RIS client asking for bizarre file

[bakegoodz]

When I try to do a RIS Windows XP install the client says file (untypeable) is corrupt or missing, status 21

I've tried this with about 10 different clients with a variety of network adapters.

I've tried two different CD (factory pressed) for the install files, a Volume and OEM disk.

From the log, these are the files being served:

ntldr

BOOTFONT.BIN

ntdetect.com

j8�^Bj9�^Bj:�^Bj;�^Bj<�^Bj=�^Bj>�^Bj?�q�

I looked at the IP packets and I see that the client actually does a tftp read request for the above bizarre file name, then the server responds cannot find file (obviously)

It is consistently the same error, so it is not some random corruption.

It's running a Intel Gigabit NIC (82572EI) Also using a 8 port Gigabit Netgear unmanaged switch.

Any ideas?

[jim-e]

I have exactly the same issue today, using OEM XP SP3. Wanted to finally get round to playing with RIS and am as confused as you are.

The only thing I've been able to find out about this are your posts in various places

I am running the server side of things on Ubuntu Jaunty x64. I've followed various tutorials regarding Open Source RIS, but always end up with the same weird TFTP file request which obviously fails.

My XP is Spanish but I will try later with English version and even on Ubuntu x32 just to see.

I double checked that the winnt.sif file wasn't unicode so it isn't that.

Can I ask exactly what you are using and if you've made any progress?

[cluberti]

For RIS, what server OS and patch level are we discussing here? The TFTP request is generally made after DHCP provides the server data - I've honestly never seen this before, and most folks seeing this are running a non-Windows RIS server, so hence the ask about the server (knowing there are RIS solutions that are Linux-based).

[jim-e]

RIS-Linux 0.4 on Ubuntu Jaunty x64. I followed this PDF guide here: http://oss.netfarm.it/guides/

PXE / DHCP / TFTP works for other stuff such as GPartedLive, Memcheck, Ubuntu install.

This is my first attempt at doing any PXE stuff with Windows, and I would really like to keep the RIS side on Linux if I can.

I am guessing that the crazy file request is not the actual issue - perhaps something goes wrong before that, or something is not received correctly, and the PXE client side doesn't handle it very well and falls through or something and tries to get this garbage file.

Always the same filename, exactly the same filename as the original poster - before we even get out of the initial TFTP requests and without any attempt to speak to the Python RIS server.

Happens with real machines, happens with VM's too.

Thanks, and I hope you can help.

Edited September 29, 2009 by jim-e

[cluberti]

Right - it seems to be something funky in the TFTP request / response made by the linux server - you can see it in a network trace. I'm guessing there's a bug in the implementation of either the TFTP server or the SAMBA server behind it when attempting to serve the startrom files.