I am running SCCM 2007 x64 on a Windows Server 2003 R2 (SP2) server. I am setting up PXE and OSD and have run into the following puzzle. I have configured PXE successfully, and have configured and advertised my x86 and x64 boot images to the DP. I have not created any OS image task sequences (problem listed in another post), but to verify that PXE is working I have created two empty task sequences (no steps in them), called "Test OS Capture" and "Test OS Capture x64". I have added two machines to a test collection and advertised both of these Task Sequences to the collection. I can boot to PXE on these machines and run the empty Task Sequence (with the caveat for #2 below). I have noticed the following two problems: 1. No smspxe.log file is created on the server. The pxecontrol.log is there (shows test PXE results), and there were no errors in the pxesetup.log or pxemsi.log. So even though I am connecting to the server, downloading and running the task sequence, it is not logging this information. I could not tell which component would run this in the console (the PXE Service point uses the pxecontrol.log for logging). 2. The x86 machine does not attempt to load the correct version of Windows PE. It starts out the PXE boot using the x86 architecture and the TFTP loads the x86 version of the files correctly. I then connect to the SCCM server. Instead of loading Windows PE GUI, It instead tries (and fails) to load the x64 Windows PE interface. I get the following error on the screen: "File \Windows\system32\boot\winload.exe Status: 0xc000035a Info; Attempting to load a 64-bit application, however this CPU is not compatible with 64-bit mode" I hit enter to continue, and the only OS to start in the list is the "Microsoft Windows Vista PE (AMD64)". The x64 machine loads the x64 version just fine (as expected). If I remove the x64 package from the distribution point, the x86 version loads just fine. At first I thought the x86 Boot Image object in SCCM was pointing to the wrong Windows PE on the "Data Source" tab, but it is pointing to the correct boot.wim and has the correct Image Index. Thanks for your help!

Ignore #1 - I found the log file. I didn't realize that there was a separate location for sms_ccm log files, so I was looking in the wrong location. Question #2 is still valid and I would appreciate the help

Hi Brandon, I'm not sure if this solves your problem because i don't know the insights of your environment. But perhaps this post helps you to find the problem concerning #2 If you have a collection, and you advertise more than one task sequences to it, i've noticed that the boot image of the last task sequence published is the one that is used. So, if you have a collection with both x86 and x64 members you have to keep in mind that if the last task sequence you posted is one with a x64 boot image, that boot image is valid for that collection. This makes sense in some kind of way because: The boot image used is a property of the task sequence, but untill you have chosen a task sequence SCCM doesn't know which boot image to use. IMHO it should be possible to choose a default boot image for an collection if more are available (feature request ) If i look at the description you are giving, you mention that the x86 WinPE environment is loaded in the first place, but afterwards the x64 gets loaded. That gives me the impression that your last advertised task sequence on the collection the machine is a member of is one with a x86 boot image, but that the task sequence your are running has a x64 boot image configured. With the new WAIK b.t.w. it is possible to start an x86 installation initiated from an x64 boot image. You will have to update your boot images in SCCM first though (see: http://www.techlog.org/archive/2008/03/21/how_to_add_waik_11_boot_images) But: if the server you boot doesn't have the ability to start an x64 OS then the whole idea stops (for example an Virtual Server 2003 VM) Hope this helps, Regards, Kenneth

a) the log is onthe SMS_CCM\logs dir. can you please check and see what image is provided to each machine you are booting, as well as what archiutecture is reported by eash PXE client. b) if you have manyadvertisements, the most recent one will be used to pick the boot image to use to PXE boot. upon UI startup, you will be able to choose which advertisement to run, and might download the most appropriate boot image. so if you mix architectures in your collectios, you might see some issues. please see the logs and send the relevant info, if this does not answer your questions. Marios

Thanks for the info everyone! Further tests agree with both posters that the latest advertisement is the one it grabs, regardless of which boot image it is initially loading. I have created collections for both x32 x64 builds, and they both came up correctly. I really appreciate the speed with which everyone responded. Thanks!

I have the same error as the original poster when PXE booting from my SCCM server (just upgraded to SP1 R2 with Unknown Computer support enabled). I'm able to PXE boot, but after loading WinPE, I receive:Windows failed to start...File: \WINDOWS\system32\boot\winload.exeStatus: 0xc000035aInfo: Attempting to load a 64-bit application, however this CPU is not compatible....Since the "Unknown Computer" contains both a x86 and x64 resource, what's the proper solution? Is it to always make sure that an x86 task sequence is the most recently advertised (cheesy)? How does the client determine which PE to load? Can I duplicate the query used to create the "All Unknown Computers" collection and create a "All Unknown x86 Computers" and "All Unknown x64 Computers" with the respective TS advertised to each?

We fixed this by creating two separate build collections - one for x86 and one for x64 machines. Since the SCCM GUI has issues with multiple task sequences with multiple boot images, this ensures that only a single boot image is available. Since splitting that up, we have had no issues. Hope this helps! Brandon (original poster)

Thanks for the response. I can see how that would work for computers already imported into the SCCM database - assigning the x86 systems to the x86 OSD collection and advertising task sequences that use the x86 boot image - but I don't think that would work for the R2 feature of Unknown Computers, since it's just one collection for both x86 and x64 systems. Is this correct?

We had looked at and decided not to use the R2 Unknown computer support, so we never got far enough to test what you are running into. According to the screenshots and blogs I have seen, it should work the way you have it configured (and the latest advertisement issue shouldn't apply here, as it allows for mandatory automated deployments), but I will admit I am not an expert on the new features. You might want to open a new thread that specifically deals with your issue in R2, since it does seem like you are seeing a different issue (with the same base symptoms). Thanks! Brandon

I am also experiencing the same problem. We have a mix of x86 and x64 Workstationsand I wan't it so the help desk can just press F12 on the workstation and PXE boot and select an OS to deploy. I thought I had it but it was only working for x86 becuase that was the last advertisement added. Shouldn't it automatically assign the correct PE version based on if the processor is x64 or x86 not based on which advertisement you made last. I thought SCCM would work for us for OSD, like I said I just want to be able to PXE boot and select from a list of available images for known and unknown. Doesn't seem to me that SCCM can do this.

I had the exact same problem; I wanted to be able to boot x86 or x64 Unknown Computers and image them. I have figured a very simple and erffective work around to this problem of the last advertised task winning... I edited the query in the Unknown Computers collection to add: and Name LIKE "%x86%" here's the complete query for the "Unknown Computers" collection select SMS_R_UNKNOWNSYSTEM.ResourceID,SMS_R_UNKNOWNSYSTEM.ResourceType,SMS_R_UNKNOWNSYSTEM.Name,SMS_R_UNKNOWNSYSTEM.Name,SMS_R_UNKNOWNSYSTEM.Name from SMS_R_UnknownSystem where Decommissioned = "0" and Name LIKE "%x86%" Then I created a new collection called "Unknown Computers x64" and used the following query: select SMS_R_UNKNOWNSYSTEM.ResourceID,SMS_R_UNKNOWNSYSTEM.ResourceType,SMS_R_UNKNOWNSYSTEM.Name,SMS_R_UNKNOWNSYSTEM.Name,SMS_R_UNKNOWNSYSTEM.Name from SMS_R_UnknownSystem where Decommissioned = "0" and Name LIKE "%x64%" Next, Advertise your x86 Task Sequences to the Unknown Computers query and your x64 Task Sequences to the Unknown Computers x64 query. Now, as long as the computer is not in the SCCM database, when you PXE boot it will get the correct image. Good LuckDoug

I have this same problem - x86 based hardware is booting via x64 boot image. Only way around I could figure, is to unpublish x64 boot ibage from smsimage DP, so that x86 could boot from x86 image. I have x86 and x64 hardware and as well, both TS installations in my enviroment, so is there anything I can do to match x86 computers to boot from x86 and x64 machines to boot from x64?