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    Kernel Panic when Upgrading to 2.8.0 beta

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Problems Installing or Upgrading pfSense Software
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    • D
      dominik.b @thrx1
      last edited by dominik.b

      @thrx1

      I just want to verify your steps because I'm facing the same Wi-Fi problem.

      1. Create a file called 'loader.conf.local' on your desktop
      2. Edit this file and add: hint.iwm.0.disabled="1"
      3. Use File Upload on the pfSense GUI to load this file
      4. cp /tmp/loader.conf.local /boot/

      Correct?

      Once I reboot, the error should no longer be visible in the logs of my current version (2.7), but what does the error look like?

      When I try to install or upgrade to PFSense 2.8, almost the same error occurs as shown in the large picture of Spacecase.

      IMG_20250709_085809.jpg

      Regards Dom

      patient0P T 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • patient0P
        patient0 @dominik.b
        last edited by

        @dominik-b said in Kernel Panic when Upgrading to 2.8.0 beta:

        When I try to install or upgrade to PFSense 2.8, almost the same error occurs as shown in the large picture of Spacecase.

        Indeed that is the same issue you are facing.

        1. ... 4 ... Correct?

        I gave it a go using only pfSense GUI and your steps: yes your way does work, IF that file does not yes exist. Otherwise it will get overwritten!!

        Ideally you use an editor like Notepad++ to create that file on Windows and set the End Of Line to Unix.

        GertjanG 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
        • GertjanG
          Gertjan @patient0
          last edited by Gertjan

          @patient0 said in Kernel Panic when Upgrading to 2.8.0 beta:

          like Notepad++ to create that file on Windows and set

          @dominik-b .... and use WINSCP - activate the SSH access, the access is 'admin' + your pfSense password.

          Btw : For SSH to work, the file system to be available, pfSense needs to have booted ...

          A way out : Re install 2.7.2 - and now you can create /modify /boot/loader.conf.local file.
          When done, reboot and check that all is well - and that you 'lost' the 'iwm9000fw' device.
          From here, upgrade to 2.8.0 and this time, as the kernel doesn't find that device, no more issues.

          edit : plan B : from the >db prompt you've shown above, you might be able to "mount" the pfSense partition (read write) mode.
          When done, you could create the file.
          Then a simple reboot will do the job.

          How to mount etc from the >db prompt .... The solution might be here : pfSense Documentation

          ( I would vote for the 2.7.2 re install etc ...)

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

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

            You can do it by simply running the single command:
            echo 'hint.iwm.0.disabled="1"' >> /boot/loader.conf.local

            Like:

            [2.8.0-RELEASE][admin@cedev-7.stevew.lan]/root: echo 'hint.iwm.0.disabled="1"' >> /boot/loader.conf.local
            [2.8.0-RELEASE][admin@cedev-7.stevew.lan]/root: cat /boot/loader.conf.local
            hint.iwm.0.disabled="1"
            

            That will also append the line to the file if it already exists.

            GertjanG 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • GertjanG
              Gertjan @stephenw10
              last edited by

              @stephenw10 said in Kernel Panic when Upgrading to 2.8.0 beta:

              You can do it by simply running the single command:
              echo 'hint.iwm.0.disabled="1"' >> /boot/loader.conf.local

              At the console db> prompt ?

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

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

                Nope at the pfSense CLI (or via the gui command prompt page). So you have to manually boot to 2.8 once or run it from 2.7.2 before upgrade.

                GertjanG 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • GertjanG
                  Gertjan @stephenw10
                  last edited by

                  @stephenw10

                  Ah, ok, right. Of course.
                  But : what if his 2.8.0 doesn't boot /didn't boot (because of the kernel boot failure ) ?

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

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

                    Then you need to manually set that disabled at the loader prompt one time to boot into 2.8 first. Then run that command to allow it to boot normally after that.

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • T
                      thrx1 @dominik.b
                      last edited by

                      @dominik-b said in Kernel Panic when Upgrading to 2.8.0 beta:

                      @thrx1

                      I just want to verify your steps because I'm facing the same Wi-Fi problem.

                      First time I rebooted I didn't press the '3' key quickly enough to 'Escape to loader prompt' and so I got the damn error.
                      I rebooted (power cycle the NUC pfSense runs on - probably a better way than that) and then pressed '3', entered the loader and typed in

                      set hint.iwm.0.disabled="1"
                      

                      followed by:

                      boot
                      

                      and it completed the update and pfSense worked ok - until I rebooted. I then followed the same steps above to get it to boot and once it was running again, I opened the Web GUI and navigated to
                      Diagnostics > Edit File
                      entered the following path

                      /boot/loader.conf.local
                      

                      and the requisite data

                      hint.iwm.0.disabled="1"
                      

                      before hitting 'save'.

                      pfSense has booted fine since then for me.

                      It sounds like some people may have an existing file `"/boot/loader.conf.local" but that was not the caese for my install (or at least that's what it looked like when I loaded the file). YMMV.

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                      • T
                        thrx1 @stephenw10
                        last edited by

                        @stephenw10 said in Kernel Panic when Upgrading to 2.8.0 beta:

                        Hmm, interesting if it's really disabled in the BIOS pfSense shouldn't see it at all. Something not working right there.

                        Reply

                        Correct. Under the list of devices in the BIOS on the NUC, WiFi is not checked.

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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