Watchguard Firebox X Peak platform
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Yeh, I have bios access! ;D
I have concluded that the console redirect portion of the bios code in my firebox was so buggy it's unuseable. Certainly Watchguard never intended it to be used or they would have enabled it by default. Of course it could still be a number of bad cables. Anyway I was investigating the posssibility of adding usb port with an internal header. What I originally thought was USB turns out to be a PS2 header, under the ribbon cable to the LCD board. I have labled it in the photo on the first page of this thread, CN24. It is a standard pinout (I pulled a cable out of an ancient PC and was already wired correctly) as detailed in the other threads on the forum:7 1
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! o o !
! o o o o !
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8 6 4 2pins 3 and 5 doesn't exist!
here is the wiring between firebox and PS/2:
Firebox PS/2
1 : CLK ----- 5
2 : GND
4 : DATA-----1
6 : nc
7 : GND------3
8 : +5VDC---4Anyway I didn't think this would work but it seems that if you can get into the bios via the console you can still use a keyboard attached to the PS2 port. I would have thought it would only accept input from the serial console. So now I can view the bios via the serial console whilst operating the attached keyboard, great. ;D
Some interesting things reveal themselves:
The values in the PC Health Status screen exactly match those shown by mbmon.
The system is set to boot hdd-0 then hdd-1 and nothing else.
It's not possible to enable ACPI as the entire power management section of the bios is disabled.
There is no possiblity to alter the CPU voltage or frequency.I did try setting the bios to boot from USB-HDD but still couldn't boot it from my USB flash drive.
Anyone else with an X-peak care to post which bios version they have? Anyone got anything newer than 10/21/2004?
Steve
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I have modified the bios again to enable the power management setup menu. By default everything is disabled, HDD spindown, suspend mode etc.
I enabled ACPI. Now it won't boot. ::) It seems to stall at 'Starting device manger (devd)….'. It doesn't hang as the system still returns information with Ctrl-T. This seems like the exact behaviour described for the Alix single port boards described here. Unfortunately although the thread is marked solved the solution is to disable ACPI! >:(
Same behaviour with pf2 beta.It seems as though it is possible to adjust the cpu frequecy (presumably FSB) from 100 to 132 but it seems to have no effect on the processor speed.
Still haven't manged to make it boot from USB. It looks as though it doesn't power up the ports untill after it has POSTed.
Investigating the internal USB ports, or lack thereof, there is what looks to be an unpopulated 9 pin usb header just behind the front usb port. Also there is a 5 pin header just next to that that seems to have data tracks coming from the same place. Unfortunately the data lines for all four ports pass through a row of components marked CK1 to CK4 or which only CK4 is present connecting up the front port. Not sure what they are, isolators perhaps? There are other headers to ivestigate
Steve
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I'm no further with the usb headers (or any others) besides noting that J3 is almost certainly clear cmos.
I've been wanting to stress test my firebox since I have dramatically reduced the cooling and the CPU power.
After some looking I stumbled across cpuburn. It's a bit old so it's not optimised for anything modern, even the relatively old processors I'm using. It seems to do the job though and it's easy to use./etc/rc.conf_mount_rw pkg_add -r cpuburn /etc/rc.conf_mount_ro /usr/local/bin/burnP6 &This will install the package and run it i the background. I'm using the P6 burn but there are others for other CPUs.
Check that it's running with top:74 processes: 2 running, 72 sleeping CPU: 100% user, 0.0% nice, 0.0% system, 0.0% interrupt, 0.0% idle Mem: 20M Active, 11M Inact, 35M Wired, 128K Cache, 29M Buf, 420M Free Swap: PID USERNAME THR PRI NICE SIZE RES STATE TIME WCPU COMMAND 49772 root 1 118 0 132K 28K RUN 37:19 98.97% burnP6 48816 root 1 76 20 3656K 1360K wait 0:01 0.00% sh 23590 root 1 44 0 3316K 1240K select 0:01 0.00% apinger 28658 root 1 44 0 7996K 3568K select 0:01 0.00% sshdKeep an eye on the system temperatures:
[root@pfSense.localdomain]/root(13): /usr/local/bin/mbmon -I Temp.= 39.0, 27.5, 40.0; Rot.= 5672, 5443, 5232 Vcore = 1.15, 2.21; Volt. = 3.38, 5.03, 12.10, -12.04, -0.67As I've said before I don't think the actual cpu core temp is listed here. I'm pretty sure that T1 and T2 are both system/chipset sensors as they get hotter if you remove the case (reducing the airflow across the board). T2, although obviously miscalibrated, could be cpu as it rises when you run cpuburn and it tracks the heatsink temp. I have a thermocouple on the cpu heatsink and it seems to have leveled off at 40°C. I'm quite happy with that especially because under 'normal' conditions the cpu usage barely registers! :D
Steve
Update: I ran it today for 6 hours with the cpu pegged at 100%, the heatsink got up to 41°C at one point but the room temperature fluctuated a little. Also the power meter shows the firebox draws 37W at idle and 51W at 100% cpu.
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Edit: Anyone reading this: These are instructons are old and overly complex. See this post for a simpler updated solution.
Mostly for my own benefit because I completely hosed my install messing about with ACPI and have to reflash my CF card. ::)
Here's some concise instructions for installing the firebox lcd software.
Download the file with the driver, lcdd3.tar, from here (can't attach it to this post >:()
http://sites.google.com/site/pfsensefirebox/home/lcdd3.tar?attredirects=0
Copy it to the firebox to /var/tmp. This is a folder that only exists in memory and gets wiped at boot. I used WinSCP.
Connect to the box (with putty via ssh or serial or whatever). Then:[root@pfSense.local]/root(2): cd /var/tmp [root@pfSense.local]/var/tmp(5): tar -xvf lcdd3.tar x ./install-embed.lcdd.sh x ./lcdd/ x ./lcdd/drivers/ x ./lcdd/LCDd.conf x ./lcdd/lcdd.sh x ./lcdd/lcdproc x ./lcdd/LCDd x ./lcdd/drivers/curses.so x ./lcdd/drivers/sdeclcd.so x ./lcdd2.tar [root@pfSense.local]/var/tmp(7): ./install-embed.lcdd.sh [root@pfSense.local]/var/tmp(8): cd /lib [root@pfSense.local]/lib(10): /etc/rc.conf_mount_rw [root@pfSense.local]/lib(11): ln -s libc.so.7 libc.so.6 [root@pfSense.local]/lib(12): ln -s libkvm.so.4 libkvm.so.3 [root@pfSense.local]/lib(13): /etc/rc.conf_mount_ro [root@pfSense.local]/lib(14): /usr/local/etc/rc.d/lcdd.shAnd it should all be working! ;)
I have removed a few steps from the other instructions on the forum. I have included the newest driver in the tarball. I found I didn't need to alter the permisions of the install script.
I tested this on a fresh install of the embedded 1.2.3-release.
It will not work on 2.0 beta, I tried! :PSteve
Edit: It does work in 2.0 you have to sym link both libkvm.so.3 and libkvm.so.4 to libkvm.so.5
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For completeness I just thought I'd add this picture of the hard drive caddy that the X peak was designed for.
It's from Watchguards demanufacturing instructions.
Anybody got one on their box? Anyone ever seen one? :PIt'd be nice to have. ;)
Steve
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I've got one, so I have seen one and have one. It works nicely for me, I boot from a harddrive in it.
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Bah! Why haven't I got one?! >:(
I think you must be lucky. I've not seen another on the X peak. All the Cores seem to have them though.
Steve
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Cores have a caddy blank, there's no connector or tapped holes for screws. I don't think they ever made/sold an actual HDD upgrade for the X Core series.. interesting to see they have one for the x Peak.
Also, anyone found a good source for decom X Peak units besides ebay? I'm looking for about 3-4 more…
--J
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They went as far as publishing some instructions for fitting the drive in Core hardware. Notice there's no photo of an actual drive in them though. ::)
I'd be amased if they had completely designed the caddy from scratch. I bet the case manufacturer has something similar for other clients.
I suspect that, unfortunately, a lot of Watchguard hardware goes straight into landfill/recycling. :'(
It's probably just not worth the time and effort to re-sell them. You can see how much some people are trying to charge for them on Ebay. With no passwords for software that's worthless anyway! :oAny possibility of finding your bios version?
Steve
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Does the Bios version show up in serial connection during normal bootup or anywhere else while running? I can open it up easily if it's printed anywhere, otherwise, you'll have to show me how you managed to sneak a peek at it, If I remember correctly from following your posts, you used a special software on your CF?
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Unfortunately it doesn't show up in normal boot. :(
Even now that I have turned on console redirection I still have to press tab and delete wildly to get the post to show. If I press nothing I get a couple of AT commands, as if it's looking for a modem, and then it boots normally. You could try pressing tab and delete and see if anything happens. Reading back through my posts I never really tried very hard before I modified the bios, since I expected to see something without having to randomly hit keys. ::)
The only reliable method I found was to boot into Freedos and use a dos command, biosid. Of course once you have that you can also read the bios to a file and write a new one etc. I could send you an image of the CF card I used if you'e willing to try it.Steve
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Sure I'm willing. Thanks! I have several CF I can use if it makes any difference, 64M 128M and 4G.
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Ok here's the file: freedosconsole1.vhd
It's a 'virtual hard disk' file I created with WinImage but I tested it with Physdiskwrite and it seemed ok. The card I used is 16MB so that's the file size, compressed image didn't work. I flashed and booted a 128MB card no problem, you just get a 16MB partition.
When you boot the CF card with the image you must have a serial terminal already open connected to com1 (the front port) on your firebox. This is because freedos will switch to a serial console at the end of the boot up and it hangs if it doesn't find one. I added in a series of three beeps just before it switches so you know it booted OK.
The program, biosid.com, is in the c:\bios folder. It simply displays the bios information, although the formatting for serial console is all wrong. Also in there is awdflash.exe and a few of the modified bioses I went through. Good Luck!Steve
File size should be: 15,991,296 bytes, MD5 sum: 5fb23e7ef53cffed4b26f6f37b8ab33a
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Anyone got any news on their bios version? ???
Steve
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What kind of RAM upgrades can you do with this Firebox? (Speculate mode on ;))
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The 875p chipset supports up to 4GB in 4 dimm slots. However the X-peak motherboard only has two slots (although it has space for 4 if you're feeling brave with a soldering iron!) so I would say 2GB.
Reference: here.
Steve -
Thanks for the info, any good pointers in ram-modules that work as well? ;)
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Hmm,
Well first off I've not tried any other DIMMs in my firebox. To be honest 512MB seems more than enough for my needs. You could look at Intels guide for their desktop 875p board here . It doesn't mention any specific manufacturers though. Otherwise try Googling for 875p motherboards from other manufacturers who may have lists of approved DIMMs.
Do you have a firebox then?Steve
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Thanks for all information regarding the memory on this thing, going to check ebay in a few and see what I can find ;)…
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No problem! ;D
Keep us updated with what works and what doesn't.Steve
