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PXE image slow to load boot.wim when using UEFI (part 2)

  • 1.  PXE image slow to load boot.wim when using UEFI (part 2)

    Trusted Advisor
    Posted Jul 03, 2018 08:45 AM

    Previous post here is locked so I can't reply to it, unfortunately, and mod marked post as solution that wasn't.

    PXE works great with legacy boot options, but when booting with BIOS set up for UEFI, it takes a crazy amount of time to PXE boot, so much so I give up on it.

    I'm following up on this issue and see some SCCM users were able to work around it my modifying TFTP block size and/or disable dynamic window size.

    Is this something that can be adjusted when booting to PXE using Symantec Deployment/Management/Altiris?

     

    From VMWare forum "our solution was to set a fixed value for TFTP blocksize at the PXE-Server und disable dynamic window size. "

     

    From reddit comment "I'm on 1610 and I've adjusted the Block\Window size settings. I based my testing on the ccmexec post and I also have a variety of models as well including: Dell, Lenovo, and HP. I have mine set at:

    TFTP Block Size: 400 TFTP Windows Size: 8

    and that sped up a 5 minute download to about a minute. I couldn't go any higher because of our HP Probooks. Give that shot and see what happens."

     

     



  • 2.  RE: PXE image slow to load boot.wim when using UEFI (part 2)

    Posted Jul 03, 2018 10:19 AM

    Sally

    Are you using GSS PXE services or Deployment Solution NBS? Is the PXE / NBS on a VM and if so, have you swapped out vNICs? Does testing with a third party TFTP server yield better results (like open tftp server on sourceforge)?



  • 3.  RE: PXE image slow to load boot.wim when using UEFI (part 2)

    Trusted Advisor
    Posted Jul 03, 2018 01:17 PM

    I'm using the full Client Management Suite.  I have tried different NICs on the VM I was trying to PXE boot with support and there was no change. 

     

    I didn't try 3rd party TFTP server, didn't even know that was an option.



  • 4.  RE: PXE image slow to load boot.wim when using UEFI (part 2)

    Posted Jul 03, 2018 01:26 PM

    Just saying that it may benefit you to further isolate where the breakdown is ... pxe app, virtual layer, etc.

    We can remove the pxe app portion by setting up a different VM (same vNIC type, portgroup, vswitch) and advertising this out. Granted you may have to change DHCP options or potentially IP helpers, but it would help you isolate.

    https://sourceforge.net/projects/tftp-server/

     



  • 5.  RE: PXE image slow to load boot.wim when using UEFI (part 2)

    Posted Jul 03, 2018 02:01 PM

    We had a similar issue with multicast and PE very slow. Our solution was to inject the most current drivers for our various platforms into WinPE.



  • 6.  RE: PXE image slow to load boot.wim when using UEFI (part 2)
    Best Answer

    Posted Jul 03, 2018 02:07 PM

    Hi Sally,

    8.1 RU7 was released today, with support for iPXE, which should be significantly faster than TFTP.

    Release notes here : https://support.symantec.com/en_US/article.DOC10979.html

    iPXE notes here : https://support.symantec.com/en_US/article.TECH250831.html

    Phil



  • 7.  RE: PXE image slow to load boot.wim when using UEFI (part 2)

    Trusted Advisor
    Posted Jul 05, 2018 11:01 AM

    @Phil-W - Great - can't wait to look into this.  I'm out of the office next week but this upgrade will be something I look into ASAP. Thanks!

     

    @monitorman - thanks for the ideas to help isolate.  will look into it more if the RU7 doesn't help.



  • 8.  RE: PXE image slow to load boot.wim when using UEFI (part 2)

    Trusted Advisor
    Posted Jul 23, 2018 07:47 AM

    @Phil - just got to test an XPS with iPXE.  It's night and day!  I booted in < 1 minute - before it took several minutes with TFTP.  Thanks for sharing the info!  Marking as solution.



  • 9.  RE: PXE image slow to load boot.wim when using UEFI (part 2)

    Trusted Advisor
    Posted Aug 23, 2018 06:59 AM

    Unfortunately some models are still slow I found out.  Dell Latitude 5470 takes 6+ minutes to PXE boot and Dell Latitude takes under 1 minute.  I tried updating BIOS and preboot drivers and nothing helped the 5470.  Support closed the ticket.  Let me know if anyone has ideas.



  • 10.  RE: PXE image slow to load boot.wim when using UEFI (part 2)

    Posted Aug 23, 2018 08:17 AM

    Please compare core configuration of the Hardware specifications from manufacturer. Possibly difference can be found with Normal and Slow computers.



  • 11.  RE: PXE image slow to load boot.wim when using UEFI (part 2)

    Trusted Advisor
    Posted Aug 23, 2018 10:31 AM

    I'm not sure what you mean by core configurations.  They have the same NIC.  The hardware IDs are slightly different, that's when we went down the route of updating preboot drivers, but from what support told me if it was preboot driver issue, it wouldn't boot at all.  



  • 12.  RE: PXE image slow to load boot.wim when using UEFI (part 2)

    Posted Aug 23, 2018 10:47 AM

    I see. Yes, If missing drivers then will not be able to get the IP Address from DHCP and will result in "DHCP Retry" Error  due to missing drivers.

     

    - If drivers still there and slow in loading files using PXE is due to multiple factors which may include following:

      //VMWare appliance like version of VMWare, network appliance and drivers for that particular network card

      //Compatibility of NIC, Network appliance and TFTP support for UEFI boot

    - I have seen Legacy boot loads files slow as well for some machines, in this scenario (Dell 5470)

      //comparing core config includes Memory (size, speed), CacheMemory size comparison, less likely to check Processor and its cores

      //Bios versions (some machines get new firmeware update and cause issues with NIC driver issues, before updating firmware it wud just fine)

     



  • 13.  RE: PXE image slow to load boot.wim when using UEFI (part 2)

    Trusted Advisor
    Posted Aug 24, 2018 10:16 AM

    5470 and 5480 have identical boot times via old stype PXE/TFTP boot. It's specific to iPXE.  Doesn't seem to point to config or bios, etc