diff --git a/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/packimage.pm b/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/packimage.pm
index 0cc6fca45..459224e28 100644
--- a/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/packimage.pm
+++ b/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/packimage.pm
@@ -114,8 +114,8 @@ sub process_request {
            return;
        }
        
-       if ($provmethod ne 'netboot') {
-           $callback->({error=>["\'$imagename\' cannot be used to build diskless image. Make sure osimage.provmethod is 'netboot'."],errorcode=>[1]});
+       unless ($provmethod eq 'netboot' or $provmethod eq 'mixed') {
+           $callback->({error=>["\'$imagename\' cannot be used to build diskless image. Make sure osimage.provmethod is 'netboot' or 'mixed'."],errorcode=>[1]});
            return;
        }
        
@@ -146,62 +146,82 @@ sub process_request {
        unless ($exlistloc) {  $exlistloc=xCAT::SvrUtils->get_exlist_file_name("$::XCATROOT/share/xcat/netboot/$distname", $profile, $osver, $arch); }
    }
 
-
-    # before generating rootimg.gz or rootimg.sfs, need to switch the rootimg to stateless mode if necessary
     my $rootimg_status = 0; # 0 means stateless mode, while 1 means statelite mode
     $rootimg_status = 1 if (-f "$rootimg_dir/.statelite/litefile.save");
-    
-    my $ref_liteList; # get the litefile entries
 
-    my @ret = xCAT::SvrUtils->update_tables_with_diskless_image($osver, $arch, $profile, "statelite");
-    unless ($ret[0] eq 0) {
-        $callback->({error=>["Error when updating the osimage tables: " . $ret[1]], errorcode=>[1]});
-        return;
-    }
-    my @ret = xCAT::Utils->runcmd("ilitefile $osver-$arch-statelite-$profile" , 0, 1);
-    $ref_liteList = $ret[0];
+    if ( $provmethod ne "mixed" ) {
+        # before generating rootimg.gz or rootimg.sfs, need to switch the rootimg to stateless mode if necessary
+        
+        my $ref_liteList; # get the litefile entries
 
-    my %liteHash;   # create hash table for the entries in @listList
-    if (parseLiteFiles($ref_liteList, \%liteHash)) {
-        $callback->({error=>["Failed for parsing litefile table!"], errorcode=>[1]});
-        return;
-    }
+        my @ret = xCAT::SvrUtils->update_tables_with_diskless_image($osver, $arch, $profile, "statelite");
+        unless ($ret[0] eq 0) {
+            $callback->({error=>["Error when updating the osimage tables: " . $ret[1]], errorcode=>[1]});
+            return;
+        }
+        my @ret = xCAT::Utils->runcmd("ilitefile $osver-$arch-statelite-$profile" , 0, 1);
+        $ref_liteList = $ret[0];
 
-    $verbose && $callback->({data=>["rootimg_status = $rootimg_status at line " . __LINE__ ]});
+        my %liteHash;   # create hash table for the entries in @listList
+        if (parseLiteFiles($ref_liteList, \%liteHash)) {
+            $callback->({error=>["Failed for parsing litefile table!"], errorcode=>[1]});
+            return;
+        }
 
-    if($rootimg_status) {
-        xCAT::Utils->runcmd("mkdir $rootimg_dir/.statebackup", 0, 1);
-        # read through the litefile table to decide which file/directory should be restore
-        my $defaultloc = "$rootimg_dir/.default";
-        foreach my $entry (keys %liteHash) {
-            my @tmp = split /\s+/, $entry;
-            my $filename = $tmp[1];
-            my $fileopt = $tmp[0];
+        $verbose && $callback->({data=>["rootimg_status = $rootimg_status at line " . __LINE__ ]});
 
-            if ($fileopt =~ m/link/) {
-                # backup them into .statebackup dirctory
-                # restore the files with "link" options
-                if ($filename =~ m/\/$/) {
-                    chop $filename;
+        if($rootimg_status) {
+            xCAT::Utils->runcmd("mkdir $rootimg_dir/.statebackup", 0, 1);
+            # read through the litefile table to decide which file/directory should be restore
+            my $defaultloc = "$rootimg_dir/.default";
+            foreach my $entry (keys %liteHash) {
+                my @tmp = split /\s+/, $entry;
+                my $filename = $tmp[1];
+                my $fileopt = $tmp[0];
+
+                if ($fileopt =~ m/link/) {
+                    # backup them into .statebackup dirctory
+                    # restore the files with "link" options
+                    if ($filename =~ m/\/$/) {
+                        chop $filename;
+                    }
+                    # create the parent directory if $filename's directory is not there, 
+                    my $parent = dirname $filename;
+                    unless ( -d "$rootimg_dir/.statebackup$parent" ) {
+                        unlink "$rootimg_dir/.statebackup$parent";
+                        $verbose && $callback->({data=>["mkdir -p $rootimg_dir/.statebackup$parent"]});
+                        xCAT::Utils->runcmd("mkdir -p $rootimg_dir/.statebackup$parent", 0, 1);
+                    }
+                    $verbose && $callback->({data=>["backing up the file $filename.. at line " . __LINE__ ]});
+                    $verbose && print "++ $defaultloc$filename ++ $rootimg_dir$filename ++ at " . __LINE__ . "\n";
+                    xCAT::Utils->runcmd("mv $rootimg_dir$filename $rootimg_dir/.statebackup$filename", 0, 1);
+                    xCAT::Utils->runcmd("cp -r -a $defaultloc$filename $rootimg_dir$filename", 0, 1);
                 }
-                # create the parent directory if $filename's directory is not there, 
-                my $parent = dirname $filename;
-                unless ( -d "$rootimg_dir/.statebackup$parent" ) {
-                    unlink "$rootimg_dir/.statebackup$parent";
-                    $verbose && $callback->({data=>["mkdir -p $rootimg_dir/.statebackup$parent"]});
-                    xCAT::Utils->runcmd("mkdir -p $rootimg_dir/.statebackup$parent", 0, 1);
-                }
-                $verbose && $callback->({data=>["backing up the file $filename.. at line " . __LINE__ ]});
-                $verbose && print "++ $defaultloc$filename ++ $rootimg_dir$filename ++ at " . __LINE__ . "\n";
-                xCAT::Utils->runcmd("mv $rootimg_dir$filename $rootimg_dir/.statebackup$filename", 0, 1);
-                xCAT::Utils->runcmd("cp -r -a $defaultloc$filename $rootimg_dir$filename", 0, 1);
+            }
+        }
+
+        # TODO: following the old genimage code, to update the stateles-only files/directories
+        # # another file should be /opt/xcat/xcatdsklspost, but it seems  not necessary
+        xCAT::Utils->runcmd("mv $rootimg_dir/etc/init.d/statelite $rootimg_dir/.statebackup/statelite ", 0, 1) if ( -e "$rootimg_dir/etc/init.d/statelite");
+    } else {
+        # the mixed method, mixing stateless and statelite together
+        # TODO:
+        unless( $rootimg_status ) {
+            my $rsp;
+            push @{$rsp->{data}}, qq{Running liteimg to update the rootimg...};
+            xCAT::MsgUtils->message("I", $rsp, $callback);
+
+
+            xCAT::Utils->runcmd("liteimg $osver-$arch-statelite-$profile", 0, 1);
+            if ($::RUNCMD_RC) {
+                my $rsp;
+                push @{$rsp->{data}}, qq{The "liteimg" command failed...};
+                xCAT::MsgUtils->message("E", $rsp, $callback);
+                return;
             }
         }
     }
 
-    # TODO: following the old genimage code, to update the stateles-only files/directories
-    # # another file should be /opt/xcat/xcatdsklspost, but it seems  not necessary
-    xCAT::Utils->runcmd("mv $rootimg_dir/etc/init.d/statelite $rootimg_dir/.statebackup/statelite ", 0, 1) if ( -e "$rootimg_dir/etc/init.d/statelite");
     if ( -e "$rootimg_dir/usr/share/dracut" ) {
         # currently only used for redhat families, not available for SuSE families
         if ( -e "$rootimg_dir/etc/rc.sysinit.backup" ) {
@@ -249,10 +269,12 @@ sub process_request {
         }
    }
 
-    # the files specified for statelite should be excluded
-    my @excludeStatelite = ("./etc/init.d/statelite", "./etc/rc.sysinit.backup", "./.statelite*", "./.default*", "./.statebackup*");
-    foreach my $entry (@excludeStatelite) {
-        $excludestr .= "'!' -path '" . $entry . "' -a ";
+    if ($provmethod ne "mixed") {
+        # the files specified for statelite should be excluded
+        my @excludeStatelite = ("./etc/init.d/statelite", "./etc/rc.sysinit.backup", "./.statelite*", "./.default*", "./.statebackup*");
+        foreach my $entry (@excludeStatelite) {
+            $excludestr .= "'!' -path '" . $entry . "' -a ";
+        }
     }
 
    $excludestr =~ s/-a $//;
@@ -298,7 +320,7 @@ sub process_request {
       }
    }
 
-    # sync fils configured in the synclist to the rootimage
+    # sync files configured in the synclist to the rootimage
    unless ($imagename) {
        $syncfile = xCAT::SvrUtils->getsynclistfile(undef, $osver, $arch, $profile, "netboot");
        if (defined ($syncfile) && -f $syncfile
@@ -319,75 +341,98 @@ sub process_request {
     $callback->({data=>["$verb contents of $rootimg_dir"]});
     unlink("$destdir/rootimg.gz");
     unlink("$destdir/rootimg.sfs");
-    if ($method =~ /cpio/) {
-        if ( ! $exlistloc ) {
-            $excludestr = "find . |cpio -H newc -o | gzip -c - > ../rootimg.gz";
-        }else {
+    if ($provmethod ne "mixed") {
+        if ($method =~ /cpio/) {
+            if ( ! $exlistloc ) {
+                $excludestr = "find . |cpio -H newc -o | gzip -c - > ../rootimg.gz";
+            }else {
+                chdir("$rootimg_dir");
+                system("$excludestr >> $xcat_packimg_tmpfile"); 
+                if ($includestr) {
+            	    system("$includestr >> $xcat_packimg_tmpfile"); 
+                }
+                #$excludestr =~ s!-a \z!|cpio -H newc -o | gzip -c - > ../rootimg.gz!;
+                $excludestr = "cat $xcat_packimg_tmpfile|cpio -H newc -o | gzip -c - > ../rootimg.gz";
+            }
+            $oldmask = umask 0077;
+        } elsif ($method =~ /squashfs/) {
+            $temppath = mkdtemp("/tmp/packimage.$$.XXXXXXXX");
+            chmod 0755,$temppath;
             chdir("$rootimg_dir");
             system("$excludestr >> $xcat_packimg_tmpfile"); 
             if ($includestr) {
-            	system("$includestr >> $xcat_packimg_tmpfile"); 
+	            system("$includestr >> $xcat_packimg_tmpfile"); 
             }
-            #$excludestr =~ s!-a \z!|cpio -H newc -o | gzip -c - > ../rootimg.gz!;
-            $excludestr = "cat $xcat_packimg_tmpfile|cpio -H newc -o | gzip -c - > ../rootimg.gz";
+            $excludestr = "cat $xcat_packimg_tmpfile|cpio -dump $temppath"; 
+        } else {
+            $callback->({error=>["Invalid method '$method' requested"],errorcode=>[1]});
+        }
+        chdir("$rootimg_dir");
+        `$excludestr`;
+        if ($method =~ /cpio/) {
+            chmod 0644,"$destdir/rootimg.gz";
+            umask $oldmask;
+        } elsif ($method =~ /squashfs/) {
+            my $flags;
+            if ($arch =~ /x86/) {
+                $flags="-le";
+            } elsif ($arch =~ /ppc/) {
+                $flags="-be";
+            }
+            if (! -x "/sbin/mksquashfs") {
+                $callback->({error=>["mksquashfs not found, squashfs-tools rpm should be installed on the management node"],errorcode=>[1]});
+                return;
+            }
+            my $rc = system("mksquashfs $temppath ../rootimg.sfs $flags");
+            if ($rc) {
+                $callback->({error=>["mksquashfs could not be run successfully"],errorcode=>[1]});
+                return;
+            }
+            $rc = system("rm -rf $temppath");
+            if ($rc) {
+                $callback->({error=>["Failed to clean up temp space"],errorcode=>[1]});
+                return;
+            }
+            chmod(0644,"../rootimg.sfs");
+        }
+    } else {
+        # follow the cpio way to generate the rootimg
+        unlink("$destdir/rootimg-mixed.gz");
+        if ($exlistloc) {
+            chdir("$rootimg_dir");
+            xCAT::Utils->runcmd("$excludestr >> $xcat_packimg_tmpfile", 0, 1);
+            if ($includestr) {
+                xCAT::Utils->runcmd("$includestr >> $xcat_packimg_tmpfile", 0, 1);
+            }
+            $excludestr = "cat $xcat_packimg_tmpfile|cpio -H newc -o | gzip -c - > ../rootimg-mixed.gz";
+        } else {
+            $excludestr = "find . |cpio -H newc -o | gzip -c - > ../rootimg-mixed.gz";
         }
         $oldmask = umask 0077;
-    } elsif ($method =~ /squashfs/) {
-      $temppath = mkdtemp("/tmp/packimage.$$.XXXXXXXX");
-      chmod 0755,$temppath;
-      chdir("$rootimg_dir");
-      system("$excludestr >> $xcat_packimg_tmpfile"); 
-      if ($includestr) {
-	  system("$includestr >> $xcat_packimg_tmpfile"); 
-      }
-      $excludestr = "cat $xcat_packimg_tmpfile|cpio -dump $temppath"; 
-    } else {
-       $callback->({error=>["Invalid method '$method' requested"],errorcode=>[1]});
-    }
-    chdir("$rootimg_dir");
-    `$excludestr`;
-    if ($method =~ /cpio/) {
-        chmod 0644,"$destdir/rootimg.gz";
+
+        chdir("$rootimg_dir");
+        xCAT::Utils->runcmd("$excludestr", 0, 1);
+        chmod 0644, "$destdir/rootimg-mixed.gz";
         umask $oldmask;
-    } elsif ($method =~ /squashfs/) {
-       my $flags;
-       if ($arch =~ /x86/) {
-          $flags="-le";
-       } elsif ($arch =~ /ppc/) {
-          $flags="-be";
-       }
-       if (! -x "/sbin/mksquashfs") {
-          $callback->({error=>["mksquashfs not found, squashfs-tools rpm should be installed on the management node"],errorcode=>[1]});
-          return;
-       }
-       my $rc = system("mksquashfs $temppath ../rootimg.sfs $flags");
-       if ($rc) {
-          $callback->({error=>["mksquashfs could not be run successfully"],errorcode=>[1]});
-          return;
-       }
-       $rc = system("rm -rf $temppath");
-       if ($rc) {
-          $callback->({error=>["Failed to clean up temp space"],errorcode=>[1]});
-          return;
-       }
-       chmod(0644,"../rootimg.sfs");
     }
-   system("rm -f $xcat_packimg_tmpfile");
+    system("rm -f $xcat_packimg_tmpfile");
     
-    # move the files in /.statebackup back to rootimg_dir
-    if ($rootimg_status) { #  statelite mode
-        foreach my $entry (keys %liteHash) {
-            my @tmp = split /\s+/, $entry;
-            my $filename = $tmp[1];
-            my $fileopt = $tmp[0];
-            if ($fileopt =~ m/link/) {
-                chop $filename if ($filename =~ m/\/$/);
-                xCAT::Utils->runcmd("rm -rf $rootimg_dir$filename", 0, 1);
-                xCAT::Utils->runcmd("mv $rootimg_dir/.statebackup$filename $rootimg_dir$filename", 0, 1);
+    if ($provmethod ne "mixed") {
+        # move the files in /.statebackup back to rootimg_dir
+        if ($rootimg_status) { #  statelite mode
+            foreach my $entry (keys %liteHash) {
+                my @tmp = split /\s+/, $entry;
+                my $filename = $tmp[1];
+                my $fileopt = $tmp[0];
+                if ($fileopt =~ m/link/) {
+                    chop $filename if ($filename =~ m/\/$/);
+                    xCAT::Utils->runcmd("rm -rf $rootimg_dir$filename", 0, 1);
+                    xCAT::Utils->runcmd("mv $rootimg_dir/.statebackup$filename $rootimg_dir$filename", 0, 1);
+                }
             }
+            xCAT::Utils->runcmd("mv $rootimg_dir/.statebackup/statelite $rootimg_dir/etc/init.d/statelite", 0, 1);
+            xCAT::Utils->runcmd("rm -rf $rootimg_dir/.statebackup", 0, 1);
         }
-        xCAT::Utils->runcmd("mv $rootimg_dir/.statebackup/statelite $rootimg_dir/etc/init.d/statelite", 0, 1);
-        xCAT::Utils->runcmd("rm -rf $rootimg_dir/.statebackup", 0, 1);
     }