Minlogon, Simple TCP/IP, DHCP

[JojoS]

I have rebuild a config like in the subject from XPe to WES and I
hoped to get it smaller than before (more than 100MB). For this, I
started without network and built a hardware dependend config with
ACPI and USB support and got about 60MB for a working image. Then I
added core networking and the image started growing. I always got the
error that the DHCP client was not getting an IP address and ipconfig
reported 'the interface is unknown'. After searching a lot and adding
a lot of unnecessary components I found the missing thing was the
printer spooler. Why do I need a printer spooler for dhcp? How can I
reduce the footprint for this image?

 

[Mike Warren]

Why do I need a printer spooler for dhcp?

This problem has frustrated me too. I found that the print spooler can
be removed after FBA and DHCP client continues to work.

 

[JojoS]

This problem has frustrated me too. I found that the print spooler can

be removed after FBA and DHCP client continues to work.

thanks, and it was your post that gave me the hint to add the print
spooler. My hope was that WES has cleaned up dependencies, but not in
this case :-(

 

[Dan Rogers]

I have a similar sized image that includes core networking and a DHCP client
and there is no print spooler in my configuration, either explicitly added
or added by dependency checker. I have not used WES yet. Are you saying
that WES is worse in this respect that XPe since WES needs the print spooler
for the DHCP client to work?

DR

 

[Mike Warren]

I have a similar sized image that includes core networking and a DHCP
client and there is no print spooler in my configuration, either
explicitly added or added by dependency checker.

Are you using FP2007 or later?

Is it possible for you to share either the SLD or build log so we can
see what components you used?

I have not used WES
yet. Are you saying that WES is worse in this respect that XPe since
WES needs the print spooler for the DHCP client to work?

That's the only way I could get DHCP client to work on XPe. I'm not
using WES.

 

[Dan Rogers]

Mike,
I am using FP2007. My usual target machines are blade computers in Compact
PCI form factor. My application requires generic IP services and I use
standard Berkeley-like API functions, e.g. socket(), send(), sendto(),
recv(), recvfrom(), etc. So it made sense to me to include components such
as "Basic TCP/IP Networking", "Core Networking" (so I could disable the
Windows firewall), and "DHCP Client." Regardless of the target machine, TD
can always resolve all dependencies but for some machines I find that the
DHCP client does not get an IP address after deployment. After much wasted
time I eventually discovered that this problem is resolved if I add "Client
for Microsoft Networks" but that is not necessary for some of my targets.
After re-checking I see that when I add "Client for Microsoft Networks" the
dependency checker pulls in the "Print Spooler."

I started a thread on this problem (under a different pseudonym) in August
2007 and after review I see that you participated in that thread.
Remarkably, one of the MS guys argued that it was sensible for all
dependencies to be resolved in an image that includes the DHCP client but
for the client not to be able to get an IP address! His position was that
through some inspired insight I should have known that the "TCP/IP
Networking with Client for Microsoft Networks" was needed. It was
interesting to me that after a thorough MSDN search I could not even find a
definition for "Microsoft Networks." Since I had assumed this included
capabilities such as Network Neighborhood it never seemed appropriate or
necessary for my application.

By chance I needed to build for a new target yesterday and I decided to
download and use the eval WES. For this target, a Shuttle xPC "shoebox"
computer, I again found it necessary to add "Client for Microsoft Networks"
in order to make the DHCP client behave.

So in summary, for reasons unknown to me, sometimes the DHCP client does the
right thing for me without "Client for Microsoft Networks" and without
"Print Spooler" but in other cases it does not. If you are still interested
in details of the former let me know through my email at yahoo.com. The
user name spelled backwards is jnhblhr.

DR

 

[Dan Rogers]

I have some information to add to my previous post. I had forgotten that
the reason the DHCP client works for me in some cases is that one of my
board vendors (Kontron) provided me with a component that eliminates the
need for including "Client for Microsoft Networks" and several of its
dependencies including "Print Spooler." The beautiful thing about this
component is that it has a 0 byte footprint thus it saves several megabytes
worth of baggage in the image. Today I used this component in an image for
a completely different device (i.e. not Kontron) and it works fine.

I will ask my contacts at Kontron if they approve of making this component
generally available. If so, I will upload it to XpeFiles. It wouldn't be a
bad idea for MS to look at this component and add something very similar to
the product.

It makes me wonder whether there are other simple methods of eliminating a
lot of dead weight in XPe images. Although I haven't looked closely at this
component, I think it consists of some registry entries, etc.

DR

 

[Mike Warren]

I will ask my contacts at Kontron if they approve of making this
component generally available. If so, I will upload it to XpeFiles.

It would be nice to see what they did and whether it can be adapted to
more general use.

I'm at the point (see my other post) where I contemplating going back to
SP2 and losing all the benefits of the later updates just so I can
build working images again. This is /very/ frustrating. I really miss
Slobodan and Konstantin. :-(