Multiple DHCP retries while booting to WinPE version 10.0.26100.1 with E1DExpress NIC driver installed

Products

• Ghost Solution Suite

Issue/Introduction

An E1DExpress driver that worked in WinPE 10.0.22621.1 (Windows 11, version 22H2 code base), doesn't work in WinPE version 10.0.26100.1.

Tested multiple drivers which all resulted in DHCP retries and no network connectivity in WinPE 10.0.26100.1:

• Driver pack from the OEM for Windows 11/WinPE 11
• Matching NIC driver from the OEM for the model of the specific machine tested

Note: The PNP Device ID for the manufacturer, device, and subsys information matched the hardware of the computer system to be imaged as described in this document:

Adding Custom Drivers For Winpe in Ghost Solution Suite 3.x and Deployment Solutions 8.x

Environment

Ghost Solution Suite 3.3 RU12 and later

WinPE 10.1.26100.1

Cause

Unknown. This issue is either with Microsoft's WinPE or the driver is not suitable for this version of WinPE.

Resolution

Work around:

In this case use a previous version of WinPE 10.0.22621.1 ( built from Windows 11, version 22H2 code base).

Another option would be to contact the OEM manufacturer for a supported E1DExpress driver for 10.0.26100.1

Additional Information

How to locate a Preboot driver for the WinPE documented in Adding Custom Drivers For Winpe in Ghost Solution Suite 3.x and Deployment Solutions 8.x

GSS supported WinPE versions documented in Platform Support Ghost Solution Suite 3.3

GSS import preboot drivers documented in Add drivers to Ghost Solution Suite