WDS service will not start in SCCM 2012

I have installed WDS on a SCCM 2012 server (but did not configure it).  Then I enabled PXE on the SCCM DP.  I have also installed MDT 2012 and created 2 custom boot images for x64 and x86 architectures.  Both have PXE check box ticked in the properties and both are uploaded to the DP.  However, the WDS service will not start and there is the following 2 errors in event viewer:

Faulting application name: svchost.exe_WDSServer, version: 6.1.7600.16385, time stamp: 0x4a5bc3c1

Faulting module name: ntdll.dll, version: 6.1.7601.17725, time stamp: 0x4ec4aa8e

Exception code: 0xc0000374

Fault offset: 0x00000000000c40f2

Faulting process id: 0x4b8

Faulting application start time: 0x01cdb36e264fb7ce

Faulting application path: C:\Windows\system32\svchost.exe

Faulting module path: C:\Windows\SYSTEM32\ntdll.dll

Report Id: 79682d7e-1f61-11e2-b2eb-00237d3832cb

Fault bucket , type 0

Event Name: APPCRASH

Response: Not available

Cab Id: 0

Problem signature:

P1: svchost.exe_WDSServer

P2: 6.1.7600.16385

P3: 4a5bc3c1

P4: smspxe.dll

P5: 5.0.7711.0

P6: 4f4306fd

P7: c0000005

P8: 000000000002e9fb

P9:

P10:

Attached files:

These files may be available here:

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\ReportQueue\AppCrash_svchost.exe_WDSS_b9604d8b994a9fbc3e1057476e61a9ab09c4aac_1b9cf3e1

Analysis symbol:

Rechecking for solution: 0

Report Id: ffdb2d82-1f64-11e2-b2eb-00237d3832cb

Report Status: 4

I have successfully been PXE booting machines on the network previously via the default boot images in SCCM.  However, I uploaded a driver to the x64 boot image and since then was not able to PXE boot machines.  This has now led me down a path of uninstalling the PXE role, uninstalling WDS, re-installing WDS and then enabling PXE on the DP.  I have re-installed MDT and added custom MDT boot images.  I managed to PXE boot once before the WDS service started playing up again.  Has anyone got any ideas?  Thanks.

October 26th, 2012 3:03pm

well you don't need to manually install WDS in Configuration Manager 2012 unless you want to force it to place the files on a specific drive, so i'd suggest removing PXE ability on your Distribution Point, then uninstall WDS, reboot, remove any RemoteInstall folder and then reenable the PXE ability on your DP role without having installed or configured WDS, monitor the distrmgr.log file during this,

here's how I set it up for your reference, note that step one will install the Windows Deployment Servicse if it's not already found.

"By clicking on Apply you will add PXE support to the distribution point on the Primary server P01. If windows deployment services are not installed on the primary server then that service will be automatically added to that server as part of this configuration. If you have a primary server with multiple partitions and want the windows deployment services RemoteInstall folder to be on a specific drive then you'll need to manually install it prior to enabling this option.

Tip: Monitor distrmgr.log on the P01 server to review installation of windows deployment services to support PXE boot on the distribution point on P01. See the screenshot below."

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October 31st, 2012 1:00am

I have a similar problem I allowed SCCM to install WDS but service will not start and WDS is not configured at all
April 9th, 2013 11:24pm

I have a similar problem I allowed SCCM to install WDS but service will not start and WDS is not configured at all

My guess is that WDS has a pending reboot.

I suggest that you follow Niall's process. Make sure that when you uninstall WDS, that you reboot the machine and then verify that WDS is indeed completely removed before re-enabling the PXE role.

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April 10th, 2013 8:49pm

I got it working this morning what I had to do was uninstall WDS after removing the PXE option in the DP reboot the server. once the server had restarted I installed and configured WDS then added the PXE option back to the DP. every time I tried to let SCCM install WDS it installed the role but did no configuration and the WDS service refused to start. I know this is not what I was "supposed" to do but it is what I had to do to get WDS to work.
April 10th, 2013 8:55pm

I was fortunate enough to experience this in a DEV environment and hence I started fresh and re-installed ConfigMgr from scratch.  I have not had this issue since.
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August 30th, 2013 7:02am

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