6100 max bricked?

[cedrictang]

Hello,

Rather desperate right now as my 6100 max seemed to have died.
Things were functioning properly until I noticed 1) ad block services cannot be started. 2) package list - trying to install wireguard - not populating.

Decided to reboot.
Then nothing is happening.

Now I have a solid blue circle. Tried to turned it off using the switch as well as pulling the power cord. Just revert back to the blue solid circle.
I have a lowest level support and so I have submitted a ticket but not sure when I will get help.

If anyone has any idea, I would love to hear from you. Please help!!
Thank you!

[stephenw10]

Connect to the serial console and see what's happening:
https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/solutions/netgate-6100/connect-to-console.html

Steve

[cedrictang]

Ok thank you.
Managed to get onto the serial port.

Getting errors:

Checking media [Fail]
LoadImage: Not Found
Error reported: Not Found
Loading Network Lens...
Already started....

Then it is cycling thro the various EFI Network 2,3 etc for IPv4 followed by a probable MAC address.

Then a bunch of booting procedure I guess showing FS1, FS2, BLK1, BLK3, various PciRoot (0x0)..... and so on.
Eventually asking me for >>Start PXE over IPv4, Press [ESC] to exit

Does this look like a storage failure (eMMC?)

[stephenw10]

Not necessarily. Can you capture a complete boot cycle?

[JonathanLee]

@cedrictang I bet it’s the ssd. mine started having issues the 23.05 ssd bug that was creating issues it has block errors, I replaced it before it broke.

[cedrictang]

@stephenw10

isSecurebootEnabled = 01
secureboot not enabled
Loading Usb Lens...
Provider: Insyde Software
Version: 05. 12. 02.0040.0009.15
Product: BlinkBoot (R) Harrisonville USB Lens
Licensee: Silicon Ltd.
Start：03/20/2018
End: 12/31/2099

Validating Signature... [Pass]

Installing Usb Lens...

Loading Nvme Lens...
Provider: Insyde Software
Version: 05.12.02. 0040. 0009.15
Product: BlinkBoot (R) Harrisonville NVMe Lens
Licensee: Silicon Ltd.
Start: 11/16/2020
End: 12/31/2099

Validating Signature... [Pass]

Installing Nvme Lens...

Loading Sata Lens...
Provider: Insyde Software
Version: 05.12.02.0040.0009.15
Product: BlinkBoot (R) Harrisonville SATA Lens
Licensee: Silicon Ltd.
Start: 03/20/2018
End: 12/31/2099

Validating Sigature... [Pass]

Installing Sata Lens...

Loading SdMmc Lens...
Provider: Insyde Software
Version: 05.12.02.0040.0009.15
Product: BlinkBoot (R) Harrisonville SDxx/eMMC Lens
Licensee: Silicom Ltd.
Start: 03/20/2018
End: 12/31/2099

Validating Signature... [Pass]

Installing SdMmc Lens...

Mapping table:

Mapping table
FS2: Alias (s) :FO:
Fv (E35C4A77-3D00-4337-A625-B980A9E00F 6C)
FS4: Alias (s): FO:
Fv (F9657F27-CAE7-4951-A406-D286157B63EF)
FS3: Alias (s) :FO:
Fv (E7082A5-3036-407A-8060-FDF027F74632)
FS5: Alias (s) : HD32b: ;BLK2:
PeiRoot (0x0) /Pci (0xB, 0x0) /Pci (0x0, 0x0) /NVMe (0x1, F1-BA-06-AE-18-3E-69-2
4) / HD (1, GPT, 4792EFF1-F262-11EC-8524-A1746A8B4CC2, 0x3, 0x64000)
ESO: Alias (s) :FO:
Fv (1643501D-ABD6-4ECC-85DE-3D95D23423FE)
FSI: Alias (s) :FO:
FY (50E81C5A-EAB2-495C-871E-EF46044C8959)
BLKI: Alias (s) :
PeiRoot (0x0) /Pci (OxB, 0x0) /Pci (0x0, 0x0) /NVMe (0x1, F1-BA-06-AE-18-3E-69-2
BLRS: Alias (s):
PeiRoot (030) /Pci (0xB, 0x0) /Pci (0x0, 0x0) /NVMe (0x1, F1-BA-06-AE-18-3E-69-2
4) / HD (2, GPT, 4792EFF7-F262-11EC-8524-A1746A8B4CC2, 0x64003, 0x43263F)
BLK4: Alias (s) :
PciRoot (0x0) /Pci (OxB, 0x0) /Pci (0x0, 0x0) /NVMe (0x1, F1-BA-06-AE-18-3E-69-2
4) / HD (3, GPI, FFF4ED7B-0359-11ED-BE1-90EC77345EE8, 0x496642, 0xAFE561)
BLKO: Alias (3):
PeiRoot (0x0) /Pci (0x1C, 0x0) /Msg (29, 00) / Ctrl (0x0)
Locking SPI ..
Launching Lock flash...
Already Lock the SPI
ErrOr. 8BE4DF61-93CA-11D2-AAOD-00E098032B8C - BootNext - unable to set: Not Foun
d
Checking Hotkey..
Key Options:
'I' -- Clear boot order list.
'p' -- PXE boot.
'F2' -- Boot Manager Menu,

[cedrictang]

@JonathanLee

Thanks for your comment.
Yes this unit had been upgraded.
Though I cannot remember which version.
I have another unit off at another side which is on 23.09-RELEASE. I recall this one has a version which is older, whereas the one that died is onsite and I upgraded this recently, so it is on a newer release.

[cedrictang]

[stephenw10]

Hmm, still not definitive. Try booting the reinstaller and see if it sees the drive.
Open a ticket with us to get the recovery image if you need it:
https://www.netgate.com/tac-support-request

[cedrictang]

Is there a step by step guide for that? Yes I think i would need the reinstaller.
I don't think my Putty connection is all that great as I don't see to be able to select various options. Also my backups are all in the cloud using the built in backup to Netgate.
Thank you.

[stephenw10]

The only thing you would be able to select there would be when it shows this:

Key Options:
'I' -- Clear boot order list.
'p' -- PXE boot.
'F2' -- Boot Manager Menu,

If you hit F2 it should break out to the boot menu. It doesn't do it instantly.

The reinstall process is covered here:
https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/solutions/netgate-6100/reinstall-pfsense.html

[cedrictang]

@stephenw10

ok will give it a go.
Thank you so much for your helpful advice.

[JonathanLee]

If it is the drive you can pick up a couple new Kingspec SSD M.2 drives from amazon for around 15-20 dollars great item to have as a backup.

[stephenw10]

In a 6100 though be sure they are B-Keyed NVMe drives.

[JonathanLee]

@stephenw10 They also have a great deal on NVme B key samsung 256GB drives, I tested one last week. Mine was a defective one I had to replace it because it got really hot all the sudden when in use.

The Samsung ones I found are keyed as B I have a nice adapter I use that supports M.2 NGHH & NVMe SSD its a 2 in one.

The NVMe B key was just 15 dollars. But the one I had got so hot all the sudden randomly. I have a thermal pad and everything. I think it had a bad connection on the chip and or it did not like to be formatted for MAC OS journaled with MBR. Who knows that would never have caused it to overheat like that. Be careful if you get that model. I mean its a samsung it should have worked fine. Maybe a fluke accident one off bad one. Amazon is shipping me a replacement. It did run for about 4 days before it died

[cedrictang]

So this got fixed last night.

Netgate support was really helpful in getting me a new image and then reinstalling and recovering the config from the cloud backup (lucky that I had that).

Took 6 hours from when the unit stopped functioning.

Might definitely think about other contingency plans...

[JonathanLee]

@cedrictang

Great job.

[dkledgerwood]

I have returned this unit several times. It is absolutely unreliable. Stay away.

My experience below

Purchased 3/3/2023
Received 3/5/2023
Installed 3/7/2023
Unit worked until 3/15/2023
Paid IT support and down time until 3/30/2023.
3/30/2023 Requested RMA
3/31/2023 Purchased a replacement to be sent out.
Paid IT to install and program new unit 4/4/2023.
4/12/2023 Continued problems and IT support paid to work with Netgate on the issues.
4/14/2023 Unit back up and operational.
4/28/2023 More port problems. Removed Netgate and installed competitive firewall. More IT support.
12/24/2023 Office closed. Tried to get Netgate working during this time to minimize downtime.
1/2/2024 Netgate back operational after significant IT support.
1/15/2024 More port issues and IT support.
1/23/2024 Opened ticket 2291918995 for port issues. Continued IT support to diag problems. Unit down.
2/1/2024 Requested RMA.
2/6/2024 Netgate verified problem and returned new unit.
New unit never installed. I feel the above shows that the unit is unreliable.

[JonathanLee]

@dkledgerwood is the same part failing? I have had my 2100 for years now only issue is me causing software issues at times requiring a reinstall but that is it for issues, it’s always something I did.

[dkledgerwood]

@JonathanLee not the same issue. mostly port issues though. several times the unit would just overheat. My IT guy could not make any of them reliable at all.