Brand New SG-2100 bricked after update
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@Gertjan
I carried out exactly the same steps as before with my second unit last night (although this time, after I went through the initial setup wizard I did perform a reboot before running the upgrade to 23.01) and the second unit worked fine with no issues.
After the 23.01 I rebooted again and was able to run the 23.05 update, and this also ran fine.I can only assume it's something faulty with this original unit.
Appreciate what you say regarding the COM port, but I've never had to use it on any appliances in the past (except for when something crashes unexpectedly - usually due to power cuts). For the most part, to perform general updates and configuration etc, everything has always worked fine via the web GUI.
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We are trying to replicate this failure internally now but so far have only been to do so by deliberately overwriting uboot which should obviously never happen.
Digging continues.... -
@stephenw10
I've got another 2 new SG-2100 units in stock which I need to setup and configure for different clients next week, therefore I can repeat the same steps on those ones as well and see how they perform.
I assume at some point you guys will come back on the support ticket with some instructions on how to recover this faulty one out of the state its in currently (not urgent for me right now)? -
@mpcjames said in Brand New SG-2100 bricked after update:
After the 23.01 I rebooted again and was able to run the 23.05 update
That's actually a bit interesting also because it should have offered the current version 23.05 to begin with. Once I upgraded a router which was on a rather old version, it offered the not-latest, and I let it try, and it barfed terribly with it sort of half installing two versions. If pfSense was only offering the prior version I would either:
- go into System/Update/Settings, change to Prior, wait a bit, change to Current, or
- change it to Prior, upgrade to Prior, then afterwards change to Current and upgrade
FWIW we have a bunch of 2100s in service at clients and haven't had a problem updating those over the years.
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@mpcjames said in Brand New SG-2100 bricked after update:
Appreciate what you say regarding the COM port, but I've never had to use it on any appliances in the past (except for when something crashes unexpectedly - usually due to power cuts).
Your past is what ? Last week ? ;)
(I guess I'll make my entire live these make so called null-modem cables - 3 wire connection)COM ports (PC name of the device) or better known as RS232 is a easy simple and ancient communication port, long before even USB was invented.
It's an easy access for .... everything like koffee machine, elevators, etc etc etc. Basically : every device that has a CPU, but no screen keyboard.There is one on a Netgate device, because : what happens when the network driver (NIC) has an issue, and doesn't load ? None of the network work ports would work. No more GUI ! What next ? Return the device ?
Or what about a bad disk/ SSD ? Same thing.With this COM port (the cable will convert to USB, because PCs these days don't have COM ports any more) you have access to the device at 'bios' level, and you can 'do' thing in influence the boot process.
This interface is not optional. If you don't have it, you need it badly.
It's also the other way : if you have it, you don't need it. -
@Gertjan
"Past" being 8+ years running pfsense on APU hardware and/or virtualised systems, and 2+ years running on official Netgate devices. -
Yes, I did think it was odd that it came out of the factory as 22.05.1 and then only offered 23.01 as "available" upgrade.
Both the initial "crashed" unit, and the second unit only offered 23.01. But with the second unit, it then offered 23.05 after the update to 23.01 and a reboot.If I get time later I'll see what this third new unit offers.
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@mpcjames said in Brand New SG-2100 bricked after update:
"Past" being 8+ years running pfsense on APU
You've been somewhat lucky maybe.
I was running pfSense myself on a downscaled Dell server : so the com port wasn't needed as it had a VGA + USB Keyboard. These always work, even when all the NICs are down.A Netgate device doesn't have a VGA chip .... or HDMI/VGA plug, doesn't have a 'screen'.
That's where the com port kicks in. -
23.01 is the version that introduced dynamic repos. Everything before 23.01 has to be upgraded via that in order to get the dynamic repo pkgs and then be able to see later versions.
Yes, when we have a practical solution to this we will come back to you on the ticket.
Steve
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@Gertjan
Yeah, I know what it's for, I've just never needed to really use it.
Fingers crossed this one was just a glitch and I don't have to use it for every install as I do like the GUI. -
An update for anyone else who many encounter this,...
Netgate support suggested (on my ticket) that I RMA the device to the distributor for replacement since it's under warranty (it's only 3 weeks old at this point).
I have been trying to get hold of my UK Distributor (Telappliant) on calls to them on 6th June, 8th June & today 12th June, but all they can tell me is that PFsense products are handled by a different support department and I can't get a response from them. I've got a ticket number, but that's meaning-less.
Anyone have any recommendations for a better UK disty?
Before they were taken over by Telappliant, they were called AmicaTech and their support was excellent (i.e. you could pick up the phone and speak with someone very knowledgeable within a matter of minutes). Now it's Telappliant, it's useless. As yet they haven't actually provided any "support" and this is a relatively straight forward case of raising the RMA and replacing the faulty item (especially since I've given them a official Netgate ticket ref telling me to do just that).
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Hey, just want to let you know that I had the same issue and was able to solve it last week with the help of Netgate TAC. I put some details to my solution in my reddit post: https://www.reddit.com/r/PFSENSE/comments/13y6o6c/netgate_2100_dead_after_upgrade/
In short, you don't need to RMA but you can fix it almost yourself.
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Yes, it's possible to reflash uboot to it from a Linux client. It's not a procedure we would ever expect a user to have to do but you can do it if you need to.
If you want to go that route just reply on your ticket and we can get instructions to you.
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Thank you both for your replies, and etnoy, for your very in-depth instructions on the reddit post.
To be honest, as much as it would interest me to go down the manual re-flashing route, I just don't have the time to go through it at the moment and there definitely looks like there are quite a few steps involved.
At the end of the day, I just need the purchased equipment to work. You would have thought that a simple RMA to the supplier (Telappliant UK) would be a straightforward process, but apparently not with this company. Another day wasted waiting for them to make no contact. I will call their complaints line in the morning and see how I get on.
In the mean time, I'll try and find another supplier of Netgate Hardware in the UK for any future orders.
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@mpcjames fair enough. Your situation is probably different from mine as I'm a homelabber who has an out-of warranty router. For me, the option would be to buy a new device which isn't in the budget anyway.
