Error : PXE Boot aborted. Booting to the next device

Sometimes, while trying to boot from PXE server, you might get this error:

Downloaded WDSNBP

Architecture: x64

The details below show the information relating to the PXE boot request for this computer. Please provide these details to your Windows Deployment Services Administrator so that this request can be approved.

Pending Request ID: 45

Contacting Server: 192.168.3.1.
TFTP Download: smsboot\x64\abortpxe.com

PXE Boot aborted. Booting to next device...

To fix this there are two methods: for known computers and unknown computers.

1 Known Computers

If it is an already existing computer that is being reimaged, then you need to 'clear the last PXE advertisement'.

Right click on the Collection and select Clear last PXE advertisement.

After some time, you will find that this method no longer works. Then you can use the below method.

1      Find out the name of the computer you are trying to image. (If you don’t know the name, then try searching by the Mac address). Go to your OS distribution collection.

2      Open the collection properties.

3      Then, create a new direct membership rule. On the Search for the resources page, give Resource class as System Resource, then give the name of the computer.

4      On the select resources page, you will find that there are two entries (the second one is the new one you are imaging). Select both, and them.

5      That’s it. Now SCCM will see your computer and the process will start.

Sometimes, you need to restart the WDS service to make the change effective J

This will work for Known computers.

2 Unknown Computers

For Unknown computers (bare metal), create a new Task sequence advertisement, and point it to the All Unknown Computers collection (this is a built in collection, new in 2007 R2).

Again, restart the WDS Service.

Note: For any troubleshooting, you should check the smspxe.log. It is present at <Local DP>\c$\sms_scc\logs\smspxe.log.