5480/7480 (set to UEFI) MDT PXE Boot Loop after BIOS Update

Question

After updating the 5480 BIOS to version 1.5.3 and the 7480 to version 1.5.8 I can no longer successfully image in MDT with the laptops in UEFI mode because the first boot device is not set to 'Windows Boot Manager' after imaging the hard drive. A 'Standard Client Task Sequence' partitions the disk GPT, images the disk with the OS but on the first reboot the first boot device is not 'Windows Boot Manager.' Instead, the first boot device is 'Onboard NIC (IPV4)' and the hard disk with the manufacturer name (UEFI: Sandisk X400) appears as the last boot device. The machine loops back into PXE and attempts to restart a new Task Sequence .This problem only happens if two things are true: 1) MDT is using ADK 1607 or 1703. The problem doesn't happen with ADK 1511.2) The 5480 BIOS is 1.5.3 or newer and the 7480 is 1.5.8 or newer. The problem doesn't happen if the 5480 is version 1.4.3 or the 7480 is version 1.4.6. There are no errors in the MDT logs and they show a normal execution. Looking at the disk in diskpart shows nothing incorrect in the GPT partition table. The problem happens in MDT 2013 Update 2 and MDT 8443 if the ADK is 1607 or newer and the BIOS is set as listed above. Has anyone seen this problem (BIOS 1.5.3/1.5.8 or greater + 1607 or greater ADK)?

larrydellinger · Answer

Hello, We're getting the same issue. If you don't catch it after the first reboot and manually choose the disk to boot to, the image will fail. Very frustrating. Can't automate with this bug.

mlong77 · Answer

I contacted Dell Support and they were able to point me in the right direction. Even though the problem appeared after a BIOS upgrade the issue was in MDT. What solved the problem for me was modifying LTIApply.wsf per the instructions here:

https://serverfault.com/questions/849483/mdt-v-8443-adk-v-1703-boot-order-changed-after-post-install-using-uefi

I changed the line:

TestAndFail RunBCDBootEx( sDestinationDrive & "\windows", " /s " & left(oBootDrive.Drive,2) & " /f UEFI"), 5616, "Verify BCDBootEx"

to:

TestAndFail RunBCDBootEx( sDestinationDrive & "\windows", " /c"), 5616, "Verify BCDBootEx"

and my problem was solved.

DDIAZ031 · Answer

Great find.

I tried updating the script but continue to run into the PC rebooting to the network.

BIOS is set to UEFI - Secure Boot OFF.

F12 only shows NIC as a boot option.

Oddly enough, if i have a USB drive inserted into the PC (a mobile version of your MDT server) it prompts to boot to USB. We let that time out and it then boots to the HDD and completes the image without an issue.

TS is set to partition UEFI GPT

joshlamberth · Answer

Do you see Windows Boot Manager while UEFI mode is enabled under F12? If not, then this might be where your problem is occurring. Windows Boot Manager helps delegate the system to choose which booting device to use. If you don't see either the HDD as an listed option or Windows Boot Manager then you are more likely missing some drivers that allows the HDD to be seen properly when booting into the OS even though it is detected properly in BIOS.

joshlamberth · Answer

My reply was addressing DDIAZ031 reply.

Enterprise Client

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