Updating the PXE

If you are installing the adapter in an x86 system, and you plan to use Preboot Execution Environment (PXE) functionality, you might need to update the Converged Network Adapter PXE under the BIOS and UEFI environments. This section provides the following PXE information:

• PXE Operating Systems

• Package Files

• System Configuration

• Updating the FCode

PXE Operating Systems

Supported operating systems for the BIOS PXE installation include:

• Windows Server 2008 R2 including SP1 64-bit

• SLES 11 SP2 64-bit

• RH 5.9 and 6.4 64-bit

• Oracle's Sun JumpStart PXE server

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  Note - When installing an operating system from the PXE Server, ensure that the selected OS supports the Converged Network Adapter relative to the BIOS or the UEFI environment. Also ensure that the adapter supporting NIC and Fibre Channel drivers is loaded on the PXE Server.

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Package Files

The MultiFlash image package contains the following BIOS files:

• x8xyyyyy.bin—Combined binary file, which includes the binaries for the firmware, PXE, FCode, UEFI, and BIOS.

• readme.txt—Package and configuration information.

• release.txt—Reference the separate PXE (BIOS) and EFI PXE (EFI) release notes.

• update.bat—DOS batch file that calls the executable files to update the adapter PXE in the BIOS environment.

• FlasUtil.exe—Utility to update multi-boot code and firmware.

• VPD.exe—Utility to update the adapter's Vital Product Data.

System Configuration

This section provides information regarding the BIOS PXE feature contained in the 10Gb multi-boot package. PXE boot code is already included in the boot code image, x8xyyyyy.bin.

QLogic Banner During POST

When the server powers on, two QLogic PXE banners per adapter appear, similar to the following example:

QLogic PCI 3.O PXE V1.xx 
    Copyright (c) 2009-2010 QLogic Corporation
    Port1 MAC=00 18 8B FF EE F9 
    PXE boot is disabled. Press <Ctrl-T> to enable within 5 sec......

When PXE boot is enabled on an adapter port, the next system reboot shows the following PXE banner on the modified port:

QLogic PCI 3.O PXE V1.xx 
    Copyright (c) 2009-2010 QLogic Corporation
    Port2 MAC=00 18 8B FF EE FB
    PXE boot is enabled. Press <Ctrl-T> to disable within 5 sec......

Enable QLogic PXE

The following shows the response when the PXE is enabled after pressing the Ctrl-T key sequence.

QLogic PCI 3.O PXE V1.xx 
    Copyright (c) 2009-2010 QLogic Corporation
    Port1 MAC=00 18 8B FF EE F9 
    PXE boot is disabled. Press <Ctrl-T> to enable within 5 sec......
    <Ctrl-T> was pressed and PXE boot is enabled.

The following shows the response when the PXE is disabled after pressing the Ctrl-T key sequence.

QLogic PCI 3.O PXE V1.xx 
    Copyright (c) 2009-2010 QLogic Corporation
    Port2 MAC=00 18 8B FF EE FB
    PXE boot is enabled. Press <Ctrl-T> to disable within 5 sec......
    <Ctrl-T> was pressed and PXE boot is disabled.

After the operating system is selected, QLogic PXE bootprom automatically detects the boot server and starts the OS installation. For example:

  Linux Boot Server:
  boot: (enter to continue)

NT Boot Server

The following shows the NT boot server response:

... Downloaded WDSNNBD.. Architecture: x64
  Contacting Server: xx.xx.xx.xx
  TFTP Download: Boot\x64\preboot.com
  Press F12 for Network Service Boot.

PXE Errors

The following error might occur if the QLogic PXE detects that the link is down:

PXE NICStartUp:  Link is down

The following error might occur if the QLogic PXE does not detect a boot server:

QLogic UNI vx.xx PXE-x.x (Build xxxx)
  Copyright (c) 2009-2010 QLogic Corporation
  Client MAC Addr: xx xx xx xx xx xx GUID ....
  PXE-E51: No DHCP or Proxy DHCP offers were received.
  PXE-M0F: Exit QLogic PXE ROM.
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