Acronis Boot Loader No Configuration File Present

The Acronis console installation also acts as a PXE boot server; images live on networked storage, target machine is set to boot to PXE, console takes it over and deploys image from storage to target. Even to dissimilar hardware (up to a point). On the same LAN/subnet, that is. It's still looking for the 'ACRONIS LOADER:NO CONFIGURATION FILE PRESENT PRESS TO REBOOT'. I can get it to run by presing the F10 to enter the boot selection and selecting P0 (drive). Seems to me that Acronis is punishing me for attempting to install more than I was allocated. I have lost complete faith in them at this point.

PXE boot errors and solutions

Introduction

PXE (Preboot eXecution Environment) is a way to load a computer by means of network.

The boot process consists of several stages:

The PXE client sends a DHCP DISCOVER with the PXE options filled in.
The DHCP server responds with a DHCP OFFER with TCP/IP parameters.
The PXE client replies with a DHCP REQUEST
The DHCP server responds with a DHCP ACK.
If the DHCP server is also the PXE server, the DHCP ACK usually has the TFTP server name and boot file name. If the PXE server is a different system, there is a separate exchange of requests and replies between the PXE server and the PXE client following the initial DHCP process
Loader jumps to loaded image and execution started.

You can observe the booting process by capturing data transfer, e.g. with WireShark. Open Wireshark on machine with Acronis PXE and start capturing (optionally you can set to capture only UDP packets).

BIOS broadcasts DHCPDISCOVER over the network (255.255.255.255) with PXE specific options included: MAC address of the current network controller, IP address of the machine (always 0.0.0.0)

As you can see, boot agent requested DHCP lease and client's mac address is 00:50:56:ae:00:18. If there is no DHCP broadcast detected on server - please check that broadcast is enabled in firewall and on switch/router hardware. Ports 68 and 67 also should be opened.

Successful DHCP offer is on the picture. You can see that IP address, Next server (PXE server) and image file name is provided. Please note, that successful DHCP Offer not always goes after request. Check all DHCP offers until you find the successful one, where all field are filled in. For example on this screenshot only the third offer is OK:

After client received IP address of PXE server and filename, it has to download it in order to run. It starts from read request as shown on the screenshot:

The download process initialized via TFTP (Trivial File Transfer Protocol). Typical file transfer process is shown on the following pictures:

Troubleshooting

Prerequisites

In order to boot from network, the network card should have corresponding boot ROM (Read Only Memory). Please refer to manufacturer's to find out if your NIC support it.
Set up machines to boot from PXE.
Make sure ports 67 and 68 are open. See Using telnet to Test Open Ports.

Errors

PXE-E53: No boot filename received

Collect wireshark in order to check that all PXE options are complete during PXE loading.

If you use RIS/WDS server with Acronis components uploaded:

Check logs at C:Program FilesMicrosoft Configuration ManagerLogsPXEsetup.log to verify that the role is installed successfully.
Update the PXE distribution points for the boot images now that the new role is installed.

PXE-E32: TFTP open timeout

If you use Acronis PXE Server:

Check that PXE server is turned on.
When the PXE service is running on a different machine than the DHCP or BOOTP service, you need to add option 066 (next-server) to the DHCP/BOOTP server configuration and set this option's value to the IP address or hostname of the TFTP server. When option 066 (next-server) is not defined, the PXE client assumes that the TFTP service is running on the same machine from which it received its DHCP/BOOTP configuration information.

If you use RIS/WDS server with Acronis components uploaded:
For Windows 2008R2 and higher: set HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESystemCurrentControlSetServicesWDSServerParameters to 0 and reboot
For Windows 2008: In the navigation pane of the Windows Deployment Services MMC snap-in, expand the list of servers. Right-click the server for Windows Deployment Services, and then click Properties. Under Network, increase the UDP Port range. For example, if the current port range is 3,000 ports, increase the port range to 4,000 ports

Acronis Boot Loader No Configuration File Present

PXE-E38: TFTP cannot open connection
Check your firewall settings, router

PXE-E39: TFTP cannot read from connection
Check your firewall settings, router

Invalid boot file received
If you are using WDS with Acronis components uploaded, please refer to this Microsoft KB.

Collecting information

If the steps above did not resolve the issue, please collect the following information and contact Acronis Customer Central:

Problem description and screenshot of the error message.
System report from the machine with Acronis PXE server installed and from the Agent machines. See Collecting System Information or AcronisInfo Utility.
Description of the network infrastructure.

About “Failed to find OS Loader”

The following information on this error has been compiled by NeoSmart Technologies, based on the information gathered and reported by our global network of engineers, developers, and technicians or partner organizations.

Synopsis

The error “Boot manager failed to find OS loader” is displayed when Startup Repair fails to correct problems with a non-booting PC.

In particular, this message indicates that Startup Repair was unable to find the correct BOOTMGR bootloader at the expected location(s). While the usual fix for a missing bootloader is to run Startup Repair, in this case, Startup Repair is unable to correct the problem for one or more reasons.

Symptom 1: Startup repair fails with message “Boot manager failed to find OS loader”

When attempting to use the automated repair feature of Startup Repair, it attempts to repair your PC but fails. Clicking to view the contents of Startup Repair’s “Diagnosis and repair details” reveals the error to be “Boot manager failed to find OS loader” with one or more failed repair attempts. Example message:

The full text:

Causes of this Error

This error has been known to occur as a result of one or more of the following:

Cause 1: Corrupt boot volume

Corruption of the boot partition on a Windows PC can cause this error to present.

The filesystem on the boot partition can become corrupted as a result of an unsafe shutdown, sudden power loss, unsafe removal of local and/or external drives, or physical damage to your computer’s hard disk, amongst others. Play nitro type hacked speed.

Corruption of the boot partition is known to occur on both NTFS and FAT32 partitions.

Cause 2: Bootloader was deleted

Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 use the new BOOTMGR bootloader.

On Windows Vista, BOOTMGR is found in the root partition of your Windows installation drive (normally drive C:).

On Windows 7 and above, BOOTMGR is typically located on a separate 100 MiB NTFS partition created at the beginning of your drive during setup. This file can be deleted due to a failed Windows Automatic Update installation, a failed attempt at upgrading the OS, or by viruses and other malware.

Cause 3: Hard disk was removed

If your computer had more than one hard disk, and you have removed or replaced one or more of these disks, this error can occur.

If the disk that was removed or replaced was the first boot device in the BIOS, the boot files would have been installed to this drive, even if Windows was on a different physical disk.

It’s important to be sure that the boot files have been moved to a different drive before replacing a boot disk in your PC.

Fix Cannot find OS Loader on Windows

Fix #1: Use Easy Recovery Essentials

Easy Recovery Essentials is guaranteed to fix the “Failed to find OS Loader” error automatically using its built-in Automated Repair option. EasyRE is currently available for Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8 and can be downloaded and created on any PC.

Download Easy Recovery Essentials. Make sure to note your Windows version (XP, Vista, 7 or 8) before you download EasyRE. This guide can help you identify what version of Windows you have installed.
Burn the image. Follow these instructions on how to burn the bootable ISO image very carefully, as making a bootable CD can be tricky! Alternatively, these instructions explain how to create a bootable EasyRE recovery USB stick/drive.
Boot up your PC from the Easy Recovery Essentials CD or USB you created.
Once EasyRE is running, choose the “Automated Repair” option and click Continue.
Choose “Automated Repair” in Easy Recovery Essentials
After EasyRE scans your computer’s drives, identify and select the drive letter for your Windows installation from the list, and then click on the Automated Repair button to begin.
Choose the drive associated with the Windows installation you’re trying to repair.
Easy Recovery Essentials will start analyzing the selected drive for problems. EasyRE will test for and attempt to automatically correct errors with the disk, partition, bootsector, filesystem, bootloader, and registry. No intervention is required, as EasyRE’s repair is fully automated:
Easy Recovery Essentials searches for errors and makes corrections to the selected Windows installation.
Once the process is complete, EasyRE will report its findings. Click on the Restart button to reboot your PC and test the changes.
The “Failed to find OS Loader” error should now be fixed as your PC begins to load:

You can download Easy Recovery Essentials from here.

Fix #2: Use the System File Checker

Windows Setup CD/DVD Required!
Some of the solutions below require the use of the Microsoft Windows setup CD or DVD. If your PC did not come with a Windows installation disc or if you no longer have your Windows setup media, you can use Easy Recovery Essentials for Windows instead. EasyRE will automatically find and fix many problems, and can also be used to solve this problem with the directions below.

Windows ships with a tool called sfc, which stands for the System File Checker. More information about how sfc operates and when to use it can be found in our knowledgebase. The following steps will launch the command line option from Startup Repair on the Windows setup disc and use the system file checker to attempt a repair of your PC.

Insert your Windows installation DVD into your PC’s CD-ROM drive,
Fully power down your PC, and make sure it has fully shut off,
Power up your PC,
Press any key when you see “Press any key to boot from CD or DVD.”
Click the link titled “Repair your computer” in the bottom-lefthand corner, after first selecting your language and keyboard options.
Wait for Startup Repair to scan your PC for Windows installations, then select your install from the list it shows:
Choose “Command Prompt” from the list of available recovery options to begin:

Once the command prompt is launched, enter the following to use the System File Checker to check your installation for corrupted, invalid, or deleted system files. If the previous page showed that your Windows installation has a drive letter other than C:, make sure to use that below!

Once sfc has completed its scan, it will report its results like below:

Fix #3: Manually rebuild the BCD, MBR, and bootsector

Problems booting up Windows can often be traced back to errors in the bootloader installation or configuration. Rebuilding your PC’s master boot record (MBR), partition bootsectors, and boot configuration data (BCD) can fix various problems with the BOOTMGR bootloader.