[gPXE] Booting MS-DOS using gPXE/iSCSI: C: drive is read only

[ACS]

I just managed to setup my diskless DOS boot using gPXE and iSCSI
DOS (6.22) boots OK, even old games (ancient doom) that are present in the
DOS disk image start fine.
However, I can't write anything to c:\ !
executing:
echo 1 > c:\test.txt
results in general failure error, and a 0 bytes file on disk


dnsmasq/ietd on centos 5.3.
used iSCSI target is writable when connected from XP/Windows7
Used rom-0-matic to download stable ISO image, for RTL8139


Any hints welcome.....

[Miller, Shao]

-----Original Message-----
From: gpxe-bounces at etherboot.org [mailto:gpxe-bounces at etherboot.org] On
Behalf Of ACS
Sent: Wednesday, February 17, 2010 14:26
To: gpxe at etherboot.org
Subject: [gPXE] Booting MS-DOS using gPXE/iSCSI: C: drive is read only

I just managed to setup my diskless DOS boot using gPXE and iSCSI
DOS (6.22) boots OK, even old games (ancient doom) that are present in
the
DOS disk image start fine.
However, I can't write anything to c:\ !
executing:
echo 1 > c:\test.txt
results in general failure error, and a 0 bytes file on disk


dnsmasq/ietd on centos 5.3.
used iSCSI target is writable when connected from XP/Windows7
Used rom-0-matic to download stable ISO image, for RTL8139


Any hints welcome.....

-----Original Message End-----


"ACS,"

Are you connecting multiple clients to the same iSCSI target at the same
time? The FAT filesystem is not designed with multiple simultaneous
clients in mind, as far as I know. If you have a Windows XP and/or a
Windows 7 and/or a DOS client connected at the same time, you could
experience filesystem corruption and strange errors like "general
failure."

Also, see if your iSCSI target software allows for multiple clients. It
could be that you need to disconnect all clients first, then maybe a
single client will have better luck.

- Shao Miller

[ACS]

Post by Miller, Shao
Are you connecting multiple clients to the same iSCSI target at the same
time?

I only connect to iSCSI target using a single initiator at a time, I'm aware
that most file systems aren't network filesystems.
I already tried 2 targets, both exhibit the same problem (even after
restarting target service or server):
-centos5.3 ietd
-server 2008x64: microsoft iscsi software target


I have 2 guesses why MS-DOS can't write to disc:

-There's no scsi driver loaded in DOS, and DOS only has limited built-in
SCSI read capabilities to just start and get scsi driver loaded.
-The gpxe boot rom is read-only, after OS gets started more advanced
drivers should take over , giving write capabilities

Again, these are just guesses.

Seems like AoE is the way to go, since this just simulates ata disk, which
should work right away

Adrian Bacon

[Shao Miller]

Post by ACS

Post by Miller, Shao
Are you connecting multiple clients to the same iSCSI target at the same
time?

I only connect to iSCSI target using a single initiator at a time, I'm aware
that most file systems aren't network filesystems.

Excellent. :) Some folks are not aware of that.

Post by ACS
I already tried 2 targets, both exhibit the same problem (even after
-centos5.3 ietd
-server 2008x64: microsoft iscsi software target
-There's no scsi driver loaded in DOS, and DOS only has limited built-in
SCSI read capabilities to just start and get scsi driver loaded.

DOS uses INT 13h to access an iSCSI disk. To DOS, it's not really
distinguishable from a local HDD. But a question: Are you loading
network drivers in this DOS?

Post by ACS
-The gpxe boot rom is read-only, after OS gets started more advanced
drivers should take over , giving write capabilities

gPXE provides the INT 13h service for DOS or other INT 13h consumers
with read and write. Another question, though: How did you format this
partition? From DOS or from Windows or from some other OS?

Post by ACS
Again, these are just guesses.
Seems like AoE is the way to go, since this just simulates ata disk, which
should work right away

AoE is provided by gPXE the same as iSCSI, with the same INT 13h service.

- Shao Miller
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