Clarification on using USB stick during installation to restore backup.

MrPete

I have restored many times, with config.xml in the USB root folder. That seems easiest ;)

On full install of 2.6, the USB image includes both a Unix filesystem, and a Windows (FATxx) filesystem labeled pfSense.

By placing config.xml in the latter, it auto-configured during install.

NRgia

@mrpete said in Clarification on using USB stick during installation to restore backup.:

@jeremyjvogel @chrcoluk

I have restored many times, with config.xml in the USB root folder. That seems easiest ;)

On full install of 2.6, the USB image includes both a Unix filesystem, and a Windows (FATxx) filesystem labeled pfSense.

By placing config.xml in the latter, it auto-configured during install.

It did not work for me. I placed the config.xml file in the root folder of the FAT partition and in /conf/config.xml

What did work for me though is using two USB sticks. One on which is pfSense Image file, and another formated as FAT32 with the config file in the following path: /conf/config.xml. This works during install all the time.

So I think that we have an issue for sure.

The same happens on 2.7.0-development also.

SteveITS

I also just ran into this yesterday and intended on posting so thanks for surfacing this thread. I wrote a 3100 image to USB and created \conf\config.xml on the FATRECOV partition. (there was also another partition but Windows says it is unrecognized and offers to format it).

The recover from existing installation didn't work either. "Choose Recover config.xml when the option appears" did not appear that I saw so the installer just overwrite the drive. (which had a valid config file but the OS was broken from a failed upgrade). At what point does that appear? (https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/solutions/sg-3100/reinstall-pfsense.html, "run recovery," choose the (only) eMMC disk, and it finishes)

Luckily I had a recent config file on the USB and had made another copy as well. I hadn't put in a second USB but just restored afterwards. Fortunately I had already disconnected the LAN cable for the office.

NRgia

@steveits
I do not have any Netgate hardware, so I cannot test, maybe it's different. I also saw this issue a while back, but I forgot to report it. Maybe if the developers see more comments from us, someone will investigate. At least to let us know if this is a defect or not.

jimp

@steveits said in Clarification on using USB stick during installation to restore backup.:

The recover from existing installation didn't work either. "Choose Recover config.xml when the option appears" did not appear that I saw so the installer just overwrite the drive. (which had a valid config file but the OS was broken from a failed upgrade). At what point does that appear? (https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/solutions/sg-3100/reinstall-pfsense.html, "run recovery," choose the (only) eMMC disk, and it finishes)

The ARM recovery images are not an "installer" in the same way that works for amd64 systems. The ARM recovery images lack config.xml recovery features as they use a completely different mechanism to get the OS onto the target disk.

The ECL method still works there, however, you need to leave the USB drive with the FAT partition plugged in while it boots off its internal disk: https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/backup/restore-during-install.html#restore-using-the-external-configuration-locator-ecl

NRgia

@jimp said in Clarification on using USB stick during installation to restore backup.:

@steveits said in Clarification on using USB stick during installation to restore backup.:

The recover from existing installation didn't work either. "Choose Recover config.xml when the option appears" did not appear that I saw so the installer just overwrite the drive. (which had a valid config file but the OS was broken from a failed upgrade). At what point does that appear? (https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/solutions/sg-3100/reinstall-pfsense.html, "run recovery," choose the (only) eMMC disk, and it finishes)

The ARM recovery images are not an "installer" in the same way that works for amd64 systems. The ARM recovery images lack config.xml recovery features as they use a completely different mechanism to get the OS onto the target disk.

The ECL method still works there, however, you need to leave the USB drive with the FAT partition plugged in while it boots off its internal disk: https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/backup/restore-during-install.html#restore-using-the-external-configuration-locator-ecl

For AMD64 USB memstick images it should work? Or only for ISO images only. Right now in my example it's ignoring the config.xml if it's on the same drive. It works only if the config.xml it's on another separate USB drive.

jimp

@nrgia It should work from the extra FAT partition on the amd64 installer memstick (VGA, serial, or ADI). The ISO is for optical media or VMs and doesn't have a FAT partition.

NRgia

@jimp said in Clarification on using USB stick during installation to restore backup.:

@nrgia It should work from the extra FAT partition on the amd64 installer memstick (VGA, serial, or ADI). The ISO is for optical media or VMs and doesn't have a FAT partition.

Ok, then it's ignoring the config.xml from the extra FAT partition. I tried it yesterday with pfSense 2.7.0 memstick image.

SteveITS

@jimp said in Clarification on using USB stick during installation to restore backup.:

ARM recovery images lack config.xml recovery features

Ah, that explains not seeing the option. Netgate might add a note to that section saying it doesn't apply to ARM. In my case I had backups so it wasn't a big deal, but it sounds like if one has SSH access it's best to grab the config file contents before reinstall.

ECL method still works there, however, you need to leave the USB drive with the FAT partition plugged in while it boots off its internal disk

Hmm, that sounds awfully similar to the "during install" process:

Boot the install media (Memstick, disc, etc)
Install to the target disk
Reboot the firewall
Remove the USB drive only AFTER the firewall has begun to reboot

So I did leave the stick in place. However this last bullet makes it sound like it does need a second USB stick:

Remove the install media as well at this point

NRgia

@chrcoluk said in Clarification on using USB stick during installation to restore backup.:

Hi

So changed storage in my home pfSense, and I made config backup before I started, made install usb stick using img with rufus, this had a visible fat32 partition with the efi folder inside it.

I made a conf folder and placed the backup config in there named config.xml.

I proceeded to install pfSense with this usb stick as the installer, and on first bootup could see it didnt restore the config.

Documentation here.

https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/backup/restore-during-install.html

I then noticed further down it says you can also restore during any bootup, but using a config folder instead of conf, this one did actually work.

So is it possible its a typo for the during install and should be config for that as well? or did I hit another problem?

From the OP's signature I see that he has a Qotom Q355G4 with an Intel I5. His steps refers to Amd64 boxes, and he refers that he cannot restore the config during the install process, as it's described in the documentation. I followed the same steps, and I confirm that it's not working. So either the code needs to be changed or the documentation.

SteveITS

@chrcoluk said in Clarification on using USB stick during installation to restore backup.:

using a config folder instead of conf

Ah, I read right over that. That would explain why the ECL method didn't work for me, and the "during install" with the /conf directory doesn't work on ARM.

jimp

Do not use Rufus, use Etcher. The EFI partition is NOT the FAT partition used to read config.xml.

The correct FAT partition would be labeled PFSENSE and it would contain LICENSE.txt and README.txt.

I just wrote out a 2.6.0 memstick with Etcher and it had the correct partition present.

jimp

@steveits said in Clarification on using USB stick during installation to restore backup.:

@jimp said in Clarification on using USB stick during installation to restore backup.:

ARM recovery images lack config.xml recovery features

ECL method still works there, however, you need to leave the USB drive with the FAT partition plugged in while it boots off its internal disk

Hmm, that sounds awfully similar to the "during install" process:

Boot the install media (Memstick, disc, etc)

Install to the target disk

Reboot the firewall

Remove the USB drive only AFTER the firewall has begun to reboot

ECL runs on every boot, not just install. It also has slightly different naming requirements, which are outlined in the doc I linked.

So I did leave the stick in place. However this last bullet makes it sound like it does need a second USB stick:

Remove the install media as well at this point

It works both ways during install, it checks every FAT partition it can find.

NRgia

@jimp said in Clarification on using USB stick during installation to restore backup.:

Do not use Rufus, use Etcher. The EFI partition is NOT the FAT partition used to read config.xml.

The correct FAT partition would be labeled PFSENSE and it would contain LICENSE.txt and README.txt.

I just wrote out a 2.6.0 memstick with Etcher and it had the correct partition present.

Indeed I used Rufus, and it created another FAT partition containing what you said. I will try again with Etcher. At least nobody will do that mistake again. I will confirm later. Thanks

jimp

Another possible sticking point is after you write the USB drive you may have to remove it from the system and plug it back in before it sees all of the partitions.

NRgia

@jimp said in Clarification on using USB stick during installation to restore backup.:

Another possible sticking point is after you write the USB drive you may have to remove it from the system and plug it back in before it sees all of the partitions.

If you where responding to me I don't understand what you meant. After the FAT partition is also created, I copy the config.xml file to that partition. So if I can copy something to it, it sees it. Also from the boot manager I can see 2 partitions, and I can choose either of them. Normally it only from one of them. But the information is there. I will try with Etcher instead.

jimp

On some operating systems it won't refresh the disk partitions after writing, depending on how it was written. Unplug the USB drive and plug it back in and you will know for certain it's re-reading the partition table properly. You might think you are seeing the right one, but the list may not be complete.

NRgia

@jimp said in Clarification on using USB stick during installation to restore backup.:

On some operating systems it won't refresh the disk partitions after writing, depending on how it was written. Unplug the USB drive and plug it back in and you will know for certain it's re-reading the partition table properly. You might think you are seeing the right one, but the list may not be complete.

Ok, just tried it.

OS: Manjaro Linux (previously Win 10)
Flashing tool: balenaEtcher v.1.7.7 (previously Rufus)

I unmounted and remounted the USB stick.
Created a conf directory where I copied the config.xml
Booted the pfSense box from USB installation media.
Installed pfSense.
Selected Reboot at the end of the installation.
During POST I removed the installation media, otherwise we have the ECL case.

Actual: No configuration has been restored, and pfSense asks me to reconfigure the Networks, define which interface is WAN, LAN, the user/password is set to default.

Expected:
The user configuration from /conf/config.xml should be restored during installation phase.

MrPete

@nrgia said in Clarification on using USB stick during installation to restore backup.:

Ok, just tried it.
...
6) During POST I removed the installation media, otherwise we have the ECL case.

Actual: No configuration has been restored, and pfSense asks me to reconfigure the Networks, define which interface is WAN, LAN, the user/password is set to default.

Expected:
The user configuration from /conf/config.xml should be restored during installation phase.

So, this IS a point of at least confusion or uncertainty.

@jimp QUESTION: are we SURE that autoconfig-during-install is NOT at all dependent on the ECL process?

Here's how I do my installs:

Set system to boot from internal drive if possible
Do a one-time boot from install USB (or if not available, wipe the internal boot drive)
Do the USB install
Leave USB stick in for at least the first reboot.

Even the ECL process link shared by @jimp says "If this is the first boot post-installation, then this process also triggers reinstallation of packages listed in the restored configuration."

I suspect pfSense does NOT self-reconfigure based on reading config.xml during the install-time boot, but instead during the next boot. But I'm not certain of that.

SteveITS

@mrpete Do you copy the config file to both /conf/config.xml and /config/config.xml? The two procedures use different locations.