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    Can pfSense be installed from USB memstick on a USB SSD drive?

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    Problems Installing or Upgrading pfSense Software
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    • V
      veptune
      last edited by

      Hello,

      I would like to try pfSense on my laptop but I have only one hard drive and I don't want to erase it.

      If I boot on the USB memstick, will pfSense find my SSD drive (who is plugged to my laptop via USB) and be able to be installed on it ? Will the SSD drive appears in the list of hard disk to where pfSense will be install during the install process? Just want to make sure before I buy the usb SSD drive.

      Thanks

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

        Yes, it will show USB connected drives as an install target.

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • GertjanG
          Gertjan @veptune
          last edited by

          @veptune said in Can pfSense be installed from USB memstick on a USB SSD drive?:

          but I have only one hard drive and I don't want to erase it.

          You'll be needing more as a "USB SSD" drive.
          You've said it yourself : you don't want to erase your hard disk. That is the goal.
          Installing pfSense means : "installing an OS on a avaible partition on a drive" means you are going to have to trust the "installer".
          I trust the pfSense installer .... but I don't know anything about your data on your drive.
          So : better save then sorry : backup your laptop drive anyway.
          I know, stupid advice, you've already done this.

          Be concentrated : when the pfSense installer lists the disk device that are 'candidate' to install pfSense, you have to recognize the "USB SSD" drive. Miss your click, and the laptop's disk gets emptied.

          AFAIK : such a USB SSD install will be horrible slow.

          For an nice and neat experience, pfSense needs at least 2 (two) NIC interfaces.
          And the wifi adapter interface present in your laptop probably doesn't work.

          Ok, you'll say : I'll add an USB NIC's..... and yes, this might work. Just keep in mind : this kind of setup, you wouldn't advice it to your worst enemy.

          If you have some time : get an really old desktop PC. As long as it has a 64 bits AMD/Intel CPU your good.
          Add an extra Ethernet NIC card, it will cost you less as the cigarettes I smoke.
          Disable sound card stuff, parallel ports and all that nonsense in the BIOS, and your good.

          No "help me" PM's please. Use the forum, the community will thank you.
          Edit : and where are the logs ??

          V 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • V
            veptune @Gertjan
            last edited by

            @Gertjan Thanks for your reply. And I totally agree with you. I will install the pfSense AMI image on AWS, as I just want to take a look (I know I will have to setup a VPC). And I will delete the instance after that.

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

              Maybe run it as a VM inside your existing OS?

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • S
                SamsonSham
                last edited by

                Hi, I am also trying to install pfSense to my SSD drive connected by SATA using USB installer.

                However, the USB installer has been failing to partition the SSD drive saying "pfSense partitioning: Failed to select the installation disk". After exiting the installation, with the FreeBSD kernel, I found the SSD drive is not mounted, I guess probably this is the reason I failed? But the SSD drive is accessible via /dev/ada0.

                Moreover, when I entered single user mode, there are multiple instances logging in ttyv3 making the machine slower and slower. By the time I try booting the installation, the installation just stalled.

                How am I possible to install pfSense into a SSD drive?
                Thank you!

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

                  Which install image are you using? What pfSense version do you want to install? What hardware are you installing to?

                  S 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • S
                    SamsonSham @stephenw10
                    last edited by

                    @stephenw10 Hi,
                    I am installing using netgate-installer-amd64.img which have downloaded very recently, so it should be version 2.7.2. I am installing to a tinyPC (ras-pi like) device.

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

                      The beta7 installer?

                      There is a newer installer available if so. But you can also just try the legacy installer images.

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