topic Re: Cortex XDR client preventing Windows boot in Cortex XDR Discussions

Cortex XDR client preventing Windows boot

pasmartin — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 06:32:36 GMT

Our organization has started using Azure AD and Intune for managing PCs, and the enrollment include the deployment of Cortex XDR client. So far, we've had no issues during our (slow but surely) transition.

But last week I encountered a strange problem where we got the new Dell Precision 5560 for a new employee.

Login with credentials - successfully enroll to Intune, and everything is seemingly fine entering Desktop. Initiate Windows update and a reboot is required. Then when booting and loading Windows, the Dell logo is the last thing we see followed by pitch black screen, and Automatic Repair is kicked off after a few cycles.

Safe Boot works, indicating that something is wrong with either drivers, updates or applications.

Few hours spent later, I manage to evade the boot problems, and the reason is that I've disabled Cortex XDR client to be automatically installed. At some point, I also tried a manual install which had the same results.

Has anyone encountered similar issues?
As mentioned, this has worked without problems until now, and the last PC I enrolled was a Precision 5550.
Could there be an issue with the new components of the P5560 and its drivers, or is it just a coincidence?

Thanks!

Re: Cortex XDR client preventing Windows boot

malalade — Fri, 13 Aug 2021 21:25:48 GMT

We would recommend you open a technical support case and work with our TAC engineer - https://support.paloaltonetworks.com/

Re: Cortex XDR client preventing Windows boot

JJohnson29 — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 03:15:21 GMT

This exact thing is happening to me. I can boot into safe mode but not in normal mode. Worked fine until I restarted after cortex is installed. AAD joined precision 5560.

Did they find a resolution for you?

Re: Cortex XDR client preventing Windows boot

pasmartin — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 07:15:26 GMT

No, never got as far as creating a ticket as I was swamped with other stuff, and since this PC was not to be used before september (luckily), it was not prioritized until a week or two after I wrote the post. A new version of XDR was available (7.4.0 if I'm not mistaken), and that did not trigger the issues.

The version that seemed to be the cause for me was 7.2.2.
Which version are you running?

Re: Cortex XDR client preventing Windows boot

JJohnson29 — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 17:02:57 GMT

I have installed 7.3.2.26319 and have had troubles uninstalling it to try the newer 7.5. It sounds like the newer version of Cortex XDR may be the resolution.

Re: Cortex XDR client preventing Windows boot

pasmartin — Mon, 13 Sep 2021 10:39:40 GMT

Yeah - feel free to report your results if you manage to get v7.5 installed - nice to know whether I got lucky, or if it's something with 7.2.* / 7.3.* versions that is causing this behavior.

Re: Cortex XDR client preventing Windows boot

crmflo1919 — Tue, 05 Oct 2021 13:58:59 GMT

I had the same issue with our new Dell Latitude 5521 laptops. I was installing version 7.3.1. Issue persisted on 7.3.2. We then switched to Cortex XDR 7.5.0 and the PCs appears to be stable now.