[syslinux] PXELINUX and WDS (The Proper WAY)

[Jacob Alifrangis]

After about 15 hours, a packet sniffer and a ton of google searching later, I have a solution to getting WDS (Windows Deployment Services) to work with PXELINUX

 

 

Google didn't turn up anything of use directly, everything that was referenced appeared to be related to starting pxelinux from either WDS or RIS. That just won't do, since they often can give hiccups and lockups when starting.

This Solves the issue with WDS: "WDSClient: There was an Error Initializing WDS Mode"

This allows full display of all server assigned boot options.

Additionally the problem was that when starting the PXEBOOT.COM file you had to completely move the directories around to get it to work. (move bootmgr.exe to \ etc.); This method needs nothing of the sort.

 

 here's the correct way to do it:

 

1.       Get WDS Setup with at least one Image (Yes Vista will work)

2.       Setup your DHCP Server to boot PXELINUX (Assumes Microsoft DHCP)

a.       Point Option 66 to the DNS NAME of your pxeboot server (boot.contoso.local)

b.      Point Option 67 to pxelinux.0

c.       Make sure your dns server is listed as option 44 and can resolve that name

d.      Restart DHCP Server to make sure that the changes are in place.

3.       Start the WDS Interface in Control Panel

a.       Right Click on server name (boot.contoso.local) click properties

b.      On tab PXE Response Settings: "Respond to All client Computers"

c.       PXE Response Delay (5 seconds) ß this timing is critical, you may need to set it a little higher depending on your network architechture

d.      On the Boot Tab, Reset all the options to their defaults: "Boot\<arch>\pxeboot.n12"

e.      Do not Enable the "Do not Listen on port 67"

f.        Click Apply and Close This Panel

4.       Build a PXELINUX.CFG/DEFAULT file as listed below in Figure A

5.       Get and install VMWARE or a machine with a pxe enabled bios

6.       Reboot the client and watch it work

 

I'm going to put these up on my site, and if Peter consents have them linked so I can update them regularly

 

Please email me back if you need any help / have problems

 

 

Figure A: (PXELINUX.CFG/default)

 

PROMPT 0

Default WDSBoot

Label WDSBoot

Kernel /boot/x86/wdsnbp.0 keeppxe