Network Connectivity - How do I turn the Boot Agent off or prevent it from running?

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How do I turn the Boot Agent off or prevent it from running?

To prevent the Boot Agent from even initializing, you can turn it off completely. The Intel® Boot Agent can be completely turned off by using the IBAUtil.exe DOS utility using the command line IBAUTIL - FD (flashdisable).

Download Intel® Boot Agent including IBAUtil.exe.

Note

These instructions apply to adapters plugged into a PCI, PCI-x, or PCI Express* connection.

With network interfaces built into the main board, Boot Agent is embedded into the computer BIOS and must be configured through the computer BIOS. In these instances, the IBAUTIL utility will not work, and Boot Agent upgrades must be obtained from your system vendor as part of a BIOS upgrade.

Note

IBAUtil.exe requires DOS. IBAUtil does not run in Windows*. If you run IBAUtil under Windows* a command window will launch temporarily and then close. If you run IBAUtil inside of a command prompt in Windows* you will receive an error message:

Intel® Boot Agent Utility
IBAUtil version 4.12.02.24
Copyright © 2002-2008 Intel Corporation
IBAUtil cannot run at the same time as Windows NT.

How Intel® Boot Agent Works
The Intel® Boot Agent is seen by the host computer as a boot device. The BIOS inserts the Boot Agent into the list of boot devices. When the Boot Agent is ahead of any other bootable device in the list, it will execute and attempt to boot the machine.

To prevent the Boot Agent from executing, enter your systems BIOS configuration and find the boot device order settings. Move the boot agent further down the list, preferably after the hard drive or whatever device you prefer to boot from.

Intel® Boot Agent Settings
Intel® Boot Agent will initialize during the system startup, even if it is not the first boot device. During the time the initialization screen is displayed, you can press Control-S to configure the Boot Agent's internal settings.

Intel® Boot Agent is enabled by default on desktop adapters and disabled by default on server adapters. To enable Intel® Boot Agent on server adapters use the IBAUTIL utility with the command line IBAUTIL -FE to enable Intel® Boot Agent.

If you are not booting from the network, disable Intel® Boot Agent to speed up booting your computer.

Operating System:

OS Independent

Solution ID: CS-008018
Date Created: 22-Dec-2003
Last Modified: 04-Nov-2009