"DHCP...." followed by "PXE-E53: No boot filename received"

SYMPTOM

When being started, the PXE client comes up with the PXE copyright message, then displays

DHCP....

After a while, the following error message is displayed:

PXE-E53: No boot filename received

Depending on the PXE client's system setup boot device list configuration, the PC then either stops or tries to boot from the next boot device in the system setup boot device list.

CAUSE

The "PXE-E53" error indicates that the PXE client received a reply to its DHCPDISCOVER message, but the "boot filename" information was missing in this reply.

RESOLUTION

Make sure that the "boot filename" option is present on your DHCP or BOOTP server, and that its value is set to the filename of the boot loader.

When using Microsoft DHCP server, add option 067 (Bootfile Name) to your scope. When using a Unix/Linux based (ISC) DHCP server, use the "filename" parameter for this purpose.

In the context of the BootManage Administrator, the boot loader filename is "pxboot" for PXE clients and "bpboot" for TCP/IP BOOT-PROM clients. So, if you have exclusively PXE clients, set the boot filename option to the value "pxboot". If you have exclusively TCP/IP BOOT-PROM clients, set the boot filename option to the value "bpboot". In a mixed PXE and TCP/IP BOOT-PROM client environment, you must configure your DHCP or BOOTP server so that it provides the PXE clients with the "pxboot" boot loader, and the TCP/IP BOOT-PROM clients with the "bpboot" boot loader.

____ IMPORTANT Thing to note:

We were trying to troubleshoot the above issue with the recommendation above, however, make sure you can see the dhcp server leasing out the ips to the machine you are trying to pxe boot.

Secondly and most important, if they are 64 bit client, run the command below on the server.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/932447

WDSUTIL /set-server /architecturediscovery:yes

Hope you dont have to struggle after that..

Cheers