How to install Ubuntu from PXE Server

Discover how to install Ubuntu from PXE server with this detailed guide. Learn step-by-step instructions for setting up and deploying Ubuntu over your network efficiently and effortlessly. #centlinux #linux #ubuntu #pxe

Problem Statement

In our previous posts, we have configured a PXE boot server that supports both BIOS and UEFI based clients. We have also configured our CentOS 7 PXE server to install RHEL 6 and RHEL 7 operating systems using Kickstart. Now, we will install Ubuntu from PXE Server.

We will also create a Kickstart file for automated installation of Ubuntu 18.10 operating system, and ensure that it will support both BIOS and UEFI based clients.

PXE Server Specification

We use the same CentOS 7 machine that we have configured as PXE Boot Server in our previous article. These specifications have been re-mentioned below for convenience of the readers.

• CPU – 2 Core (2.4 Mhz)
• Memory – 2 GB
• Storage – 50 GB
• Operating System – CentOS 7.5
• Hostname – pxe-server.itlab.com
• IP Address – 192.168.116.41/24

Recommended Training: Linux Administration: The Complete Linux Bootcamp in 2025 from Andrei Dumitrescu, Crystal Mind Academy

Read Also: How to install Windows 10 over PXE Linux Server

Configure NFS Server in CentOS 7

Connect to pxe-server.itlab.com using ssh as root user.

Install NFS packages using yum command.

# yum install -y nfs-utils

Start and Enable NFS service.

# systemctl start nfs-server
# systemctl enable nfs-server
Created symlink from /etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/nfs-server.service to /usr/lib/systemd/system/nfs-server.service.

Create a directory for sharing Ubuntu 18.10 ISO.

# mkdir /nfsshare
# chown nfsnobody:nfsnobody /nfsshare

Allow NFS and relevant ports in CentOS 7.5 Firewall.

# firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service={nfs,mountd,rpc-bind}
success
# firewall-cmd --reload
success

Adjust SELinux Permissions.

# semanage fcontext --add -t nfs_t '/nfsshare(/.*)?'
# restorecon -Rv /nfsshare/
restorecon reset /nfsshare context unconfined_u:object_r:var_t:s0->unconfined_u:object_r:nfs_t:s0

Export /nfsshare directory for all clients.

# echo "/nfsshare *(ro)" >> /etc/exports
# exportfs -r

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Copy Ubuntu ISO in NFS Share

Attach Ubuntu 18.10 Server ISO/DVD and mount it at /mnt/iso (you can use any mountpoint, according to your choice).

# mount -t iso9660 /dev/cdrom /mnt/iso
mount: /dev/sr0 is write-protected, mounting read-only

Copy contents of /mnt/iso directory to NFS server.

# cp -rf /mnt/iso /nfsshare/ubuntu18

Create Kickstart File for Automated Installation

We have to write a Kickstart file for Ubuntu 18.10 within the /nfsshare/ubuntu18/preseed/ directory, so it can be accessed by PXE clients via NFS service.

# vi /nfsshare/ubuntu18/preseed/ubuntu.seed

A sample kickstart file is given below, you can modify it according to your requirements.

# Enable extras.ubuntu.com.
d-i     apt-setup/extras        boolean true
# Install the Ubuntu desktop.
tasksel tasksel/first   multiselect ubuntu-desktop
# On live DVDs, don't spend huge amounts of time removing substantial
# application packages pulled in by language packs. Given that we clearly
# have the space to include them on the DVD, they're useful and we might as
# well keep them installed.
ubiquity        ubiquity/keep-installed string icedtea6-plugin openoffice.org
#System language
lang en_US
#Language modules to install
langsupport en_US
#System keyboard
keyboard us
#System mouse
mouse
#System timezone
timezone Asia/Karachi
#Root password
rootpw --disabled
#Initial user (user with sudo capabilities)
user ubuntu --fullname "ahmer" --password ahmer1234
#Reboot after installation
reboot
#Use text mode install
text
#Install OS instead of upgrade
install
#Installation media
nfs --server=192.168.116.41 --dir=/nfsshare/ubuntu18/
#System bootloader configuration
bootloader --location=mbr
#Clear the Master Boot Record
zerombr yes
#Partition clearing information
clearpart --all --initlabel
#Basic disk partition
part / --fstype ext4 --size 1 --grow --asprimary
part swap --size 1024
part /boot --fstype ext4 --size 256 --asprimary
#System authorization infomation
auth  --useshadow  --enablemd5
#Network information
network --bootproto=dhcp --device=eth0
#Firewall configuration
firewall --disabled --trust=eth0 --ssh

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Copy boot images in tftpboot directory

The Boot images in the Ubuntu ISO won’t work for network boot  Therefore, we downloaded netboot images from Ubuntu website.

# wget http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/cosmic/main/installer-amd64/current/images/netboot/netboot.tar.gz
--2018-11-17 11:09:13--  http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/cosmic/main/installer-amd64/current/images/netboot/netboot.tar.gz
Resolving archive.ubuntu.com (archive.ubuntu.com)... 91.189.88.152, 91.189.88.161, 91.189.88.162, ...
Connecting to archive.ubuntu.com (archive.ubuntu.com)|91.189.88.152|:80... connected.
HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 200 OK
Length: 56245393 (54M) [application/x-gzip]
Saving to: ânetboot.tar.gz.1â

100%[======================================>] 56,245,393   179KB/s   in 7m 23s

2018-11-17 11:16:40 (124 KB/s) - ânetboot.tar.gz.1â saved [56245393/56245393]

Extract download TARBall.

# mkdir netboot
# tar xf netboot.tar.gz -C netboot

We need to copy initrd.gz and linux files from netboot directory ~/netboot/ubuntu-installer/amd64/ to /var/lib/tftpboot/networkboot/ubuntu18 directory. These files will be referenced in the menu entry of PXE boot menu.

# mkdir /var/lib/tftpboot/networkboot/ubuntu18
# cp ~/netboot/ubuntu-installer/amd64/{linux,initrd.gz} /var/lib/tftpboot/networkboot/ubuntu18/

Add Ubuntu Entry in PXE Menu

Edit PXE boot menu for BIOS based clients.

# vi /var/lib/tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg/default

Add a menu entry for Ubuntu 18.10 installation therein.

default vesamenu.c32
prompt 0
timeout 30
menu title Ahmer's PXE Menu
label Install RHEL 7.5
kernel /networkboot/rhel7/vmlinuz
append initrd=/networkboot/rhel7/initrd.img inst.repo=ftp://192.168.116.41/pub/rhel7 ks=ftp://192.168.116.41/pub/rhel7/rhel7.cfg
label Install RHEL 6.0 (64-bit)
kernel /networkboot/rhel6/vmlinuz
append initrd=/networkboot/rhel6/initrd.img inst.repo=ftp://192.168.116.41/pub/rhel6 ks=ftp://192.168.116.41/pub/rhel6/rhel6.cfg
label Install Ubuntu 18.10 Server
menu label Install Ubuntu 18.10 Server
kernel networkboot/ubuntu18/linux
append vga=788 initrd=networkboot/ubuntu18/initrd.gz ks=nfs:192.168.116.41:/nfsshare/ubuntu18/preseed/ubuntu.seed --- quiet

Edit PXE boot menu for UEFI based clients. For more information on UEFI, please refer to Add UEFI Support to PXE Server in CentOS 7.

# vi /var/lib/tftpboot/grub.cfg

Add a menu entry for Ubuntu 18.10 installation in this file.

set timeout=60

menuentry 'Install RHEL 7.5' {
        linuxefi /networkboot/rhel7/vmlinuz inst.repo=ftp://192.168.116.41/pub/rhel7/ inst.ks=ftp://192.168.116.41/pub/rhel7/rhel7.cfg
        initrdefi /networkboot/rhel7/initrd.img
}

menuentry 'Install RHEL 6.0' {
        linuxefi /networkboot/rhel6/vmlinuz inst.repo=ftp://192.168.116.41/pub/rhel6/ inst.ks=ftp://192.168.116.41/pub/rhel6/rhel6.cfg
        initrdefi /networkboot/rhel6/initrd.img
}

menuentry "Install Ubuntu 18.10 Server" {
        set gfxpayload=keep
        linuxefi        /networkboot/ubuntu18/linux inst.repo=nfs:192.168.116.41:/nfsshare/ubuntu18 inst.ks=nfs:192.168.116.41:/nfsshare/ubuntu18/preseed/ubuntu.seed
        initrdefi       /networkboot/ubuntu18/initrd.gz
}

Now, connect a BIOS based PXE client to network and boot it. It will display the following PXE boot menu.

Similarly, connect a UEFI based PXE client to network and boot it. It will display the following PXE boot menu.

We have successfully configured our CentOS 7 PXE boot server to install Ubuntu 18.10. You can also add other versions of Ubuntu in similar manner.

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Final Thoughts

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