NetBoot server appears at boot, not System Prefs

I can see them on 10.11.3 with SIP enabled (default settings), didn't do anything special. Netbooting from 10.11.3, Server 5.0.15.

@dferrara Are you using NetSUS ? Is your server on the same subnet as the clients ?

I am seeing the same as you. It's not an issue in my environment though.

@Josh.Smith Interesting, thanks, I am running Server 4.1.3 and 10.10.5 on the NB server. I wonder if that's it.

@alexm Not using NetSUS, we are on separate VLANs but there's an IP helper so it's never been a problem in the past.

@dferrara I am on the same subnet, so that is another difference.

Fair warning - I heard some people are seeing large issues with Server 5 (heard after I upgraded) so don't upgrade without researching potential issues and testing.

We're running Netboot using Server 5 with no issues. Appears in System Pref and at Startup.

Netboot is on a restricted VLAN with IP Helpers to reach other subnets.

@dferrara SIP only comes into play if NetBoot server is on another VLAN & IPHelpers are not in place.

Are these Macs using a 3rd party Ethernet adaptor?

A bit on the same topic : I had issues with my own product (DiskMaker X, for those who may know it ^^) where disks created using createinstallmedia did appear when pressing Alt at startup but not in System preferences.

Someone found the fix : there needs to be an empty mach_kernel file at the root of the install disk. So it may be a similar issue that somewhere in your Netboot / Netinstall disk the mach_kernel file is missing.

What you just need to do then is create an empty file (i.e using touch mach_kernel to create the file at the root of your Netinstall disk (or maybe outside of it ?) to have the disk appear.

im experiencing the same problem, netboot mac mini server is on the same vlan as the client machine and creating the mach_kernel file on the netboot image has not helped :(

Any other ideas i could try?

Funny this post should come about, as I too have seen this issue in 10.11.3 / Server 5.0.15.

But in my case, this only seems true for machines that are using a thunderbolt to ethernet adapter (newer laptops). They will see the Netboot server using the Option key, just not in System Prefs.

Machines that are using their internal NIC, on the other hand, do not seem to have issue seeing the Netboot server in the System Prefs or using the Option key.

Bookmarking this thread.

@rrouleau I just checked and I can confirm the same as you.

Mac with built-in ethernet - shows up in sys prefs fine.
Mac with Thunderbolt-Ethernet - does not show in sys prefs.
Shows up on both at "Option key" boot.

I am running NetSUS 4.0 on a separate VLAN to the client Macs.

My findings....

Apple USB Ethernet adaptor & tried Apple Thunderbolt to Ethernet Adaptor
Machine on same vlan
outcome=not showing in Startup Disk Preference Pane but can netboot holding down N or option key
Server=Mac Mini server on same vlan
NetBoot=tried image made from System image Utility and AutoCasperNBI on 10.10.5 & 10.11.3 server

Thanks all.

@bentoms It's happening with third-party and Apple. Right now I'm rebuilding my NetBoot set with AutoDMG and AutoCasperNBI. I realized it's on 10.11.2.

I also had a system with 10.11.0 which broke as soon as I went to 10.11.3.

I noticed the same issue...
There's a way round this if you desperately need to boot from the Netboot server and you can't 'see it'
Start in safe mode, run the following:
sudo bless --netboot --nextonly --server bsdp://<ip address of the netboot server>

reboot...

:-)

Good tip, thanks @kerouak.

The main annoyance here for me is imaging test VMs with VM Fusion. If my host Mac doesn't see the NB set, the VM doesn't see it in bridged networking.

@kerouak thanks for the tip i will give it a go

Ive checked with our Networks and they say we have ip helpers in place even though they are on the same vlan.

My problem is my test physical machines are remote so if i image to 10.11.3 i cannot reimage them remotely and have to annoy someone in the office keep getting them to netboot.

Is there anyway to run the bless command remotely?

Apple are really annoying for doing this.

The thing is, A NETSUS appliance should enable netbooting across VLANS.

I had this issue, I just 'bounced' the Linux box, Then re enabled netboot on the Appliance and all good..

The terminal trick kept us going and is good in an 'Emergency' i.e , when a memeber of staff wants their mac 'yesterday' .. :-)
G'Luck

Hint:

developer.apple.com

Seeing this on Thunderbolt or USB Ethernet adapters, but not built-ins, such as on iMacs, in 10.11.3.

It's probably not your NetBoot images, so my advice is its probably not worth rebuilding them if they are working for everything else you need (i.e. you can see them and boot to them in older versions of the OS X Startup Disk Preference Pane, Startup Manager, etc). I'm not seeing any NetBoot images in my environment, including generic OS X NetInstallers that have been working all along that haven't been touched.

@tkimpton Hey fella. What NetSUS version?

Hi I'm not using NetSUS

I'm using Mac Mini servers. Still no go and works fine with machines on 10.10 and lower.

@ClassicII - The only way we are seeing our netboot servers, for machines currently using 10.11.3 and using thunderbolt to ethernet adapters, is using the Option Key at startup.

Looking forward to 10.11.4!

@ClassicII This is great news! Thanks!

From my testing it's appears to be a TB-Ethernet issue and 10.11.3. Running NetSUS 4.0.0. Haven't tried with 10.11.4. Thats going to come to late for us as we are rolling 10.11.3 for all machines on the network in the coming weeks.....

I'm running NetSUS 3 with 10.9.5 clients and can't see the server in the prefs pane. It is accessible when option booting. I just switched from a 10.6 netboot server which appeared in the prefs pane without hitch. What could be causing this?