Learn how to PXE Boot both BIOS & Uefimachines with DHCP policies and Custom Vendor Classes
One of the challenges that's IT deployment Administrator mayface in the field was the ability to boot both BIOS and UE Fimachines from the same WDS environment. This was exactly the issue ifaced when we organization decided to purchase a number of newsurface devices. These were the first set of devices that wereconfigured to natively boot to UEFI. This leaves-decide Froman organization standpoint whether you wish-boot all yourdevices using UEFI or the legacy Bios...or does it.
I am a strong believer that finding a workaround to a problem isnot a fix to the problem. To that end modern devices such as thesurface is meant to be booted using the native UEFI boot. However,many organizations may also still has legacy BIOS devices that donot support UEFI boot or just work better bootin G from BIOS. Whatever The reasoning behind this it's actually quite easy tosetup DHCP to provide the BIOS or UEFI boot file depending On Whatis used.
The solution!
By using DHCP policies and custom vendor classes for the Followingdhcp Options:
Option 60
Option 66
Option 67
The below assumes that you had SCCM configured with a PXE enableddistribution point and a valid and configured DHCP serve R. Youshould therefore is at a configured the state where your is able to pxeboot BIOS based devices.
Create Custom Vendor Classes for use with your Dhcppolicy
Think Custom Vendor Classes as Detection Method ' s used to determinehow devices is requesting a boot image from the DHCP s Erver.
Open the DHCP Console and expand the IPv4 Node
Right-click on ' IPv4 Node ' and select ' Define vendorclasses '
Click ' Add '
Create the UEFI 64-bit Vendor class first by entering thefollowing information
Enter The following information for the Respectivefields:
DisplayName: Pxeclient (UEFI x64)
Description: pxeclient:arch:00007
ASCII: pxeclient:arch:00007
Click ' OK '
Click ' Add '
DisplayName: Pxeclient (UEFI x86)
Description: pxeclient:arch:00006
ASCII: pxeclient:arch:00006
Click ' OK '
Click ' Add '
DisplayName: Pxeclient (BIOS x86& x64)
Description: pxeclient:arch:00000
ASCII: pxeclient:arch:00000
Click ' OK '
Creating Custom DHCP Policies
UEFI 64-bit DHCP Policy
Right-click ' Policies ' and Click ' New Policy '
Give the policy a friendly name that coincides with the Yourvendor class naming scheme:
Click ' Next '
On the ' Configure Conditions for the Policy ' page click ' Add '
Select the ' Value ' drop-down box and selectthe pxeclient (UEFIx64) vendor class that's created in Previoussteps
Ensure that check the box ' appendwildcard (*) '
Select ' Add '
Select ' Ok '
Click ' Next '
If you want the policy to affect only a specific range withinyour scope configure it, otherwise select No and click ' Next '
On the Configure settings for the policy page ensure that ' Dhcpstandard Options ' are selected from the drop box
Configure the following scope options:
Cick ' Next '
On the Summary pageclick ' Finish '
BIOS 32-bit & 64-bit Dhcppolicy
Right-click ' Policies ' and Click ' New Policy '
Give the policy a friendly name that coincides with the Yourvendor class naming scheme:
Click ' Next '
On the ' Configure Conditions for the Policy ' page click ' Add '
Select the ' Value ' drop-down box and selectthe pxeclient (BIOS x86& x64) vendor class thatyou created in prev IOUs steps
Ensure that check the box ' appendwildcard (*) '
Select ' Add '
Select ' Ok '
Click ' Next '
If you want the policy to affect only a specific range withinyour scope configure it, otherwise select No and click ' Next '
On the Configure settings for the policy page ensure that ' Dhcpstandard Options ' are selected from the drop box
Configure the following scope options:
Cick ' Next '
On the Summary pageclick ' Finish '
UEFI 32-bit DHCP Policy
Right-click ' Policies ' and Click ' New Policy '
Give the policy a friendly name that coincides with the Yourvendor class naming scheme:
Click ' Next '
On the ' Configure Conditions for the Policy ' page click ' Add '
Select the ' Value ' drop-down box and selectthe pxeclient (UEFIx86) vendor class that's created in Previoussteps
Ensure that check the box ' appendwildcard (*) '
Select ' Add '
Select ' Ok '
Click ' Next '
If you want the policy to affect only a specific range withinyour scope configure it, otherwise select No and click ' Next '
On the Configure settings for the policy page ensure that ' Dhcpstandard Options ' are selected from the drop box
Configure the following scope options:
Cick ' Next '
On the Summary pageclick ' Finish '
Remove Default PXE Options
As long as you had configured everything correctly you should nowhave the ability-boot machines from BIOS Oruefi. Hopefully this helps alleviate some of the stress surroundingyour PXE deployments. This have worked great on all ourdistribution points since implementation and have allowed ourdeployments to being much more Flexible.
How to enable SCCM to support both BIOS PXE boot and UEFI PXE boot