Boot tab
Applies To: Windows Server 2008
You can configure the default boot program and default boot images on a per-architecture basis by using the Boot tab.
Default boot program
Default boot image
Default boot program
You can set the default boot program settings to define how the PXE client interacts with the Windows Deployment Services server for each architecture. The following table describes the available boot programs.
| NBP | Description | Architecture/BIOS |
|---|---|---|
PXEboot.com |
Requires the end user to press the F12 key for PXE boot to continue. (This is the default NBP.) |
x86-based and x64-based BIOS (same file used for both) |
PXEboot.n12 |
Immediately begins PXE boot (does not require pressing F12 on the client). |
x86-based and x64-based BIOS (same file used for both) |
AbortPXE.com |
Allows the device to immediately begin booting by using the next boot device specified in the BIOS. This allows for devices that should not be booting by using PXE to immediately begin their secondary boot process without waiting for a timeout. |
x86-based and x64-based BIOS (same file used for both) |
Hdlscom1.com and Hdlscom2.com |
Systems that do not support firmware console redirection display the prompt "Press space or F12 for network boot" by using console redirection to serial port 1 or 2. Users can proceed with the boot process by pressing space or F12, or they can exit the boot process by not pressing either button. |
x86-based and x64-based BIOS (same file used for both) |
Hdlscom1.n12 and Hdlscom2.n12 |
Systems that support firmware console redirection do not display the prompt "Press space or F12 for network boot," and they do not wait for user input. |
x86-based and x64-based BIOS (same file used for both) |
Bootmgfw.efi |
The EFI version of PXEboot.com or PXEboot.n12 (in EFI, the choice of whether or not to PXE boot is handled within the EFI shell and not by the NBP). Bootmgfw.efi is equivalent to combining the functionality in PXEboot.com, PXEboot.n12, abortpxe.com, and bootmgr.exe. This currently exists only for x64-based and Itanium-based architectures. |
x64-based and Itanium-based EFI |
Wdsnbp.com |
A special NBP developed for use by Windows Deployment Services that serve the following general purposes:
|
x86-based and x64-based BIOS (same file used for both) |
Default boot image
You can use this option to specify a default image per architecture and per server. You may want to do this so that x64-based client computers always receive x64-based system images, or if you include architecture specific tools in your image.
Additional considerations
- To change these options, you must be a member of the Account Operators group or the domain administrators group, or you must have been delegated the appropriate user rights.