PCEngines alix2c3 (Substitute for WRAP) boot failes

naughtyusmaximus · Feb 1, 2008, 7:40 AM

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 ;)

xbipin · Feb 1, 2008, 7:46 AM

@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
Neil

upgrde 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.

safrax · Feb 3, 2008, 4:31 AM

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 :( )

rpsmith · Feb 3, 2008, 8:00 AM

@safrax:

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.com

rpsmith…

ircman · Feb 3, 2008, 11:15 AM

Sullrich,

Did you allready tried out the board ?

n3b · Feb 4, 2008, 5:56 PM

@xbipin:

@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
Neil

upgrde 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,
n

freedrivers · Feb 17, 2008, 8:29 PM

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.

hoba · Feb 17, 2008, 9:12 PM

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.

freedrivers · Feb 18, 2008, 5:33 PM

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

hoba · Feb 18, 2008, 6:29 PM

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.

freedrivers · Feb 18, 2008, 7:20 PM

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?

hoba · Feb 18, 2008, 7:56 PM

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 again

Now 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 :)

keparat · Feb 27, 2008, 5:09 PM

Hi.

I have the following problem with alix.3

my hyper terminal:

PC Engines ALIX.3 v0.98
640 KB Base Memory
261120 KB Extended Memory

01F0 Master 044A CF 1GB
Phys C/H/S 1966/16/63 Log C/H/S 983/32/63
Loading system with initrd
???
stop here no more text

CF - Mikrotik
open mikrotik via winbox noproblem
Thanks a lot
joko

blueice · Feb 27, 2008, 5:34 PM

i hope you have write in wrong forum. This forum is for pfsense, not mikrotik….
after this i want to inform you that i have some mikrotik installs in alix and work fine.
I recommended to put the latest bios in your alix (v0.99) and install mikrotik with netinstall and pxe boot.
but you can also give a try to pfsense. The 1.2 final version work great!

@keparat:

Hi.

I have the following problem with alix.3

my hyper terminal:

PC Engines ALIX.3 v0.98
640 KB Base Memory
261120 KB Extended Memory

01F0 Master 044A CF 1GB
Phys C/H/S 1966/16/63 Log C/H/S 983/32/63
Loading system with initrd
???
stop here no more text

CF - Mikrotik
open mikrotik via winbox noproblem
Thanks a lot
joko

cmb · Feb 27, 2008, 5:58 PM

Locking this thread since it's a mess.

For those who come across this in the future, the fix for ALIX boot failures is to make sure your BIOS is up to date. If you're running the latest BIOS and having problems, please start a new thread specific to the problem you are seeing. Thanks