24.03 no auto boot

stephenw10

These are the values I expect to see:

opensolaris_load="YES"
zfs_load="YES"
kern.cam.boot_delay=10000
kern.ipc.nmbclusters="1000000"
kern.ipc.nmbjumbo9="524288"
kern.ipc.nmbjumbop="524288"
kern.geom.label.disk_ident.enable="0"
kern.geom.label.gptid.enable="0"
cryptodev_load="YES"
zfs_load="YES"
loader_conf_files="/boot/loader.conf.lua"
boot_serial="YES"
comconsole_speed="115200"
console="efi"
autoboot_delay="3"
debug.ddb.capture.bufsize="524288"
hw.e6000sw.default_disabled=1
net.link.ifqmaxlen="128"
machdep.hwpstate_pkg_ctrl="1"
net.pf.states_hashsize="524288"

You may also have some duplicates which don't cause an issue.
There are some things the system adds there in repsonse to settings in the gui like the hn values.
But the kern.ipc values and ix flowcontrol look to be custom an if they are they should be in loader.conf.local.
None of that should stop it booting though.

mrsunfire

@stephenw10

Did change these entries to yours but it's still not autobooting :(

stephenw10

Hmm, well I'm not sure what could be causing that. I can only imagine there some custom option been added at some point.

I would probably just reinstall 24.03 and restore your config at this point. It's quick to do and guarantees a clean install.

mrsunfire

@stephenw10 Did a reinstall with Netgate Installer but the issue is still there, no autoboot. I always have to press 1 or Enter to boot via console.

stephenw10

Hmm, do you have any custom hardware in there? You added an SSD perhaps?

mrsunfire

@stephenw10 I don't have changed anything. Bought it and later upgraded to 23.09 and 24.03, thats it.

stephenw10

And it booted fine in 23.09 and 23.09.1?

mrsunfire

Yes, exactly.

stephenw10

Hmm. Just to confirm do you always have a console connected? It could be sending some rogue character perhaps?

stephenw10

What Blinkboot/BIOS version is shown? You should see: CORDOBA-03.00.00.03t

Gertjan

@mrsunfire said in 24.03 no auto boot:

Yep the 3 second countdown doesn't show up. It stops here and waits for serial input.

Just a thought :
The 3 seconds count down (== autoboot_delay="3" setting) will be interrupted if there was a 'character' detected on the main console serial port.
It could be as simple as a serial 'COMM port' interface that was reset but bits were still received while the electrical connection stabilizes. So a fragment of a false character was received, the boot process detected that one, and is now waiting for more instructions.
And/or the cable is badly electrically isolated - ground plain mass issues, and a phantom char is received during power on.

Maybe not simple to do, but : what happens when you cut the (pfSense) RX pin ? (the wire in the cable actually). Leave the TX wire and mass connected so you can follow the process.
Now your 6100 won't (should not) receive anything.

Maybe (now I'm really dreaming) the boot script can be modified so you 'remove' first all chars present in the 'input buffer', and then enter the boot delay mode. This will take care of stray characters on the console port. Thus auto boot will work.

Btw : I've a 4100 MAX, and the console is always connected to a device (server with a serial port) and this server is always 'on', my 4100 boots fine. Even when I remote login into the server, and launch Putty on the the comm 'COM1' port to follow the boot process.

Silly reflection is incoming : stop rebooting your 6100 and all will be fine. Reboots are needed for upgrades, and these don't happen very often, ones or twice per year (sorry again)

mrsunfire

@stephenw10 That must be the case! I did unplug the console cable (Cisco USB cable) and it booted up fine!

If I plug it back in and reboot, the same issue reappears. The most left blue LED is static on. I'm using putty 0.81 serial connection with that Cisco USB cable.

Gertjan

@mrsunfire said in 24.03 no auto boot:

That must be the case!

What was the case ?

If you have one : get another cable ?! Maybe this one is 'inventing' traffic by itself, and this makes pfSense stops auto booting, and waiting for further input from you.

mrsunfire

@Gertjan I don't know. I edit my earlier post.

stephenw10

Ah, interesting!

So that was a Cisco USB to RJ45 cable? Using the RJ45 socket at the 6100?

mrsunfire

@stephenw10 Exactly.

cmcdonald

@Gertjan said in 24.03 no auto boot:

Maybe this one is 'inventing' traffic by itself, and this makes pfSense stops auto booting, and waiting for further input from you.

I've seen this before with a sketchy cable

mrsunfire

@cmcdonald So I will try a new cable, thanks.

mrsunfire

Go a new cable and it works now! Thanks.