Post #172,095
8/31/04 11:12:26 PM
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No it doesn't require floppy/cdrom
All that is required is a machine that can serve tftp/pxe(windows can do this) and a NIC that supports it too.
-- [link|mailto:greg@gregfolkert.net|greg], [link|http://www.iwethey.org/ed_curry|REMEMBER ED CURRY!] @ iwetheyNo matter how much Microsoft supporters whine about how Linux and other operating systems have just as many bugs as their operating systems do, the bottom line is that the serious, gut-wrenching problems happen on Windows, not on Linux, not on Mac OS. -- [link|http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1622086,00.asp|source]Here is an example: [link|http://www.greymagic.com/security/advisories/gm001-ie/|Executing arbitrary commands without Active Scripting or ActiveX when using Windows]
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Post #172,096
8/31/04 11:16:09 PM
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Re: No it doesn't require floppy/cdrom
Yep, been so long since I've seen a net bootable NIC that I forgot about it!
-drl
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Post #172,124
9/1/04 1:48:34 AM
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Er
Like every NIC for the past five or six years?
Peter [link|http://www.debian.org|Shill For Hire] [link|http://www.kuro5hin.org|There is no K5 Cabal] [link|http://guildenstern.dyndns.org|Blog]
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Post #172,175
9/1/04 9:44:51 AM
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hehehehe... he said...
Like every NIC for the past five or six years? Um... cheeyeah! Like Duh! Totally!
-- [link|mailto:greg@gregfolkert.net|greg], [link|http://www.iwethey.org/ed_curry|REMEMBER ED CURRY!] @ iwetheyNo matter how much Microsoft supporters whine about how Linux and other operating systems have just as many bugs as their operating systems do, the bottom line is that the serious, gut-wrenching problems happen on Windows, not on Linux, not on Mac OS. -- [link|http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1622086,00.asp|source]Here is an example: [link|http://www.greymagic.com/security/advisories/gm001-ie/|Executing arbitrary commands without Active Scripting or ActiveX when using Windows]
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Post #172,187
9/1/04 10:59:57 AM
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Forgive my ignorance
but doesn't the bios have to support booting from the network?
Not all bios supports that - particularly older ones..
Imric's Tips for Living
- Paranoia Is a Survival Trait
- Pessimists are never disappointed - but sometimes, if they are very lucky, they can be pleasantly surprised...
- Even though everyone is out to get you, it doesn't matter unless you let them win.
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Nothing is as simple as it seems in the beginning, As hopeless as it seems in the middle, Or as finished as it seems in the end.
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Post #172,188
9/1/04 11:13:16 AM
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Re: Forgive my ignorance
Not for nothing, but I haven't seen a NIC with the boot prom installed since the early 90s, and that was token ring.
I suppose Greg is saying in his typically supercilious computer-spork-god way that all modern NICs have'em already installed (for what? one asks, since booting from the network is sort of a rare need today).
-drl
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Post #172,302
9/1/04 10:04:28 PM
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Nope PXE is really needed now a days...
Many large entrerprises and many larger companies use PXE to update machines during off hours.
If the machine is on... they force it to reboot... otherwise they wake with a wake-on-lan packet. The PXE then requests... a small execution environment checks to see what is scheduled to do and if nothing, goes back to sleep. If things need to be done... well it does em.
Novell uses a small linux partition to do all the work along with a Multicast server for LARGE re-imaging tasks. They then use NAL (Novell Application Imager/Launcher) now just called Application Launcher.
MS uses... err well, SMS (Still???) and automated self installs. Except usually MS has to have bootable media in a drive to make it work.
There are *MANY* other reasons to have a Network Boot as well. thin/diskless clients (making a comeback in companies)
So, maybe you should stop with the sarcasm and overall pessimism... I was making fun of Petre.
-- [link|mailto:greg@gregfolkert.net|greg], [link|http://www.iwethey.org/ed_curry|REMEMBER ED CURRY!] @ iwetheyNo matter how much Microsoft supporters whine about how Linux and other operating systems have just as many bugs as their operating systems do, the bottom line is that the serious, gut-wrenching problems happen on Windows, not on Linux, not on Mac OS. -- [link|http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1622086,00.asp|source]Here is an example: [link|http://www.greymagic.com/security/advisories/gm001-ie/|Executing arbitrary commands without Active Scripting or ActiveX when using Windows]
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Post #172,308
9/1/04 10:24:05 PM
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good point, sorry
-drl
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Post #172,285
9/1/04 7:52:59 PM
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Not necessarily.
The old ISA spec allowed for cards to provide a BIOS of their own that could be run at one of several different points in the motherboard's startup. That's how boot PROMs work, BTW. The PCI spec also provides for this.
A lot of integrated LAN cards support net boot because the BIOS knows about them anyway. But I've recently seen ethernet cards that support a PXE environment without help from the BIOS. And you couldn't really tell by looking at the cards anyway, as there's no PROM socket at all. But there's obviously some there when you watch them start up.
Wade.
Is it enough to love Is it enough to breathe Somebody rip my heart out And leave me here to bleed
| | Is it enough to die Somebody save my life I'd rather be Anything but Ordinary Please
| -- "Anything but Ordinary" by Avril Lavigne. |
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