instl_bootd[3585]: Ignoring first boot request from client: 080009DAExxx, it needs to retry in order to determine which subnet it is on (first time start condition).

Any idea?

[John Bolene]

Is there another lan setup on another lan card that has a default gateway?

It sounds like it is trying to use the default gateway for communications.

[Bill McNAMARA_1]

Try it again.. like it says!
Although I guess tjhe error stems from the fact that the ip address is not complete withouth the subnet mask.. on your ignite server, check the /etc/bootptab and or correct the instl_boottab to include subnet:
192.1.1.3:255.255.255.0::
I presume (ipconfig lan0 on iux svr)

Later,
Bill

[Haim Lichaa]

The second field in the instl_boottab is reserved for the client MAC address and there is no place to put the subnet mask in this file. The Server adapter should take care of this with it's subnet mask definition.

Regarding the default route, it is setup to point to a different segment. However, routing definition states that if you have a NIC on the segment you want to get to then the default route is ignored and the NIC on that segment is used. So I doubt routing is not the issue.

In any case I have a similar setup with two D350's (using thier onboard 10-TX NICs) and do not have this issue.

[John Dvorchak]

I have no idea what the real problem is but I would interupt the DCHP request, ctl-c, and fill in the blanks on the resulting table asking machine name, IP address, Netmask ect and let the Ignite session complete. I suspect that there is an incompabability between the two NIC's. maybe the 10/100 doesn't really "auto-negotiate" with the 10 in the second server when there is no switch present on you LAN.

[Haim Lichaa]

No, I don't even get to the stage where it asks for Networking information. I just get the Error = -7 on the Client at the ISL prompt.

I forced the Server NIC to 10HD (the syslog confirms this) and the onboard NIC on the client doesn't support autonegotiation since it's the standard 10HD-TX that comes with the box.

However you still might have something with the fact that there is no switch between them.
Maybe that will force synchronization for sure.

I'll have to give that a try.

[Haim Lichaa]

Still no idea what went wrong.

Wound up using the standard bootpd, the Ignite boot_lif file and booting with > boot lan.