What exactly is: Host EFI Exit Type?

[kinger37]

Hi,

The version I am currently running: Running Version 1.3.0-RC-8; SVN Revision: 5948 on Ubuntu Server 14.04. All my computers are UEFI but when an image is deployed the boot order is wrong. I am wondering if this field is what I am looking for but looking for some clarification. Will this field update my UEFI boot order? If I want to boot to hard drive by default - should i select GRUB_First_HDD?

Any help would greatly appreciated. Also I checked Wiki and couldnt find any reference but if I missed it I would love to know where to look.

[george1421]

@Wayne-Workman Just for clarity here…

The exit mode in FOG, tells the iPXE menu what to boot to next when you select boot from hard drive. This is a FOG specific function and nothing to do with the computer or its firmware.

If you want to change the Dell bios settings, you can do that from windows (I just found a rhel download too)using the Dell Command and Configure tool (a.k.a CCTK). We use CCTK on our custom firmware update usb. We F12 boot to the usb into a WinPE environment that configures the boot order to the USB on next boot then installs the bios update. Upon reboot it boots immediately to the usb and the WinPE environment. Then it resets the boot order to hard drive, network and then configures the PXE on next boot option where it reboots and then pxe boots.

While that was a long way about tell you its possible to change the boot order via a script, it is possible. Understand this only works for Dell enterprise systems. I can’t speak for other vendors.

http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/04/Drivers/DriversDetails?driverId=X0TCK

http://en.community.dell.com/techcenter/enterprise-client/w/wiki/7431.dell-client-command-suite

[Wayne Workman]

the EFI exit type is how the boot ROM sends the machine to the HDD if there is no task waiting in FOG Task Management. It doesn’t affect the local machine’s boot order, it only specifies how to exit to the HDD.

That said - I’ve noticed exactly what you are referring to. I’ve not figured it out yet. We have Dell computers that are set to UEFI in their firmware, and I haven’t figured out how to specify a boot order on them. They always try to network boot first when in UEFI mode. Anyone who has figured out how to modify that, please do share. @Moderators @Developers @Testers.

[kinger37]

@Wayne-Workman Right after I posted this - I was wondering if it had something to do with our machines having an Admin Password set for the BIOS Setup, in your case are you using a password to edit the boot sequence? Also the machines I have seen this on are Dell’s as well.

[Wayne Workman]

@kinger37 Our Dells that are in UEFI mode don’t have a firmware password set.

[george1421]

@Wayne-Workman Just for clarity here…

The exit mode in FOG, tells the iPXE menu what to boot to next when you select boot from hard drive. This is a FOG specific function and nothing to do with the computer or its firmware.

If you want to change the Dell bios settings, you can do that from windows (I just found a rhel download too)using the Dell Command and Configure tool (a.k.a CCTK). We use CCTK on our custom firmware update usb. We F12 boot to the usb into a WinPE environment that configures the boot order to the USB on next boot then installs the bios update. Upon reboot it boots immediately to the usb and the WinPE environment. Then it resets the boot order to hard drive, network and then configures the PXE on next boot option where it reboots and then pxe boots.

While that was a long way about tell you its possible to change the boot order via a script, it is possible. Understand this only works for Dell enterprise systems. I can’t speak for other vendors.

http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/04/Drivers/DriversDetails?driverId=X0TCK

http://en.community.dell.com/techcenter/enterprise-client/w/wiki/7431.dell-client-command-suite

[Wayne Workman]

@george1421 That was good enough to be an answer, Thank you George.

[kinger37]

@george1421 Thank you George - that does clarify and answer my question. Appreciate the help as always.

[george1421]

@kinger37 While now this is off point, it started me thinking…

There is an older linux version that could be used in FOG post install script to set/change the boot order, I may need to play a bit with my dev environment.
http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/04/Drivers/DriversDetails?driverId=K3RNG

While this reference shows how to enable the TPM chip with MDT, the concepts are the same for dealing with a bios password with cctk.
http://www.daina84.org/bitlocker-mdt-dell-and-tpm