[mythtv-users] network boot / boot speed (WAS: Re: diskless Mythtv USB)

[Luke Rosenthal]

>> The way I got my diskless client working was to install an actual disk,
>>  get MythTV working, and _then_ go diskless. I copied all the files
>> over to the server, then NFS mounted. That means you don't have to worry
>>  about simultaneous MythTV and the diskless.
>
> ah, which brings up another question: what's the best way to copy it over
> (since you obviously don't want to just copy things like /dev and
> /proc)?  i have a full, working frontend right now that i plan on
> converting over to diskless, so it's all setup, configured and tweaked to
> my liking ... i definitely wanted to do it this way so that if  i have
> issues getting diskless to work, i can fallback on the disk until i'm
> comfortable/satisfied with the setup.

While we're on the subject of diskless frontends, what would be better -
running a complete diskless frontend that boots completey from the
network, or having a machine with a 1gb compactflash containing bare
essentials, that then loads via NFS whatever else is required?

My plan is to build one, maybe two identical systems based on the VIA
EN12000EG motherboard, but they need to have no moving parts (no HDD, & no
fans).  I've not had any experience setting up network boot before so
don't know where the bottlenecks will be.

Luke