When you turn on a computer, laptop or virtual machine, you can see the message: Start PXE over IPv4 and, as a rule, the boot does not continue after that – the error can occur when Windows 10 and Windows 11 are installed or on a PC without an OS, that is, the message itself does not is related to which operating system is installed and whether it is installed at all.
This manual explains in detail what Start PXE over IPv4 means and why this message appears, as well as what to do to clear it.
What does Start PXE over IPv4 mean
When you turn on and start the boot, your computer looks for boot files on the drives specified in the BIOS (UEFI) boot parameters, and also, if there is such an item, it tries to boot from the network.
PXE (Preboot Execution Environment) is used to boot a computer or laptop from the network without using local drives for subsequent system deployment, and usually this type of boot is included in the BIOS, although it is located somewhere at the end of the list.
If, for some reason, booting from a hard disk, SSD or bootable flash drive fails (no system on disks, damaged disk or bootloader, the flash drive is recorded under the wrong boot mode), the system tries to perform a network boot and it is at this moment that you see Start PXE over IPv4 on your screen.
What to do to remove Start PXE over IPv4
The steps to remedy the situation are the same as when solving other problems with performing system boot from HDD / SSD or when using a bootable USB flash drive:
- Recheck the boot order in BIOS / UEFI so that the desired device is set as the first boot device on the Boot tab.
- Check if enabling Legacy mode (if UEFI mode is enabled) or UEFI (if Legacy boot is enabled) changes the situation.
- Try disabling Secure Boot .
- If an error occurs when booting from a USB flash drive, use the steps described in the instructions What to do if the BIOS (UEFI) does not see the bootable USB flash drive .
More detailed information on the topic is available in the articles (despite the different titles, the reasons for the errors are the same) No Bootable Device at boot , An operating system wasnt found and Boot failure in Windows 10 – one of the proposed methods should help to understand the problem and solve it.
