pfsense Installer can't see NVME drive HP Elite Desk
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I am trying to install pfsense onto an HP EliteDesk 400 G5 SFF via USB. I can get it to the installer, but when I try to install with ZFS, it states that no drive(s) are available for configuration.
If I choose UFS or Manual, it only shows me the USB installer stick drive, but no other drives.
From the searching I have done, it seems like it may be an issue with the Storage Controller Mode, but The 400 G5 SFF uses HPs limited "Computer Setup" BIOS so I don't seem to have access to that setting.
I have toggled basically everything relevant setting in the limited BIOS and have not been able to get the pfsense installer to see my internal drive.
Any suggestions?
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What storage does it have? Does it show in the boot log when you boot the installer?
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@stephenw10 It has an SK Hynix NVME drive. I don't see it pop up in the boot log.
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If it's just an NVMe drive it should just appear on the PCIe bus. If you drop to a shell in the installer you can run:
pciconf -lv
You should see something like:
nvme0@pci0:9:0:0: class=0x010802 rev=0x01 hdr=0x00 vendor=0x1bc0 device=0x1002 subvendor=0x1bc0 subdevice=0x1002 vendor = 'Innodisk Corporation' device = 'PCIe 3TE6 Controller (DRAM-less)' class = mass storage subclass = NVM
Have you checked that any other OS can see the drive and install to it?
Steve
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@stephenw10 ah, I do see it with the pciconf command.
It currently has Windows installed on the drive and functions fine. Is that windows install interfering with the pfsense installer potentially? I am honestly quite a noob when it comes to storage configurations, partitions ,etc...
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It can be an issue if there is some odd GPT table on it or similar.
Does it show as nvme0 or as a 'none' device?
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@stephenw10 it shows as nvme0@pci0:1:0:0
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Huh, interesting.
You might try at the shell in the installer:
geom disk list
. That should include something like:Geom name: nda0 Providers: 1. Name: nda0 Mediasize: 120034123776 (112G) Sectorsize: 512 Mode: r2w2e3 descr: M.2 (P80) 3TE6 lunid: 010000000000000000000078490bc0bb ident: BCA12107210770235 rotationrate: 0 fwsectors: 0 fwheads: 0
If it does then
geom part list
should show what it's seeing on he drive that prevent it being an install target.But ultimately you need to low level format the drive to remove whatever is causing the issue.
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Heres a picture of the output.
What's the best way to do a low level format on this drive?
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What does
geom part list
show?You can probably remove whatever is there with the appropriate geom command.
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It's a GPT table issue I'd say. One of these options should work:
https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/troubleshooting/multiple-disks.html#clear-the-disk -
@stephenw10 Many thanks, this resolved my issue and now the installer can see the nvd0 drive. I had a feeling it was something to do with the partitions but I wasnt sure. The limited BIOS really threw me for a loop.