[syslinux] PXE -> tftp -> WinPE vs NForce 4

"Klaus Jõgi" klausj at hot.ee
Sun Mar 26 22:29:28 PST 2006


Thyank you very much for your help.
What i meant was, that the NF4 boots and the NIC works if booted from
Ramdisk IF the ramdisk is on the cd (like cd containing in my case 
 
Ram1.ISO 
ntldr 
ntdetect.com and 
winnt.sif) 
 
but not if the Ramdisk image (Ram1.ISO) is loaded over tftp.
This indikates that, indeed, the pxe unload mechanism, or as Eli
suggested, something to do with some bioses masking addresses they
shouldn't (the network bus to be specific).
 
I have tested this with loads of MoBos and no luck. I've tried Asus,
Abit, Msi, AsRock and some less known manufacturers... And absolutely
none of them have worked. I have upgraded the bioses if only there has
been any newer ones... although i must admit, i have not contacted any
of the manufacturers yet.
 
Could you please tell me, what model of MSI NF4 is bootable and also
the Bios version you use? 
 
(I have not tried the pure RIS, and i'm afraid i don't have the
possibility to set it up anytime soon, as the rest of
the systems work well and way faster than RIS)
 
So what do you think is the smartest thing to try next? 
 
Klaus
 
 
 

> I would seek help from the Motherboard manufacturer. I've
got it working on MSI NF4 boards fine, So I would say it's a BIOS
related issue or even the drivers you've included in the WinPE
build.
> 
> Note booting WinPE from a CD is quite different.
It gives you the option to force the HAL type. Where as under the
RAMdisk method it seems to be fixed as the HAL select menu (F7/F5)
options don't work at boot up.
> 
> Also make sure you're
NOT specifying the "keeppxe" option in the pxelinux config. 
>

> Other thing is that the PXE unloading mechanism is broken in
the BIOS? Does RIS work okay?
> 
> Rob
> 
>

> -----Original Message-----
> 
> Hi
> The
setup, as in the subject, is supposed to boot a Winpe to install xp to a
clean PC.
> I use the Ramdisk method (ie PXELinux pases the setup
on to the M$ pxe loader and and boots WinPE) It works perfectly with
evry other chipset, but Nvidias NForce 4.
> (tested 15
different)
> With NF4 it loads up well but the M$ PnP routine
detects the Network management bus wrong (nvidia specific approach to
first load a bus driver and after that the real NIC driver) I wouldn't
mind too much, as the Nvidias chipset is known to be weird
but...
> The same Ramdisk method WORKS all the way if booting the
ramdisk from a CD. Like all the same files and everything.. but not over
PXE -> TFTP but straight from CD.
> Now this indicates,
that the PXE communication or the universal NIC driver has something to
do with the problem.
> It could be, that the universal PXE NIC
driver (or some part of it) stays loaded into the momory and blocks the
M$ PnP from understanding the device HWID' right (it detects the device
PCI/DEV../../ 0056 instead of 57 which is the correct bus id) and
therefore failing to install the NIC on the bus.  I understand,
that this is probably M$'s PnP logic problem or even more the NVidias
approach problem... but they don't care.
> Could any of You kind
peaple help me out with a suggestion or some pointers?
> I'd
be very thankfull:)
> Klaus 
> 






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