kexec-tools not loading iPXE zImage

[Eric W. Biederman]

Joshua Jensen <joshua at joshuajensen.org> writes:

> I'm having an issue with kexec not being able to load a freshly compiled 
> ipxe.lkrn file, even though it is a zImage:
>
>
> # file ipxe.lkrn
> ipxe.lkrn: Linux kernel x86 boot executable zImage, version \353FHdrS\007\002,RW-
> rootFS,
>
> # kexec -l ipxe.lkrn
> Cannot determine the file type of ipxe.lkrn
>
>
> Any ideas?  Is there any way to determine where the error is, with the ipxe.lkrn 
> file or kexec ?

Use the source?

My guess is that ipxe.lkrn uses a very old version of the x86 boot
protocol.

Doing what you are doing is a bit iffy if the version of ipxe you are
building depends upon BIOS calls.

It used to be possible to build a .elf version of etherboot that was
bootable via linuxbios and depended on no BIOS calls, and that should
work if the code survived the great gutting of etherboot.

Although this does seem a bit of a round about way to get something
done, loading a more limited bootloader from what is essentially a more
featureful bootloader.

Eric