[GH-ISSUE #1665] Custom Menu Support Requires Core File Modification #564

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opened 2026-02-27 14:52:14 +03:00 by kerem · 1 comment

kerem commented

2026-02-27 14:52:14 +03:00

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Originally created by @DanAE111 on GitHub (Aug 21, 2025).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/netbootxyz/netboot.xyz/issues/1665

The documentation for custom menu support does not clearly describe how the custom menu is intended to function.

I assumed by looking at part of the menu.ipxe file that when adding custom.ipxe i would be able to then select that menu option from the main netboot.xyz menu.

It seems that lines 104 - 106 of menu.ipxe are not used by default?

That is not the case however, you can edit boot.cfg which makes your custom menu the default menu with no option to return to after going to the main netboot.xyz menu. Is that the intended behaviour?

Describe the bug
custom.ipxe cannot be called from the netboot.xyz menu without modification to menu.ipxe.

To Reproduce
Steps to reproduce the behavior:

Follow instructions in the documentation here https://netboot.xyz/docs/custom-menus/

Expected behavior
Menu option for custom menu appears on netboot.xyz menu if custom.ipxe is present.

Additional context
Step 3 on the documentation page makes little sense it asks to replace a line of text with the same line of text.

My aim is to deploy netboot.xyz from a docker compose file and add a volume to the container with my custom menus. Then without making any change that would impact future updates to netboot.xyz have an option to use my custom menu on the main netboot.xyz menu.

Originally created by @DanAE111 on GitHub (Aug 21, 2025). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/netbootxyz/netboot.xyz/issues/1665 The documentation for custom menu support does not clearly describe how the custom menu is intended to function. I assumed by looking at part of the menu.ipxe file that when adding custom.ipxe i would be able to then select that menu option from the main netboot.xyz menu. It seems that lines 104 - 106 of menu.ipxe are not used by default? That is not the case however, you can edit boot.cfg which makes your custom menu the default menu with no option to return to after going to the main netboot.xyz menu. Is that the intended behaviour? **Describe the bug** custom.ipxe cannot be called from the netboot.xyz menu without modification to menu.ipxe. **To Reproduce** Steps to reproduce the behavior: 1. Follow instructions in the documentation here [https://netboot.xyz/docs/custom-menus/](url) **Expected behavior** Menu option for custom menu appears on netboot.xyz menu if custom.ipxe is present. **Additional context** Step 3 on the documentation page makes little sense it asks to replace a line of text with the same line of text. My aim is to deploy netboot.xyz from a docker compose file and add a volume to the container with my custom menus. Then without making any change that would impact future updates to netboot.xyz have an option to use my custom menu on the main netboot.xyz menu.

kerem added the

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2026-02-27 14:52:14 +03:00

kerem commented

2026-02-27 14:52:15 +03:00

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@LinuxforPunks commented on GitHub (Sep 30, 2025):

I've been finding that the docker version overwrites the user's boot.cfg, inside the mounted volume, each time the container is brought up. Is there a tension between (A) maximizing available bootable OSes from an always-online selection (B) putting the admin in control of what OSes are offered to users and guests. I'd have preferred a checkbox to set an exclusive default like "use this menu and none of those others"

@LinuxforPunks commented on GitHub (Sep 30, 2025): I've been finding that the docker version overwrites the user's boot.cfg, inside the mounted volume, each time the container is brought up. Is there a tension between (A) maximizing available bootable OSes from an always-online selection (B) putting the admin in control of what OSes are offered to users and guests. I'd have preferred a checkbox to set an exclusive default like "use this menu and none of those others"

kerem referenced this issue

2026-02-27 14:53:56 +03:00

[PR #564] [MERGED] add 4mlinux full and tool distros #978

kerem referenced this issue

2026-02-27 14:53:56 +03:00

[PR #569] [MERGED] Release 2.0.8-RC #981

kerem referenced this issue

2026-02-27 14:53:57 +03:00

[PR #573] [MERGED] Release 2.0.8 #983

kerem referenced this issue

2026-03-01 18:40:25 +03:00

[PR #564] [MERGED] add 4mlinux full and tool distros #2518