Successful Install on Watchguard Firebox X700!

Valhalla1

So are most of you taking the HD tray out completely? Do you know where to get a HD that fits in the bracket and slides into place using the connector?

my hard drive is in the tray, which if I recall is kind of loose inside there but I had to use it, otherwise the hard drive would just be laying on the motherboard directly, and this caused a short of some kind and it wouldn't power up
a regular sized ide hard drive might fit properly in the removeable cage, the laptop ones are obv. too small

Sifter

Ive gone ahead and purchased a 4gig hitachi microdrive. Id like to use this in the x700. Can I do a full install to the microdrive from my other computer, then slide it into the cf slot in the x700?

moep

I replaced our Firebox X500 for pfsense a few months ago and never noticed this thread.
Selling the box isn't worth it so I ripped into it and cleaned it today.

Now I'm wondering if anyone has tried installing a 1024 MB PC-133 stick in it?
I'd like to run a couple of packages on the box (squid in particular, i guess it's too weak for snort ) so the more RAM the better I'd guess.

Also, what's the smartest solution when it comes to the installation?
I think I'll go with the "connect cdrom-drive and do the installation via serial console"-route.
And I'm definitely going to put a harddrive in there, should I get rid of the CF card and do the full installation on the HD or install the base system on a CF and while leaving all busy partitions on the HD?

Valhalla1

@moep:

I replaced our Firebox X500 for pfsense a few months ago and never noticed this thread.
Selling the box isn't worth it so I ripped into it and cleaned it today.

Now I'm wondering if anyone has tried installing a 1024 MB PC-133 stick in it?
I'd like to run a couple of packages on the box (squid in particular, i guess it's too weak for snort ) so the more RAM the better I'd guess.

Also, what's the smartest solution when it comes to the installation?
I think I'll go with the "connect cdrom-drive and do the installation via serial console"-route.
And I'm definitely going to put a harddrive in there, should I get rid of the CF card and do the full installation on the HD or install the base system on a CF and while leaving all busy partitions on the HD?

not sure anyones reporting attempting a cdrom install, it might have problems recognizing or booting from a cdrom unless you can get into the motherboard BIOS config, but good luck. You can always install the system on another machine and swap the disk out

here's a question, I just got around to installing phpsysinfo on my Firebox x500 and noticed the temperature sensors seem outragous, is this false info or is something inside my box about to spontaneously combust? This seemingly hasn't caused any problems but doesn't look pretty

moep

I've finished the installation on my Firebox now, went a different route:

Attached the notebook-disk to my Notebook via an IDE-USB adapter, fired up VMware Fusion, used the .iso and installed pfsense to the disk via vmware. It worked fine.

The box will boot with a doublesided 1024 MB PC-133 stick but only 512 MB are recognized.

And well, keep an eye out for the completely open PSU while working in there. I was stupid enough to accidentally touch a 220V part while swapping the HDD with the box plugged in. Fun, fun.:D

@ Valhalla1: 127° is a default temperature for sensors as far as I remember. I wouldn't worry too much about it unless the temperature actually fluctuates over 120°C.

Sifter

Anyone have a good way of removing the heatsink/fan from the Celeron chip that is stock? I have a PIII 1.4 chip that Id like to throw in, but the heatsink seems bonded pretty tight to the existing celeron.

Idea's are welcomed.

moep

My X500 only has liquid thermal compound between the CPU and HSF — no “baked in” thermal pad or anything like it.
All it takes is a slight twist and the HSF will come off.
If your’s sticks to the CPU, try running the firebox so the thermal compound heats up and gets soft. Then lift it off without applying excessive force.

If you have trouble opening the clip, see the picture for how it works. Be careful not to break the little tabs on the socket though.

IMG_5223.jpg_thumb

IMG_5224.jpg_thumb

familyguy

@Valhalla1:

How are you generating this system info page? It seems a LOT more informative than the default. Is that some special add-on?

Best,

jahonix

That's a package called 'phpSysInfo'.
You can install it from System|Packages if you are on a full install.

familyguy

@jahonix:

That's a package called 'phpSysInfo'.
You can install it from System|Packages if you are on a full install.

Ah. It doesn't appear to be available for the 1.2.1-snapshots.

Best,

Sifter

@moep:

My X500 only has liquid thermal compound between the CPU and HSF — no “baked in” thermal pad or anything like it.
All it takes is a slight twist and the HSF will come off.
If your’s sticks to the CPU, try running the firebox so the thermal compound heats up and gets soft. Then lift it off without applying excessive force.

If you have trouble opening the clip, see the picture for how it works. Be careful not to break the little tabs on the socket though.

Worked like a charm, thank you.

emigrating

@Sifter:

It looks like the mini pci slot could be used for a wifi card, so you could choose if you wanted a vpn card or wifi card in that slot. Granted, both have to be recognized by pfsense.

So has anyone tried sticking a wifi card in there? If not, what's a generally accepted card for FreeBSD which I could try?

Sifter

@emigrating:

@Sifter:

It looks like the mini pci slot could be used for a wifi card, so you could choose if you wanted a vpn card or wifi card in that slot. Granted, both have to be recognized by pfsense.

So has anyone tried sticking a wifi card in there? If not, what's a generally accepted card for FreeBSD which I could try?

I havent tried it yet, but I do have one at home. I finally received my hitachi 4gig microdrive, so I can now install pfsense on the thing and then boot my x700. Hopefully Ill have time later this week.

emigrating

@Sifter:

I havent tried it yet, but I do have one at home. I finally received my hitachi 4gig microdrive, so I can now install pfsense on the thing and then boot my x700. Hopefully Ill have time later this week.

Cool. Do keep us updated.

Sifter

Ok below is my screen from the serial cable. I ordered a Hitachi 4gig microdrive off ebay, and this morning did a full install to it via a bootable cdrom on another machine. I had a usb-cf card reader that was attached to the computer. After it got done installing, I took it out and slid it into the firebox cf slot.

Will ufs:ad0 be my microdrive?

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-p11 #0: Sun Feb 24 16:32:58 EST 2008
sullrich@builder6.pfsense.com:/usr/obj.pfSense/usr/src/sys/pfSense.6
Timecounter "i8254" frequency 1193182 Hz quality 0
CPU: Intel(R) Pentium(R) III CPU - S 1400MHz (1403.19-MHz 686-class CPU)

Origin = "GenuineIntel" Id = 0x6b4 Stepping = 4
Features=0x383f9ff<fpu,vme,de,pse,tsc,msr,pae,mce,cx8,sep,mtrr,p ="" <br="">T,PSE36,MMX,FXSR,SSE>
real memory = 268435456 (256 MB)
avail memory = 253263872 (241 MB)
wlan: mac acl policy registered
kbd1 at kbdmux0
ath_hal: 0.9.17.2 (AR5210, AR5211, AR5212, RF5111, RF5112, RF2413, RF5413)
cpu0 on motherboard
pcib0: <intel 82815="" (i815="" gmch)="" host="" to="" hub="" bridge="">pcibus 0 on motherboard
pir0: <pci 11="" interrupt="" routing="" table:="" entries="">on motherboard
$PIR: Using invalid BIOS IRQ 9 from 2.13.INTA for link 0x63
pci0: <pci bus="">on pcib0
pcib1: <pcibios pci-pci="" bridge="">at device 30.0 on pci0
pci2: <pci bus="">on pcib1
pci2: <unknown>at device 6.0 (no driver attached)
re0: <realtek 10="" 8139c+="" 100basetx="">port 0xd500-0xd5ff mem 0xefefa000-0xefefa1ff
irq 10 at device 9.0 on pci2
miibus0: <mii bus="">on re0
rlphy0: <realtek internal="" media="" interface="">on miibus0
rlphy0: 10baseT, 10baseT-FDX, 100baseTX, 100baseTX-FDX, auto
re0: Ethernet address: 00:90:7f:31:0e:f2
re0: [FAST]
re1: <realtek 10="" 8139c+="" 100basetx="">port 0xd600-0xd6ff mem 0xefefb000-0xefefb1ff
irq 5 at device 10.0 on pci2
miibus1: <mii bus="">on re1
rlphy1: <realtek internal="" media="" interface="">on miibus1
rlphy1: 10baseT, 10baseT-FDX, 100baseTX, 100baseTX-FDX, auto
re1: Ethernet address: 00:90:7f:31:0e:f3
re1: [FAST]
re2: <realtek 10="" 8139c+="" 100basetx="">port 0xd900-0xd9ff mem 0xefefc000-0xefefc1ff
irq 11 at device 11.0 on pci2
miibus2: <mii bus="">on re2
rlphy2: <realtek internal="" media="" interface="">on miibus2
rlphy2: 10baseT, 10baseT-FDX, 100baseTX, 100baseTX-FDX, auto
re2: Ethernet address: 00:90:7f:31:0e:f4
re2: [FAST]
re3: <realtek 10="" 8139c+="" 100basetx="">port 0xda
irq 12 at device 12.0 on pci2
miibus3: <mii bus="">on re3
rlphy3: <realtek internal="" media="" interface="">on miibus3
rlphy3: 10baseT, 10baseT-FDX, 100baseTX, 100baseTX-FDX, auto
re3: Ethernet address: 00:90:7f:31:0e:f5
re3: [FAST]
re4: <realtek 10="" 8139c+="" 100basetx="">port 0xdd00-0xddff mem 0xefefe000-0xefefe1ff
irq 9 at device 13.0 on pci2
miibus4: <mii bus="">on re4
rlphy4: <realtek internal="" media="" interface="">on miibus4
rlphy4: 10baseT, 10baseT-FDX, 100baseTX, 100baseTX-FDX, auto
re4: Ethernet address: 00:90:7f:31:0e:f6
re4: [FAST]
re5: <realtek 10="" 8139c+="" 100basetx="">port 0xde00-0xdeff mem 0xefeff000-0xefeff1ff
irq 6 at device 14.0 on pci2
miibus5: <mii bus="">on re5
rlphy5: <realtek internal="" media="" interface="">on miibus5
rlphy5: 10baseT, 10baseT-FDX, 100baseTX, 100baseTX-FDX, auto
re5: Ethernet address: 00:90:7f:31:0e:f7
re5: [FAST]
isab0: <pci-isa bridge="">at device 31.0 on pci0
isa0: <isa bus="">on isab0
atapci0: <intel ich2="" udma100="" controller="">port 0x1f0-0x1f7,0x3f6,0x170-0x177,0x37
6,0xff00-0xff0f at device 31.1 on pci0
ata0: <ata 0="" channel="">on atapci0
ata1: <ata 1="" channel="">on atapci0
pmtimer0 on isa0
orm0: <isa option="" rom="">at iomem 0xe0000-0xe0fff on isa0
atkbdc0: <keyboard controller="" (i8042)="">at port 0x60,0x64 on isa0
atkbd0: <at keyboard="">irq 1 on atkbdc0
kbd0 at atkbd0
atkbd0: [GIANT-LOCKED]
ppc0: <parallel port="">at port 0x378-0x37f irq 7 on isa0
ppc0: Generic chipset (ECP/PS2/NIBBLE) in COMPATIBLE mode
ppc0: FIFO with 16/16/16 bytes threshold
ppbus0: <parallel port="" bus="">on ppc0
lpt0: <printer>on ppbus0
lpt0: Interrupt-driven port
ppi0: <parallel i="" o="">on ppbus0
sio0 at port 0x3f8-0x3ff irq 4 flags 0x10 on isa0
sio0: type 16550A, console
sio1: configured irq 3 not in bitmap of probed irqs 0
sio1: port may not be enabled
unknown: <pnp0c01>can't assign resources (memory)
unknown: <pnp0303>can't assign resources (port)
speaker0: <pc speaker="">at port 0x61 on isa0
unknown: <pnp0501>can't assign resources (port)
unknown: <pnp0401>can't assign resources (port)
RTC BIOS diagnostic error 20 <config_unit>Timecounter "TSC" frequency 1403186855 Hz quality 800
Timecounters tick every 1.000 msec
Fast IPsec: Initialized Security Association Processing.
ad0: 3906MB <hms360604d5cf00 dp4ec30h="">at ata0-master UDMA33
ad0: FAILURE - READ_DMA timed out LBA=7999485
ad0: FAILURE - READ_DMA timed out LBA=7999471
ad0: FAILURE - READ_DMA timed out LBA=7999484
ad0: FAILURE - READ_DMA timed out LBA=7999487
ad0: FAILURE - READ_DMA timed out LBA=7999425
ad0: TIMEOUT - READ_DMA retrying (1 retry left) LBA=7999487
ad0: TIMEOUT - READ_DMA retrying (0 retries left) LBA=7999487
ad0: FAILURE - READ_DMA timed out LBA=7999487
ad0: TIMEOUT - READ_DMA retrying (1 retry left) LBA=7999487
ad0: TIMEOUT - READ_DMA retrying (0 retries left) LBA=7999487
ad0: FAILURE - READ_DMA timed out LBA=7999487
ad0: TIMEOUT - READ_DMA retrying (1 retry left) LBA=128
ad0: TIMEOUT - READ_DMA retrying (0 retries left) LBA=128
ad0: FAILURE - READ_DMA timed out LBA=128
ad0: TIMEOUT - READ_DMA retrying (1 retry left) LBA=16
ad0: TIMEOUT - READ_DMA retrying (0 retries left) LBA=16
ad0: FAILURE - READ_DMA timed out L
ad0: TIMEOUT - READ_DMA retrying (1 retry left) LBA=0
ad0: TIMEOUT - READ_DMA retrying (0 retries left) LBA=0
ad0: FAILURE - READ_DMA timed out LBA=0
ad0: TIMEOUT - READ_DMA retrying (1 retry left) LBA=512
ad0: TIMEOUT - READ_DMA retrying (0 retries left) LBA=512
ad0: FAILURE - READ_DMA timed out LBA=512
ad0: TIMEOUT - READ_DMA retrying (1 retry left) LBA=64
ad0: TIMEOUT - READ_DMA retrying (0 retries left) LBA=64
ad0: FAILURE - READ_DMA timed out LBA=64
ad0: TIMEOUT - READ_DMA retrying (1 retry left) LBA=0
ad0: TIMEOUT - READ_DMA retrying (0 retries left) LBA=0
ad0: FAILURE - READ_DMA timed out LBA=0
ad0: TIMEOUT - READ_DMA retrying (1 retry left) LBA=2
ad0: TIMEOUT - READ_DMA retrying (0 retries left) LBA=2
ad0: FAILURE - READ_DMA timed out LBA=2
ad0: TIMEOUT - READ_DMA retrying (1 retry left) LBA=16
ad0: TIMEOUT - READ_DMA retrying (0 retries left) LBA=16
ad0: FAILURE - READ_DMA timed out LBA=16
ad0: TIMEOUT - READ_DMA retrying (1 retry left) LBA=128
ad0: TIMEOUT - READ_DMA retrying (0 retries left) LBA=128
ad0: FAILURE - READ_DMA timed out LBA=128
ad0: TIMEOUT - READ_DMA retrying (1 retry left) LBA=0
ad0: TIMEOUT - READ_DMA retrying (0 retries left) LBA=0
ad0: FAILURE - READ_DMA timed out LBA=0
Trying to mount root from ufs:/dev/da0s1a

Manual root filesystem specification:
<fstype>:<device> Mount <device>using filesystem <fstype>eg. ufs:da0s1a
? List valid disk boot devices
<empty line=""> Abort manual input

mountroot></empty></fstype></device></device></fstype></hms360604d5cf00></config_unit></pnp0401></pnp0501></pc></pnp0303></pnp0c01></parallel></printer></parallel></parallel></at></keyboard></isa></ata></ata></intel></isa></pci-isa></realtek></mii></realtek></realtek></mii></realtek></realtek></mii></realtek></realtek></mii></realtek></realtek></mii></realtek></realtek></mii></realtek></unknown></pci></pcibios></pci></pci></intel></fpu,vme,de,pse,tsc,msr,pae,mce,cx8,sep,mtrr,p >

Sifter

When I try ad0 I get:

mountroot> ufs:ad0
Trying to mount root from ufs:ad0
ad0: TIMEOUT - READ_DMA retrying (1 retry left) LBA=128
ad0: TIMEOUT - READ_DMA retrying (0 retries left) LBA=128
ad0: FAILURE - READ_DMA timed out LBA=128

Manual root filesystem specification:
<fstype>:<device> Mount <device>using filesystem <fstype>eg. ufs:da0s1a
? List valid disk boot devices
<empty line=""> Abort manual input

mountroot>

…even though when I display the bootable devices it gives me:

List of GEOM managed disk devices:
ad0</empty></fstype></device></device></fstype>

Sifter

@jmcentire:

Works perfectly! So if you have any old p3s laying around, swap em out and get a little more performance! Also these boards do support 512 MB sticks of PC133, so as soon as I find some I will be upgrading that as well.

I just stuck in a 512meg stick into mine and it still registers as 256. I had this problem on the old IP330's as well.

dotdash

I would try setting hw.ata.ata_dma=0 in the loader.conf to see if that helps getting the microdrive to boot.

Sifter

@dotdash:

I would try setting hw.ata.ata_dma=0 in the loader.conf to see if that helps getting the microdrive to boot.

How would I go about doing that?

Dayblade

Sorry to be a noob and ask this - but been following this thread faithfully and finally decided to take the plunge and try pfSense on my Firebox x700 - however - having difficulties getting the Hyperterminal commands to "take" - more specifically - I get to see the boot sequence and it asks me for the "mount location" - and then I attempt to type in the commands to mount the hard drive and I am not getting "ENTER" to work. Any clues?

Great resource and forums by the way peeps - thx for all the hard work and effort you guys have done in making pfSense work as well as it has.

Dayblade