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DFATAnt
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Enabling Network (PXE) boot as default when creating a new guest in VI3

I am using Microsoft ADS to deploy my windows servers. Can anyone tell me if it is possible to set the 1st boot option on a guest to network boot. The guest will boot of PXE on the first boot, but after that the network boot options gets set to the last option.

I would like to be able to do this through a script (as I am working on a script to create the guest server).

I need to have the default boot set to network boot as ADS needs the guest to PXE boot every time it boots as a method of control.

Thanks

Ant

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Paul_Lalonde
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When booting the VM, press F2 at the VMware BIOS POST screen. From here, you can go in and configure your boot device order.

This gets saved in an NVRAM file, which you can copy to your other VM directories.

Paul

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Paul_Lalonde
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When booting the VM, press F2 at the VMware BIOS POST screen. From here, you can go in and configure your boot device order.

This gets saved in an NVRAM file, which you can copy to your other VM directories.

Paul

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TomHowarth
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good tip, this will also be usefull for Altris houses.

Tom Howarth VCP / VCAP / vExpert
VMware Communities User Moderator
Blog: http://www.planetvm.net
Contributing author on VMware vSphere and Virtual Infrastructure Security: Securing ESX and the Virtual Environment
Contributing author on VCP VMware Certified Professional on VSphere 4 Study Guide: Exam VCP-410
acr
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On the last two installs ive done the customers had RIS servers and every guest booted straight to a RIS Install..

What this actually did though was change the default Boot of the VM to Remote Boot..??

So when we powered off the VM and put the CD's either in our Workstations or the ESX Server the VM wouldn't boot to the CD.

Using F2 we were able to set to which ever boot we need, although the timing of pressing F2 can be a bit tricky..??

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Jae_Ellers
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F2 will enter bios setup or ESC will pick up the boot device selection. However, sometimes both are hard to hit on a busy VC client. I've seen connecting to the ESX host directly with the client make it easier to hit the buttons. However, the act of starting the VM on a moderate DRS will cause it to move out from under you and then you have to track it down.

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DFATAnt
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Thanks Paul.

I knew about the F2 option, but the copying of the NVRAM file is a good tip. It's certainly something that will be easy to do as part of the scripted install.

I will try this next week when I get back in the office and let you know how it goes.

Ant

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DFATAnt
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Thanks Paul. Copying the NVRAM file did the trick.

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