Add the Debian installer to our PXE server - cesetxeberria/pxeserver GitHub Wiki

First of all we have to prepare our PXE server using one of these bootloaders

• Pxelinux
• GRUB
• ipxe

Then as root user install the debian installer files for i386 and amd64. Alternatively, its also possible to download them from here (i386) and here (amd64).

apt-get install debian-installer-11-netboot-i386 debian-installer-11-netboot-amd64

Once downloaded, create a new folder inside the tftp-root and copy all the needed files there.

mkdir -p /home/tftp/installers/debian/amd64
mkdir -p /home/tftp/installers/debian/i386
cp /usr/lib/debian-installer/images/11/amd64/text/debian-installer/amd64/linux /home/tftp/ /home/tftp/installers/debian/amd64/
cp /usr/lib/debian-installer/images/11/amd64/text/debian-installer/amd64/initrd.gz /home/tftp/installers/debian/i386/amd64
cp /usr/lib/debian-installer/images/11/i386/text/debian-installer/i386/linux /home/tftp/installers/debian/i386/
cp /usr/lib/debian-installer/images/11/i386/text/debian-installer/i386/initrd.gz /home/tftp/installers/debian/i386/

Then add the installer entry to your boot menu.

If using pxelinux

nano /home/tftp/syslinux/bios/pxelinux.cfg/default

label Bullseye installer (amd64)
 menu clear
 kernel /installers/debian/amd64/linux
 initrd /installers/debian/amd64/initrd.gz
 append vga=788 --- quiet

label Bullseye installer (i386)
 menu clear
 kernel /installers/debian/i386/linux
 initrd /installers/debian/i386/initrd.gz
 append vga=788 --- quiet

If using grub

nano /home/tftp/grub/grub.cfg

menuentry "Bullseye installer (i386)" {
 set gfxpayload=800x600x16,800x600
 linux /installers/debian/i386/linux --- quiet
 initrd /installers/debian/i386/initrd.gz
}

menuentry "Bullseye installer (amd64)" {
 set gfxpayload=800x600x16,800x600
 linux /installers/debian/amd64/linux --- quiet
 initrd /installers/debian/amd64/initrd.gz
}

If using ipxe

nano /home/tftp/default.ipxe

:debianinstall32
kernel /installers/debian/i386/linux
initrd /installers/debian/i386/initrd.gz
imgargs linux initrd=initrd.gz vga=788
boot ||
goto MENU

:debianinstall64
kernel /installers/debian/amd64/linux
initrd /installers/debian/amd64/initrd.gz
imgargs linux initrd=initrd.gz vga=788
boot ||
goto MENU