In an environment where PXE boot deployments work for most machines but one (or a range) refuses to pick up the task sequence advertisement, the problem is typically one of these:
Checklist:
- Verify the machine's MAC address or SMBIOS GUID is in the MECM (formerly SCCM) database (import it if needed)
- Check that the task sequence deployment targets the correct collection and the machine is a member
- Ensure the deployment is set to "Available" or "Required" for PXE (not media-only)
- Right-click the Distribution Point → Properties → PXE tab → confirm "Allow this distribution point to respond to incoming PXE requests" is checked
- Check the SMSPXE.log on the DP for errors
The fix that resolves most cases: Delete the machine's record from MECM (formerly SCCM), then re-import it. Stale records with mismatched hardware identifiers are the most common cause of PXE advertisement failures.
Modern equivalent: In Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager (MECM/Current Branch), the same principles apply. Additionally, consider using Autopilot + Intune for new deployments where possible — it eliminates PXE dependency entirely by leveraging cloud-based provisioning.