pxe booting stopped working

[skg]

Hi

2 months ago network booting used to work. I tried it recently with virtualbox 4.3.22 and the machines that were configured to network boot no longer try to even find a dhcp server. In the console I see the message 'FATAL: could not read from boot medium. System halted.' It is not even trying to use the internal network to find the dhcp server that tells it where to find the boot image. The only thing that's changed is I've upgraded vbox.

[michaln]

Why did you upgrade to a version that's already outdated and has known bugs with PXE booting? See changelog ( https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Changelog ) for 4.3.24.

[skg]

Because when I click 'check for updates' it says 'you are already running the latest version'. Therefore there is no reason for me to assume that there is anything later than the version 4.3.22 that I am running.

Thanks for pointing out that there is a later version than 4.3.22 (since 'check for updates' still thinks that 4.3.22 is the latest) available and that the PXE booting bug was is a legitimate regression.

[michaln]

OK, now I'm interested. You're using VirtualBox (downloaded from Oracle) on a Windows host, currently 4.3 28(?), and if you check for updates, you're told that 4.3.22 is the latest version?

If so, that is definitely not the expected behavior...

[mpack]

Hmm. Michal is taking a lot on faith here. Me, I'm a suspicious sort and would prefer to see a VM log: right click VM in GUI, select "Show Log", save "VBox.log" (only) to a file, zip file and attach here. Make sure the VM is shut down before you collect the log.

[skg]

Hmm. Michal is taking a lot on faith here. Me, I'm a suspicious sort and would prefer to see a VM log: right click VM in GUI, select "Show Log", save "VBox.log" (only) to a file, zip file and attach here. Make sure the VM is shut down before you collect the log.

No problem. I would be suspicious if in your position. I'll try and get a log.

[skg]

This is the log from Virtualbox 4.3.22 showing the machine failing to pxe boot.

[skg]

Hmm. Michal is taking a lot on faith here. Me, I'm a suspicious sort and would prefer to see a VM log: right click VM in GUI, select "Show Log", save "VBox.log" (only) to a file, zip file and attach here. Make sure the VM is shut down before you collect the log.

No problem. I would be suspicious if in your position. I'll try and get a log.

Also note I've already upgraded to 4.3.28. I can downgrade and try and reproduce the 'check for updates' failure and attach a screenshot but I don't have time to do it now.

[skg]

OK, now I'm interested. You're using VirtualBox (downloaded from Oracle) on a Windows host, currently 4.3 28(?), and if you check for updates, you're told that 4.3.22 is the latest version?

If so, that is definitely not the expected behavior...

Yes. Version 4.3.22 was telling me it (4.3.22) was the latest version. I have subsequently upgraded to 4.3.28.

[skg]

Hmm. Michal is taking a lot on faith here. Me, I'm a suspicious sort and would prefer to see a VM log: right click VM in GUI, select "Show Log", save "VBox.log" (only) to a file, zip file and attach here. Make sure the VM is shut down before you collect the log.

No problem. I would be suspicious if in your position. I'll try and get a log.

Also note I've already upgraded to 4.3.28. I can downgrade and try and reproduce the 'check for updates' failure and attach a screenshot but I don't have time to do it now.

[noteirak]

I guess that would convince even the most sceptic ones!