WDS PXE not working on physical clients

blakeel · 2017-03-08T23:51:43.000Z

Hey everyone.

I am gonna try to explain this one as best as I can.

Setup:
1 physical server hosting via hyper-v a Domain Controller and a WDS server.
Domain Controller is running 2016 windows Server
WDS is running 2012 Windows Server
We have a DHCP server on bare metall running 2012 data center

DC
hyper-v
virtual switch named “10gig”
ip: 10.11.1.2

Wds
hyper-v
virtual switch named “wds”
IP: 10.11.1.157

Sandbox win 10
hyper-v
Ip: unknown
Virtual switch: “10gig”

DHCP Server
baremetal
connected to physical switch
IP: 10.11.1.250

Everything is on the same lan/subnet of 10.11.1.X

When we try to PXE boot a physical client, we get no reply.
The hyper-v sandboxs i built were interesting.

if the sandbox’s switch was not the same as WDS, I got no reply.
If I changed it to match the WDS server (wds switch), i got PXE boot.

Physical clients remain unable to reach WDS no matter what virtual switch I set the WDS to use.

The lan is all connected via the same physical switch ultimately.

As far as i can tell, they are on the same network.
WDS is configured to not listen on DHCP ports
DHCP server has no options (60, 66, 67) but I did mess with adding those, got some interesting results, errors.

In the past this WDS has worked, but we did have the DHCP being handled by a Zyxel router instead of being on an actually windows server as we have it now.

I am very weak with networking and this kind of MS troubleshooting.
I feel this is a network breakdown somewhere, its almost as if the virtual switches are almost VLANs to each other.

both virtual switches are set to “external network” as well on the manager.

Not sure how to get this running.

Any help appreciated.

zuphzuph · 2017-03-09T00:16:20.000Z

Set 66 to the IP of your WDS server on your DHCP server.

You could also try using this on your switch: ip helper-address (X.X.X.X) 69

X.X.X.X = IP of your WDS server

blakeel · 2017-03-09T01:46:21.000Z

Just tried that. No change on physical devices.
I am gonna wait until tomorrow, maybe some setting needs to replicate still through the network.

kevinhughes2 · 2017-03-09T02:02:18.000Z

Time Out …
If WDS is NOT running on the same VM as DHCP, it SHOULD be listening on Port 67.
The only time WDS should not listen to 67 is if DHCP and WDS are both on the SAME machine.

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See scenario 3, which doesn’t listen on 67 because WDS is on the same machine.

learn.microsoft.com

DHCP & PXE basics

Is a good description of the process - DHCP server and WDS both respond separately if they’re separate servers - DHCP gives it an address and then WDS responds to the boot info request.
WDS should not listen on 67 if it’s on the same server as DHCP - because the initial offer from DHCP will contain option 60 - which says “I’ve got your PXE covered too”

erichassler · 2017-03-09T04:56:40.000Z

LinkedIN learning / Lynda.com has a great WDS deployment series on getting this setup properly. If you have not yet signed up for the free week it’s a great one to start with.

Windows Deployment Services (WDS) - Learning Windows 10 Deployment with...

Join Matt Hester for an in-depth discussion in this video, Windows Deployment Services (WDS), part of Learning Windows 10 Deployment with Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2013.

blakeel · 2017-03-09T15:36:33.000Z

Thanks for all of the help.
I am making progress, getting response errors at least now.
Here is what I ended up doing.

Removed WDS from the hyper-v server it was on, installed it on a different one. New wds ip 10.11.1.252
On DHCP server:

set option 66 with WDS server IP address
set option 67 with (\boot\boot.sdi), I have playing with all of the different “boot” options in that boot folder
on the wds…depending on what I set here I get different messages.
I also get different messages depending on if the hyper-v image i boot is Gen1 or Gen2.

I am remote as of this post, so I can only test with VMs not a phyical machine yet.

Gen1 gives PXE-E79 NBP is to big to fit in free base memory
Gen2 gives - a successful download messaage of the NBP, then says :boot failed. efi network"

Gen1 Screenshot:

gen1.png649×519 20.1 KB

When I change the DHCP 67 option to \boot\x86\wdsnbp.com
My Gen1 gives this message - More promising, then fails ultimately.

gen1_w.png653×525 16.4 KB

gen1_w3.png651×527 19.3 KB

gen1_w2.png639×521 14.9 KB

When I change the DCHP 67 option to drill down to the windows 10 image i gave to wds.
67 option \boot\x64\images\boot.wim

gen2_w1.png800×685 37.4 KB

blakeel · 2017-03-09T15:36:48.000Z

gen2_w2.png800×685 25.7 KB

blakeel · 2017-03-09T15:38:38.000Z

I know i am making progress, as the messages are being manipulated with the changes. that is a plus in my book.

kevinhughes2 · 2017-03-09T16:35:35.000Z

Try no 67 at all, just 66

That will let WDS figure it out - the client will tell WDS its architecture

blakeel · 2017-03-09T16:55:47.000Z

Just tried with 67 off on DHCP, the client just sits at “pxe network boot using ipv4” then fails with error PXe-e18 server response time out. Boot failed. EFI network

no67.png800×682 30.9 KB

kevinhughes2 · 2017-03-09T19:25:10.000Z

DHCP options can be flighty - that’s why MS does not recommend them.

Did you try what I suggested upthread (Letting WDS listen on port 67)?

Since you’re not crossing segments, IP helpers should not be required

blakeel · 2017-03-09T19:46:15.000Z

Still not working. Did get a VM to pxe boot, but had to be on same virtual switch as the WDS server.
Talked to my boss, he thinks that maybe the SPF fiber ports that the hosts are on, maybe stripping whatever traffic that WDS users.

blakeel · 2017-03-09T19:47:08.000Z

Kevin,

I did try the option 67 on the DHCP, didn’t help.
I am running out of ideas.

blakeel · 2017-03-09T21:18:37.000Z

Almost got it.
now it boots, but it sits forever at the following screen, until it times out.

almost.png800×691 32.3 KB

Error:

Windows Deployment Services Encountered an error
error code: 0x102

johndoe103 · 2017-03-10T12:42:32.000Z

Did you get this resolved? I am curious for the solution.

kevinhughes2 · 2017-03-10T14:16:41.000Z

You have a Gen1 VM available?

I’m thinking baby steps into it - see if the basics (a legacy bios and legacy NW adapter) work before diving into UEFI.

blakeel · 2017-03-10T17:26:23.000Z

Gen 1 machine

gen1_1.png639×509 12.1 KB

rickmurphy · 2017-03-19T17:05:31.000Z

RESOLUTION

If your running a Ubiquiti Controller as we are in this network, you must disable DHCP guard in the PXE network, as this seems to strip out the DHCP Options 66/67 (PXE) for anything running on the network period. This seems to be a bug and I hope Uququiti will fix it in the up coming releases. Also if you run two DHCP servers with a Ubiquiti controller then you might want to check that guard is off as the guard does not work is any fail over, 50/50 split or 80/20 split. It only works with a single DHCP server. Our controller is 5.4.11