PXE Boot - missing PXE menu and/or prompt information

Usage and Config OSD
1

Hi,

I’m testing deploying an image using BigFix using PXE Boot. I have my PXE boot subnet and DHCP configured but when the laptop tried to boot, I got an error saying “Bad or missing PXE menu and/or prompt information”.

Anybody know how I can fix this? If anybody can direct me to an article on how to properly set this up, that would be great!

Thank you for your help.

2

Most of IBM.COM seems to be offline right now, but I did find a working link to one of their redbooks. Have a look at http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/redpapers/pdfs/redp4294.pdf and search for “Option 43”. That describes the cases in which you’ll need Option 43 set.

So…

  • Is your DHCP server the Bare Metal (OSD) server?
  • If not, are your clients in the same subnet as the OSD server?
  • If not, are your switches forwarding DHCP requests to both your DHCP server and your OSD server?
  • If not, is your DHCP server providing Option 60 “PXEClient” and Option 43 (PXEBoot options)?

If you need to configure Option 43, search for “TPMfOSD Option43 Tool” when IBM’s back online again. There’s a small HTML you can download, supply your OSD parameters and create a boot menu, and it will provide the Option43 configuration that you need.

3

Jason,

Thank you for the reply.

So…

  • Is your DHCP server the Bare Metal (OSD) server? The DHCP server is NOT the same server as the OSD server.
  • If not, are your clients in the same subnet as the OSD server? No, the client is in a different subnet as the OSD server.
  • If not, are your switches forwarding DHCP requests to both your DHCP server and your OSD server? Yes
  • If not, is your DHCP server providing Option 60 “PXEClient” and Option 43 (PXEBoot options)? Yes, I configured Option 43 and 60 in my DHCP server.
4

It sounds like the data you are setting in option 43 may not be correct. It’s pretty tricky, did you use the Option 43 tool?

5

Jason,

I’m not familiar with Option 43 tool. Do you know where I can get more information about it?

6

Jason,

I added Option 43 and 60 in my DHCP server and now I have a different error when I tried to boot the laptop in the PXE subnet.

PXE-E74: Bad or missing PXE menu and/or prompt information

7

Well, I just did some looking and cannot find the tool anymore.
Closest I could find is some explanation at
https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SS2GNX_7.1.1/com.ibm.tivoli.tpm.scenario.doc/os/tins_dhcpconfig43.html

@alexdinia Any idea where IBM hid the Option 43 Configuration Tool? Sometimes called “PXETools” or “Option43Tool”?

8

I have a copy of the tool and the supporting docs. If you PM your e-mail I can provide a Box link to it.

9

Actually… try this link as it should allow anyone who has it to access the files. This is something that should be available to everyone anyway (I think).

https://ibm.box.com/s/srlva10z8hnjmaunnj3eixbnrmmna7ic

2 Likes
10

Thank you Jason and dmccalla for the reply. I setup Option 43 in my DHCP server and added the IP address of my OSD server (hex value).

Have you seen this error before?
“PXE-E74: Bad or missing PXE menu and/or prompt information”

11

I would suspect that one of the DHCP options is still not set correctly. Can you share an example of the Option 43 hex value you have but without sensitive info in it? I can decode it and see if looks right.

12

Duncan,

Thank you for your reply.

I basically just converted my IP to a hex value.

i.e.
IP = 10.20.30.40 = Hex value I entered in Option 43 = 0A 14 1E 28

13

Ok. Yeah that is definitely not going to work. You need more info in the string than that. I pasted a link to a Box folder in a thread above. Grab the files from that folder and take a look at the instructions in the .pdf and then use the pxe tool to create the proper hex value. If you have problems still please let us know.

14

dmccalla,

Unfortunately I cannot click on that link you provided to download the pdf file. Is it posted somewhere in IBM site or in BigFix where I can download it?

15

I have not been able to find it. Box is the only place I have at my disposal to upload it. Is it blocked or just not accessible?

16

If you want to, PM your e-mail address and I can try to e-mail it to you.

1 Like
17

dmccalla,

Thank you for sending me the pdf to configure Option 43. I finally got it working. The PXE client can now see my BigFix server and was able to start the PXE boot. Thank you again for your assistance!