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    ATT Internet AIr

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved General pfSense Questions
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    • G
      Gblenn @ahole4sure
      last edited by

      @ahole4sure Hmm, try connecting a WAN cable to see if that helps. I'm not sure but I think I have seen that happen when it's disconnected. Also, check your IP settings in the PC you are using. Does it have an IP in the correct subnet?

      BTW, I think the long boot time may be due to it waiting to see if WAN is there, so there is a pause in the boot process...

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        ahole4sure @Gblenn
        last edited by

        @Gblenn IMG_0349.jpeg

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          ahole4sure @Gblenn
          last edited by

          @Gblenn Was able to get an HDMI connected and here is the error -- looks like a disater
          I ordeered a new box on Amazon at 330 am

          But if I have lost all my config the I am SUNK

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          • G
            Gblenn @ahole4sure
            last edited by Gblenn

            @ahole4sure Check if there is something in this thread that can help you?
            https://forum.netgate.com/topic/185312/config-xml-empty-subsequent-inability-to-restart-properly-and-what-i-did/2

            In particular that he was able to log in via console (SSH?) and replace the empty file with another one. I guess though that if you don't have any backup at all, it will be really tough if it is empty. It is /cf/conf/config.xml that you are looking for.

            I "consoled" in and did some snooping.
            The error I saw was a PHP stack trace that ultimately pointed at config.xml being empty (pasted after my closing)
            I looked and saw that...it was an empty file (zero length)
            I found a recent backup that was non-empty (the latest was empty) and copied that into place.
            I then rebooted and things returned to normal.

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              ahole4sure @Gblenn
              last edited by

              @Gblenn I guess I don't know how I would console in since it looks like I have no access via the ethernet ports

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              • stephenw10S
                stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                last edited by

                But using a keyboard directly can you bring up the menu? Or just a prompt?

                That looks like either filesystem damage or a failed upgrade. Was is hard powered off?

                If it's running UFS try running FSCK frm single user mode:
                https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/troubleshooting/filesystem-check.html#manual-filesystem-check

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                  ahole4sure @stephenw10
                  last edited by

                  @stephenw10
                  Did fsck 5 times

                  Here is the same error after reboot

                  And yes I am a dumb_ss - I think it might have been hard powered off -- I was distracted with comething else on another screen and I think I held the power button longer than normalIMG_0348.jpeg

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                  • A
                    ahole4sure @stephenw10
                    last edited by

                    @stephenw10

                    What are my options??

                    Is there anyway to find a config file anywhere in the pfsense OS?
                    Or do I have to reinstall? Will a re-install possibly find a backup?

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                    • stephenw10S
                      stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                      last edited by

                      Yes you should be able to access the config file in /cf/conf/config.xml and the previous 30 files in /cf/conf/backup if you can get a command prompt.

                      You can access it from single user mode but your options for copying it off are limited from there.

                      If you can get a prompt after allowing it to boot normally you can try to scp it to some other device.

                      If you have a serial console you can always just copy/paste it directly if required.

                      You can insert a fat formatted USB stick (or use the fat partition on the installer image) mount that and copy the config file to it.

                      But, yes, reinstalling should give you the option to recover the config file.

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                        ahole4sure @stephenw10
                        last edited by

                        @stephenw10
                        So I have downloaded the pfsense latest version and I am flashing to USB now

                        Re-install shoul give an option to restore?

                        And do you agree that is basically my best option now? I don't think I still have the serial cable -- I am using HDMI and a keyboard

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                        • G
                          Gblenn @ahole4sure
                          last edited by

                          @ahole4sure And it is not responding if you try to SSH into it?

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                            ahole4sure @Gblenn
                            last edited by

                            @Gblenn no I cannot get any port to respond to ssh

                            Am i doing nything wrong -- just connect ethernet to prior LAN port?
                            It is not allowing any communication that way

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                            • stephenw10S
                              stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                              last edited by

                              If you're using the Net Installer it shows you the config it has recovered and will use so you can know it worked.

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                              • G
                                Gblenn @ahole4sure
                                last edited by

                                @ahole4sure said in ATT Internet AIr:

                                Am i doing nything wrong -- just connect ethernet to prior LAN port?

                                Probably not, it should respond if it gets that far during boot. But I suppose you should also see the menu on the screen (via HDMI). So I think you have to rely on the installer that stephen10 mentions.

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                                • stephenw10S
                                  stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                                  last edited by

                                  You didn't have Auto Config Backup enabled?

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                                  • A
                                    ahole4sure @stephenw10
                                    last edited by

                                    @stephenw10 not sure

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                                    • A
                                      ahole4sure @stephenw10
                                      last edited by

                                      @stephenw10
                                      So for thee reinstall it does ask for rescue from a config.xml file. Then asks me where - I click on ada0 disk. and click ok and it immediately goes baack to thei main install screen

                                      I first tried ZFS but the end it said I only had one disk, not enough disks for mirror

                                      I went back to look at UFS install and it gets to a point that it asks if I want to partition the disk and it says it will wipe the disk ....

                                      Wonn't that then erase my config file ??

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                                      • G
                                        Gblenn @ahole4sure
                                        last edited by

                                        @ahole4sure Sounds like you are in fact looking at a complete reinstall unless you have a backup somewhere? Is it possible you have downloaded some config at some point? It would be in your Downloads folder and is named like : config-pfSense.something-date.xml

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                                        • stephenw10S
                                          stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                                          last edited by

                                          Which installer are you using? The Net Installer will ask you where to recover the config from and then shows you that it has recovered a config.

                                          For ZFS you should choose stripe not mirror if you have just one disk.

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                                            ahole4sure @Gblenn
                                            last edited by

                                            @Gblenn @stephenw10

                                            Thanks guys - I spent about 10 hrs yesterday in between snaking out a stopped up drain pipe in our house !!

                                            Had a time getting HaProxy back up and going

                                            The other thing I found and came to the conclusion -- the dhclient issue with trying to set the ATT WAN to DHCP -- the problem seems to be on ATT or the Nighthawk end! They seems to work fine (a little glitchy) when connected static but neither connecting straight to the psfsense interface nor via VLAN will the dhclient reliably get an IP, etc

                                            Thanks for input ! Do you guys use anything to auto backup the pfsense config remotely (not on the pfsense box)

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