Unable to boot

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  • D

    Hello,
    I have a running TOEM installation (last version) which has been used to upload/deploy images on HP computers through PXE/BIOS.
    I now have 20 new computers (HP M01-F2006ns) to add to the classroom. These new HP PCs can't be configured with a legacy BIOS boot. Instead, UEFI boot must be used.
    I have disabled secure boot and enabled network boot.

    First problem I faced were that PXE is not working. PCs load ipxe, but enter in a "configuring (net0 .... )" state which, when finishes (I suppose there is a timeout there), falls back to IPv6 PXE boot (not enabled on server side) and finally to a reboot.

    IMG_20221005_140059.jpg
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    I then tried to build an ISO and boot from USB. I then faced another problem. Grub boot menu appeared and I could select Theopenem, but only the "Please Wait While The Boot Image Is transferred..." message was shown and the boot process stopped there (PC got hanged up).

    IMG_20221005_124833.jpg IMG_20221005_124826.jpg IMG_20221005_125404.jpg

    I have tried all the kernels provided and debug initrd with the same result.

    I can see in tftp logs and wireshark how the kernel and initrd files are trasnferred correctly.

    My last resort has been to build the winpe environment, from which I can boot using an USB as PXE is not working with UEFI as I said.

    Can anyone shed some light here?
    Thanks!

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  • T

    It seems that maybe an updated version of ipxe may be needed for this model which is planned for the next release. When using the usb / iso, make sure you have the secure boot support option disabled from the iso / usb generator page.

    D 1 Reply 0
  • D

    @theopenem_admin said in Unable to boot:

    It seems that maybe an updated version of ipxe may be needed for this model which is planned for the next release. When using the usb / iso, make sure you have the secure boot support option disabled from the iso / usb generator page.

    Ok, thanks! the secure boot support option disabled from the iso / usb generator page did the trick.

    Now I'm wondering.... I have been trying to complete the setup to boot from network/pxe. I can set the proxy efi64 bootloader to grub instead of ipxe to bypass the ipxe version problem with those new PCs. With this configuration, pxe booting shows grub menu, but it is like if I were booting the secure boot enabled version with the iso/usb. I mean, it only shows the message of "Plase Wait While The Boot...." and hangs.

    I can see that there are two folders in Toec-API/private/client_iso/grub_binaries/{signed|unsigned} and I my guess is that signed is used to build the secure boot enabled version of the iso and the other for the secure boot disabled one. I'm trying to understand if the PXE process does something similar...

    Am I missing something else? If I boot through PXE UEFIx64 with secure boot enabled, BIOS stops the boot process (as expected) because grub signature is not trusted (I guess).
    If I boot through PXE UEFIx64 boot with secure boot disabled, PC hangs after grub selection is made.

    Thanks again.

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  • D

    Ok, I definitely think there is a problem with UEFI PXE network booting on these new PCs.

    My setup:
    -Secure boot disabled
    -I am using toems DHCP proxy.
    -DHCP server and TOEMS on the same server

    Tests I have tried:

    Working fine on these new machines:

    • USB boot. (winpe and linux images) with the secure boot option disabled from the iso/usb generator page.
    • PXE with Winpe as boot option.

    Not working on these new machines:

    • PXE with iPXE -> Does not work. It acquires IP from DHCP, TFTP successfully loads iPXE and shows "Configuring (net0 mac)....". It then times out and falls back to IPv6 PXE and reboots. As you have pointed, this will probably be resolved with a new iPXE version which will be included in the next TOEM release
    • PXE with Syslinux -> Does not work. TFT transfers files correctly but no menu is displayed. It just restarts.
    • PXE with Grub -> Does not work. The Grub menu loads correctly, but after selecting the "theopenem" menu, the TFT transfers complete successfully on initrd and kernel, but then nothing else happens. Only the message "Please wait while the boot image is transferred...".

    Working on an EFIx64 hyper-v machine:

    • PXE, all boot methods.

    I attach some logs and wireshark captures.
    logs-efi64-pxe.zip

    I have had another issue. Deploying multicast with winpe does not work in many cases. It boots ok, but it somehow closes de session seconds after starting deployment. It has happened using hyper-v test machines as well as physical ones.

    Lastly, JFYI: when using winpebuilder, the latest adk version in which you can build x86 and x64 pe images is the v.2004. Later ones can't be used to build x86 images. Web ui want the two images to be available. If not, when the boot method is changed it warns you and seems it does not store the settings correctly.

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