diff --git a/scripts/qemu-boot.sh b/scripts/qemu-boot.sh
index ead60462..1c95879c 100644
--- a/scripts/qemu-boot.sh
+++ b/scripts/qemu-boot.sh
@@ -21,6 +21,16 @@ EOT
 	exit 0
 }
 
+err()
+{
+	echo $* >&2
+}
+
+fatal()
+{
+	err $@
+	exit 1
+}
 
 do_sudo()
 {
@@ -41,6 +51,7 @@ ldap_search()
 	local ldap_server=ldap.lcl
 	local binddn=cn=ldapadm,dc=jannet,dc=de
 	local password_file=$HOME/.feedfs-ldap/passwords/$binddn@$ldap_server
+	[ -r "$password_file" ] || fatal "Password file $password_file doesn't exist"
 	ldapsearch -y $password_file -xZ -h $ldap_server -D $binddn -b $base,ou=networks,dc=jannet,dc=de $@
 }
 
@@ -52,7 +63,7 @@ list_hostnames()
 boot_net()
 {
 	[ "$hostname" ] && {
-		local short_hostname=`echo $hostname | sed 's/\..*//'`
+		set -x
 		macaddr=`ldap_search -LLL "(cn=$short_hostname) dhcpHWAddress" | 
 			sed '/dhcpHWAddress:/ !d; s/dhcpHWAddress: ethernet *//'`
 	}
@@ -63,12 +74,13 @@ boot_net()
 	ps aux | grep -v grep | grep -q dhcpd || /etc/init.d/dhcpd start
 	ps aux | grep -v grep | grep -q nfsd || /etc/init.d/nfsserver start
 
+	[ "$nic_model" ] || nic_model=",model=e1000"
 	# need this for net access, would be nicer if it didn't run as root
 	# -nographic
 	do_sudo -E /usr/bin/$exe  \
 		-boot n  \
 		-net tap,ifname=tap0,vlan=0,script=$tmpdir/qemu-ifup,downscript=$tmpdir/qemu-ifdown \
-		-net nic,vlan=0,model=e1000,macaddr=$macaddr \
+		-net nic,vlan=0$nic_model,macaddr=$macaddr \
 		"$qemu_opts"
 }
 
@@ -76,17 +88,14 @@ boot_image()
 {
 	local boot_image="$1"
 
-	test -r "$boot_image" || {
-		echo "inaccessible boot image \"$boot_image\"" >&2
-		exit 1
-	}
+	test -r "$boot_image" || fatal "inaccessible boot image \"$boot_image\""
 
 	xhost +
 	do_sudo -E /usr/bin/$exe  \
 		-net tap,ifname=tap0,vlan=0,script=$tmpdir/qemu-ifup,downscript=$tmpdir/qemu-ifdown \
 		-net nic,vlan=0$nic_model,macaddr=$macaddr \
 		"$qemu_opts" \
-		$boot_image
+		-drive format=raw,file=$boot_image
 }
 
 boot()
@@ -113,7 +122,7 @@ boot()
 # -- here we go
 
 OPTIND=1
-while getopts lhb:o:x: flag; do
+while getopts lhb:o:x:n: flag; do
 	case $flag in
 	h)
 		usage 0;;
@@ -121,11 +130,17 @@ while getopts lhb:o:x: flag; do
 		list_hostnames
 		exit 0;;
 	b)
-		hostname="$OPTARG";;
+		hostname="$OPTARG"
+		short_hostname=`echo $hostname | sed 's/\..*//'`
+		dns_domain=`echo $hostname | cut -d. -f2-`
+		base=`echo $dns_domain | sed 's/\./,/g; s/\(^\|,\)/\1dc=/g'`
+		;;
 	x)
 		exe="$OPTARG";;
 	o)
 		qemu_opts="$OPTARG";;
+	n)
+		nic_model=",model=$OPTARG";;
 	*)
 		usage 1;;
 	esac