Diskless Workstations Cannot Find BOOTP Server with DHCP

Last reviewed: March 4, 1998
Article ID: Q175035

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0

SYMPTOMS

Your diskless workstations (or other devices) that use Dynamic Host Control Protocol (DHCP) to obtain IP address information and BOOTP file and server information fail to connect to the Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) server.

CAUSE

Your Microsoft Windows NT DHCP server is not sending the boot file name in the DHCPACK frame to the DHCP client.

RESOLUTION

Obtain the following fix or wait for the next Windows NT service pack.

This fix should have the following time stamp:

   08/25/97  06:00 PM               117,008 Dhcpssvc.dll (Intel)
   08/25/97  05:59 PM               185,616 Dhcpssvc.dll (Alpha)

NOTE: Service Pack 3 must be applied to Windows NT 4.0 prior to applying this fix.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 4.0. A supported fix is now available, but has not been fully regression tested and should be applied only to systems experiencing this specific problem. Unless you are severely impacted by this specific problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next Service Pack that contains this fix. Contact Microsoft Technical Support for more information.

MORE INFORMATION

For your Microsoft Windows NT DHCP server to supply boot file and boot server information to a DHCP client, the DHCP options 66 and 67 must be used. If you are using BOOTP, then configure the BOOTP tab in DHCP Administrator, not the DHCP options.

For additional information, please see the following article(s) in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q174765
   TITLE     : How to Configure Microsoft DHCP Server for BOOTP Clients

In Microsoft's DHCP Server implementation, DHCP option 66 TFTP Server Name will be used to fill the SIADDR field in the DHCP header. Please note that option 66 is not being used to fill the sname field in the DHCP header. Option 66 can be configured as an IP address or a fully-qualified domain name. If a fully qualified domain name (FQDN) is used, the DHCP Server will resolve the name to an IP address before sending it to the client in the DHCP Offer and ACK. SIADDR is the address of a TFTP server that is the next server to be used in the bootstrap process. DHCP option 67 Bootfile Name will fill the file field of the DHCP header in a DHCPOffer. File is the name of the boot file that will be downloaded from the TFTP Server. Microsoft does not provide a TFTP server.

For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q142373
   TITLE     : TFTP Server Not Included With Windows NT

Keywords          : kbbug4.00 kbfix4.00 ntnetserv NTSrv nttcp kbnetwork
Version           : WinNT:4.0
Platform          : winnt
Hardware          : ALPHA x86
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

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Last reviewed: March 4, 1998
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