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how to set up UEFI PXE server

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#1 richard_wu0313

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Posted 15 November 2011 - 03:39 AM

Hi there,
i have already set up a legacy PXE server, but now i have requirements to install OS with UEFI BIOS, what should i do to change existing PXE server? thanks in advance!

#2 Tripredacus

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Posted 15 November 2011 - 02:51 PM

You can see in my previous post (in your other eerily similar topic) that you cannot do a UEFI boot from a NIC. The only way you can deploy to UEFI (or more importantly, to GPT) is to use a CD or DVD. Supposedly it may be possible to do a UEFI boot to a USB key, but I never figured it out.

As far as Windows is concerned, if you do a BIOS PXE boot and image/deploy to a HDD as GPT, WinPE cannot write to a UEFI drive from a BIOS boot device.

#3 richard_wu0313

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Posted 17 November 2011 - 08:52 AM

As far as Windows is concerned, if you do a BIOS PXE boot and image/deploy to a HDD as GPT, WinPE cannot write to a UEFI drive from a BIOS boot device.
i did not quite understand what the above sentence mean. as far as i know, the only job of WInPE to help lead setup of the windows OS installation, and then download windows image to your local machine by TFTP, then using WAIK to auto/manually install OS. winpe have on idea whether you are doing a legacy or UEFI install, it completely depends on the config in your file Autounattend.xml

#4 Tripredacus

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Posted 17 November 2011 - 03:49 PM

During installation of Windows 7 (for example) at some point you need to write the BCD. If the drive is configured for UEFI, programs like BCDBoot run from a BIOS WinPE cannot "see" the hard drive to write the boot data. So yes, you can deploy your OS to a GPT disk using a BIOS booted WinPE, however when you reboot you'll won't be able to boot your OS. Since I have suspended my PXE GPT testing since it is impossible to actually do a proper test, I seem to recall that you also can't get higher than a 2TB format on a converted GPT disk.

#5 Wonko the Sane

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Posted 17 November 2011 - 04:00 PM

I seem to recall that you also can't get higher than a 2TB format on a converted GPT disk.

Yes/No.
There are two limits, one at around 2 Tb (OS induced):
http://www.ghacks.ne...-on-windows-xp/
and one at around 3 Tb if I recall correctly.

Just for the record Gigabyte made something about it:
http://news.softpedi...ds-191912.shtml

:cheers:
Wonko

#6 Tripredacus

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Posted 17 November 2011 - 04:07 PM

Ah yes! There is no problem getting over a 2TB OS volume using GPT with WinPE booted from a UEFI enabled ODD. However, WinPE will still do a 2TB volume (even if the disk is converted to GPT) if said WinPE is booted from a BIOS based boot device, such as PXE. I made sure to note in my Server GimageX HTA that while I have added GPT imaging capability, I do point out that it doesn't work via PXE:
http://www.msfn.org/...post__p__978276

#7 richard_wu0313

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Posted 18 November 2011 - 01:16 AM

You can see in my previous post (in your other eerily similar topic) that you cannot do a UEFI boot from a NIC. The only way you can deploy to UEFI (or more importantly, to GPT) is to use a CD or DVD. Supposedly it may be possible to do a UEFI boot to a USB key, but I never figured it out.

As far as Windows is concerned, if you do a BIOS PXE boot and image/deploy to a HDD as GPT, WinPE cannot write to a UEFI drive from a BIOS boot device.


Do you mean if use WInPE to boot UEFI install, the hard disk could not be installed once. because next time WinPE could not see the DPT hard disk?

#8 Tripredacus

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Posted 18 November 2011 - 04:26 PM

WinPE can see a GPT disk in that mode, but the files required to make Windows 7 boot (such as BCDBoot) will give you an error. You can try it out if you want, since you have some super secret boot rom that allows a UEFI PXE boot. Something none of us would be able to help you test at this time since no one would have access to such hardware.





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