Get PXE/DHCP to work with our RDP

[Dominic W. Chan]

We have our RDP 3.7 server in one subnet (192.168.201.0/24), and our DHCP server (W2k3) in another subnet (192.168.200.0/24). Both of these servers, even through in a different subnet are in the same VLAN. In matter of fact, i can can dhcp ip on the RDP server during our OS build (a static IP was set afterward).

We are trying to use the RDP server to deploy w2k3 OS & ESX OS to our newly purchase c-class Blade (bl465). However, our c-class blade is in an entirely difference subnet and vlan (10.28.60.0/24). Durint the PXE boot, we are running into few issue.

Since the BL465 is on a diffeence subnet, we have to enable ip-helper on the switch so that dhcp request can be forward to our dhcp server on the other subnet/vlan. This seem to work ok, we can see a lease request back on our dhcp server

however, the next step (pxe boot) is where we are having issue.

1. with our current setup, what is the proper option should we set on the rdp/pxe server?
a. auto detect MS DHCP server & configure for PXE (set Option 60 to "PXEClient")
b. No DHCP server installed on PXE server (Use DHCP port)

2. With our current setup, does the Option 60 really work or not with w2k dhcp server services? Most of the tech note i see from microsoft web site seem to suggest that it is not compatible, and we have to use iphelper with either our switch or router (note: we try the option60 setting, it didn't seem to work, so we took it off)

3. We try to enable iphelper on our switch to forward dhcp request from the c-blade network to our dhcp server. We also add a 2nd iphelper statement so that it can foward the pxe request also to our rdp server. However, we are still getting this error during pxe boot

Client IP:10.128.60.xx mask:255.255.255.0 dhcp IP: 192.168.200.5
PXE-E55: ProxyDHCP service did not reply to response on port 4011

Here are some of the log i have find (after enable debugging) from our pxe server

this is from our DStraffic, it looks like the original pxe request got through, since it is trying to build the boot menu

I [15:20:08 09/15] (2328): GetPXEClientRecord: Lookup Fail on 0017A4770004
I [15:20:08 09/15] (2328): Enter: MenuFixup( ... )
I [15:20:08 09/15] (2328): Enter: GetPXEClientRecord( ... )
I [15:20:08 09/15] (2328): Enter: InRange( ... )
I [15:20:08 09/15] (2328): InRange: MAC Addr=0017A4770004
I [15:20:08 09/15] (2328): InRange: False
I [15:20:08 09/15] (2328): GetPXEClientRecord: Lookup Fail on 0017A4770004
I [15:20:08 09/15] (2328): Client 0017A4770004, not known to database... ServiceType = 131 : auto
D [15:20:08 09/15] (2328): Original Menu for client:
D [15:20:08 09/15] (2328): 0,Next Device (BIOS/EFI)
D [15:20:08 09/15] (2328): 130,Linux Managed
D [15:20:08 09/15] (2328): 131,WinPE Managed
I [15:20:08 09/15] (2328): Original MenuOption: 131
I [15:20:08 09/15] (2328): Redirected MenuOption: 131
I [15:20:08 09/15] (2328): Moving Menu Item 2: WinPE Managed (type 131) to top
D [15:20:08 09/15] (2328): New Menu for client:
D [15:20:08 09/15] (2328): 131,WinPE Managed
D [15:20:08 09/15] (2328): 0,Next Device (BIOS/EFI)
D [15:20:08 09/15] (2328): 130,Linux Managed
I [15:20:08 09/15] (2328): BStrapOpts: Timeout: 10, SendReply: yes
I [15:20:08 09/15] (2328): BStrapOpts: Add Pxe Menu Type to reply
I [15:20:08 09/15] (2328): BStrapOpts: Add Menu Prompt to reply
I [15:20:08 09/15] (2328): BStrapOpts: Add 3 Menu items to reply
I [15:20:08 09/15] (2328): ParseMenu() -> item=0; type=131; desc=WinPE Managed
I [15:20:08 09/15] (2328): ParseMenu() -> item=1; type=0; desc=Next Device (BIOS/EFI)
I [15:20:08 09/15] (2328): ParseMenu() -> item=2; type=130; desc=Linux Managed

This is the log from pxe server itself

D [15:22:45 09/15] (2328): PxeService: Packet #14 was NOT handled by any parsers
D [15:23:03 09/15] (2328): PxeService: Received 548 byte packet on port 67
(2328) Host: port=17152 family=2 ip=(2328)192.168.201.170 (the RDP SRV)
(2328)Client: port=17152 family=2 ip=(2328)10.28.64.1
(2328)PxeService: Packet #15 being handed to Parser 0
D [15:23:03 09/15] (2328): PxeService: Packet #15 handled by Parser 0 (PXE_PACKET_SENT)
D [15:23:10 09/15] (2328): PxeService: Received 548 byte packet on port 67
(2328) Host: port=17152 family=2 ip=(2328)192.168.201.170
(2328)Client: port=17152 family=2 ip=(2328)10.28.64.1
(2328)PxeService: Packet #16 being handed to Parser 0
D [15:23:10 09/15] (2328): PxeService: Packet #16 was NOT handled by any parsers

3. In addition, i don't see any of the bl465 we try or the rack/enclosure information come across over to our rdp console!

What is going on?

[Kjell Kjekken]

Hi there
I upgraded my 3.60 installation last week, and I have been having the same errors as you have.

After the upgrade I have not been able install any server (Virtual or physical), since they have not been able to receive any bootfiles from the PXE server after the upgrade.

To make a long story short, I uninstalled PxE server and PXE server manager from the server, renamed any old PXE files, rebooted, and the reinstalled PXE services from a RDP 3.60 image (Instead of the 3.70).

I suspect there are something new to the PXE services in the SP2 upgrade that is causing the problems.

Dunno what yet, though......

[Gordon Leonard]

When you installed RDP was it using a static address, also did you change the RDP server's IP after you installed RDP?

If so you could go through a whole process to change all the configuration files or de-install RDP and re-install using the correct IP address.

Option 60 is used ONLY when the DHCP service and PXE service are on the SAME server.

You need to configure helper address for the DHCP server and the PXE server for any device not on the same subnet.

For example:

PXE (x.x.210.x)
DHCP (x.x.200.x)
Client (x.x.135.x)
Client (x.x.200.x)

Router for client (x.x.135.x) needs a helper for PXE (x.x.210.x) and DHCP (x.x.200.x).

Router for client (x.x.200.x) needs a helper for PXE (x.x.210.x).

Also make sure all your Altiris services are starting the PXE service will start then stop if some other service is using the same port.

Hope this helps.


Hope that helps.

[rob avakian]

Have you disabled the Intitial Deployment in the DS tab of the Pxe Config Utility?

I had this dsiabled and suddenly found that not new servers coudl get a pxe reply and menu from the server. The error message was pxe-e55 but the release notes of SP2 indicate an issue with disabling Initial Deployment that generates pxe-e53. I did get this when I changed the DHCP Server discovery from Auto to one of the other options in the PXE server tab but in essence it seems that pxe comms have changed in SP2 and are dependent on Initial Deployment not being disabled.

[rob avakian]

Have you disabled the Intitial Deployment in the DS tab of the Pxe Config Utility?

I had this disabled and suddenly found that no new servers could get a pxe reply and menu from the server. The error message was pxe-e55 but the release notes of SP2 indicate an issue with disabling Initial Deployment that generates pxe-e53. I did get this when I changed the DHCP Server discovery from Auto to one of the other options in the PXE server tab but in essence it seems that pxe comms have changed in SP2 and are dependent on Initial Deployment not being disabled.

[Justin Bahler]

I had the same problem and Rob's solution fixed it.