Perplexed by an inability to capture
I've got another thread going on a related issue, but I want to re-do it and add more info here, especially so I can update and keep better track of any responses.
This is related to new trouble imaging with the K2000.
Last year, with this same setup, we could capture and deploy just fine.
This year, we can deploy but not capture.
To the best of my knowledge, nothing has changed. I had been taken off Kace for about a year, just getting back to it now, and it otherwise was just humming along on its own.
Environment
Primary network: computers, printers, etc. (has DHCP | Option 66: FQDN of the K2 | Option 67: kbox2000.0)
VLAN: Virtual K2000 v.4.1.182 (using the k2000 DHCP for capture purposes)
At my workbench, I have two network cables - one Primary, one VLAN - that I can go back and forth on.
Current image construction
Dell 9010 AIO
Win10 x64 Enterprise
Built as legacy installation
Primary network
Built as legacy installation
Primary network
(BootMode:NIC boot method)
UEFI:iPXE | Newest boot environment with latest WinPE drivers | iPXE FAILS & drops to boot menu
UEFI:Legacy | Newest boot environment with latest WinPE drivers | IMAGE HANG/FAIL (msg below)
LEGACY:PXE | Newest boot environment with latest WinPE drivers | Gets screen of dots - drops back to K2 deployment menu
LEGACY:PXE | 2017 KBE (last known working) | IMAGE HANG/FAIL (msg below)
VLAN network
UEFI mode:iPXE | IMAGE HANG/FAIL (msg below)
UEFI mode:Legacy | PXE -> iPXE | gets K2 DHCP address, "No config method succeeds; selected boot device failed; press a key to reboot"
LEGACY | Legacy | PXE -> iPXE | gets K2 DHCP address, "No config method succeeds; selected boot device failed; press a key to reboot
Image Failure Message - this is the log taken from the page for the attempted image on the K2
2018-01-24 12:08:44-0500 [info] (PrimaryIP:49676) Received connection.
2018-01-24 12:08:44-0500 [info] (PrimaryIP:49676) Capturing image 'x'
2018-01-24 12:08:44-0500 [client] Completed successfully
2018-01-24 12:08:44-0500 [error] Connection closed by remote while reading 1 bytes from network.
2018-01-24 12:08:44-0500 [info] (PrimaryIP:49676) Client disconnected.
Second image construction
Dell 3020 tower
Win10 x64 Enterprise
Built as UEFI installation
Primary Network
UEFI:iPXE | Checks/verifies media presence, "downloading NBP file" Drops back to boot menu
VLAN Network
UEFI:iPXE | Checks/verifies media presence, starts iPXE, Drops back to boot menu
I'm at a loss at the moment, especially because it seems that on my Legacy build, I can at least iPXE boot into Kace if I switch it to UEFI, but my actual UEFI build can't iPXE into Kace.Thoughts?
-- Ray
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Answers (1)
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Posted by:
Channeler
6 years ago
So From: "System Imaging Best Practices for Windows"
https://support.quest.com/kace-systems-deployment-appliance/kb/121734
https://support.quest.com/kace-systems-deployment-appliance/kb/121734
Start Fresh:
Create the golden image in a virtual machine to keep it clean of extra drivers.
Do not image or create a golden master image of a machine that comes directly from the manufacturer.
I would like two confirm if those two statements are true.
A VM will help you determine what is going on, if the K2 is capable of capturing an Image from a VM, specially if that VM is on the same subnet as the K2 and using the K2 as DHCP then that means the capture module is fine.
Something related to the physical devices or the network is preventing you from happening.
See:
"K2000 Integrity Check"
https://support.quest.com/kace-systems-deployment-appliance/kb/111771
Also, Do you have a physical kbox or a VM kbox?
If it's VMWare, make sure vmwaretools is properly installed.
https://support.quest.com/kace-systems-deployment-appliance/kb/114575
Are you using Onboard Storage or Offboard storage?
If you go to Settings > Network Settings, Is your network speed set to Auto-Negotiate or are you specifying an fixed speed?
In regards
"downloading NBP file" messages when iPXE booting, this model might not be compatible with iPXE, try to update the BIOS.
Do not image or create a golden master image of a machine that comes directly from the manufacturer.
I would like two confirm if those two statements are true.
A VM will help you determine what is going on, if the K2 is capable of capturing an Image from a VM, specially if that VM is on the same subnet as the K2 and using the K2 as DHCP then that means the capture module is fine.
Something related to the physical devices or the network is preventing you from happening.
See:
"K2000 Integrity Check"
https://support.quest.com/kace-systems-deployment-appliance/kb/111771
Also, Do you have a physical kbox or a VM kbox?
If it's VMWare, make sure vmwaretools is properly installed.
https://support.quest.com/kace-systems-deployment-appliance/kb/114575
Are you using Onboard Storage or Offboard storage?
If you go to Settings > Network Settings, Is your network speed set to Auto-Negotiate or are you specifying an fixed speed?
In regards
"downloading NBP file" messages when iPXE booting, this model might not be compatible with iPXE, try to update the BIOS.
Comments:
-
FWIW, I have always imaged physical boxes. Yes, it's a pain when the image goes South and I have to restart, but it's just how I've always done it. I'm willing to try VMs and will try to build one a new. Need to re-install VirtualBox and get it going....
That said, yesterday I was finally able to capture an ~11GB image from my 3020 listed above, a UEFI installation booted to Legacy, so the capture module works, I'm just having a hell of a time with it. - rskwire 6 years ago-
" a UEFI installation booted to Legacy,"
So this is not good or recommended, if the bios is set to uefi, you need to boot in uefi.
If the BIOS is set to legacy you need boot in legacy.
I'm not sure but I think if you boot to Legacy mode having your machine and OS in Uefi, the box will fail to capture the GPT partition properly.
I don´t know sir, maybe if this is just for capture UEFI, build a USB KBE, and boot from the thumb-drive instead of iPXE.
This was the only way 2 years ago if you wanted to do UEFI captures and deployments, worked fine for us here.
That will at least get you going with your capture process project.
And at the end, you could contact support or troubleshoot the iPXE boot process.
But FYI , I believe again, not sure, that for UEFI capture and deployments, you need to boot via UEFI.
Look at this picture:
http://kbimg.dell.com/library/KB/DELL_ORGANIZATIONAL_GROUPS/DELL_GLOBAL/REC/FY2017/UEFI-Imaging-5.png
Boot mode is se to UEFI
Secure Boot is OFF
In this case my only safe option is to boot to the Onboard NIC IPv4 under the UEFI boot portion - Channeler 6 years ago-
Yes, you area correct, but I'm going through every possible option of network booting just to see what's going on.
Right now, I'm building a new Win10 machine, then I'm going to install VirtulaBox on it and build a Win10 VM.
I have two switches here to isolate my primary and my vlan networks so I can run the updates on the VM and the switch over for capture and see what happens this time. - rskwire 6 years ago -
Here's part of the problem, I believe.
If I'm trying to deploy a Legacy image, I have to be on the Production network.
If I want to deploy a UEFI image, I have to be on the vlan network.
How can I get my kbox to receive connections and perform both Legacy and UEFI deployment from my production network?
Is this a DHCP option thing again? - rskwire 6 years ago -
@rskwire Do you have two Kboxes???
If so let's review the iPXE boot process and the DHCP role on it.
1- A machine is booted from NIC
2- The DHCP needs to capture the machine's IP and BIOS type (Legacy or UEFI)
3- The DHCP needs to forward those two values to the designed Boot Server (kbox).
e.g.
"Hey KBOX, I have this IP 192.168.0.2, and it needs undionly.kpxe" (undionly.kpxe is the value for Legacy)
OR
"Hey KBOX, I have this IP 192.168.0.3, and it needs ipxe.efi" (ipxe.efi is the value for UEFI)
So the DHCP needs to grab the IP, get the BIOS type and forward that to the K2.
4- The K2 recieves the request and it will log an entry on the TFTP log. (settings > appliance logs).
The entry should be like:
"RRQ from 192.168.0.3 undionly.kpxe"
or
"RRQ from 192.168.0.3 ipxe.efi"
And the kbox will proceed to send the boot files and displat the boot manager menu.
And that's it.
If you have two KBOXES, make sure your DHCP is forwarding iPXE requests to the appropriate one.
Believe it or not there are DELL (and other brands) computers that are NOT compatible with iPXE, some of them will do iPXE Legacy, some of them will only do iPXE UEFI.
Contact support sir, you might be plowing the sea....
Or use a VM. - Channeler 6 years ago
