diff --git a/bdisk/host.py b/bdisk/host.py
index f5cb011..54812ad 100755
--- a/bdisk/host.py
+++ b/bdisk/host.py
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 import os
 import sys
 import platform
+import re
+import configparser
+from socket import getaddrinfo
 
 def getOS():
     # Returns one of: SuSE, debian, fedora, redhat, centos, mandrake,
@@ -12,3 +15,61 @@ def getOS():
 def getBits():
     bits = list(platform.architecture())[0]
     return(bits)
+
+def getConfig(conf_file='/etc/bdisk/build.ini'):
+    conf = False
+    # define some defailt conf paths in case we're installed by
+    # a package manager. in order of the paths we should search.
+    default_conf_paths = ['/etc/bdisk/build.ini',
+                        '/usr/share/bdisk/build.ini',
+                        '/usr/share/bdisk/extra/build.ini',
+                        '/usr/share/docs/bdisk/build.ini',
+                        '/opt/dev/bdisk/build.ini',
+                        '/opt/dev/bdisk/extra/build.ini']
+        # if we weren't given one/using the default...
+    if conf_file == '/etc/bdisk/build.ini':
+        if not os.path.isfile(conf_file):
+            for p in default_conf_paths:
+                if os.path.isfile(p):
+                    conf = p
+                    break
+    else:
+        conf = conf_file
+    if not conf:
+        # okay, so let's check for distributed/"blank" ini's then since we can't seem to find one.
+        dist_conf_paths = [re.sub('(build\.ini)','dist.\\1', s) for s in default_conf_paths]
+        for q in dist_conf_paths:
+            if os.path.isfile(q):
+                conf = q
+                break
+    return(conf)
+
+def parseConfig(conf):
+    # The following are paths; c means create, e means must exist, ? means depends on other opts:
+    # build:basedir(e),build:archboot(c),build:isodir(c),build:mountpt(c),
+    #   build:srcdir(c),build:tempdir(c),http:path(c?),tftp:path(c?),rsync:path (remote, no op)
+    # The following are files: ipxe:ssl_ca(e?),ipxe:ssl_cakey(e?),ipxe:ssl_crt(e?),ipxe:key(c)
+    # The following are URIs: ipxe:uri
+    # The rest are strings.
+    config = configparser.ConfigParser()
+    config._interpolation = configparser.ExtendedInterpolation()
+    config.read(conf)
+    config_dict = {s:dict(config.items(s)) for s in config.sections()}
+    # Convert the booleans to pythonic booleans in the dict...
+    config_dict['bdisk']['user'] = config['bdisk'].getboolean('user')
+    conifg_dict['build']['i_am_a_racecar'] = config['build'].getboolean('i_am_a_racecar')
+    conifg_dict['build']['multiarch'] = config['build'].getboolean('multiarch')
+    for i in ('http', 'tftp', 'rsync', 'git'):
+        config_dict['sync'][i] = config['sync'].getboolean(i)
+    config_dict['ipxe']['iso'] = config['ipxe'].getboolean('iso')
+    config_dict['ipxe']['usb'] = config['ipxe'].getboolean('usb')
+    # Validate the rsync host. Works for IP address too. It does NOT
+    # check to see if we can actually *rsync* to it; that'll come later.
+    try:
+        getaddrinfo(config_dict['rsync']['host'], None)
+    except:
+        exit(('ERROR: {0} is not a valid host that can be used for rsyncing.' +
+                'Check your configuration.').format(config_dict['rsync']['host']))
+    # Validate the URI.
+
+    return(config, config_dict)