Switch latest ver. of Fog to undionly.kkpxe

[george1421]

Can you test an idea I have. Please place a dumb (unmanaged) network switch between the pxe booting computer and the building switch. If this resolves the issue then you may be running into a spanning tree issue or a green ethernet issue. Just test this first and we will work towards step 2

[UCJared]

Thanks for the quick reply. I saw that option listed in several older posts during my search and tried it. I connected the laptop to an 8-port dumb switch connected to the switch my fog server is on and the problem persists.

[george1421]

ok then lets look at a different ipxe kernel. Lets change the ipxe kernel to ipxe.kpxe Those realtek nics have been a problem more often than not.

Also make sure your firmware is updated on your pxe booting computer too.

For your dhcp server you might want to review example 1 here, this is an ideal dhcp server configuration: https://wiki.fogproject.org/wiki/index.php?title=BIOS_and_UEFI_Co-Existence

[george1421]

@george1421 The undionly.xxxx files use the built in undi driver in the network adapter. Sometimes these drivers are a bit flaky. The ipxe.xxx ipxe kernels use the native ipxe drivers and not the sometimes flaky on board undi drivers in the network adapters.

[UCJared]

Okay, I’m going to give this a try and report back.

[george1421]

@UCJared And just for clarity its only the Probook 655 that has the issue. Other devices plugged into the same network port pxe boots just fine into the FOG iPXE menu?

[UCJared]

@george1421
Yes sir.
I have several ProDesk 600 G3 PCs here that are imaging just fine. They are Intel chipsets and we seems to have good luck with those (fingers crossed).

These ProBook 655s are AMD chipsets and they’ve been bad luck for me.

[UCJared]

@george1421
I’m sorry to report that I’m not sure how to do this now. If I remember correctly, the 1.3 Fog server had an option field in the web console to set the various kernels. I can’t find anywhere in the 1.4.4 web console to change to the ipxe.kpxe kernel.

[george1421]

@UCJared We are not in FOS yet are we? If I remember correctly the “no configuration options” error was in iPXE. (a picture snapped with a mobile would tell the context of the error, its almost as important as the error itself). If this is iPXE then that is managed by your dhcp server (ipxe.pxe vs undionly.kpxe) that is all done before you make a FOG menu selection. If you are seeing the error after you make a fog menu selection then that is the FOS engine[ bzImage and init.xy] (customize linux OS for capturing and deploying images)

[UCJared]

@george1421
Thanks for the clarification. The error is occurring before we reach the Fog menu.

The dhcpd.conf file shows several class definitions and most of them point to ipxe.efi.

I’m not using uefi on these laptops; they are all set to Legacy boot. I set the Legacy class file option to ipxe.kpxe …

AND IT WORKED. Ah ha! I understand better now.

Thanks so much for the help.

[george1421]

@UCJared Excellent, I’m glad you have it worked out. ipxe.kpxe “should” work for all hardware nics, you may run into an odd-ball one where undionly.kpxe works better. The advantage of undionly.kpxe is that is smaller and quicker to load and usually a better chance of compatibility (except for those darn realtek chips).