Windows iSCSI Target Software

[misty]

The following page focuses on SANBOOT - more specifically installing and then booting a Windows OS from an iSCSI Target running on a Windows Host OS - http://mistyprojects.co.uk/documents/iscsi-targets/

List of Windows Operating Systems that I was able to SANBOOT - http://mistyprojects.co.uk/documents/isc...ported.htm

VirtualBox test environment - http://mistyprojects.co.uk/documents/isc...s/vbox.htm

iPXE was used in testing. EFI SANBOOT is not widely supported by Windows Target Software.

misty

[ax2401]

Yes, I test it two month ago, the result is same as yours.

I researched it for tow days and two nights, at last , I fixed it.
I had make some workarounds to solve this issue, but I don't know whether it's applicable for you, because when I do the test, I use WinTarget( windows server 2012) as iscsi target, not ISCSI Console.

You can retry with the follow binaries( compiled with workarounds):

BIOS: http://sym.ax2401.com:9999/ipxe.pxe
UEFI: http://sym.ax2401.com:9999/ipxe.efi


Whether it works or not, please feedback , So I can decide if I need to make a pull request from github to IPXE.

[misty]

(2019-06-09 14:20)ax2401 Wrote:  I had make some workarounds to solve this issue, but I don't know whether it's applicable for you, because when I do the test, I use WinTarget( windows server 2012) as iscsi target, not ISCSI Console.

I do not have a Windows Server 2012 system to test this on at the moment. I installed Microsoft iSCSI Software Target 3.3 (an older verison of WinTarget) and tested the ipxe.efi binary file that you linked to (http://sym.ax2401.com:9999/ipxe.efi). Using an Initiator with UEFI Firmware the system still failed at Stage 2 of the Windows installation - crashing the Target and no activity visible on the Initiator system. This appeared identical to the test I carried out myself with a binary I compiled in May of this year.

Misty

[ax2401]

(2019-06-09 20:31)misty Wrote:  

(2019-06-09 14:20)ax2401 Wrote:  I had make some workarounds to solve this issue, but I don't know whether it's applicable for you, because when I do the test, I use WinTarget( windows server 2012) as iscsi target, not ISCSI Console.

I do not have a Windows Server 2012 system to test this on at the moment. I installed Microsoft iSCSI Software Target 3.3 (an older verison of WinTarget) and tested the ipxe.efi binary file that you linked to (http://sym.ax2401.com:9999/ipxe.efi). Using an Initiator with UEFI Firmware the system still failed at Stage 2 of the Windows installation - crashing the Target and no activity visible on the Initiator system. This appeared identical to the test I carried out myself with a binary I compiled in May of this year.

Misty

It's a bad news, but the good things is your issue is the same as which I meet two month ago. (carshing the target when booting windows.)

I had update the ipex.efi a minute ago , please try again:
http://sym.ax2401.com:9999/ipxe.efi

Because I had made lots of changes to the source in the last two month, it's a little complex to show every changes to you, so please test it again and tell me the result.

If it still not work, I will make a diff with the origin ipxe source and send to you , so you can research it by yourself.

[misty]

(2019-06-09 21:41)ax2401 Wrote:  It's a bad news, but the good things is your issue is the same as which I meet two month ago. (carshing the target when booting windows.)

This is an issue when using Microsoft iSCSI Software Target 3.3 with an Initiator System with UEFI Firmware, however other software Targets (including StarWind (versions 4 / 5.2 / 5.8 / 6.0) and iSCSI Console) work. This leads me to speculate that the issue is the Target rather than iPXE.

(2019-06-09 21:41)ax2401 Wrote:  ...I had update the ipex.efi a minute ago , please try again:
http://sym.ax2401.com:9999/ipxe.efi

Because I had made lots of changes to the source in the last two month, it's a little complex to show every changes to you, so please test it again and tell me the result...

Retested using the new ipxe.efi. Same issue. Also installed Windows Server 2012 R2 and tried again using the native iSCSI Target that ships with this version of Windows. I ended up with an ntoskrnl.exe error.

(2019-06-09 21:41)ax2401 Wrote:  ...If it still not work, I will make a diff with the origin ipxe source and send to you , so you can research it by yourself.

Thank you for your kind offer. Unfortunately your efforts would be wasted as I do not have the technical knowledge required to pursue this.

Thanks you for trying to help.

Misty

[NiKiZe]

(2019-06-09 14:20)ax2401 Wrote:  Yes, I test it two month ago, the result is same as yours.

I researched it for tow days and two nights, at last , I fixed it.
I had make some workarounds to solve this issue, but I don't know whether it's applicable for you, because when I do the test, I use WinTarget( windows server 2012) as iscsi target, not ISCSI Console.

You can retry with the follow binaries( compiled with workarounds):

BIOS: http://sym.ax2401.com:9999/ipxe.pxe
UEFI: http://sym.ax2401.com:9999/ipxe.efi


Whether it works or not, please feedback , So I can decide if I need to make a pull request from github to IPXE.

I strongly discourage running binaries built by someone else. Also please remember that iPXE is GPL, so if you provide a (modified) binary you are also reguired to provide source on request
I know your intentions is good, I would still recommend that you make the source available, might be good to send patches to the mailinglist, see http://ipxe.org/admin for preferred ways.

[ax2401]

(2019-06-10 19:40)NiKiZe Wrote:  

(2019-06-09 14:20)ax2401 Wrote:  Yes, I test it two month ago, the result is same as yours.

I researched it for tow days and two nights, at last , I fixed it.
I had make some workarounds to solve this issue, but I don't know whether it's applicable for you, because when I do the test, I use WinTarget( windows server 2012) as iscsi target, not ISCSI Console.

You can retry with the follow binaries( compiled with workarounds):

BIOS: http://sym.ax2401.com:9999/ipxe.pxe
UEFI: http://sym.ax2401.com:9999/ipxe.efi


Whether it works or not, please feedback , So I can decide if I need to make a pull request from github to IPXE.

I strongly discourage running binaries built by someone else. Also please remember that iPXE is GPL, so if you provide a (modified) binary you are also reguired to provide source on request
I know your intentions is good, I would still recommend that you make the source available, might be good to send patches to the mailinglist, see http://ipxe.org/admin for preferred ways.

Source will be available soon (I'm in holiday now).

(Binary deleted)