How to: Install 1.2.2 on ALIX with IDE HDD (obsolete)

AhnHEL

I ran this HOW TO to install a IDE HD on my 2c2 with great success. I recently bought a 2D3 and cant seem to get it to run using the same instructions and using a recent 1.2.3 snapshot from July. Has something been changed in the recent snaps that would alter these instructions. With the current instructions I get a spinning | after the Alix BIos text and then it just stops there. ALIX Bios is .99h. Using an older snapshot works on installing to the IDE drive but then I get boot errors once I upgrade to a recent snap.

I was assuming that maybe since embedded kernels arent used anymore, since nanobsd seems to be the future of pfsense on embedded devices, that that's the reason why these instructions do not apply anymore. Just looking for some kind of confirmation or explanation to my scenario. Thanks in advance.

FalconV

This is a great walkthrough! I followed it step-by-step for installing pfSense 1.2.3 RC1 onto a Seagate ST1 5GB MicroDrive in an Alix.2d3. Problem is it doesn't work :/

I don't know what's wrong :( I followed MoBo's guide, and after I plug in the drive and boot up the Alix, it boots up to the point where it displays "Default: F1" and sits there. I had a 4GB slice and installed pfSense to that (partitioned with * for / and 512MB for SWAP), and a 1GB slice formatted FreeBSD and left empty.

Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong? Or what else I should be checking? I checked the BIOS and I'm pretty sure UDMA was disabled (it had (U) instead of U I'm pretty sure that means it's disabled). I'll try 1.2.2 to see if it works, maybe like the previous poster suggested 1.2.3 RC1 won't work.

jaginus

Hi,

First of all, THANK YOU MoBo for the explanation. I just installed pfsense in my brand-new ALIX with HDD in a couple of hours (including cable soldering)…

About FalconV problem, try to make ALIX "wait" for the HDD to get ready (setting W parameter on BIOS). Here is my BIOS config. pressing "S" while booting:

PC Engines ALIX.2 v0.99h
640 KB Base Memory

261120 KB Extended Memory
Waiting for HDD ... <–- Try this

01F0 Master 045A FUJITSU MHV2080AT
Phys C/H/S 16383/16/63 Log C/H/S 9729/255/63 LBA

BIOS setup:

9 9600 baud (2) 19200 baud (3) 38400 baud (5) 57600 baud (1) 115200 baud
C CHS mode (L) LBA mode W HDD wait (V) HDD slave (U) UDMA enable <–- Configuring it HERE
(M) MFGPT workaround
(P) late PCI init
R Serial console enable
(E) PXE boot enable
(X) Xmodem upload
(Q) Quit

Hope it helps.

Jose

FalconV

@jaginus:

try to make ALIX "wait" for the HDD to get ready (setting W parameter on BIOS). Here is my BIOS config. pressing "S" while booting

Thank you for the suggestion, Jose. I did try this and it still hung at Default: F1

I wanted to try 1.2.2 but I haven't been able to yet (family in town). I'll give it a shot tomorrow. If that doesn't work I'll dig up a 2.5" HDD and try it instead of the Micro Drive.

MoBO

Hello,

I have another one to setup and will check my how to.
If you have any problem, will be the good time to ask ;o)

ChacalCH

I did everything as described, but it always shows the message "01F0 - no drive found !"
any idea?

i used the last RC, could this be the problem (installed on the 2.5'' HD with VMware)

kind regards

ChacalCH

MoBO

@FalconV

The microdrive configuration is not the same as the HDD since the controller don't have the same… name ;o)

WHAT - on VMWare - on ALIX
HDD - SCSI -> da0 - ad0 <- IDE

No idea about the controller name for microdrive… but I guess you will find it easily.
Try the same one as the original embedded version (flashcard) !

Don't forget to provide us a feedback ;o)

ozanus

Hello ,
I read all documant and use step by step .
I encountered error the following.

http://www.cehturkiye.com/hpdiskerror.bmp
http://www.cehturkiye.com/hperrordisk2.bmp
http://www.cehturkiye.com/error.txt

What should I do for booting ???

error.txt

NoValidTitle

@MoBO:

@FalconV

The microdrive configuration is not the same as the HDD since the controller don't have the same… name ;o)

WHAT - on VMWare - on ALIX
HDD - SCSI -> da0 - ad0 <- IDE

No idea about the controller name for microdrive… but I guess you will find it easily.
Try the same one as the original embedded version (flashcard) !

Don't forget to provide us a feedback ;o)

I've been attempting what Falcon was doing so I will try and pick up where he left off and see what I can get going.

My ultimate goal is to get a full pfsense install running on an alix with a microdrive.

I've read of people having boot issues with microdrives in the CF slot but I honestly don't think it's related to the Microdrive itself and this is why I believe that… Before I bought the microdrive on ebay I was trying to get a full install running on a 256MB CF card (I'm aware that it could kill it, this was just testing to see if I COULD do it) I tried and tried but I couldn't get it to boot.

-The flash card boots the embedded image just fine.

-The flash card would NOT boot the full image on the Alix no matter what I tried. It would get hung at the Boot F1 prompt and just every second or 2 a # would pop up, if I pressed any key while consoled in it would just add a # for every keystroke.

-I used the VMWare method to install to the CF card.

-VMWare would boot both the embedded and full version when installed to the CF card but the Alix would only boot the embedded.

-I did edit the fstab to reflect the proper device on the alix which is ad0 even for the CF slot.

-When using the microdrive plugged into a CF reader on my PC VMWare boots it fine.

-Microdrive in the CF slot on the Alix with full pf install hangs at the Boot F1 just as the flash media does.

Ok so that's what I've done so far. The one thing I haven't tried, but will try tonight, is to install the embedded onto the microdrive just for grins and giggles to see if it boots. I don't believe this is an issue related to microdrives in general because I'm experiencing the same issue on a flash card.

NoValidTitle

Fail… the bios needed to be updated. Did that and it booted but now I'm getting stuck at the Trying to mount root deal. Time to do some searching!

dotdash

Some observations:
a) This thread is about installing 1.2.2, and the instructions work. Perhaps some of this discussion belongs elsewhere.
b) The embedded kernel output to serial by default, it is no longer available as an option in 1.2.3rcX. The standard kernel outputs to VGA. Have y'all tried enabling the serial console before putting the drive in the Alix?
c) The functionality of nano would seem to make this endeavor less rewarding than it may have been in the past.

MoBO

@dotdash:

Some observations:
a) This thread is about installing 1.2.2, and the instructions work. Perhaps some of this discussion belongs elsewhere.
b) The embedded kernel output to serial by default, it is no longer available as an option in 1.2.3rcX. The standard kernel outputs to VGA. Have y'all tried enabling the serial console before putting the drive in the Alix?
c) The functionality of nano would seem to make this endeavor less rewarding than it may have been in the past.

Hmmm… strange since I'm on 1.2.3RC3 !
Actually I don't remember the version I installed but I did an "upgrade" since.
Maybe this a turn around.

My pfSense is working fine.
I will need to build a new one next week. Will try and report the results.

dotdash

@dotdash:

b) The embedded kernel output to serial by default, it is no longer available as an option in 1.2.3rcX.

I just saw from another thread, that strangely, the embedded kernel can be installed from the easy install, but not from the custom install. I missed that, as I haven't tried an easy install in some time. Perhaps it will get added back to the custom install.