beoboot
Name
beoboot -- Generate Scyld ClusterWare boot images
Synopsis
/usr/bin/beoboot [-h] [-v] [-2] [-a] [-i] [-n] [-o output_file] [-L dir, --libdir dir] [-k kernimg, --kernel kernimg]
[-c cmdline, --cmdline cmdline] [-m dir, --modules dir]
Description
beoboot is a booting system for Scyld clusters. The beoboot program creates boot images that implement the compute node side of the cluster boot system.
The final boot image is provided by one or more master nodes designated as "boot masters". This final boot image has the run-time kernel and initial information needed to contact an operational master.
A final boot image may be created for use on a floppy disk or CD. This eliminates an extra phase during boot, but requires updating the image each time the kernel, network device drivers, or other process creation components are updated on the master.
Options
- -h
Display a help message and exit.
- -v
Display version information and exit.
- -2
Create a phase 2 image. This image contains the final kernel to run.
- -i
Create stand-alone images (kernel and ramdisk). These images will be appropriate for use with other boot mechanisms. The kernel and ramdisk image will be stored in: outfile and outfile.initrd
- -n
Create a netboot image. If no output_file argument is specified, then the image file will be named /var/beowulf/boot.img.
- -o
output_file Set output filename to output_file.
- -L
dir, --libdir dir Find beoboot files in dir instead of /usr/lib/beoboot/
- -k
kernimg, --kernel kernimg Use kernimg as the kernel image instead of the image given in the configuration file (final boot image only).
If this is not specified on the command line, the default is taken out of /etc/beowulf/config. If it is not specified there, /boot/vmlinuz is used.
- -c
cmdline, --cmdline cmdline Use the command line cmdline instead of the command line given in the configuration file.
If this is not specified on the command line, the default is taken out of /etc/beowulf/config.
- -m
dir, --modules dir Look for modules matching the kernel image in dir instead of /lib/modules/<kernelversion>, which is the default.
PXE-Media Package
The old Phase 1 boot images are no longer supported. If you need to boot from removeable media, the PXE-media package includes support for booting from a floppy or CD using PXE.
The PXE-media images are located in /usr/share/pxe-media. There are two image files, pxe-media.floppy (for copying to floppy disk) and pxe-media.iso (for copying to CD-R). Note the following:
Creating a boot CD: Use cdrecord or a similar program to burn the .iso image to a boot CD-R (one for each compute node). Then boot each compute node with one of the CDs inserted in the CD-ROM drive. You must have your compute nodes configured to boot from CD for this to work.
Creating a boot floppy: Use the dd command to copy the floppy image to a floppy disk (one for each compute node). Then boot each compute node with one of the floppies inserted in the floppy drive.
 | When you are making a final boot image, you must be running the kernel you are putting in the image, whether this kernel is specified on the command line or in /etc/beowulf/config. |
Examples
Creating a final boot image:
[user@cluster user] $ beoboot -2 -n
Building phase 2 file system image in /tmp/beoboot.6684...
ram disk image size (uncompressed): 1888K
compressing...done
ram disk image size (compressed): 864K
Kernel image is: "/tmp/beoboot.6684".
Initial ramdisk is: "/tmp/beoboot.6684.initrd".
Netboot image is in: /var/beowulf/boot.img |