[mdt] DHCP Lease error (although there isn't!)

[StevieM]

Hi all

 

Over the summer, I re-imaged one of our IT suites using MDT and WDS. Every machine imaged successfully apart from 2, which reported a DHCP lease issue.

 

This is what happens:

 

 

• PXE Boot over IP4 - WDS Boot Manager shows correct Client/Server IP addresses
  
• Download NBP
  
• Select operating system - Loads WIM from MDT\WDS server
  
• Processing Bootstrap Settings - Gathering Complete
  

 

It then presents a Wizard Error - A connection to the deployment share could not be made. DHCP Lease was not obtained for any networking device! Possible cause: Check physical connection.

 

If I click cancel, it presents a command prompt. Running ipconfig shows a valid IP address, which is visible in both DHCP and DNS.

 

If I release the IP address, and try again, a correct IP address is picked up on the next try, but the same error occurs.

 

If I renew the IP address, it picks up a correct address.

 

I've tried deleting the IP address from DHCP and DNS - same error.

 

I've even set up a reservation in DHCP, which the machine picks up and uses. Surely this shows that it has obtained a DHCP lease, doesn't it?

 

All the other PCs are identical, have the same BIOS settings, and have had no problems. Any suggestions, anyone?

[StevieM]

Would you believe that something as simple as plugging the PC into a different network socket did the trick? It's using the same IP address as before, only now it works!

[ricki]

I know this will be a silly question have you tried stopping the DHCP service and starting it or restarting the DHCP server but check it's not run out of space on the c drive before you restart it

[Katy]

Would you believe that something as simple as plugging the PC into a different network socket did the trick? It's using the same IP address as before, only now it works!

 

I’ve had this (not DHCP but similar network weirdness) and swapping ports fixed it, but also plugging a working PC into the “dodgy” port and it carried on working instead of breaking. Makes no sense!