Install iPXE on HDD as default bootloader

[ccheng]

Hi,

Is there a way to install iPXE to the MBR of the HDD, so that iPXE can behave as the default bootloader to replace GRUB?

I believe this can be achieved. Can anyone share some hints?

Thanks!

[robinsmidsrod]

It is quite possible to install iPXE as a boot loader onto an HDD. You can use the ipxe.usb binary and just use dd to write it directly to the MBR of the HDD. Be aware that this will completely wipe the HDD and make it unusable for anything else. A better option is to use either syslinux or grub to load ipxe.lkrn from the local filesystem on the HDD. Then you can use the rest of the HDD's capacity for e.g. an OS. After you compile using make bin/ipxe.usb (as described on http://ipxe.org/download) there will be descriptions printed on how you can use dd/cat to achieve this.

[ccheng]

Thanks for your hints Rob. I am now using iPXE in the chain loader manner as you described. I just wonder whether it is possible to write iPXE to MBR while preserve the partition table. Maybe iPXE is too big to fit into the MBR and need to split into different stages?

[Tsaukpaetra]

(2014-02-14 16:50)ccheng Wrote:  Thanks for your hints Rob. I am now using iPXE in the chain loader manner as you described. I just wonder whether it is possible to write iPXE to MBR while preserve the partition table. Maybe iPXE is too big to fit into the MBR and need to split into different stages?

I think you're correct that iPXE is too big for the MBR, and the second stage is already being done by using grub.