Problem getting RIS working

[u8dmtm]

We run a CC3 network but also have various machines (such as laptops) installed on the AD in separate OUs for GP and software allocation and have used a mixture of manual XP installations, Acros Snap-deploy and the ubiquotous Ghost for the basic imaging stage.

 

We have decided to use RIS for these purposes and I have been setting it up on a DC (not the FR). I have read the whole RIS topic that is pinned to the Windows topic which helped. I have also created a custom image using RipRep.

 

However, when I now try to use RIS by booting a PXE enabled machine using F12 it takes a while to find DHCP and then displays this error:

 

PXE-E55 : ProxyDHCP did not reply to request on Port 4011.

 

Is this something to do with authorising the server? Our FR is our DHCP (as configured by RM) and is the only one in the list. I thought you could only have one DHCP per network otherwise you get multiple machines dishing out IPs. If I add this DC to the list how do I allow it to do RIS without it leasing IPs etc? :?

 

Probably a stupid oversight on my behalf but posting may save time.

[Geoff]

You've not set the DHCP scope options correctly. In paticular check options 60, 66 and 67.

[u8dmtm]

Option 60 isn't in the list. I have checked the other two though (although not sure whether I should put anything in the string value fields). But this didn't solve it.

[Geoff]

Options need to be set as follows:

 

Option 60 (Client Identifier) = PXEClient

Option 66 (Boot Server Address) = your.ris.server

Option 67 (Boot Filename) = startrom.com

 

Also check your not affected by the issue mentioned in Knowledge Base Article 883395.

[u8dmtm]

Still not working.

 

I have set the three options above as:

 

Option 60 = PXEClient (is this the actual text to use or does this refer to something)

Option 66 = 10.x.x.x (RIS server IP)

Option 67 = startrom.com (again, is this the actual text to use or does this refer to something)

 

Not affected by the KB.

 

It may be useful for others in my situation to know that I added Option 60 to the list by doing:

 

C:\WINDOWS\system32>netsh

netsh>dhcp

netsh dhcp>server \\

netsh dhcp>add optiondef 60 PXEClient String 0 comment=PXE support

netsh dhcp>set optionvalue 60 STRING PXEClient

netsh dhcp>exit

 

Sorry to be a pain, it is Monday morning (not sure what my excuse was on Friday afternoon though)

[Geoff]

Ok, is there anything between the server and the client? A router or 'intelligent switch' perhaps?

 

Also is BINL running on your server?

 

Are RIS and DHCP on the same server?

[u8dmtm]

- The core switch is between the two (as the server is connected directly to the core switch and the machine is connected to an unmanaged switch which is connected to the core switch). This is a 3Com 3824 Layer 2 managed gigabit switch.

 

- The BINL service (which I believe is labelled Remote Installation service in Windows 2003 in case anyone is looking for it) is running on the RIS server.

 

- No, the DHCP is on the FR whereas RIS is on another DC.

[Geoff]

Did you add the dhcp options to the global scope or the IP range?

[u8dmtm]

I added it in Scope Options inside the folder 'Scope [10.x.x.0] School Network' which is a branch from the FR server.

 

I have read about authorising the RIS server in DHCP, so going backwards a few steps should I have added the RIS (which isn't the DHCP) server to the DHCP and done this under Scope Options in that server rather than the FR?

 

Thanks for this help BTW.

[Geoff]

yes you should of. Otherwise RIS will try and authorise both scopes, then break.

[u8dmtm]

Confused now.

 

In DHCP I've now got two servers:

 

- The FR DC Server, which is the actual DHCP that leases IPs and which therefore has a scope.

- The RIS DC Server, which has no scope but has 'Server Options' branch where I have added the three options mentioned above (60,66,67), there is nothing else in the list though.

 

Ideas?

[Geoff]

You need seperate scopes or bad things happen™.

[u8dmtm]

You need seperate scopes or bad things happen™.

 

But if I have two scopes then won't there be problems of machines not knowing which one to get an IP from?

 

I think I may be misunderstaning something critical here.

[u8dmtm]

I'm lost now. Think I'm probably falling at the final hurdle but now spent the best part of two days trying to figure it out.

[john]

How I do it

install RIS on the server

let it auto authorise the DHCP server (on another machine)

ensure that the RIS machines only has 1 NIC, any more it fails

install the XP 1st image on it and then away it goes

[Geoff]

But if I have two scopes then won't there be problems of machines not knowing which one to get an IP from?

 

Machines booting from PXE/RIS have the right client ID for the RIS scope. Everything else doesn't.

[ajbritton]

Couple of points..

 

1 - Is your RIS server multi-homed? If so, RIS must be authorised on all adapters

 

2 - Is DHCP Server installed (but inactive) on the RIS server? (check services list or add/remove programs, Windows components). If so, RIS will never work. If DHCP server service is on the RIS server, then it MUST be the active DHCP server also. If this is the case, you can try stopping and disabling the DHCP server service (a reboot might also help convince RIS that DHCP is no longer there). If that doesn't do it, remove the DHCP server component.

 

3 - I've installed RIS on dozens of sites and I've never had to mess about with the DHCP options. I'm not saying it's necessarily a bad idea, but it should not be necessary to get RIS working.

 

4 - Don't give up. It's worth the effort in the long run. When you do get it working check our AutoRIS (try a goggle search or look on the MSFN unattended site). It's another learnin curve but makes your RIS builds a lot slicker.

[OverWorked]

I had similar problems with RIS after upgrading servers from 2000 to 2003 about a year ago. I found the following worked for me:-

 

1) The RIS server must not be multihomed. I think there's a MS knowledgebase article about it somewhere.

2) The RIS server must also be a DHCP server. It's not enough that there's a DHCP server somewhere else - it has to be the same machine.

3) Make the RIS server your only DHCP server. Disable DHCP on your existing DHCP server.

 

I tried giving my RIS/DHCP server a small range out of my subnet, then excluding this range from my main DHCP server. The problem with this approach is that the RIS/DHCP server fills it range with other clients after while, and can't give out addresses for your RIS clients when you need it to. I gave up with this and made it my only DHCP server.

 

I've never had to do anything with the DHCP scope options. The only ones I have set are 003, 006, 015. I've never touched 60,66,67.

[john]

My DHCP is seperate and works fine with RIS, all I did was authortise my RIS machine as a DHCP server from the Snap In and away it went.

One key thing is 2 network cards = no RIS, bin one or disable it completely or else you won't get RIS to work at all.

[ajbritton]

One key thing is 2 network cards = no RIS, bin one or disable it completely or else you won't get RIS to work at all.

 

Not true. Although Microsoft do not recommend using multi-homed RIS servers, they can work as long as RIS/DHCP is authorised on all networks and all networks have an active DHCP scope. I'm using a 2003 server at the moment with the loopback adapter installed and I'm installing RIS clients on my main network and on the loopback adapter no problem.

[john]

I tried fudging mine and still it failed, its due for a change / revamp in LH server, so we will see. I can manage to manually install my Admin clients ~ 50 machines, only ever 1 or 2 need re-imaging a year, VS academic of ~350

[OverWorked]

2) The RIS server must also be a DHCP server. It's not enough that there's a DHCP server somewhere else - it has to be the same machine.

3) Make the RIS server your only DHCP server. Disable DHCP on your existing DHCP server.

 

Just to update this for info if anyone else's having the same problems:

 

RIS can work if DHCP is on a different server. To get it working this way, the machine running RIS must not be running DHCP, but must still be authorised as a DHCP server (counter-intuitive, I know).

 

After installing RIS, make sure DHCP is uninstalled, then go to your 'proper' DHCP server and make sure your RIS server is authorised as a DHCP server (even though it isn't one).

 

This is what tripped me up for many months.

[tarquel]

You do know this thread is over a year old? lol

 

 

Nath

[OverWorked]

That's how long it's taken me to work this out!

[ajbritton]

It is certainly the case that if that DHCP must be active if installed on a RIS server, which is what I was trying to get at here...