PCEngines alix2c3 (Substitute for WRAP) boot failes

luma · Dec 5, 2007, 8:19 AM

Hello luma!

You don't have any trouble with reboot?
How can I put a full version onto an 1GB CF with output to a seriell console port?

Maybe I install pfsense into a VM on my MacBook Pro and after that copy it to the CF? Will this work?

Bye,
eweri

Hello Eweri,

I have to investigate for reboot. It seems working, I can't serial connect at the moment.

Here is the solution for full install (I wrote the last part, Using VirtualBox) :
http://devwiki.pfsense.org/FullInstallOnWRAP

But it's not a good idea on CF! CF don't support too much write cycle! You are warn!

Bye

eweri · Dec 5, 2007, 12:46 PM

@bjorktorp:

Or have I misunderstood the whole thing? Perhaps I should have put all the bin files on the freeDOS CF and let SB.COM autodetect which one to use?

/Roger

well I just typed "sb" and return and it started updating. I did not select any file.

Bye,
eweri

gmckinney · Dec 5, 2007, 4:57 PM

@bjorktorp:

Success with bios 0.92 and 1.2-RC3 embedded! :)

In the 0.98g ZIP there are only two bin-files: alix1.bin and alix2.bin, without any specific documentation. As I have alix2 boards I naturally asumed that I should use alix2.bin from the 0.98g ZIP. But following the logic from the 0.92 docs maybe I should have used alix1.bin???

Or have I misunderstood the whole thing? Perhaps I should have put all the bin files on the freeDOS CF and let SB.COM autodetect which one to use?

I did run into that exact issue - I had put the alix2.bin on syboon's image thinking that was the "correct" bios bin image for the Alix2 boards but IT IS NOT - the alix2.bin is for the Alix-3 board!!! What happens is the alix2.bin bios image is looking for the third ethernet controller on the alix 3 board and since it does not find it things go south.

Use the alix1.bin image as that one is the correct one for the alix2 boards. The CF image syboon has created contains the correct bin image for the alix2 boards.

gm…

naughtyusmaximus · Dec 5, 2007, 10:28 PM

does anyone know what I need to do to get past this point? I have a 4GB FAT16 formatted CF drive, I've used the 'file copy' method of installing freedos onto it. The ALIX board will boot and display the following:

InitDiskBad or missing Command Interpreter: command.com /P /E:256
Enter the full shell command line:

i've tried various combinations of typing 'command.com', c:\command.com, etc. etc. But have yet to get past this stage.

sullrich · Dec 5, 2007, 10:36 PM

Contact PCEngines and get the newest BIOS.

naughtyusmaximus · Dec 5, 2007, 11:05 PM

What do you mean? The only reason I am trying to boot to CF is so that I can flash the newest BIOS…

sullrich · Dec 5, 2007, 11:06 PM

Huh? You can flash the bios from within the bios itself…

I suggest contacting PCEngines for more info.

naughtyusmaximus · Dec 5, 2007, 11:19 PM

I've sent off an email to pc engines, but seeing as it sounds like you know how to do this, can you help out at all?

sullrich · Dec 6, 2007, 1:22 AM

I do not have a WRAP board and do not remember the key combination that brings up the BIOS screen. Sorry.

gmckinney · Dec 6, 2007, 2:34 AM

@naughtyusmaximus:

does anyone know what I need to do to get past this point? I have a 4GB FAT16 formatted CF drive, I've used the 'file copy' method of installing freedos onto it. The ALIX board will boot and display the following:

InitDiskBad or missing Command Interpreter: command.com /P /E:256
Enter the full shell command line:

i've tried various combinations of typing 'command.com', c:\command.com, etc. etc. But have yet to get past this stage.

Hmmm - I was under the impression that DOS had a 2-Gig filesystem size limitation… that is not the case??

gm...

naughtyusmaximus · Dec 6, 2007, 4:15 AM

@sullrich:

I do not have a WRAP board and do not remember the key combination that brings up the BIOS screen. Sorry.

I can get to the BIOS screen itself by pressing 's' as the system boots. There is an option there for xmodem transfer there, but of course I don't know what format the bios firmware needs to be in.

–regarding the CF card, windows will let me format it as FAT16, so I assume that means there isn't a problem

gmckinney · Dec 6, 2007, 5:14 AM

@naughtyusmaximus:

–regarding the CF card, windows will let me format it as FAT16, so I assume that means there isn't a problem

Well - maybe and maybe not.

I am not very familiar with the DOS version used but if it is formatted with 512-byte hard-disk sector record size then the 8-bit sector to cluster size would be 32-kbyte which yields a total of 2-Gbyte using a 32-bit cluster counter (most DOS versions used this standard). There is an "extended" FAT-16 version which is used by later versions of Windows that yields the 4-Gbyte per drive storage value - I suspect you are using either Windows XP or Vista to format the CF device??

I am thinking the DOS version used follows the older 512-byte/sector format and would only be able to address 2-Gbyte total but that is just me :)

I have used several CF devices (64-meg, 128-meg, 512-meg and 1-gig) to test the bios loader and they all worked - I tried using a 4-gig CF card but the physwritedisk program I used responded back that it could only write to a maximum of 2-gig and I had requested it write to a 4-gig device.

gm…

bjorktorp · Dec 6, 2007, 1:47 PM

I'm sorry that I made a fool of myself and perhaps also confused some of you with my latest post. My failure with bios 0.98g was only because I had chosen the wrong bios file. As usual it was only a matter of not reading properly. It was all there in the sbyoon's post.

@sbyoon:

You can download and write it to any cf card with 'physdiskwrite'. This image includs the 0.98g bios update files for Alix2. If you have Alix2, just execute 'sb.com' after freedos boot up.

So, the success story for me was:

1. Download sbyoon's image
2. Use physdiskwrite and write the image to an old 64MB CF
3. Boot it on my Alix2 card
4. Press 's' during bootup sequence and choose 'L' for LBA mode
5. Quit, save and continue booting
6. At the FreeDOS-prompt: Type SB.COM (This time with the original Alix1.bin on the FreeDOS disk!)
7. Power off and change CF
8. Successfully boot psSense 1.2-RC3 Embedded
9. Yeehaaa!

/Roger

gmckinney · Dec 6, 2007, 2:32 PM

In my book the ONLY foolish question is the one you DON'T ASK! ;D

Glad to see you have the Alix up and running!!!

gm…

mlabenda · Dec 10, 2007, 4:02 PM

Just upgraded my 2c2 to Bios 0.98g
pfsense works like a champ with the todays snapshot incl. OpenVpn

Even it is only the 433 MHz/128MB Version it works fine on my 30/2 Mbit cable Line

Real nice work guys.
Keep this nice work going

eweri · Dec 11, 2007, 7:46 AM

@Rusty64bit:

Just upgraded my 2c2 to Bios 0.98g
pfsense works like a champ with the todays snapshot incl. OpenVpn

Could you test if reboot works, please? My 1.2-RC3 panics during reboot but it reboots. If I use the pfsense-1024-image the cpu got hung during reboot and I have to pull the plug :-(
BTW. You can see the panic at the seriell console, only.

Bye,
eweri

mlabenda · Dec 11, 2007, 7:53 AM

Works fine
No issues
I took the image for the snapshot server yesterday
But one thing
Do you have the 2c3 or like i the 2c2 this is the 433MHz 128MB 3Nic without USB ?
Do know this makes a difference…

Pascal just put Version 0.99 out on the Pc Engines Website...

luma · Dec 11, 2007, 7:54 AM

@luma:

Hello Eweri,

I have to investigate for reboot. It seems working, I can't serial connect at the moment.

Here is the solution for full install (I wrote the last part, Using VirtualBox) :
http://devwiki.pfsense.org/FullInstallOnWRAP

But it's not a good idea on CF! CF don't support too much write cycle! You are warn!

Bye

Sorry Eweri, I forgot you. Same answer : no issue at all with reboot on 1.2RC3 10/26/2007.

Bye

mlabenda · Dec 11, 2007, 8:05 AM

This is my dmesg output

Copyright 1992-2007 The FreeBSD Project.
Copyright (c) 1979, 1980, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994
The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
FreeBSD is a registered trademark of The FreeBSD Foundation.
FreeBSD 6.2-RELEASE-p9 #0: Mon Dec 10 04:26:02 EST 2007
sullrich@builder6.pfsense.com:/usr/obj.pfSense/usr/src/sys/pfSense_wrap.6
Timecounter "i8254" frequency 1193182 Hz quality 0
CPU: Geode(TM) Integrated Processor by AMD PCS (431.65-MHz 586-class CPU)
Origin = "AuthenticAMD" Id = 0x5a2 Stepping = 2
Features=0x88a93d <fpu,de,pse,tsc,msr,cx8,sep,pge,cmov,clflush,mmx>AMD Features=0xc0400000 <mmx+,3dnow+,3dnow>real memory = 134217728 (128 MB)
avail memory = 121872384 (116 MB)
pnpbios: Bad PnP BIOS data checksum
wlan: mac acl policy registered
K6-family MTRR support enabled (2 registers)
ath_hal: 0.9.17.2 (AR5210, AR5211, AR5212, RF5111, RF5112, RF2413, RF5413)
cpu0 on motherboard
pcib0: <host to="" pci="" bridge="">pcibus 0 on motherboard
pci0: <pci bus="">on pcib0
MFGPT bar: f00100006200
pci0: <encrypt decrypt,="" entertainment="" crypto="">at device 1.2 (no driver attached)
vr0: <via 10="" vt6105m="" rhine="" iii="" 100basetx="">port 0x1000-0x10ff mem 0xe0000000-0xe00000ff irq 10 at device 9.0 on pci0
miibus0: <mii bus="">on vr0
ukphy0: <generic ieee="" 802.3u="" media="" interface="">on miibus0
ukphy0: 10baseT, 10baseT-FDX, 100baseTX, 100baseTX-FDX, auto
vr0: Ethernet address: 00:0d:b9:12:9f:84
vr1: <via 10="" vt6105m="" rhine="" iii="" 100basetx="">port 0x1400-0x14ff mem 0xe0040000-0xe00400ff irq 11 at device 10.0 on pci0
miibus1: <mii bus="">on vr1
ukphy1: <generic ieee="" 802.3u="" media="" interface="">on miibus1
ukphy1: 10baseT, 10baseT-FDX, 100baseTX, 100baseTX-FDX, auto
vr1: Ethernet address: 00:0d:b9:12:9f:85
vr2: <via 10="" vt6105m="" rhine="" iii="" 100basetx="">port 0x1800-0x18ff mem 0xe0080000-0xe00800ff irq 12 at device 11.0 on pci0
miibus2: <mii bus="">on vr2
ukphy2: <generic ieee="" 802.3u="" media="" interface="">on miibus2
ukphy2: 10baseT, 10baseT-FDX, 100baseTX, 100baseTX-FDX, auto
vr2: Ethernet address: 00:0d:b9:12:9f:86
ath0: <atheros 5212="">mem 0xe00c0000-0xe00cffff irq 9 at device 12.0 on pci0
ath0: Ethernet address: 00:02:6f:44:30:4b
ath0: mac 10.4 phy 6.1 radio 6.3
isab0: <pci-isa bridge="">port 0x6000-0x6007,0x6100-0x61ff,0x6200-0x623f,0x9d00-0x9d7f,0x9c00-0x9c3f at device 15.0 on pci0
isa0: <isa bus="">on isab0
atapci0: <generic ata="" controller="">port 0x1f0-0x1f7,0x3f6,0x170-0x177,0x376,0xff00-0xff0f at device 15.2 on pci0
ata0: <ata 0="" channel="">on atapci0
ata1: <ata 1="" channel="">on atapci0
ohci0: <ohci (generic)="" usb="" controller="">mem 0xefffe000-0xefffefff irq 15 at device 15.4 on pci0
ohci0: [GIANT-LOCKED]
usb0: OHCI version 1.0, legacy support
usb0: <ohci (generic)="" usb="" controller="">on ohci0
usb0: USB revision 1.0
uhub0: AMD OHCI root hub, class 9/0, rev 1.00/1.00, addr 1
uhub0: 4 ports with 4 removable, self powered
ehci0: <amd cs5536="" usb="" 2.0="" controller="">mem 0xefffd000-0xefffdfff irq 15 at device 15.5 on pci0
ehci0: [GIANT-LOCKED]
usb1: EHCI version 1.0
usb1: companion controller, 4 ports each: usb0
usb1: <amd cs5536="" usb="" 2.0="" controller="">on ehci0
usb1: USB revision 2.0
uhub1: AMD EHCI root hub, class 9/0, rev 2.00/1.00, addr 1
uhub1: 4 ports with 4 removable, self powered
orm0: <isa option="" rom="">at iomem 0xe0000-0xeafff on isa0
ppc0: parallel port not found.
sio0 at port 0x3f8-0x3ff irq 4 flags 0x30 on isa0
sio0: type 16550A, console
sio1: configured irq 3 not in bitmap of probed irqs 0
sio1: port may not be enabled
RTC BIOS diagnostic error 80 <clock_battery>Timecounter "TSC" frequency 431646313 Hz quality 800
Timecounters tick every 10.000 msec
Fast IPsec: Initialized Security Association Processing.
ad0: 967MB <cf 20070131="" card="" 1gb="">at ata0-master PIO4
GEOM_LABEL: Label for provider ad0a is ufs/pfSense.
GEOM_LABEL: Label for provider ad0d is ufs/pfSenseCfg.
Trying to mount root from ufs:/dev/ufs/pfSense

___
/ f \
/ p \/ Sense
\/ \
\/

Welcome to pfSense 1.2-RC3 on the 'embedded' platform…

Setting up embedded specific environment...
done.
Mounting filesystems...
done.
Creating symlinks...
.
.
.
done.
Launching PHP init system...
done.
Initializing...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
done.
Starting device manager (devd)...
done.
Loading configuration...
.
.
.
done.
Updating configuration...
done.
Cleaning backup cache...
done.
Setting up extended sysctls...
done.
Syncing user passwords...
done.
Starting Secure Shell Services...
done.
Setting timezone...
done.
Starting syslog...
done.
Configuring LAN interface...
vr0: link state changed to UP
vr1: link state changed to UP
vr2: link state changed to DOWN
done.
Configuring WAN interface...
done.
Configuring OPT interfaces...
done.
Configuring CARP interfaces...
done.
route:
writing to routing socket
:
No such process
route:
writing to routing socket
:
No such process
route:
writing to routing socket
:
No such process
route:
writing to routing socket
:
No such process
route:
writing to routing socket
:
No such process
route:
writing to routing socket
:
No such process
route:
writing to routing socket
:
No such process
route:
writing to routing socket
:
No such process
route:
writing to routing socket
:
No such process
route:
writing to routing socket
:
No such process
Syncing system time before startup...
done.
pflog0: promiscuous mode enabled
Configuring firewall...
.
.
.
done.
Starting webConfigurator...
done.
Starting DHCP service...
done.
Starting DNS forwarder...
done.
Setting up microcode and tx/rx offloading...
done.
Starting FTP helpers...
done.
Generating RRD graphs...
route:
writing to routing socket
:
No such process
done.
Starting DHCP service...
done.
Starting OpenNTP time client...
done.
Starting CRON...
done.
Executing rc.d items...
Starting /usr/local/etc/rc.d/*.sh...
done.
appending output to nohup.out
Bootup complete

FreeBSD/i386 (pfSense.local) (console)

*** Welcome to pfSense 1.2-RC3-embedded on pfSense ***

LAN* -> vr0 -> 192.168.178.1

WAN* -> vr1 -> 0.0.0.0(DHCP)

OPT1(OPT1) -> vr2 -> NONE

pfSense console setup

0) Logout (SSH only)
1) Assign Interfaces
2) Set LAN IP address
3) Reset webConfigurator password
4) Reset to factory defaults
5) Reboot system
6) Halt system
7) Ping host
8) Shell
9) PFtop
10) Filter Logs
11) Restart webConfigurator
12) pfSense PHP shell
13) Upgrade from console

Enter an option:
vr0: Using force reset command.</cf></clock_battery></isa></amd></amd></ohci></ohci></ata></ata></generic></isa></pci-isa></atheros></generic></mii></via></generic></mii></via></generic></mii></via></encrypt></pci></host></mmx+,3dnow+,3dnow></fpu,de,pse,tsc,msr,cx8,sep,pge,cmov,clflush,mmx>

eweri · Dec 12, 2007, 7:45 AM

@eweri:

Could you test if reboot works, please? My 1.2-RC3 panics during reboot but it reboots. If I use the pfsense-1024-image the cpu got hung during reboot and I have to pull the plug :-(
BTW. You can see the panic at the seriell console, only.

Bye,
eweri

Just reply to my self: Installed tinyBIOS 0.99 today and now I have no reboot issues any more. Going to try the 1024MB image and see if the reboot-hung is gone also.

Bye,
eweri