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tftp download failed

I am using windows 2008 R2 with the windows deployment service. for most computers I am able to pxe boot and image them without any trouble but for some I get the error "tftp download failed" during the pxe boot stage. I don't understand why this happens or how to trouble shoot the error. the current computer I am fighting with is a fujitsu T5010. I have 10 identical laptops all purchased at the same time with concurrent serial numbers and only one of them is giving me this issue.
any ideas on why or how to trouble shoot this would be great

Thanks

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Matt V

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mattolan

ASKER

the laptop appears goes through the dhcp process then stops waiting for the user to hit F12 as required by out server as soon as I hit F12 I get the tftp download failed error

Matt V

What are you using for a dhcp server? You should be able to see a lease on the server with the mac address of the laptop if it is getting an address. Mac is usually printed on the bottom of the laptop somewhere.

Also, do you get link when you plug the network cable into the laptop?

mattolan

ASKER

my dhcp server is a server 2008 box,
yes the laptop is getting an address and its registered with the dhcp server

Matt V

Is there any kind of security on the tftp server, something like a MAC address table of who is allowed to download what?

Maybe a MAC to filename mapping with a typo?

mattolan

ASKER

the only security I have enabled is the need for a user to hit F12 on the client

Matt V

So they all download the exact same image then? No customisation based on MAC?

mattolan

ASKER

correct. they all use the same image that is a captured image made from one of these machines

Feroz Ahmed

Hi,

TFTP is nothing but Trivial File Transfer Protocol ,with the help of tftp one can copy startup configuration or running configuration to tftp from server and viceversa .

mattolan

ASKER

I am assuming there is some weird hardware problem with this computer, and am going to build it the hard manual way.

bountycyclops

The solution for 'this' problem is rather an easy one but painful to figure out.
I have had this issue many times when deploying to a batch of brand new laptops.

1 - Record the MAC address of the client
2 - Open your DHCP server and find the entry, take note of the IP then delete the entry.
3 - Set a temporary reservation for that IP to ensure the client receives a new IP.
4 - Network boot the laptop and it will obtain a new IP address and work fine!
5 - Delete the temp reservation.