Master PXE Network Boot: Fast Batch Linux Installation with Kickstart

PXE High‑Efficiency Batch Network Installation

1. Deploy PXE Remote Installation Service

PXE (Preboot eXecution Environment) is an Intel‑developed network boot technology that works in a client/server mode, allowing a client to download a boot image and installation files or an entire operating system from a remote server.

Three advantages of PXE batch deployment:

Scale: install multiple servers simultaneously.

Automation: install the system and configure services automatically.

Remote: no need for CD, USB, or other installation media.

Prerequisites for building a PXE network:

Server: run DHCP to assign IP addresses and locate the boot program; run TFTP to provide the boot program download.

Client: network card must support PXE and the motherboard must support network boot.

1) Build the PXE Remote Installation Server

1. Prepare Linux installation source

systemctl stop firewalld systemctl disable firewalld setenforce 0 sed -i 's/SELINUX=enforcing/SELINUX=disabled/g' /etc/selinux/config

Publish the installation source via FTP and set up a YUM repository.

mkdir /media/cdrom mount /dev/cdrom /media/cdrom/ dnf -y install vsftpd mkdir /var/ftp/euler cp -rf /media/cdrom/* /var/ftp/euler vim /etc/vsftpd/vsftpd.conf anonymous_enable=YES

systemctl start vsftpd

2. Install and enable TFTP service

The TFTP service is provided by the tftp-server package; edit /etc/xinetd.d/tftp to change disable = yes to disable = no and start the service.

dnf -y install tftp-server vim /etc/xinetd.d/tftp

3. Prepare Linux kernel and initramfs

Copy vmlinuz and initrd.img from the installation CD (under images/pxeboot) to the TFTP root directory.

cd /media/cdrom/images/pxeboot cp vmlinuz initrd.img /var/lib/tftpboot cd /media/cdrom/isolinux/ cp ldlinux.c32 libcom32.c32 /var/lib/tftpboot/

ldlinux.c32 : part of SYSLINUX, loads the Linux kernel and initramfs during PXE boot.

libcom32.c32 : library of common functions used by SYSLINUX boot programs.

4. Prepare PXE bootloader

Install syslinux to obtain pxelinux.0 and copy it to the TFTP root.

dnf -y install syslinux cp /usr/share/syslinux/pxelinux.0 /var/lib/tftpboot

5. Install and enable DHCP service

Configure DHCP to assign IP addresses and point clients to the TFTP server (example IP range 192.168.10.200‑250, server 192.168.10.101).

dnf -y install dhcp vim /etc/dhcp/dhcpd.conf

systemctl start dhcpd systemctl enable dhcpd

next-server : specifies the TFTP server address.

filename : specifies the PXE boot program file name.

6. Configure boot menu

Create the directory /var/lib/tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg and edit the default file to define kernel parameters.

mkdir /var/lib/tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg vim /var/lib/tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg/default

2. Implement Kickstart Unattended Installation

While PXE removes the need for physical media, manual steps such as language selection and source specification remain. Kickstart automates these by providing a response file ( ks.cfg) that the installer reads.

(1) Edit the Kickstart response file

vim /var/ftp/ks.cfg

url --url="ftp://192.168.10.101/euler"
# System language
lang zh_CN.UTF-8
keyboard us
# Network configuration (DHCP example)
network  --bootproto=dhcp --device=ens160 --activate
# Root password (hashed)
authselect --enableshadow --passalgo=sha512
selinux --enforcing
rootpw --iscrypted j9T46wHHCdZ1EXPI8G8Ms9rE20JnYOkuLkXzyrq4nbwS98
# Timezone
timezone Asia/Shanghai
# Automatic partitioning (LVM, ext4)
autopart --type=lvm --fstype=ext4
bootloader --location=mbr
clearpart --all --initlabel
%packages --nocore
@^minimal-environment
kernel
grub2
efibootmgr
%end
%post
systemctl disable firewalld
# Enable root SSH login (optional)
sed -i 's/^#PermitRootLogin.*/PermitRootLogin yes/' /etc/ssh/sshd_config
%end
reboot

(2) Enable batch automatic installation

Add the Kickstart parameter to the PXE boot menu so that clients download ks.cfg automatically.

vim /var/lib/tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg/default

(3) Verify

After enabling the Kickstart file, each PXE‑booted client automatically downloads ks.cfg and proceeds with a fully unattended Linux installation.