| TCPDUMP(1) | General Commands Manual | TCPDUMP(1) |
Run ipconfig to see if the device has a valid IP address. If it shows 0.0.0.0 or no adapter, you are missing in your boot image.
If you don't see an IP address, or the adapter is missing, you are missing the correct NIC driver. If you see an IP address of
Once you resolve exit code 14, adopt these practices to prevent recurrence:
user wants a long article about the SCCM error "unable to download pxe variable file. exit code 14". I need to provide comprehensive troubleshooting steps and causes. I'll follow the search plan outlined in the hint. The plan has three rounds. I'll start with Round One. search results have provided several relevant pages. To gather comprehensive information, I will open the most promising ones. This includes result 0 from the first search, result 0 from the second search, result 1 from the second search, result 0 from the third search, result 1 from the third search, result 2 from the third search, result 3 from the third search, result 1 from the fourth search, result 0 from the fifth search, result 1 from the fifth search, result 3 from the fifth search, and result 0 from the sixth search. search results have provided a good amount of information. Now I need to proceed to Round Two and Round Three as outlined in the search plan. However, given the content I have already gathered, I might have enough to write a comprehensive article. I will continue to search for additional information to ensure completeness. have gathered sufficient information from various sources. Now I need to synthesize this into a comprehensive article. The article will cover the following sections: understanding the error, common causes, troubleshooting steps (including client-side checks, driver issues, network configuration, server-side distribution point troubleshooting, and PXE role repair), advanced resolutions, and a conclusion. I will cite the relevant sources. Now I will write the article. "Unable to download PXE variable file. Exit code=14" error in SCCM OSD is usually a strong signal of missing network drivers. Despite the generic nature of the "Exit Code 14," this issue is typically well-contained and follows specific patterns. unable to download pxe variable file. exit code 14 sccm
Restart the machine, enter the BIOS, and ensure the date and time are correct. If the clock is off by more than 5 minutes, the MP will reject the request, resulting in Exit Code 14. 2. Verify Management Point (MP) Health
If you are seeing the error with Exit Code 14 in your SMSTS.log , your Task Sequence is failing before it even really begins. This error specifically indicates that the SCCM client cannot retrieve the variables.dat file from the Management Point (MP). What Causes Exit Code 14?
From the WinPE command prompt, run:
If this issue only happens on specific VLANs or remote sites, the physical network architecture might be dropping the traffic.
If ipconfig shows no network adapters, or if running diskpart followed by list disk shows no local drives, WinPE is missing crucial hardware drivers.
This is the solution in over 80% of reported cases. Run ipconfig to see if the device has a valid IP address
| Symptom | Most Likely Cause | Suggested Solution | |---|---|---| | New hardware model not working | Missing NIC drivers | Add correct drivers to boot image (Solution 1) | | Works on some DPs but not others | Corrupted PXE role on specific DP | Repair PXE role on affected DP (Solution 2) | | Intermittent failures on same hardware | Network issue (IP release, switch config) | Check IP helpers, enable PortFast (Solution 5) | | All deployments failing after DP upgrade | DP disk space or corruption | Clean up DP space, rebuild PXE role (Solution 4 + 2) | | Computer already exists in SCCM | Known device with no TS advertised | Delete computer record (Solution 6) | | Nothing else works | Corrupted boot image | Create fresh boot image (Solution 7) |
Expand > Default Web Site and ensure the CCM_POST and SMS_MP virtual directories are running.
| 21 December 2020 |