Installing Ubuntu Desktop Over Network Boot (PXE) Using Pop!_OS

This guide explains how to install Ubuntu Desktop 22.04 over the network using PXE boot (UEFI, IPv4). The PXE server runs Pop!_OS, using:

• dnsmasq → DHCP + TFTP
• GRUB EFI → PXE bootloader
• NFS → serving Ubuntu ISO contents

This setup was tested and confirmed working.

Network Overview

STEP 1 — Prepare Pop!_OS (PXE Server)

1. Install required packages

sudo apt update
sudo apt install dnsmasq grub-efi-amd64-bin wget nfs-kernel-server -y

⚠️ tftpd-hpa is NOT needed. dnsmasq already provides TFTP.

2. Create PXE directories

sudo mkdir -p /srv/tftp/boot/grub
sudo mkdir -p /srv/iso

3. Download Ubuntu Desktop ISO

cd /srv/iso
sudo wget https://releases.ubuntu.com/22.04/ubuntu-22.04.4-desktop-amd64.iso

If the download fails, download via browser and move it to /srv/iso.

4. Mount the ISO

sudo mkdir -p /mnt/ubuntu
sudo mount -o loop /srv/iso/ubuntu-22.04.4-desktop-amd64.iso /mnt/ubuntu

5. Copy kernel and initrd

sudo mkdir -p /srv/tftp/boot
sudo cp /mnt/ubuntu/casper/vmlinuz /srv/tftp/boot/
sudo cp /mnt/ubuntu/casper/initrd /srv/tftp/boot/

STEP 2 — Configure GRUB for UEFI PXE

1. Create GRUB EFI binary

sudo grub-mknetdir --net-directory=/srv/tftp

This creates:

/srv/tftp/boot/grub/x86_64-efi/core.efi

2. Create GRUB configuration

sudo nano /srv/tftp/boot/grub/grub.cfg

Paste:

set timeout=5
set default=0

menuentry "Install Ubuntu Desktop (PXE)" {
    linux /boot/vmlinuz boot=casper netboot=nfs nfsroot=192.168.50.1:/mnt/ubuntu ip=dhcp ---
    initrd /boot/initrd
}

🔑 192.168.50.1 must be the PXE server’s IP.

STEP 3 — Assign Static IP to PXE Interface

sudo ip addr add 192.168.50.1/24 dev eno1
sudo ip link set eno1 up

If eno1 does not work, try enp3s0.

Verify:

ip a | grep eno1

Expected:

inet 192.168.50.1/24

STEP 4 — Configure dnsmasq (DHCP + TFTP)

Edit the main config file (important on Pop!_OS):

sudo nano /etc/dnsmasq.conf

Paste:

interface=eno1
bind-interfaces

dhcp-range=192.168.50.10,192.168.50.50,12h
dhcp-option=3,192.168.50.1
dhcp-option=6,192.168.50.1

enable-tftp
tftp-root=/srv/tftp

dhcp-match=set:efi-x86_64,option:client-arch,7
dhcp-boot=tag:efi-x86_64,boot/grub/x86_64-efi/core.efi

📌 /etc/dnsmasq.d/ may be ignored unless explicitly enabled. Using /etc/dnsmasq.conf avoids this issue.

STEP 5 — Disable systemd-resolved (Critical Fix)

dnsmasq must own port 53. Pop!_OS runs systemd-resolved by default, which breaks PXE.

1. Hard stop and mask systemd-resolved

sudo systemctl stop systemd-resolved
sudo systemctl disable systemd-resolved
sudo systemctl mask systemd-resolved
sudo killall systemd-resolved

2. Fix /etc/resolv.conf

sudo rm /etc/resolv.conf
echo "nameserver 1.1.1.1" | sudo tee /etc/resolv.conf

3. Restart dnsmasq

sudo systemctl restart dnsmasq
sudo systemctl status dnsmasq

4. Verify ports

Check DNS (53):

sudo ss -tulpn | grep :53

Expected: dnsmasq

Check DHCP (67):

sudo ss -u -a -p | grep 67

Expected: dnsmasq listening

STEP 6 — TFTP Notes (Important)

dnsmasq already provides TFTP:

dnsmasq-tftp: TFTP root is /srv/tftp

Therefore:

sudo systemctl stop tftpd-hpa
sudo systemctl disable tftpd-hpa

Port 69 conflicts are normal if tftpd-hpa is installed.

STEP 7 — Permissions for TFTP

sudo chown -R nobody:nogroup /srv/tftp
sudo chmod -R 755 /srv/tftp

STEP 8 — Configure NFS (Required for Installer)

1. Install NFS server

sudo apt update
sudo apt install nfs-kernel-server

2. Export the mounted ISO

sudo nano /etc/exports

Add:

/mnt/ubuntu 192.168.50.0/24(ro,sync,no_subtree_check,no_root_squash)

Apply:

sudo exportfs -ra
sudo systemctl enable --now nfs-kernel-server

Verify:

showmount -e 127.0.0.1

Expected:

/mnt/ubuntu 192.168.50.0/24

STEP 9 — BIOS / UEFI Client Settings

On the client machine:

• Disable Secure Boot
• Enable Network Boot / PXE
• Boot Mode: UEFI only
• Enable F12 Boot Menu
• Some laptops require setting a Supervisor Password to change these options

STEP 10 — Boot and Install Ubuntu

1. Connect Ethernet cable
2. Power on client
3. Press F12
4. Select Network Boot (IPv4)
5. GRUB menu appears
6. Choose Install Ubuntu Desktop (PXE)

Ubuntu installer starts and installs normally 🎉

Final Notes

• PXE works best with IPv4
• dnsmasq handles DHCP + TFTP
• NFS serves the Ubuntu ISO
• tftpd-hpa is unnecessary
• systemd-resolved must be disabled on Pop!_OS