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Serva PXE/BINL - Application Note Set

Serva PXE/BINL - AN01: Windows Install

Serva PXE/BINL - AN02: Windows Install Adv & WinPE Boot

Serva PXE/BINL - AN03: Non-Windows Boot/Install

Serva PXE/BINL - AN04: Custom menu

0 Index

1. Requirements

2. Introduction

3. Supported Commands

4. Customizations

5. Troubleshooting

6. Final Words

1 Requirements

1.1 Required Software

1.1.1 Microsoft Windows Serva 2.1 "Supporter"or higher.

1.2 Assumed knowledge

1.2.1 Serva PXE/BINL - AN01: Windows Install

1.2.2 PXESERVA/PXELINUX basics.

2 Introduction

Serva PXE boot/install menu system is based on Syslinux. A PXE booting station initially creates and

displays its root-level boot/install menu by parsing the commands and parameters contained within the

TFTP retrieved menu definition file located at \pxeserva.cfg\menu.def. On Servas side, BINL services,

Serva PXE/BINL - AN04: Custom menu

How to customize to your needs Serva's automatically created menu.

The objective of this document is to show you a step-by-step guide on

how to edit the automatically created \pxeserva.cfg\menu.def including

examples of commonly needed customizations.

Procedures described in this document require Serva "Supporter"

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automatically create and maintain menu.defusing the script language described in this document.

When required (i.e. when adding a new asset under Serva control, removing an existent one, etc.)

Serva Non-Supporter will automatically update menu.def by overwriting any existent previous

version of it. Serva Supporter on the other hand, since v2.1 includes a new menu editing enginethat

is aware of and will keep user added menu entries, nested sub-menus, and other menu customizations.

2.1 File Format

Serva created menu.def is a case insensitive text file that can be divided in three clearly distinctive

consecutive sections:

1. Global settings

2. Root-level menu container definition.

3. Root-level menu entry definition list.

Serva automation initially creates and arranges all the menu entries corresponding to Servas assets

within the root-level menu container. However, users can later on manually edit menu.def and not

only alter Servas default menu entry order but also i.e. build a hierarchic menu system by manually

interleaving and populating the required submenu containers. For those interested in customizing

Servas menu system it is highly recommended to initially analyze Servas created menu.defwith this

Application Note and the PXESERVA Menu Definition Reference Guidein-hand.

2.2 Command Format

The Command Nameshave a simple format where up to 2 consecutive Command Identifiers can be

followed by the Command Payloadwhen required.

[][][Command Payload]

3 Supported Commands

Please see the PXESERVA Menu Definition Reference Guide

4 Customizations

4.1 Menu lay-out

Just alter the corresponding menu container definition variables taking the following diagram as

reference.

Note

When the command payload is a text string for screen displaying it cannot contain TABs.




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Fig 1: Menu lay-out variables

i.e. reducing the password input box by increasing menu passwordmarginfrom default 3 to 10

4.2 Menu Title

Just alter the menu titlevariable.

4.3 Menu entry order

A typical automatically created menu entry is a sequence of commands beginning with LABEL.Automatically created entries are separated by an empty line just for cosmetic reasons.

menu.def

menu passwordmargin 10

menu.def

menu title This is my custom title

menu.def




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Altering the entry positioning implies to move the menu entry corresponding command sequence to the

desired new location within the menu structure.

i.e. we invert the menu entry order here

4.4 Menu entry separatorThe command menu separator adds an empty line between two menu/sub-menu entries.

i.e. between two menu entries.

4.5 Menu entry Title

Just edit the corresponding variable menu labelpayload

Note

Do not worry about the menu entry numbering; Serva will automatically correct it when restarted. If

for any reason you want to prevent Serva auto-numbering an specific entry, just make sure its

menu labelcommand payload begins with "^ " i.e. ^ This label will not be auto-numbered

LABEL WIA_WDS\w8_ent_64\

menu label ^ 1) Windows 8 Enterprise, AMD64

kernel pxechain.cbt

append ::WIA_WDS\w8_ent_64\_SERVA_\pxeboot.n12

LABEL WIA_WDS\w7_ult_32\

menu label ^ 2) Windows 7, x86

kernel pxechain.cbt

append ::WIA_WDS\w7_ult_32\_SERVA_\pxeboot.n12

menu.def



kernel pxechain.cbt




kernel pxechain.cbt


menu.def



kernel pxechain.cbt


menu separator


menu label ^ 2) Windows 7, x86 kernel pxechain.cbt


menu.def




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4.6 Menu entry Help

Just add up to 3 lines of text surrounded by the command sequence text help/ endtext

4.7 Sub-Menu

A sub-menu is easily created by framing the corresponding menu entries with the command sequence

MENU BEGIN/ MENU END

4.8Sub-Menu custom Background

Note

For the sake of consistency this method should notbe used on NWAs (non-Windows Assets) menu

entries; NWAs should edit their assetand platformvariables on the corresponding ServaAsset.inf

instead.

Notes

1. Complex menu hierarchies can be created by nesting the MENU BEGIN / MENU END

sequence.

2. The menu entry indentation is not required.

3. Sub-Menu titles are automatically capitalized by Serva.


menu label "This is my menu entry custom title"

kernel pxechain.cbt


menu.def


menu label "This is my entry custom label"

kernel pxechain.cbt


text help

Menu entry help text which can

span up to 3 lines on Serva's

default menu layout...

endtext

menu.def

MENU BEGIN My Sub-Menu Title



kernel pxechain.cbt




kernel pxechain.cbt


MENU END




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Sub-menus can define custom backgrounds by adding the menu backgroundcommand followed by

either a color definition or the path\filename of an image file (normally a 640x480 pixels PNG or JPG)

4.9 Password Protection

Sub-menus and menu entries can be easily password protected by adding the command menu

passwdtaking as argument the corresponding password hash.

4.10 Non-Serva Menu Entries

There are situations when you might want to add a menu entry that does not correspond to a Serva

asset. On those cases remember the rules for the "LABEL MenuEntry_Id" command:

"User-created menu entries are free to use any MenuEntry_Idvalue as far as they are unique and

never a valid Serva_asset_path".

i.e. the typical entry that allows to boot from client's HDD.

Note

The root level menu default background cannot be replaced.

menu.def


menu background pxeserva.cfg\myBkgnd.png



kernel pxechain.cbt




kernel pxechain.cbt


MENU END

menu.def


menu passwd $4$KR4Oz7c5$iCbcWCHeCorBEC1nZ5oqBV5Z3sg$


menu label ^ 1) Windows 8 Enterprise, AMD64 menu passwd $4$O4N7ax23$SaXuu4J4LWDDop8kSMAIgpYjRsM$

kernel pxechain.cbt




menu passwd $4$Q7H2am1d$pnmznxy0wpbEf1/b/JCkxZ/jgZA$

kernel pxechain.cbt


MENU END

menu.def




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4.11 Serva RS232-Menu

There are several situations when you might need to install an OS on a head-less systems (no-

keyboard/no-monitor), i.e. when probably installing some server OSs, Native Hypervisors, embedded

devices, batch unattended installations, etc. In those cases we can rely on Serva's ability to

simultaneously display its menu through a serial connection. This is done by adding a couple of

commands at the beginnings of the menu.def file.

i.e. commands for Serva displaying a text version of its menu on COM 1 at 115200 bps.

7 Troubleshooting

7.1 Serva will respect your custom entries, then there is always the risk of breaking things by

overwriting/deleting some of Serva's required menu parameters. If anything goes wrong just erase

menu.def; Serva will automatically create a new working copy for you. It is always a good idea editing

on small steps and testing if the small change works before to move ahead. Virtualized PXE clients are

very handy when polishing your custom made menu.def.

7.2 Menu displayed strings and TABs

Several menu commands take displayable strings as payload i.e.

menu labelBoot from local HDD

In this case "Boot from local HDD"will be displayed in the screen as the corresponding menu entry

label. These kind of strings cannot contain TABS. If a TAB makes it to the screen it would break

menu's layout. In case you forget the rule Serva will automatically convert every TAB into a singleSPACE but is always better if you know/apply the rule.

8 Final words

Serva PXE/BINL custom menu provides endless alternatives and sure you will enjoy its capabilities.

If you find Serva useful please consider contributing to the project by purchasing Serva's "Supporter"

build. Supporter builds make possible Serva's maintenance and future development.

Note

Interactively installing OSs on headless systems through RS-232 requires OS support

LABEL boot_hdd

menu label Boot from local HDD

localboot 0

append -

menu.def

############################################################################

# Serva v2.1.0 multi-OS PXE Boot/Install Menu definition

# by Patrick Masotta 2010-2013############################################################################

SERIAL 0 115200 0

CONSOLE 1




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Serva bugs, comments, or ideas on how to improve the information contained in this document please

contact me here.

Originally published 02/01/2013

Copyright 2010-2015 Patrick Masotta. All rights reserved.


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