Enabling PXE force mode on Cisco products

Products

• Deployment Solution
• Ghost Solution Suite

Issue/Introduction

Error PXE E-54 when booting to PXE.

Cause

The IOS in hybrid mode doesn't allow for option 43 (vender specific info) in the DHCP options.

Resolution

This can be applied to DHCP on a Cisco router.

You have to change option value 67 STRING BStrap\X86pc\BStrap.0 to be bootfile option. Cisco products don't have an option 67.

Cisco hybrid mode doesn't allow for option 43 (vendor specific options) where Cisco native mode does. All the other options are exactly the same.

For more information on PXE forced mode utility, see article 180499

Here is an example DHCP scope with PXE forced mode in hybrid mode:

ip dhcp pool 11
   network 10.x.x.x 255.255.255.0
   bootfile BStrap\X86pc\BStrap.0
   default-router 10.x.x.1
   domain-name sample.com
   dns-server 10.x.x.245 10.x.x.x
   netbios-name-server 10.x.x.x 10.x.x.x
   option 60 ascii "PXEClient"
   option 66 ascii "10.x.x.1"

NOTE: In some instances with Cisco IOS operating in Hybrid mode, enabling option 60 resulted in ProxyDHCP errors and needed to be removed.

Applies To
Cisco router in hybrid mode for IOS.