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    eMMC Write endurance

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Official Netgate® Hardware
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    • patient0P
      patient0 @stephenw10
      last edited by

      @stephenw10 I reinstalled the SG-1100 now on UFS with RAM disk and if eMMC fails I'll use an USB stick or disk, that'll do, thanks.

      K 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • K
        kenw @patient0
        last edited by kenw

        I have:

        SG-1100, about 4 years old using ZFS
        24.03-RELEASE (arm64)
        built on Mon May 13 8:17:00 EDT 2024
        FreeBSD 15.0-CURRENT
        Only eMMC write intensive package is nmap which is run on demand infrequently.

        Just checked my pfsense and found:

        eMMC Firmware Version: 73103517
        eMMC Life Time Estimation A [EXT_CSD_DEVICE_LIFE_TIME_EST_TYP_A]: 0x06
        eMMC Life Time Estimation B [EXT_CSD_DEVICE_LIFE_TIME_EST_TYP_B]: 0x0b
        eMMC Pre EOL information [EXT_CSD_PRE_EOL_INFO]: 0x01

        Not sure how long Estimation B has been at 0x0b, but guess I'm living on borrowed time. I've bought a mini pc and will be running pfsense on that as soon as it comes in.

        Any other suggestions are welcome

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        • stephenw10S
          stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
          last edited by

          Enable RAM disks to minimise drive writes.

          You can now install to a USB drive and run from that if it fails.

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • C
            Cabledude @stephenw10
            last edited by

            @stephenw10 said in eMMC Write endurance:

            The new Net Installer can install to a second USB drive in the 1100 allowing pfSense to run from that should the eMMC fail.

            Would it also be possible to attach a USB-powered SSD?

            Pete
            Home: SG-2100 + UniFi + Synology. SG-1100 retired
            Parents: SG-1100 + UniFi + Synology
            Testing: SG-1100 w/ 120GB SSD via ext USB (eMMC dead). Works great

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • stephenw10S
              stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
              last edited by

              Theoretically yes. Though it's not something I've tried.

              C B 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 1
              • C
                Cabledude @stephenw10
                last edited by

                @stephenw10 said in eMMC Write endurance:

                Theoretically yes. Though it's not something I've tried.

                I will try it for you as soon as I have some time

                Pete
                Home: SG-2100 + UniFi + Synology. SG-1100 retired
                Parents: SG-1100 + UniFi + Synology
                Testing: SG-1100 w/ 120GB SSD via ext USB (eMMC dead). Works great

                C 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                • B
                  beckp @stephenw10
                  last edited by beckp

                  Running pkg install mmc-utils on a SG-1100 gives me an error.
                  ld-elf.so.1: Shared object "libssl.so.30" not found, required by "pkg"
                  What did I do wrong?
                  Also tried pkg install -y mmc-utils; rehash per the Troubleshooting Disk Lifetime webpage. Same error.

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • stephenw10S
                    stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                    last edited by

                    Library errors like that usually imply it's using a pkg built for a different version.

                    So check your pfSense update branch matches the current version.

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • C
                      Cabledude @Cabledude
                      last edited by Cabledude

                      @Cabledude said in eMMC Write endurance:

                      @stephenw10 said in eMMC Write endurance:

                      Theoretically yes. Though it's not something I've tried.

                      I will try it for you as soon as I have some time

                      Hi @stephenw10,
                      I'm running into an issue using the net installer to install to USB-powered external SSD. Steps I've taken:

                      1. connect USB thumb drive with net installer to SG-1100 USB2 port (next to WAN port)
                      2. connect USB-powered external SSD to SG-1100 USB3 port (next to OPT port)
                        Note: the USB SSD drive is formatted in macOS using MS-DOS (FAT32)
                      3. power up device
                      4. run usbrecovery
                        The net installer halts. This is the output I get:
                      Hit any key to stop autoboot:  0 
                      Marvell>> run usbrecovery
                      switch to partitions #0, OK
                      mmc1(part 0) is current device
                      
                      MMC erase: dev # 1, block # 0, count 4194304 ... 4194304 blocks erased: OK
                      resetting USB...
                      USB0:   Register 2000104 NbrPorts 2
                      Starting the controller
                      USB XHCI 1.00
                      USB1:   USB EHCI 1.00
                      scanning bus 0 for devices... 2 USB Device(s) found
                      scanning bus 1 for devices... 2 USB Device(s) found
                             scanning usb for storage devices... 2 Storage Device(s) found
                      ** Invalid partition 2 **
                      Marvell>> 
                      

                      FTR when I try without the ext USB drive the net installer does proceed as normal.

                      Please advise.

                      Edit: hang on, when I swap the USB drives the net installer does continue...

                      So now I get an option to select the ext USB SSD:
                      IMG_6310.jpeg

                      But when I hit Enter I instantly get this error message:
                      IMG_6311.jpeg

                      Any thoughts on why this happens? USB bus power issue? This SSD is known to only consume 1-2Watts.

                      ...

                      So I tried an ordinary 8GB USB thumb drive, same kind I used for preparing the net installer. I get the same error message, i.e. "Failed to select the installation disk"

                      Okay I get it now. I should have put an X in front of the drive I wish to select. Duhhh. My bad.

                      Pete
                      Home: SG-2100 + UniFi + Synology. SG-1100 retired
                      Parents: SG-1100 + UniFi + Synology
                      Testing: SG-1100 w/ 120GB SSD via ext USB (eMMC dead). Works great

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                      • stephenw10S
                        stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                        last edited by stephenw10

                        Yup hit space to select it.

                        And, yes, it boots the USB3 drive as priority so if you have both connected at boot the installer must be there. But you can swap it back after install to get better drive speeds.

                        To boot from USB every time you need to change the bootcmd uboot env to run usbboot;

                        So at the Marvell>> prompt:

                        setenv bootcmd='run usbboot;'
                        saveenv
                        reset
                        
                        C 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 1
                        • C
                          Cabledude @stephenw10
                          last edited by Cabledude

                          @stephenw10 said in eMMC Write endurance:

                          Yup hit space to select it.

                          And, yes, it boots the USB3 drive as priority so if you have both connected at boot the installer must be there. But you can swap it back after install to get better drive speeds.

                          Cool

                          I seem to be out of luck again. I tried two different USB drives but I get new error messages which halt the installation process:
                          #1 installation 24.03 on a different thumb drive:
                          IMG_6313.jpeg

                          #2 installation 24.03 on the 120GB SSD:
                          IMG_6314.jpeg

                          Not sure if the screen shot is readable. It says "Child process terminated abnormally" and "Failed to reclaim memory"

                          What could be happening here now?

                          Pete
                          Home: SG-2100 + UniFi + Synology. SG-1100 retired
                          Parents: SG-1100 + UniFi + Synology
                          Testing: SG-1100 w/ 120GB SSD via ext USB (eMMC dead). Works great

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • stephenw10S
                            stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                            last edited by

                            Hmm, I hit that once but just ran it again and it worked. The 1GB ram on the 1100 is near the limit.

                            C 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                            • C
                              Cabledude @stephenw10
                              last edited by Cabledude

                              @stephenw10
                              Yes I was starting to think it could be RAM full. Is it the net installer that occupies extra space in RAM? Is the SG-1100 even a viable option moving forward into 2025 and beyond? Especially if every new release may need more RAM to install?

                              Might it be an idea to install 23.09 through the net installer (maybe less/smaller files?) and then perform upgrade to 24.03 via GUI?

                              Pete
                              Home: SG-2100 + UniFi + Synology. SG-1100 retired
                              Parents: SG-1100 + UniFi + Synology
                              Testing: SG-1100 w/ 120GB SSD via ext USB (eMMC dead). Works great

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • stephenw10S
                                stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                                last edited by

                                I would have expected a direct install to 24.03 to be lower requirement. I have been installing images to an 1100 for a few days and it should work.

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                                • JonathanLeeJ
                                  JonathanLee
                                  last edited by

                                  Disable logging that is not needed all the time, and or use a usb drive and set the system to log to it..

                                  Make sure to upvote

                                  C 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • C
                                    Cabledude @JonathanLee
                                    last edited by

                                    @JonathanLee said in eMMC Write endurance:

                                    Disable logging that is not needed all the time, and or use a usb drive and set the system to log to it..

                                    Thanks Jonathan. However this issue is about a fresh install to USB storage, bypassing the eMMC. Here, the installation fails i.e. RAM appears to be full during file copying to USB drive.

                                    Pete
                                    Home: SG-2100 + UniFi + Synology. SG-1100 retired
                                    Parents: SG-1100 + UniFi + Synology
                                    Testing: SG-1100 w/ 120GB SSD via ext USB (eMMC dead). Works great

                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • stephenw10S
                                      stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                                      last edited by

                                      Is it consistently failing at the same point?

                                      C 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • C
                                        Cabledude @stephenw10
                                        last edited by Cabledude

                                        @stephenw10
                                        No is failed at two different points. But installation finished successfully on the 3rd try, 2nd try with the external SSD as target drive.

                                        Strangely, in the console startup of the new installation, the unit requires to change the default admin password from pfsense to a user chosen password. I've never seen that before.

                                        Main thing is I got it working now.

                                        So basically adding the SSD turns an EOL SG-1100 (EOL due to broken eMMC) back into a MINT unit, if I understand this correctly.

                                        Pete
                                        Home: SG-2100 + UniFi + Synology. SG-1100 retired
                                        Parents: SG-1100 + UniFi + Synology
                                        Testing: SG-1100 w/ 120GB SSD via ext USB (eMMC dead). Works great

                                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • C
                                          Cabledude @stephenw10
                                          last edited by

                                          @stephenw10 said in eMMC Write endurance:

                                          To boot from USB every time you need to change the bootcmd uboot env to run usbboot;

                                          So at the Marvell>> prompt:

                                          setenv bootcmd='run usbboot;'
                                          saveenv
                                          reset
                                          

                                          Thanks for this by the way, yet at this point I don't understand what it's for. After the installation finished I unplugged the net installer thumb drive and swapped the SSD to the 1100's USB3 port and it is consistently booting from the SSD now.

                                          Pete
                                          Home: SG-2100 + UniFi + Synology. SG-1100 retired
                                          Parents: SG-1100 + UniFi + Synology
                                          Testing: SG-1100 w/ 120GB SSD via ext USB (eMMC dead). Works great

                                          C 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • C Cabledude referenced this topic on
                                          • C
                                            Cabledude @Cabledude
                                            last edited by

                                            @stephenw10

                                            I am continuing this in a separate topic as I am running into more issues and I don't want to pollute this eMMC topic more than I already have.

                                            Pete
                                            Home: SG-2100 + UniFi + Synology. SG-1100 retired
                                            Parents: SG-1100 + UniFi + Synology
                                            Testing: SG-1100 w/ 120GB SSD via ext USB (eMMC dead). Works great

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