It’s sometimes interesting to be able to install a small server Elastix on a device that is not expensive.

It is also well known that Asterisk does not need huge CPU power to function properly, with minimal requirements for RAM, and the hard disk size (few gigabytes is enough).

I personally had the chance to get their hands on a superb offer from the incumbent. No less than 101 € for this little Netbook. With my current server running on the same basis, I told myself: “Why not put this on Elastix netbook?!”

As this marvelous Medion Netbook E1210 is capable of booting from a USB key, it was sufficient for me to take a key of 2GB, and to put Elastix on it.

First – Download the latest version of Elastix off the Elastix.org site.
Next – Burn Elastix onto a CD, then to put the content of the CD to a web site /var/www/html/install for example.
(Either a site intranet, or other. There are some small servers as Easyphp that functions very well on a PC under Windows).

Modify the ks.cfg file while commenting out the cdrom info like this:

#Use CDROM installation medium
#cdrom

Next, it will be necessary for you to format the USB Key using  FAT preferably using FAT32. Then to download the Windows program: unetbootin from the web.

This program prepares the USB key for booting, and then copy the file iso content to the USB Key, following the instructions which are very simplistic. After a few minutes, the USB key is ready.

Put the key on the right side of the Netbook (otherwise, the key will be recognized but the boot won’t make itself), then press the [F11] key repeatedly until a small menu with a choice comes up indicating the name of the USB key.

Select this, and another menu will appear. Press  [ENTER]. Linux is will continue loading as if it was being installed from CDROM.

But at some point, it will prompt saying that it cannot find the file: CDROM:/ks_advenced.cfg.

When this occurs then replace : CDROM:/ks_advenced.cfg with http://your_web_server/install/ks.cfg , and then press OK.

At this point the installation program will recognize that the installation is to be completed from a Web server.

Use this time to disable the WIFI with (Key [Fn] + [F11]) and disable the webcam with (Key [Fn] + [F6]).

It’s going to ask the url of the web site:  http://your_web_server/install/.  Press OK.

The installation will continue as normal.

Remove the key before the Elastix installation goes into the section of partitioning, otherwise, the GRUB will be installed badly on the disk.

Thats it, the installation is finished.

Tags: E1210, Elastix, elastix install usb, elastix install web, netbook

This entry was posted on Friday, December 25th, 2009 at 6:35 am and is filed under Community, Elastix, VOIP. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.