DfE Dell Latitude 3190 will not build on RM CC4 Network

[StevenH]

Hi,

 

We recently received some DfE Dell Latitude 3190 laptops. They do not have a Nic port so we are using a Lan to USB adaptor. We have changed the bios settings so that the adaptor is seen and can now pxe boot.

The build process gets to the section where it wants to partion/format the drive and then I fails with the error "Disk partitioning/formatting exception: Disk 0 is dynamic".

I have tried using diskpart/select disk 0/clean and diskpart/select disk 0/convert basic from a cmd prompt and these did not work.

 

Has anyone else had this problem and managed to resolve it.

 

Thanks,

 

Steven

[Steve21]

From your description I'm guessing you're using MDT etc rather than SCCM or anything, have you checked in the bios regarding the ahci/raid mode? Most Dells come default in RAID and I'm sure MDT used to have a wobble with that when using nvme etc

 

Might be worth a quick check

 

Steve

[Andycat]

We've found that we had to use Dell/HP adapters for the respective models previously, even though generic are recognised initially

[StevenH]

Thanks for the replies. I used a Windows 10 USB boot disk to delete the partions and format the drive and now the laptops are building.

 

Thanks,

 

Steven

[eacooperuk]

@StevenH What Bios settings did you change to get the adapter working? (Also which brand adapter are you using?)

 

We've had no look with our allocation with the adapters that worked with no issues on the Geobooks.

[tadcooke]

me too - are you able to share your bios settings?

[Lurkovic]

@StevenH What Bios settings did you change to get the adapter working? (Also which brand adapter are you using?)

 

We've had no look with our allocation with the adapters that worked with no issues on the Geobooks.

 

Any information on which external USB NIC adapter to get and what BIOS settings to change would be gratefully received :)

[MicrodigitUK]

Any information on which external USB NIC adapter to get and what BIOS settings to change would be gratefully received [emoji4]

 

Dell Adapter - USB 3.0 to Ethernet PXE Boot

 

It’s this one in the link:

 

https://www.dell.com/en-uk/shop/dell-adapter-usb-30-to-ethernet-pxe-boot/apd/470-abbt/networking

Edited March 17, 2021 by MicrodigitUK

[Primus]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B010SEARPU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

We've had them work with Dell Latitude 3190s and SCCM for PXE imaging.

[Ty2000]

Hi,

Could you please advise which BIOS settings you changed in order to get it to PXE boot?

We're using an adapter but can't seem to get it to work

Thanks.

[MicrodigitUK]

Hi,

Could you please advise which BIOS settings you changed in order to get it to PXE boot?

We're using an adapter but can't seem to get it to work

Thanks.

 

Enable Network Stack

[Jcx500]

Enable Network Stack

 

This , we had to enable network stack on our stone machines for them to boot into wds

[chazzy2501]

Dell Adapter - USB 3.0 to Ethernet PXE Boot

 

It’s this one in the link:

 

https://www.dell.com/en-uk/shop/dell-adapter-usb-30-to-ethernet-pxe-boot/apd/470-abbt/networking

 

Ahh the DRM of modern laptops: "here Ethernet is an optional extra". Soon to come: a laptop with a 4 hour battery that can be unlocked to 8 hours for just £1.99 a month.

[Lardboy]

This may help (hopefully) but we have had similar problems with other laptops where we have installed a flat version of Windows 10 or 8 after deleting all the partitions.

 

Once done, we then run the build manager (not PXE though) but it seems to be able to kick itself in and install.

[ITManLT]

Hi All,

 

Just jumping on the back of this one as we've recently successfully managed to re-image 30 of these on a Win 10 SCCM image and all is working great, so wanted to share the steps we took to hopefully help others.

 

The main issue we faced was that they wouldn't PXE boot from the USB adapter as we couldn't find a BIOS setting to enable USB network devices before the OS loaded.

With that in mind the only option therefore was to boot from a USB installer instead of PXE installer.

Within SCCM, under Software Library > Operating Systems > Task Sequences we used the "Create Task Sequence Media" to create a bootable USB that included the network drivers just for a Startech USB - Gig Eth adapter that we have.

In the BIOS for the Dell Latitude 3190 we enabled the Network Stack support.

Boot from the USB and it will connect successfully to the SCCM server at this point to authenticate and present any task sequences available.

 

When the first one was completed, because we had used a USB Network adapter, SCCM had the MAC address of this device tied in with the machine, and therefore wouldn't let another machine be imaged with the same adapter.

To resolve this, we added the imaged laptop to the WiFi, removed the USB Network adapter and then inside of the SCCM Configuration Manager on the client, run the "Discovery Data Collection Cycle".

This prompted the device to report back to SCCM that it no longer had the MAC of the USB Network adapter, rather it then updated the MAC with that of the WiFi card.

 

This then freed up the USB Network adapter to be usable again to image the next device.

 

Repeated this process and all 30 are imaged with a Startech USB adapter, didn't need the specific Dell adapter at all.

 

As an ex RM employee - this process should hopefully work very similar on a CC4 network just that you will need to create a USB boot stick instead of the usual PXE boot imaging, and then work out the CC4 equivalent of removing the MAC from the first imaged device in the RM Management Console (been a while since I touched this) so that the adapter can be re-used again in laptop 2 onwards.

 

Hope this info helps someone

[jcubbin]

For everyone asking what BIOS settings to use to get USB network adapters working I would say that you will know as soon as you have a compatible adapter. I'm not sure what adapter I have as it has a USB-C Connection on it but I have usd a USB-C to USB-A Converter. It works and I have a few of them so I'm not too concerned, it may be a samsung?I played around with this for a few hours trying every setting I could think of using a Startech and another adapter without any joy. I never once seen the option to select a USB NIC until I got the compatible adapter. I'm not 100% sure if it is relevant but I also used the USB port at the front of the laptop (shown in the pictures). I had to "Enable UEFI Network Stack", "Enable USB Support" and "Enable External USB Port".This will boot up and connect to your WDS or MDT solution with Secure boot enabled and PTT onHopes this helps

[georgeescott]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B010SEARPU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

We've had them work with Dell Latitude 3190s and SCCM for PXE imaging.

 

Thanks for the recommendation! These Rankie adapters work on our DfE Dell 3190’s where our (normally working) Anker and AmazonBasics USB to Ethernet adapters don’t show in the BIOS to be able to PXE boot these laptops to SCCM.

 

I’ve logged a ticket with Dell to get them to fix the dodgy firmware on this model but doubt I’ll get anywhere with it since the Dell adapters work ok.

[gmonks]

Just an update from our experience.

 

I used a Anker USB to Ethernet adapter on our Latitude 3190 this morning, imaging from SCCM.

 

To enable network stack, open the BIOS -> General -> Advanced Boot Options -> Then tick 'Enable UEFI Network Stack'

 

Hope this is helpful

[Net_Man]

Thank you for all the suggestions and screenshots on here. The UGREEN USB 3.0 adapter does not work with the Dell 3190 model either.

[Boredguy]

We use https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B087QFQW6F on our Dell 3190's (and everything else other than the blasted GeoBooks) and they are fine with WDS, MDT and SCCM as long as the Network Stack is enabled in the bios

[Net_Man]

I can confirm that the Uni adapter in the above link works with WDS and MDT on these Dell 3190 laptops.

 

Thanks again Boredguy

[mattpayne]

The standard Dell USB network adapters are only £20 and once UEFI network stack is selected PXE is fine from MDT