I would have liked to create a PXE folder on my NAS and use it.
- To store images of a few Linux distributions
(and possibly Windows as well)
- To install them on my machines without having to use a USB drive.
But I don’t know if this is possible with Zima.
Given how it works:
- there is no package manager
- and everything goes through Docker…
I would have liked to create a Ventoy-style PXE.
That would allow me to choose my OS from a list.
But I’m wondering…
Is it possible to set up a PXE on the NAS (HDD) and use it?
I’m not sure.
If it’s too complicated, I might not bother with it.
But that would be a shame.
Thanks for your thoughts…
(before I move on to the setup…)
Honestly yes, this is absolutely possible on ZimaOS.
You do not need a traditional package manager for this because PXE services can run entirely inside Docker containers.
A few people already run things like:
- iPXE
- dnsmasq
- netboot.xyz
- Ventoy PXE
- TinyPXE
inside Docker on lightweight servers/NAS systems.
For ZimaOS specifically, the cleanest approach is probably:
- Docker container for DHCP/TFTP/PXE
- Store ISO images on your HDD pool
- Boot machines over network directly from the NAS
Something like netboot.xyz is actually very close to what you described:
a boot menu where you can select Linux distributions and installers over PXE.
You could even:
- host Ubuntu
- Debian
- Proxmox
- Clonezilla
- rescue tools
- Windows installers
- custom ISOs
all from the same NAS.
The main thing to understand is:
PXE itself is not tied to the OS package manager.
It’s mostly just:
- DHCP
- TFTP/HTTP
- boot files
- ISO storage
So Docker works perfectly fine for it.
The only potential complication is your network/router setup:
- some routers do not allow custom PXE/DHCP options easily
- if another DHCP server already exists, you must avoid conflicts
But technically, ZimaOS can absolutely do this.
Honestly it could make a really nice community tutorial because a lot of homelab users would probably love a “ZimaOS network boot server” setup.
I completely agree with you, gelbuilding.
I was already familiar with these preliminaries, having looked into the subject a long time ago now (quite a few years back).
The question is: what about managing and installing a PXE server in Docker?
I have to admit I’ve never done that before.
Which specific software would you recommend?
Since I’ve used a Ventoy USB drive before, I’m leaning toward that one.
Even though I know it sometimes has limitations and bugs.
But, honestly, I don’t know which software to set up.
Plus, there’s the issue with the router.
Mine is pretty old, and I’m expecting some configuration difficulties.
What do you think?
I think you’re already looking at it the right way.
Personally, I’d probably start with netboot.xyz rather than Ventoy PXE. The Docker setup is fairly straightforward, it’s well documented, and it gives you a ready-made boot menu with a large collection of Linux distributions and recovery tools without having to manage lots of boot files yourself.
Ventoy PXE is definitely interesting, especially if your goal is to boot your own ISO collection directly from the NAS, but from what I’ve seen it can be a bit more involved to set up and troubleshoot when something doesn’t boot exactly as expected.
The bigger question may actually be your router. PXE relies on DHCP information being passed correctly to the client, and older routers sometimes don’t expose the options needed for network booting. That doesn’t make it impossible, but it can become the most frustrating part of the project.
If I were starting from scratch, I’d probably:
- Test netboot.xyz in Docker first.
- Verify that a client can see the PXE menu.
- Then decide whether I need something more advanced like Ventoy PXE for custom ISO management.
That way you’re proving the network and router side works before spending time building a large ISO library.
If you do decide to try it, I’d be very interested to see a ZimaOS tutorial. I suspect quite a few homelab users would love a NAS that can deploy operating systems over the network without constantly reaching for a USB stick.
Hi again, gelbuilding.
And thanks for your reply.
I don’t really have time right now to look up information.
Maybe you could tell me more about the Bbox (Bouygues):
Fast5330b-r1
Right now, I don’t really have time to look for documentation.
I think that, with PXE, you have to ask for a specific configuration.
But I don’t know if that’s possible.
Thanks in advance.
Dany.
I wouldn’t worry too much about the NAS side yet. The first thing I’d check is whether the Bbox actually allows PXE-related DHCP options to be configured.
Unfortunately, many ISP-supplied routers are quite limited and sometimes don’t expose the DHCP settings needed for PXE booting.
Before spending time building a PXE server, I’d suggest checking whether your Fast5330b-r1 offers:
- DHCP option 66 (boot server)
- DHCP option 67 (boot file)
- PXE or network boot settings
If those options exist, you’re in good shape.
If they don’t, it’s not necessarily game over. Many people run a separate DHCP/PXE service (for example via Docker) and let the ISP router handle only internet access, but that adds a bit more complexity.
Personally, I’d verify the router capabilities first. If the Bbox supports the required DHCP options, then setting up something like netboot.xyz or Ventoy PXE on ZimaOS becomes a much more realistic project.
When you have time, a screenshot of the DHCP settings page would probably tell us very quickly whether the router is PXE-friendly or not.
By the way,
I couldn’t find the official Docker Compose file for netboot.xyz.
I couldn’t find the one for Ventoy - PXE either.
github netboot.xyz
github ventoy pxe
it connect.fr ventoy pxe
Here’s what I found with Claude IA:
But I don’t understand it all.
If you could explain it to me…
Thanks.
docker-compose-netboot.pdf (12,6 Ko)
docker-compose-iventoy.pdf (15,4 Ko)
Keep in mind that:
Having looked at the PDFs, I think Claude was mainly trying to show the overall structure rather than provide official project files.
The important thing to understand is that both solutions follow the same basic idea:
netboot.xyz
- Provides a PXE boot menu.
- Downloads or serves operating system installers and recovery tools.
- Generally considered the easier starting point.
- Good if you mainly want a network boot menu and standard installers.
iVentoy
- Works more like Ventoy on a USB stick, but over the network.
- You place ISO files in a folder and boot them directly.
- More flexible if you want to maintain your own collection of ISOs.
- Slightly more advanced because PXE, DHCP and network boot settings become more important.
From the screenshots of your Bbox, the encouraging part is that it appears to support custom DHCP options. That is often the biggest hurdle with ISP routers.
Personally, I would first verify whether the router can provide the PXE boot information required by clients. If it can, then either solution should be achievable.
If your goal is simply to learn PXE and get a first network boot working, I would probably start with netboot.xyz because there are fewer moving parts to understand.
If your goal is to build a “Ventoy over the network” library of Linux and Windows ISOs stored on the NAS, then iVentoy is probably closer to what you ultimately want.
Either way, I think your router screenshots are much more promising than I expected. 
netboot.xyz is finally installed and up and running.
Tested in a VirtualBox VM.
There were a lot of “timeouts,” but I finally made it to the menu.
According to Claude, that’s normal.
Why? I didn’t quite understand.
I’m currently downloading all the images and files (437).
Netboot seems interesting.
That’s great progress already.
The fact that you successfully reached the netboot.xyz menu from a VirtualBox VM proves that the core pieces are working:
- DHCP
- PXE boot
- TFTP/HTTP delivery
- Communication between the client and the ZimaOS server
As for the timeouts, occasional delays during the early PXE stages are not unusual. A PXE boot typically involves several separate steps and network requests before the menu appears, so a retry or timeout message doesn’t automatically indicate a problem.
That said, I wouldn’t simply assume “it’s normal” without further investigation. Some timeouts can be expected during boot discovery, but excessive or repeated timeouts may point to network latency, DHCP timing, TFTP performance, VM networking settings, or router behaviour.
Since you eventually reached the menu and the downloads started successfully, I wouldn’t be too concerned at this stage. The important thing is whether the boot process is reliable and repeatable.
The next interesting test would be a real physical machine rather than VirtualBox. Virtual machines can sometimes introduce PXE quirks that don’t exist on actual hardware.
437 images available certainly gives plenty of options to explore.
Nice!
Looking at those screenshots, I’d say you’ve officially proven that PXE boot is working on your network.
The installers are useful, but for me the real value is the toolbox section: Clonezilla, GParted, Rescuezilla, MemTest86+, Super Grub2 Disk, and other recovery utilities available on demand without having to create a USB stick every time.
That’s actually a pretty neat capability to have sitting on a ZimaOS server.
Yesterday, the forum was down.
I wondered if I had broken it.
If I was the cause.
What caused the outage?
