first boot freez (pfsense 2.7.2 + protectli)

rinaldino23

Hello everybody,
I am trying to install pfsense on my new protectli:
VP2430 - 4x 2.5G Port Intel N150
coreboot
TPM Module

I downloaded pfsense amd 64

I completed the installation , i choose ZFS

everything seemed ok, the installation finishes correctly, but when i reboot, the system always hangs on this screen. i tried to reinstall but nothing, always the same.

IMG_1115 2.jpg

patient0

@rinaldino23 from what installation medium did you install? The new online installer or the legacy installer (referenced in the Protectli doc: How to Install pfSense CE on the Vault?

You write that you did install it on ZFS but at the end of the screenshot, above the CPU... it states:

Trying to mount root from ufs:/dev/ufsid/...
WARNING: / was not properly dismounted
WARNING: /: mount: pending error : blocks 0 files 2

The device has built-in eMMC and. you got an 512G NVME according to the boot log. Which of the two did you install it to?

And in the doc there is no mention of your VP2430. I assume the documentation is not up to date but you may ask protectli for help, if there are special steps necessary.

rinaldino23

@patient0 thanks for your reply

I tried with both, downloading it from here:
https://atxfiles.netgate.com/mirror/downloads/
and also with the procedure from the netgate site after registration.

you're right I wrote it wrong, I used UFS and not ZFS

I only have NMVe 500GB, however I attach the configuration of my protectli

Screenshot 2025-05-25 alle 09.13.32.png

patient0

@rinaldino23

I only have NMVe 500GB, however I attach the configuration of my protectli

The 32GB eMMC is on the motherboard, it can't be removed (in the product description: "32 GB eMMC storage module on board")

a bit further up in your screenshot:

mmcsd ... : 31 GB ...

Having said that: it should work on both but you want to make sure to install it on the NVME since eMMC can fail pretty soon (as it happened for some of the Netgate 4200 eMMC models).

Can you try reinstalling it, I'm not sure about the naming of the eMMC and NVME. If it is the similar to how it is for Netgate 4200 doc: M.2 NVMe SSD Installation, then the eMMC drive would be da0 or da1 and the NVME drive would be nda0.

If it is installed on the eMMC right now you would either wipe the eMMC or make sure to select the NVME drive to boot from in coreboot.

stephenw10

What you see there is what appears on the non-primary console when both are enabled.

At that point it's probably waiting for you to assign the interfaces at the other console. I assume the serial console.

patient0

@stephenw10 said in first boot freez (pfsense 2.7.2 + protectli):

At that point it's probably waiting for you to assign the interfaces at the other console. I assume the serial console.

Didn't know that, the serial is indeed the primary console, according to the logs:

Dual Console: Serial Primary, Video Secondary

@rinaldino23 if you want to change to Video Console, you can follow Netgate doc: Booting with an alternate console:

From the website:
To boot a different console, first get to a loader prompt. Either choose the menu option from the boot menu, or when Hit [Enter] to boot immediately, or any other key for command prompt. is seen during the boot process, press space or another key.
...
Similarly, if a serial memstick image is used that prefers the serial console, the video console can be used instead as follows:

set console=vidconsole
boot

If you wish to change the primary console: after you assign the interfaces and you can access the GUI, you change the primary console in 'System / Advanced / Admin Access', 'Primary Console'.

stephenw10

Yup that^.

But yes all the output after mountroot is run only appears on the primary console until bootup completes and the console menu is shown on both consoles. With the exception of a few message types such as NIC linkup logs which are written to all consoles.

Hence you quite often see user reports of 'freezing' during boot because that's what appears to happen.

rinaldino23

Hi guys, first of all sorry for the delay, and thank you for your help. Tonight I started working on it again and I downloaded pfSense version 2.7.2 again from here: https://atxfiles.netgate.com/mirror/downloads/. I didn't use Balena Enhancer anymore, and after trying to reinstall everything, this time it worked.