PCEngines alix2c3 (Substitute for WRAP) boot failes
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Since this is the board I am looking at I was wondering if you have received the board and had a chance to look at it.
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The board arrived but I do not have a power supply. Will have to pick one up.
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Any update on this issue? I am planning a project that is based on this board and this is a show stopper.
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The board arrived but I do not have a power supply. Will have to pick one up.
A Linksys 12-VDC WRT54G power supply works well with them - unless it is the ALIX 1C - then you need a different power connector (sure makes me wonder why the use of two different sized power connections for basically the same boards - hmmmmm)…
gm...
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i just got my alix 2c3 with 3 ethernet and 2 usb and i tried pfsense1.2rc4, doesnt work at all.
monowall latest beta works rock solid, i read somewhere that they r not supporting alix anymore and trying to make it as a firewall for full install only but if an embedded pc can do the job then y not atleast make a last version for it, saves the hassle of a dedicated PC as well as cost effective. -
You have to log in via serial console and assign interfaces with pfsense, m0n0wall was patched to do this automatically.
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ok i have got the latest snapshot to work finally with the latest bios version which is 0.99. pfsense uses 9600 as baud rate so i guess that was the problem y i was seeing garbage.
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Just got the same hardware and am trying 1.2RC4. I get the same hang after the DHCP service starts.
WIll try BIOS up/down grade
CHeers
Neil -
I finally got around to trying the latest RC, and it works for me!
I've gone through the changelog between RC3 and RC4, and I can't seem to find what would have made the difference - but I'm very glad that there is one ;) -
@n3b:
Just got the same hardware and am trying 1.2RC4. I get the same hang after the DHCP service starts.
WIll try BIOS up/down grade
CHeers
Neilupgrde to 0.99 bios, then set the serial baud rate to 9600 as pfsense uses that and then use the latest snapshot and try and it will work for sure. by default when i got the board, it had the 0.98 version of bios installed so definately needs a bios upgrade.
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Is there any way to upgrade the bios without having a null modem cable to connect the thing to my desktop to see the output? I just discovered today all I have is a male to female serial cable and I cannot get a female to female locally anymore (in fact the people at best buy laughed at me :( )
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Is there any way to upgrade the bios without having a null modem cable to connect the thing to my desktop to see the output? I just discovered today all I have is a male to female serial cable and I cannot get a female to female locally anymore (in fact the people at best buy laughed at me :( )
I used the FreeDOS method and edited the FDAUTO.BAT to look like this:
@prompt $p$g
@path=c:\bin
sb.comrpsmith…
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Sullrich,
Did you allready tried out the board ?
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@n3b:
Just got the same hardware and am trying 1.2RC4. I get the same hang after the DHCP service starts.
WIll try BIOS up/down grade
CHeers
Neilupgrde to 0.99 bios, then set the serial baud rate to 9600 as pfsense uses that and then use the latest snapshot and try and it will work for sure. by default when i got the board, it had the 0.98 version of bios installed so definately needs a bios upgrade.
Yep - a BIOS update to 0.99 is definitely the way to go.
I used the LBA image http://www.pcengines.ch/freedos.htm to get the update done. Just Works.
As an aside - I can't say if this was something to do with my switch - but once I put the alix in place, upon a fresh boot, the LAN interface would simply not initialize. As a troubleshooting step I unplugged the WAN interface and, as if by magic
the shop keeper appeared, the LAN interface came up. I then plugged in the WAN interface and all was gravy. I've rebooted since and not received the same wierdness. Although it is likely something to do with my environment, I thought I'd share in case someone else runs into it.Otherwise pfSense and the alix2C3 work very well together.
Cheers,
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Hello People…
I read the hole thread and I am eased that I am not alone with my Problem, BUT
my problem seems to be much more difficult than the others, becaus I have an ALIX 2C3 and (yes its true ;) ) i want to use it with pfSense (1.2 RC4)
For that reason I took a 1GB CF an flashed the pfSense 1.2 RC4 image on it, installed it in my ALIX an gave power to it ;D
the ALIX came up ( i was connectet on COM port with a baud of 38400 8N1 no flow (TerraTerm Pro) to the board)
i hit "s" and entered setup. As described in the ALIX Manual (http://www.pcengines.ch/pdf/alix2.pdf) i changed the baud to 9600 and exit the BIOS.
After reboot the ALIX read from CF and pfSense started...till DHCP service done. THAN nothing!
Well until here the probleme is well known and because i read in other forums i thyed to update BIOS.
BUT now comes the real problem: when i start ALIX and listen to COM port i never see normal text, always snarl...i tyed it with 9600 (that should be beacuse is changed it as i described upwards) and with the native 38400 , BUT alsways SNARL!
When pfSense boots the text until NOW (17.02.08 21:22) was clear, but now there is mess as well (after the unsuccessful tries to update the BIOS)
but the board is still alive... HOW CAN I GET BACK THE NATIVE STATUS OF DELIVERY?
I need to see the boot in terminal in clear letters.
PLEASE HELP ME i despair of that. -
Upgrading the bios will set everything to default again so your console is back at 38400 baud. You have to set your Teraterm again to 38400 and go to the bios to set it back to 9600 again. Then everything should work ok again.
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but that simple fact does not solve my problem:
i uploaded two videos filmed on my desktop… its flv flashmovies
please geeks look at this and tell me where is my fault?h**p://www.speedshare.org/download.php?id=855EFE5A3
h**p://www.speedshare.org/download.php?id=3CA02DA63
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Download the lba image from http://pcengines.ch/freedos.htm and modify the autoexec.bat to autorun the firmwareflash on bootup. After that you should have a factory default system running bios 0.99 again. I guess there is something very funny set in your bios.
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how exactly to edit the bat file? there is no autoexec.bat just a FDAUTO.BAT..
what does i have to edit? what is the correct formulation? notation?how does i know the BIOS update has finished?
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create an autoexec.bat to launch sb.com. Iirc it doesn't require any further input to start the flashingprocess. Then create some repeating output. The flashprocess should be done when the output starts to scroll. Make your autoexec.bat look something like this:
@echo off sb.com :again echo //////////////////////////////////// echo //////////////////// echo //// goto againNow unpower the alix, set your terminal emulation to 38400 baud again. power it on and try to access the bios. Btw, before powering it on try to reset the terminal in teraterm or relaunch teraterm. I have seen it acting up sometimes when it was shut down in the middle of receiving half of a byte or something like that.
Good luck :)