NetBoot new MacBook Pro's

[Jason]

Has anyone had any issues attempting to NetBoot the newer MacBook Pro's with the Touch Strip?

We're seeing that the older models work fine, but the newer models are sitting at the indeterminate progress bar during NetBoot and not making it any further. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't (mostly doesn't). I don't think it's due to the NBI since that's already updated to 10.12.4 and the server is also at 10.12.4. AutoCasperNBI is at the latest version as well as Casper Imaging. We're hunting down the newer Belkin USB-C to Ethernet adapters since they're on back order, so we're currently using a Dell adapter and have tried USB-C Digital A/V adapter plugged into a USB to Ethernet adapter. We're thinking these adapters could be causing the issue, but not certain. The new MacBook Pros' do get an IP address if we boot to recovery mode, and we can also see the BOOTPD events in Console (although those events don't give a ton of detail, so not sure if there is a way to turn on Verbose logging for NetBoot)

[RobertHammen]

Do the Dell adapters require drivers? I would be most suspicious of them - if you can confirm other adapters work or don't work... there may be some Google Docs (@adamcodega? listing adapters and netbootability...

[anickless]

I ran into a similar situation with new iMacs and found I had to make an entirely new netboot image, Definitely want to get those Belkin adaptors.

[Field]

Successfully imaged a 2016 Macbook Pro with a touchbar the other day. I'm using the same 10.12.1 NBI that I use for the older Pros but am using the Belkin USB-C to Ethernet adapter so that maybe the problem.

[Jason]

So definitely not adapter related. I got three new Belkin adapters today and tried re-imaging two of the new Macs. Old system net booted in about 5 minutes. New systems are at the 20 minute mark and still at the indeterminate progress bar trying to load it. This is already the second entirely new NetBoot image I've created. First was 10.12.2 and this one is 10.12.4.

[ooshnoo]

We use a netboot image based on OS 10.12.3 and the Anker USB-C to Ethernet adapters. No issues whatsoever.

[Jason]

Wondering if internet connectivity is a difference between those that are not having any issues and us. We have proxy/firewall rules in place.

I've been reading this blog post about issues with the Touch Bar:
http://blog.eriknicolasgomez.com/2016/11/30/the-untouchables-pt-2-offline-touchbar-activation-with-a-purged-disk/

Has anyone tried creating a Configuration for Casper Imaging to implement this "offline" approach? Is everyone who is not seeing any issues "open" to the internet during imaging?

[Jason]

More information from Apple and testing.

Our NetBoot Image was created by taking "Install macOS Sierra.app" (version 10.12.4 build 16E195), then running that through AutoCasperNBI. I also created another NBI by using System Image Utility. Both resulted in the NBI loading the progress bar all the way through, but wouldn't continue booting after that.

Today I tried making a NBI by taking a clean MacBook Pro w/ TouchBar and using System Image Utility to build the NBI off of it's "Macintosh HD" partition. This did end up working successfully.

Apple informed me that building an NBI using the app might not always work, and that building via a capture of a working system is the recommended method on the new Mac's.

Also, Apple is stating NetBoot does require internet access out to Apple to activate the Touch Bar now (for some reason), and there is no "offline" method since the EFI data for the Touch Bar is unit specific, so there is no way to clone it and deploy that data out for an offline image.

Does this line up with what others are seeing?

Thanks

[andrewadkins]

I note that in the NBI created from a MacBookPro13,3 (15-inch touch) using either System Image Utility or AutoDMG/AutoCasperNBI creates files within them that do not address the 2016 Mac line. The files, /<nbi>/NBImageInfo.plist and /<nbi>/i386/PlatformSupport.plist do not list these models as supported within the arrays NBImageInfo.plist > EnabledSystemIdentifiers or PlatformSupport.plist > SupportedModelProperties or PlatformSupport.plist > SupportedBoardIDs.

While this data can be added (and thanks to pikeralpha who published the board IDs), we can see the nbi option in the Startup Manager, although cannot get the touch bar Macs to netboot. If we use the same NBI on a USB drive, they boot fine.

[bentoms]

@andrewadkins Those values in the NBImageInfo.plist might not behave as you expect.

See this.

[andrewadkins]

@bentoms Indeed, using a CentOS-based Netboot server, they made little difference at all. Turned attention back to network, and found https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207567 to test against.

[andrewadkins]

Ours is almost certainly a network/port/firewall issue. The same NBI that fails to start MacBooks with touch bar via NetBoot are successful when started from USB drives (created using AutoCasperNBI option).

[ClassicII]

Having the same issue.

We can netboot when the netboot server is in the local building. The problem happens when we try to boot to a netboot server offsite or over the WAN. Keep in mind that the 2015 MacBook pro's have no issues with this.

[ClassicII]

After some discussion on MacAdmins chat I rebuild the netboot wth ACNBI using 10.12.5 and now I can netboot with the belkin gigabit adapter over the WAN with the 2016 MBPro's. Thanks to @bentoms for suggesting trying the .5 release!

[Jason]

@ClassicII When you NetBoot are you using the Install macOS 10.12.5 app to build the NBI and do your mac's have access to these ports?
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207567

Just curious because if the NBI can be built with the new 10.12.5 app without needing those ports open then that'd be great. Right now we're going down the path of having to build the NBI by doing a Target Mode capture and maybe having to open those ports.