How to install KIWI-LTSP from Scratch

LTSP clients are best assembled on their own network, so in order to successfully Install KIWI-LTSP, You need a completely installed and updated openSUSE 10.2 server configured as a "gateway" (server with two nics), the firewall disabled, and the private network card (eth1) configured to 192.168.0.254 and at least 1 GB of free disk space. (It is suggested that .254 or .1 be used regardless of network chosen for ease in routing. It is better to separate thin client traffic from other sub networks, as it can adversely effect traffic on your networks) These instructions are based on kiwi version 1.40

(many of the steps below will be automated later)

1) add repositories: Yast> installation sources> add> url> paste these links one at a time.

http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/openSUSE:/Tools/openSUSE_10.2/ here is where the KIWI engine and different image creation files (build descriptions) are kept

http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/cyberorg/openSUSE_10.2/ this one contains the heart of KIWI-LTSP it is the location of the LTSP specific KIWI image description

2) use YaST> software management to add the components choose:

     yast2-dhcp-server
     dhcp-server
     yast2-nfs-server
     yast2-tftp-server
     kiwi
     kiwi-desc-ltsp
     kiwi-desc-netboot
     kiwi-pxeboot

these choices will pull in all the dependencies needed to run kiwi-ltsp

3) next edit /usr/share/kiwi/image/kwltsp-suse-10.2/config.xml and modify

line # 27

and /usr/share/kiwi/image/netboot/suse-10.2/config.xml

line #40

to point to your installation source.

This can be an openSUSE 10.2 ISO mounted under the local file system as shown in the default "
", a complete copy of the openSUSE 10.2 DVD placed somewhere on the local filesystem\harddrive or using YaST>miscellaneous>installation server (not installed by default), building an NFS installation server and pointing the host folder to your local file system at /srv/exports/instsrc/10_2, so that the above lines can be modified to.

Note: This could be automated somehow by providing prompt to user to fill in the installation source, anyone able/willing to help with this?

4) Open a terminal window and type as root. sh /usr/share/kiwi/image/kwltsp-suse-10.2/setup-ltsp.sh

Follow on screen instructions.

this will build:

      /srv/kiwi-ltsp/*      the root of the thin client chroot (725 MB)
      /tmp/kiwi-netboot/*   the construction site for the initial boot files (50 MB)
      /srv/tftpboot/*     the initial boot file location for the PXE boot system (20 MB)

5) A DHCP server needs to be configured and started using Yast>Network Services>DHCP server, set it to "start when booting" the card selection is "eth1", a.k.a. the one you set as 192.168.0.254, you will have to modify the global settings or edit the /etc/dhcpd.conf with: (please include "" where used)

       option domain-name "yourdomainname";
       option domain-name-servers  xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx, xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx;
       option routers xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx;
       next-server 192.168.0.254;
       option root-path "/srv/kiwi-ltsp";
       option log-servers        192.168.0.254;
       ddns-update-style   none;
       option option-128 code 128 = string;
       option option-129 code 129 = text;
       use-host-decl-names       on;
       filename  "pxelinux.0";
       option host-name = concat ("ws", (binary-to-ascii (10, 8, "", substring (leased-address, 3, 6))), "yourdomainname");
       shared-network WORKSTATIONS {
         subnet 192.168.0.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {
           range 192.168.0.50 192.168.0.150;
           default-lease-time 14400;
           max-lease-time 14400;
         }
       }

6) A TFTP server needs to be created and started using YaST>Network Services>TFTP server

         choose the radio button "Enable"
         and set the "Boot Image Directory" to 
         "/srv/tftpboot"
         click "finish"

this needs to fixed -- you need to make a copy of the file /srv/tftpboot/boot/initrd-netboot-suse-10.2.i686-2.1.1.kernel.2.6.18.2-34-default

and paste the copy in the same folder then rename it "linux"

7) The NFS server exports need to be checked and the NFS server restarted by using YaST>Network Services>NFS Server. The default exports should be set for the subnet of the LTSP clients i.e. 192.168.0.0/255.255.255.0

The /etc/exports file should include,

/srv/kiwi-ltsp	192.168.0.0/255.255.255.0(ro,no_root_squash,async,no_subtree_check)
/var/opt/ltsp/swapfiles  192.168.0.0/255.255.255.0(rw,no_root_squash,async,no_subtree_check)

these exports are set to allow wildcard clients using " * " or clients from the subnet "10.0.0.0" by default and could be automated to match the subnet chosen after the DHCP server is configured

It's time to boot the first client. which should leave you at the LDM (ltsp display manager) screen where you should be able to login with users created on the host.

Local device support

Local devices are not fully configurable yet, only local disks can be manually mounted at this moment.

To add local disc support to the clients by loading fuse on the server type in a console prompt as root

          modprobe fuse

and by running at the command line on the client as USER

          mkdir -p /home/$USER/mountpoint
          ltspfs clientIP:/media /home/$USER/mountpoint

Note: This needs to be done by LTSP5's delayed_mounter script, which needs to be fixed to work with openSUSE

Have Fun!! :)

if for any reason this should fail you will need to delete the folders:

      /srv/kiwi-ltsp     the root of the thin client chroot (725 MB)
      /tmp/kiwi-netboot  the construction site for the initial boot files (50 MB)

This is absolutely necessary in order to start over.

Archive:LTSP legacy

How to install KIWI-LTSP from Scratch

Local device support