If Configuration Manager PXE logs show PXE::MP_InitializeTransport failed; 0x80004005 and PXE::MP_LookupDevice failed; 0x80070490, the codes alone do not identify the cause. First determine whether the failure is limited to a client, VLAN, or distribution point (DP), then check PXE network forwarding and the matching log evidence before reinstalling PXE.
What these PXE errors mean—and what they do not prove
The paired messages have appeared in SMSPXE.log, along with PXE::MP_ReportStatus failed; 0x80070490 and “Unsuccessful in getting MP key information. 80004005.” Those entries describe failed management-point-related PXE operations, but they do not, by themselves, prove a management point is down, a certificate is faulty, or that a particular ConfigMgr defect is responsible.
A Microsoft Q&A post dated June 28, 2023, reports these errors in a ConfigMgr 2211 environment with hotfix rollup KB16643863. PXE at headquarters worked while remote DPs failed; the question does not document a confirmed fix, so treat it as an example of a failure pattern, not a diagnosis. Read the Q&A report.
PXE depends on several linked stages: the client’s network boot request, DHCP and router forwarding, the PXE-enabled DP and WDS/PXE provider, and subsequent management-point and task-sequence activity. Microsoft’s illustrated flow uses ConfigMgr 2012 R2 CU2 and Windows Server 2012; use it to understand the sequence, not as a version-specific configuration recipe for every current deployment. See Microsoft’s PXE boot flow.
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Diagnose the failure in this order
1. Establish the scope and compare a working DP
Record which clients, network segments, and DPs fail. Ask whether the problem affects one client, one VLAN, one DP, several remote DPs, or the whole site. If a local DP works and remote DPs fail, compare their network routes, site-system settings, and management-point communication with the working setup. That contrast narrows the investigation; it does not establish which component is wrong.
- Test a known-working client and a failing client, if available.
- Compare a failing remote DP with a working DP, including their subnet/VLAN reachability and PXE configuration.
- Note the exact time and client/DP involved so you can correlate the attempt with log entries.
2. Verify DHCP and router forwarding
Microsoft recommends IP Helpers for PXE clients on remote subnets. When the client, DHCP server, ConfigMgr/WDS server, and PXE DP share the same subnet/VLAN, IP Helpers are not required. If those components are on different subnets or VLANs, configure router IP Helpers to forward PXE broadcasts to both DHCP and the WDS/PXE service point.
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Do not use DHCP options 66 and 67 to direct ConfigMgr PXE requests; Microsoft describes them as unsupported or unreliable for this purpose. Option 60 is an exception only when DHCP and WDS share a server. Check both server-level and scope-level DHCP options for conflicting settings. Follow Microsoft’s PXE troubleshooting guidance.
3. Locate the failing stage in the logs
Capture the complete SMSPXE.log sequence around a failed attempt rather than relying on the two error codes in isolation. Use the timestamps and client/DP details to compare the failing attempt with a successful one, if available. Check related DP provisioning or site logs when the sequence points to installation or configuration, and inspect certificate-related entries when the symptoms match a certificate issue.
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For a PXE reinstall, Microsoft identifies Distmgr.log as the log to confirm removal and reinstallation when the DP is on a site server; for a standalone DP, use Smsdpprov.log. These logs help verify that the PXE component was actually removed and installed, rather than assuming a console change completed the operation.
4. Check for the documented certificate symptom set
A Microsoft support article documents a specific issue after updating a PXE DP certificate where PXE password handling fails. In that case, Distmgr.log reports Failed to get the encrypted PXE password; SMSPXE.log includes an expired old certificate and related 80004005/0x80070490 status entries. The article’s workaround starts by temporarily disabling the PXE password and verifying the certificate update. Use that path only when the accompanying certificate and password log evidence is present; the paired codes alone are insufficient. Read the certificate-specific guidance.
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Reinstall PXE only after checking network forwarding
Microsoft places PXE reinstallation after IP Helper verification. Use the documented procedure for your ConfigMgr and Windows Server versions, and confirm removal in the appropriate logs before proceeding to the next stage.
- Disable PXE on the DP and disable WDS as directed by Microsoft’s troubleshooting procedure.
- Confirm PXE removal in
Distmgr.logfor a DP on a site server orSmsdpprov.logfor a standalone DP. Verify WDS removal, then restart the server. - Remove the
RemoteInstallfolder as directed in the procedure. - Enable PXE again and allow the DP to reinstall the PXE components.
- Validate that
RemoteInstalland its expected SMS folders have returned, WDS is running, and the required boot images are distributed to the DP and enabled for PXE. - Check that the boot-image folders are populated. BIOS/legacy UEFI clients may need an x86 boot image even when the environment’s computers are x64.
Do not skip the removal checks or assume that a PXE reinstall fixes a routing or DHCP-forwarding problem. The Microsoft procedure includes the relevant verification details: Troubleshooting PXE boot issues in Configuration Manager.
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Use the evidence to choose the next action
| What you observe | Where to focus | What it establishes |
|---|---|---|
| One client fails, while other clients on the same segment boot | Compare that client’s PXE attempt and relevant log entries with a successful client. | A narrower client-specific pattern; not a diagnosis by itself. |
| Clients on one VLAN fail, while another VLAN works | Check that VLAN’s DHCP scope and router IP Helpers, then compare forwarding with the working VLAN. | A network-segment correlation that warrants checking forwarding and scope settings. |
| Headquarters PXE works, but remote DPs fail | Compare remote DP routing, site-system settings, and management-point communication against the working DP. | A remote-versus-local pattern, like the community report; not proof of an MP outage. |
| Certificate update, PXE password failure, and expired-certificate log entries appear together | Follow the certificate-specific Microsoft procedure and verify the update. | A match to the documented certificate scenario; the paired codes without these symptoms do not match it. |
| Network forwarding is verified, but PXE components or boot images are missing or not enabled | Use Microsoft’s PXE removal/reinstallation procedure and validate WDS, folders, and boot-image distribution. | A component or boot-image configuration issue to address; reinstall only after network checks. |
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