Back to Contents Page

Broadcom Boot Agent Driver Software: Broadcom 440X 10/100 Integrated Controller User Guide

Overview

Client Setup

Server Setup


Overview

The Broadcom 440X 10/100 Integrated Controller supports Preboot eXecution Environment (PXE). PXE is a software module that allows your networked computer to boot with the images provided by remote servers across the network. The Broadcom PXE driver complies with the PXE 2.1 specification and is released with both monolithic and split binary images. This provides flexibility to users on different environments where the motherboard may or may not have built-in base code.

PXE operates in a client/server environment. A network consists of one or more boot servers that provide boot images to multiple computers through the network. Broadcom PXE implementation has been tested successfully in the following environments:


Setting up the Client

  1. Select and program the proper PXE image.
  2. Enable/disable the PXE driver with the Broadcom DOS utility that is provided.
  3. Set up the BIOS for the boot order.

Selecting/Programming the Proper PXE Image

PXE is released with three different images:

b44pxe.lom. This is a monolithic image that consists of both PXE base-code (BC) and UNDI code. This image should be used on the adapter where the motherboard does not have a built-in BC. However, an adapter programmed with this image is still operational in the motherboard's BIOS with built-in BC. The BC on the adapter is not used.

b44undi.lom. This is an UNDI image that consists of UNDI code only (split implementation). This module should be programmed on the adapter where the motherboard's BIOS has built-in BC.

basecode.lom. This is a BC image that consists of BC code only (split implementation). This module should be programmed on the motherboard's BIOS.

The PXE image can be programmed to the adapter serial EEPROM or the motherboard BIOS LAN on Motherboard (LOM). For LOM, the PXE image has to be integrated into the OEM BIOS. For the adapter, the PXE image is programmed into the EEPROM during the manufacturing process.

Boot Method

By default, PXE detects if the BIOS supports BBS (BIOS Boot Specification). If the BIOS supports BBS, then PXE uses BBS as the boot method.

PXE Speed

By default, PXE is set to auto-negotiate.

Setup BIOS

To boot from the network with PXE, make PXE the first bootable device under BIOS. This procedure depends on server BIOS implementation. Refer to the server user manual for information.


Setting up the Server

Windows 2000

The current version of Windows 2000 does not include a network driver for the Broadcom 440X 10/100 Integrated Controller. To do remote installation with PXE, include a network driver for the Broadcom 440X 10/100 Integrated Controller as a part of the client installation image on the server. Refer to Microsoft Knowledge Base Article - 246184, "How to Add Third-Party OEM Network Adapters to RIS Installations." See also Troubleshooting for details.

DOS UNDI/APITEST

To boot in DOS and connect to a network for the DOS environment, download the Intel® PXE PDK from the Intel website. This PXE PDK comes with a TFTP/ProxyDHCP/Boot server. The PXE PDK can be downloaded from Intel by going to http://www.intel.com/support/network/adapter/pro100/bootagent/30619.htm and searching on PXE PDK.

Red Hat Linux

Red Hat® Linux® 8.0 (or later) distribution has PXE server support. It allows users to do a complete Linux installation over the network. Similarly, Red Hat 8.0 is also distributed with boot images—boot kernel (vmlinux) and initial ram disk (initrd). These images are on the Red Hat CD disk#1:

/images/pxeboot/vmlinux

/images/pxeboot/initrd.img

The initrd.img file distributed with Red Hat 8.0 does not have a Linux network driver for the Broadcom 440X 10/100 Integrated Controller. This version requires a driver disk for drivers that are not part of the standard distribution. You can create a driver disk for the Broadcom 440X 10/100 Integrated Controller from the image distributed with the Installation CD. Refer to Red Hat documentation for how to install PXE server on Linux.

In this version, it prompts you to insert a driver disk for drivers that are not part of the standard distribution. You can create a driver disk for the Broadcom 440X 10/100 Integrated Controller from the Red Hat CD-ROM or from the support website. Refer to the Linux Readme.txt file for more information.

A remote boot does not require a standard Linux network driver for the Broadcom 440X 10/100 Integrated Controller. After the PXE client downloads the Linux kernel and initial ram disk, the Linux universal driver that came with the Linux distribution binds with the UNDI code of the PXE to form a Linux network driver.

Windows NT® 4.0 Remoteboot Server

For instructions on setting up the Windows NT 4.0 Remoteboot Server, refer to Remoteboot (Chapter 15) from the Microsoft TechNet website.


Back to Contents Page