PXE Boot options 64 or 32 bit

[marine87]

Hello everyone, I've just ran into an issue trying to load an image via SSCM and pxe booting a laptop. We are moving everything over to Windows 7 and mainly 64bit. Well, we just tried pxe booting an older Dell laptop and it fails right after it loads the files in the beginning and gets this message: Attempting to load a 64-bit application, however this CPU is not compatible with 64-bit mode Now, we can fix that by making a 32bit image but not quite sure how you change the boot image to 32 and still work with our 64bit machines....is it possible to make it so there is a choice or so that you can have both and it will load whichever one is needed? Thanks again

[Benny B]

sccm is horrible when it comes to the boot files..

 

the easiest method to do x86 and x64 images is to make two different uknown collection

 

unknown x64 collection

unknown x32 collection

 

then you set the query as follows for each collection

 

select SMS_R_UNKNOWNSYSTEM.ResourceID,SMS_R_UNKNOWNSYSTEM.ResourceType,SMS_R_UNKNOWNSYSTEM.Name,SMS_R_UNKNOWNSYSTEM.Name,SMS_R_UNKNOWNSYSTEM.Name from SMS_R_UnknownSystem where Decommissioned = "0" and Name LIKE "%x86%"

 

and then for x64

 

select SMS_R_UNKNOWNSYSTEM.ResourceID,SMS_R_UNKNOWNSYSTEM.ResourceType,SMS_R_UNKNOWNSYSTEM.Name,SMS_R_UNKNOWNSYSTEM.Name,SMS_R_UNKNOWNSYSTEM.Name from SMS_R_UnknownSystem where Decommissioned = "0" and Name LIKE "%x64%"

 

 

once you do that.. you then advertise your x86 Task sequence and your x64 task sequence to the appropriate collection

 

and you now have where it will boot the correct boot image

 

the problem is that sccm cannot have both assigned to the same collection

[Joe]

Hello everyone, I've just ran into an issue trying to load an image via SSCM and pxe booting a laptop. We are moving everything over to Windows 7 and mainly 64bit. Well, we just tried pxe booting an older Dell laptop and it fails right after it loads the files in the beginning and gets this message: Attempting to load a 64-bit application, however this CPU is not compatible with 64-bit mode Now, we can fix that by making a 32bit image but not quite sure how you change the boot image to 32 and still work with our 64bit machines....is it possible to make it so there is a choice or so that you can have both and it will load whichever one is needed? Thanks again

 

 

Just change your boot image over to a 32bit image. You don't need a 64bit WinPE unless you're doing a build/capture sequence.

 

 

For future reference, you can deploy x64 and x86 using a single task sequence. I currently do this and it works great. The plus side is that I only ever have to modify one task sequence and it impacts both platforms. Much easier than maintaining multiple task sequences.

[CorradoGuy]

I use different boot images and task sequences for our 32 bit and 64 bit machines, this creates a bit of extra work but not all of our 32 bit apps work with the 64 bit images so I leave them separated. I do not use unknown machines, I either grab the machine from the 'All Systems' collection or I import it through Computer Association using the MAC address.

 

I have a 32 bit boot image for the 32 bit operating systems and this boot image only has Windows 7 - 32 bit AHCI and network drivers. I also have a 64 bit boot image for 64 bit operating systems and this has Windows 7 - 64 bit AHCI and network drivers. I have a collection for each OS and hardware type (32 bit or 64 bit) and I just put the machine in there and PXE boot it where it applies the image.

 

If your machine is 32 bit then load the Windows 7 - 32 bit AHCI drivers and LAN drivers into the boot image and you will be able to use this boot image with all 32 bit operating systems deployed through SCCM. You can use a single boot image with a bit of extra work but as I am just getting all of this working I am still using two boot images and I will address this later.

[velnias]

So I think I finally found a place to ask my question as I can't find any reference to it anywhere but I believe I'm having a similar issue...

My question is, how does SCCM determine which boot file to use during WinPE/PXE boot? I realize that the Task Sequence uses the referenced boot file, but prior to that during PXE boot, which file does it pull?

 

I ask because we have 4 boot images currently; two standard that came with the install of SCCM and two custom boot images (x86 and x64) based on a specific set of network drivers on newer model laptops. While I can't find any reference to how SCCM determines which boot file to use, I've been told that it only chooses the most recent boot file on the PXE enabled DP.

 

However, if I don't have all 4 on the DP, inevitably an OSD Task Sequence will fail.

I should note, that we only deploy 32bit OS and our custom boot file is basically just the stock SCCM boot files with the necessary added drivers for the new machines. I would have thought that this would boot any older models in addition to the newer laptops because we injected the drivers, but the reverse happens and it will no longer boot anything but the newer models.

 

Certainly I don't have to inject every conceivable driver in our hardware list to make this work right?

 

I'm sure I've got something wrong but I can't for the life of me figure it out.

[Peter van der Woude]

There is no real documentation about which boot file is used, but the behavior that is seen is that the boot image of the task sequence that is advertised as last to the client is used.