Altiris PXE MTFTP Server service stopping in GSS 3.3 RU11

Products

• Ghost Solution Suite

Issue/Introduction

In order to PXE boot, the Boot.wim file is downloaded from the PXE server using MTFTP protocol.  Some customers are seeing Boot.WIM fail to start or fail to complete the download from the PXE server.  The cause is the MTFTP server will repeatedly stop and eventually restart.  The issue is found after upgrading to GSS 3.3 RU11.  This causes PXE boot failures and no PXE boot menu is presented. 

PxeMTFTP logs show the following:
2023-07-24T19:33:16.829367Z  INFO pxemtftp: Stop request received...
2023-07-24T19:33:16.829520Z  INFO tftp_server::server: Cancellation request received...
2023-07-24T19:33:16.829613Z TRACE mio::poll: deregistering event source from poller    
2023-07-24T19:33:16.829812Z  INFO pxemtftp: Server completed successfully!
2023-07-24T19:33:16.829892Z  INFO tftp_server::connection_monitor: Cancellation event received
2023-07-24T19:33:16.829978Z  INFO tftp_server::connection_monitor: Monitor task finished
2023-07-24T19:33:16.829996Z TRACE mio::poll: deregistering event source from poller

When boot.wim fails to complete loading, some customers are seeing the Windows Boot Manager with the following error code:

Status: 0xc0000001
Info: A required device isn't connected or can't be accessed.

Environment

Ghost Solution Suite 3.3 RU11

GSS 3.3 RU11

Cause

The issue is most likely caused by service control events or interrogate events causing the service to stop due to a misconfiguration in the service itself

Resolution

A drop-in fix is available and attached to this KB to address the issue until a permanent fix is available. To apply the fix, the Altiris PXE MTFTP Server service executable will need to be replaced with the drop-in executable attached.

• Open services.msc and stop 'Altiris PXE MTFTP Server' service if it is running
• Navigate to the following directory on the Ghost Solution Suite PXE server: 'Program Files (x86)\Altiris\eXpress\Deployment Server\PXE'
• Rename 'PxeMtftp.exe' or move it to a directory off of the eXpress share
• Download 'PxeMtftp.exe' attached to this article and place the (unzipped) .exe in the same location: 'Program Files (x86)\Altiris\eXpress\Deployment Server\PXE\PxeMtftp.exe'
• The file must be named 'PxeMtftp.exe' to work properly
• Open services.msc and restart 'Altiris PXE MTFTP Server' service