New Netboot.NBI image

[nobrainer]

I need to create a new netboot image to allow network booting of the MB Air’s. In this, I wanted to allow remote connections to the NBI for remote monitoring. Any idea’s how I could go about that?

Thank you!

[scifiman]

No one ever responded to this!

Are you all just using InstaNBI with updated InstallerChoices?
Is there something else you are using? I’m not running DS so I can’t do it with that.
NRH errors out with the error: ditto: can’t find real path to source.

Thanks!

[Allister Banks]

Hmm, if you’re not running DS… why not? Just kidding, are you asking about NetRestore Helper? That’s way retired at this point, and the OP was referring to hardware incompatibilities with the new hardware not being able to boot older images. Please let us know what the root of your question is, I haven’t made a netboot in a while, but SIU should have you sorted at the very least.

Allister

[scifiman]

Well, I’m kinda talking about NRH but not really. What else is there to build nbi folders?
Maybe I should look at DS but for the past several years all I have used is an nbi built from a Mac Pro 2 years ago that has booted everything up to the newest iMacs and Mac Minis and InstaDMG to build my images.

Basically I still want the functionality to boot to an environment and choose my dmg (ala NRH) but I have to have an nbi that supports the newest hardware. I don’t use SIU due to the wanted ability to pick and choose images and I haven’t found a way to do that with SIU.

So back to the original question – if you’re not using DS, then what do you use to build nbi folders? I just read a post from a year or two ago that InstaNBI was being built in to InstaDMG. Whatever happened to that project? I assume there was no need due to the use of DS or *something else*.

My current environment is straight Apple 10.6.8 w/ NetBoot. Again Mac Pro nbi and InstaDMG created dmgs.

[Allister Banks]

So DS optionally creates a custom environment within an NBI, but needs to be created on the newest hardware you intend to boot. If instaDMG-built images can’t be patched to a level that supports newer hardware, InstaNBI does not help us. Here’s a workflow, though:

1. build the image whichever way works for you
either mount the dmg, or
restore it to a disk if applicable, then boot it and perform any tweaks you’d wish(custom background, auto-login, ARD access if not set by your build process)
3. then capture the disk with SIU[/list]

Right? Credit for verifying all those steps above is due to natewalck in the ##osx-server IRC, perhaps you could join us there sometime?

Allister

[scifiman]

[QUOTE][u]Quote by: Allister[/u][p]So DS optionally creates a custom environment within an NBI, but needs to be created on the newest hardware you intend to boot. If instaDMG-built images can’t be patched to a level that supports newer hardware, InstaNBI does not help us. Here’s a workflow, though:

1. build the image whichever way works for you
1.5 restore it to a disk if applicable
2. boot it and perform any tweaks you’d wish(custom background, auto-login, ARD access if not set by your build process)
3. then capture the disk with SIU[/list]

Right? Credit for verifying all those steps above is due to natewalck in the ##osx-server IRC, perhaps you could join us there sometime?

Allister[/p][/QUOTE]

Allister – first thanks for your quick replies.
Second, I’m not sure I understand your point: [QUOTE]If instaDMG-built images can’t be patched to a level that supports newer hardware, InstaNBI does not help us.[/QUOTE] InstaDMG only builds the asr dmg images. I need an nbi Netboot set to boot the Macs and get the asr dmg deployed. As far as I know, InstaDMG doesn’t build nbi sets (though what I referred was a post claiming that the devs were working on including that functionality by talking with the InstaNBI devs). So I don’t think we’re talking about the same thing here.
Third, I specifically do NOT want to use SIU. I think it is way to restrictive and it adds an additional 2-4 GB to image size.
Fourth, it’s been a long time since I was on IRC – I’ll have to get back on and visit you on #osx-server
Finally, perhaps you could give me a run down of the requirements for DS. I hear about but my system has been working up until now. Does it tie into Apple’s NetBoot or provide it’s own. The guides on their website seem to be from 2009, but surely it is working on Snow Leopard/Lion. Also, can I use my InstaDMG images with DS? I really like the concept of InstaDMG and the thought of learning a whole new system again doesn’t make me jump at DS but tell my why I should!

Thanks

[Allister Banks]

Yup, InstaDMG creates asr images. If you restore that asr image to a volume, and then capture that volume with SystemImageUtility for NetBoot, it becomes a netboot set. Yes, you have to wait for a GUI, and I don’t really know about size discrepancies vs. InstaNBI ’cause I haven’t used that. You can customize your instadmg-created image any way you’d like before capturing with SIU and it shouldn’t affect its dog size significantly, I’d think.
DeplyStudio runs on any intel machine, and does *ahem* trickery to create a netboot set in about ~20 minutes, but doesn’t have to be used with netboot. When you do use it for netboot it wants to check into a repository of some kind, either AFP, SMB, or HTTP(as we were always able to do via disk utility’s restore interface). You can also run the assistant from a firewire/USB ‘service’/triage drive once you install deploystudio on that drive, in which case it can either look over the network or local.
That’s too much (possibly garbled) information, but please let me know what points I can refine. Thanks,

Allister

[scifiman]

As I stated, I really did not want to go with SIU from past experiences and limitations…………
SO I installed DeployStudio!

The documentation and setup is a little confusing, but I got it up and running in a relatively short amount of time.
Imported my InstaDMG image and I’m off and running! 😀

My images seem to be deploying fine. Are there any gotchas or new user tips that you would suggest/warn me about?
I’m not sure if I’ll stick with DS for just deploying my InstaDMG images, or try to convert my workflow to use the packaging stuff in DS. For this semester anyway, I already have my image. But going forward, we’ll see.

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