How to Install Cobbler on Windows 11

Cobbler is a Linux-based network installation server that allows administrators to easily manage and automate the deployment of new servers. Despite being a Linux-based software, Cobbler can be installed on Windows 11 using a virtual machine. In this tutorial, we will guide you through the process of installing Cobbler on Windows 11 using VirtualBox.

Prerequisites

• A machine running Windows 11
• VirtualBox installed on your Windows 11 machine
• A 64-bit version of the operating system installed in the virtual machine
• At least 2GB of RAM and 10GB of disk space for the virtual machine

Steps

1. Download the Cobbler ISO file from the official website: http://cobbler.github.io/

2. Open the VirtualBox application and create a new virtual machine by clicking on the "New" button.

3. Follow the prompts to create a new virtual machine with the following settings:

   • Name: Cobbler
   • Type: Linux
   • Version: Red Hat (64-bit)
   • Memory size: at least 2GB
   • Hard disk: Create a virtual hard disk now with at least 10GB of storage

4. Once the virtual machine is created, select it from the list of virtual machines and click on the "Settings" button.

5. In the settings window, click on the "Storage" tab, and then click on the "Empty" CD icon under the "Controller: IDE" section.

6. Click on the "Add" button on the right side, and then click on the "Choose Virtual Optical Disk File" option.

7. Browse to the location where you downloaded the Cobbler ISO file and select it.

8. Click on the "OK" button to close the settings window.

9. Start the virtual machine by clicking on the "Start" button in VirtualBox.

10. In the virtual machine's boot menu, select the option to boot from the CD (which should be the first option).

11. Choose "Install Cobbler" from the menu to begin the installation process.

12. Follow the prompts to complete the installation process. Make sure to select the default settings unless you have a specific configuration.

13. Once the installation is complete, reboot the virtual machine by typing "reboot" in the terminal window or by clicking on the restart button in the Cobbler interface.

14. After the virtual machine has restarted, open a web browser in your Windows 11 host machine and navigate to http://[IP address of virtual machine]:81/cobbler_web. This will open the Cobbler web interface.

15. Log in to the Cobbler web interface using the username "cobbler" and the password "cobbler".

16. You can now start using Cobbler to manage and automate the deployment of new servers on your network.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, we have shown you how to install Cobbler on Windows 11 using VirtualBox. With this setup, you can easily manage and automate the deployment of new servers on your network using the Cobbler web interface.

If you want to self-host in an easy, hands free way, need an external IP address, or simply want your data in your own hands, give IPv6.rs a try!

Alternatively, for the best virtual desktop, try Shells!