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Troubleshooting netboot.xyz

This guide covers common issues you might encounter when using netboot.xyz and their solutions.

Quick Diagnostic Steps​

Before diving into specific issues, try these basic diagnostic steps:

  1. Verify network connectivity - Ensure the device can access the internet
  2. Check DHCP/PXE configuration - Verify your network supports PXE booting
  3. Test with different bootloaders - Try both UEFI and BIOS versions
  4. Check firewall settings - Ensure ports 53 (DNS), 67/68 (DHCP), and 69 (TFTP) are open

Common Issues by Category​

Boot Issues​

The system doesn't PXE boot at all​

Symptoms:

  • No PXE boot option in BIOS/UEFI
  • "No bootable device found" errors
  • Boot process skips network boot entirely

Solutions:

  1. Enable PXE/Network Boot in BIOS/UEFI:

    - Enter BIOS/UEFI settings (usually F2, F12, Del during boot)
    - Look for "Network Boot", "PXE", or "Boot from LAN" options
    - Enable these options and set network boot as first priority

  2. Check network cable and connection:

    - Use a known-good Ethernet cable
    - Verify link lights are active on network port
    - Try a different network port if available

  3. DHCP Configuration Issues:

    - Ensure DHCP server is running on your network
    - Verify DHCP has available IP addresses
    - Check if DHCP server supports PXE (Options 66/67)

System boots but gets stuck loading netboot.xyz​

Symptoms:

  • PXE boot starts but hangs at "Loading netboot.xyz..."
  • Timeout errors when downloading files
  • Partial menu loading

Solutions:

  1. Network Speed Issues:

    # Try a different netboot.xyz endpoint
    # Instead of boot.netboot.xyz, try:
    # - boot.netboot.xyz (primary)
    # - github.netboot.xyz (GitHub pages backup)

  2. DNS Resolution Problems:

    # Add to DHCP server configuration:
    option domain-name-servers 8.8.8.8, 1.1.1.1;

  3. Firewall Blocking:

    - Allow outbound HTTPS (port 443) traffic
    - Allow DNS resolution (port 53)
    - Check corporate firewall/proxy settings

Symptoms:

  • The netboot.xyz menu displays correctly but keystrokes do nothing
  • You cannot navigate or select menu entries
  • The keyboard works in BIOS/UEFI setup but not in the menu

Solution:

USB NIC drivers in the standard iPXE builds can disable the BIOS USB legacy support that emulates a PS/2 keyboard. Boot the legacy images instead, which omit those drivers and restore keyboard support. See USB Keyboard Issues for the download links and instructions.

Symptoms:

  • netboot.xyz menu appears correctly
  • OS selection fails with download errors
  • "Could not download" messages

Solutions:

  1. Insufficient Memory:

    Minimum Requirements:
    - 1GB RAM for most Linux distributions
    - 2GB RAM for larger distributions (Ubuntu, Fedora)
    - 4GB+ RAM for rescue environments with GUI

  2. Storage Issues:

    - Ensure target disk has sufficient free space
    - Check for disk errors or corruption
    - Verify disk is properly detected by system

  3. Network Bandwidth:

    # For slow connections, try:
    - Use minimal/netinstall versions when available
    - Schedule downloads during off-peak hours
    - Consider self-hosting netboot.xyz for local network

Specific OS fails to boot after download​

Symptoms:

  • Download completes successfully
  • Boot process starts but fails
  • Kernel panic or boot loop

Solutions:

  1. Hardware Compatibility:

    - Check OS hardware requirements
    - Try different kernel versions when available
    - Verify CPU architecture (x86_64 vs ARM64)

  2. UEFI vs BIOS Issues:

    - Try switching between UEFI and Legacy BIOS modes
    - Use appropriate netboot.xyz bootloader for your system
    - Check Secure Boot settings (disable if necessary)

Self-Hosting Issues​

Docker container won't start​

Symptoms:

  • Container exits immediately
  • Port binding errors
  • Permission denied errors

Solutions:

  1. Port Conflicts:

    # Check if ports are already in use
    sudo netstat -tulpn | grep :80
    sudo netstat -tulpn | grep :69

    # Use different ports if needed
    docker run -p 8080:80 -p 6969:69 netbootxyz/netboot.xyz

  2. Permission Issues:

    # Ensure Docker daemon is running
    sudo systemctl status docker

    # Add user to docker group
    sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
    # Then logout and login again

Custom menus not loading​

Symptoms:

  • Default menus work fine
  • Custom menu entries don't appear
  • Custom ISOs fail to boot

Solutions:

  1. File Path Issues:

    # In docker-compose.yml, ensure paths are correct:
    volumes:
      - /local/path/to/assets:/assets
      - /local/path/to/menus:/config/menus

  2. File Permissions:

    # Ensure files are readable by container
    chmod -R 644 /path/to/assets/
    chmod -R 755 /path/to/assets/directories/

Environment-Specific Issues​

Home Network Setup​

Common Issues:

  • Consumer routers don't support PXE by default
  • WiFi networks don't support PXE booting
  • Limited DHCP configuration options

Solutions:

  1. Router Configuration:

    - Look for "PXE Boot Support" in router settings
    - Enable TFTP server if available
    - Set DHCP Option 66 to boot.netboot.xyz
    - Set DHCP Option 67 to netboot.xyz.kpxe

  2. Alternative Approaches:

    - Use USB/ISO images for initial testing
    - Set up a dedicated PXE server (Raspberry Pi)
    - Use netboot.xyz Docker container locally

Enterprise Network​

Common Issues:

  • Network segmentation blocking access
  • Proxy servers interfering
  • Security policies preventing PXE boot

Solutions:

  1. Network Access:

    Required firewall rules:
    - Outbound HTTPS to *.netboot.xyz (port 443)
    - Outbound DNS resolution (port 53)
    - TFTP if using local TFTP server (port 69)

  2. Proxy Configuration:

    # If using HTTP proxy, configure:
    export http_proxy=http://proxy.company.com:8080
    export https_proxy=http://proxy.company.com:8080

Cloud Environments​

AWS/EC2 Issues​

Common Issues:

  • EBS boot volumes not properly configured
  • Security groups blocking network access
  • Instance types without sufficient resources

Solutions:

# Ensure security group allows:
- Inbound SSH (port 22) for management
- Outbound HTTPS (port 443) for downloads
- Inbound HTTP (port 80) if serving local content

VMware/VirtualBox Issues​

Common Issues:

  • Network adapter configuration
  • Insufficient allocated memory
  • Boot order problems

Solutions:

VMware:
- Set network adapter to "Bridged" mode
- Allocate minimum 2GB RAM
- Enable VT-x/AMD-V in VM settings

VirtualBox:
- Use "Bridged Adapter" network setting
- Enable "Cable Connected" option
- Set boot order: Network, then Hard Disk

Getting Additional Help​

If you're still experiencing issues after trying these solutions:

  1. Check the FAQ - Many common questions are answered in our FAQ section
  2. Search GitHub Issues - Check if your issue is already reported: https://github.com/netbootxyz/netboot.xyz/issues
  3. Join Discord - Get community help: https://discord.gg/An6PA2a
  4. Create a detailed issue report with:
    • Your hardware/platform details
    • Network configuration
    • Exact error messages
    • Steps to reproduce the problem

Diagnostic Information Collection​

When asking for help, please include:

# System Information
uname -a
lscpu | head -20
free -h
ip addr show

# Network Configuration
cat /etc/resolv.conf
ip route show

For DHCP/PXE servers:

# DHCP lease information
dhcp-lease-list
cat /var/lib/dhcp/dhcpd.leases | tail -50

# TFTP server status
systemctl status tftpd-hpa
ls -la /srv/tftp/