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    Pfsense/Netgate unable to login, Fatal error

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved General pfSense Questions
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    • S
      stormchaser5 @stephenw10
      last edited by stormchaser5

      @stephenw10 I can't log in at all, ssh, web anything. I won't be physically in front of the device for a couple of weeks at least as it in in a datacenter in another state. I will have to console into it I guess.

      It is troubling the device just threw this error and can't be logged in. Unless it was hacked, there is a issue somewhere in the code base. As it worked fine for months, then all the sudden this, with no login, except some occasional low volume OpenVPN sessions. It's in a rack, in a datacenter so power/ac is not an issue.

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      • stephenw10S
        stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
        last edited by

        So you don't even see the login screen?

        If there was no change made on the firewall then I would suspect a drive issue. If the boot drive fails services will fail over time as and when they need to read/write data. Without some sort of access it's hard to say though.

        Steve

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        • S
          stormchaser5 @stephenw10
          last edited by

          @stephenw10 pfsense-dashboard-screen.JPG

          This is what the web page looks like when you go to the external web page (dashboard) to login. Just this string of characters.

          A hardware failure, such as a disk sound plausable. But this XG-7100 is like a year and half old. So seems unlikely and is in a pristine enviroment, power/cooling and very low workload. In a few weeks will probably get to the bottom of it when I get console access. But it's very strange. I am glad it's still working on some level as a gateway.

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          • S
            SteveITS Galactic Empire @stormchaser5
            last edited by

            @stormchaser5 If I was traveling on site I'd bring a USB stick with the install image on it just in case.
            https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/solutions/xg-7100-1u/reinstall-pfsense.html
            And maybe some type of spare/replacement. :-/

            There is also https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/troubleshooting/disk-lifetime.html#emmc

            Pre-2.7.2/23.09: Only install packages for your version, or risk breaking it. Select your branch in System/Update/Update Settings.
            When upgrading, allow 10-15 minutes to restart, or more depending on packages and device speed.
            Upvote ๐Ÿ‘ helpful posts!

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            • S
              stormchaser5 @SteveITS
              last edited by

              @steveits Thanks. It's been over year, since I was imersed in pfsense/netgate when I set this up. So I am going to have to sort through this. Thanks for your help. Working on these things in a loud, cramped data center is not fun.

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              • S
                SteveITS Galactic Empire @stormchaser5
                last edited by

                @stormchaser5 oh gosh yeah. Bring earplugs. Or noise canceling headphones. As with airplanes! Makes a big difference.

                Pre-2.7.2/23.09: Only install packages for your version, or risk breaking it. Select your branch in System/Update/Update Settings.
                When upgrading, allow 10-15 minutes to restart, or more depending on packages and device speed.
                Upvote ๐Ÿ‘ helpful posts!

                S 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • S
                  stormchaser5 @SteveITS
                  last edited by

                  @steveits Do you happen to know what type of disk is in the XG-7100 I should bring as a replacement? I am going to go on the assumption the disk is bad and a reinstall is required. It looks like they don't sell a XG-7100 anymore. So 1:1 swap out is not possible, if it is not the disk.

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                  • S
                    stormchaser5 @SteveITS
                    last edited by

                    @steveits I found the docs.

                    https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/solutions/xg-7100-1u/m-2-sata-installation.html

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                    • R
                      rcoleman-netgate Netgate @stormchaser5
                      last edited by

                      @stormchaser5 m.2 mSATA. Not NVMe.

                      Ryan
                      Repeat, after me: MESH IS THE DEVIL! MESH IS THE DEVIL!
                      Requesting firmware for your Netgate device? https://go.netgate.com
                      Switching: Mikrotik, Netgear, Extreme
                      Wireless: Aruba, Ubiquiti

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                      • stephenw10S
                        stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                        last edited by

                        The 7100 also has on-board eMMC, it may not have shipped with an m.2 SATA drive.
                        But if the eMMC has failed you can always fit an SSD and boot from that.

                        Steve

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                        • S
                          stormchaser5 @stephenw10
                          last edited by

                          @stephenw10 I purchased a Western Digital 500GB WD Red SA500 NAS SSD - SATA III 6 Gb/s, M.2 2280, - WDS500G1R0B and hope to get installed this week.

                          Do you know what the typical filename /extension is for the configuration backup is for pfsense? I am sure I made a backup of it. Just need to search for it on my NAS.

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                          • F
                            FSC830
                            last edited by

                            Typical filename looks like this: config-pfsense.mydomain.biz-20220222183909.xml, where pfsense.mydomain.biz is to replace with the pfSense name followed by FQDN.

                            Regards

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