Which image to choose for Alix 2D13?

Trent_R · Jan 10, 2011, 2:05 PM

Hi!

I've recently bought an Alix 2D13 box with a 4GB CF card and decided to put pfSense on it.
I downloaded pfSense-1.2.3-RELEASE-2g-nanobsd.img.gz (just in case the card would be too small for the 4GB image) from one of the mirrors and used a card reader, a linux machine and zcat/dd to copy the image to the card. It boots up and everything is working fine so far, yet I'm not sure if I used the correct image for my CF card since all tutorials and forum posts recommend to use the embedded images for CF installations because they run in read only mode.
The problem is that I can't find any embedded images on some of the servers while others only feature embedded images in the "old" subdirectory.

So my question is: Is it safe to use the pfSense-1.2.3-RELEASE-2g-nanobsd.img.gz image with CF cards or do i have to download and install some other image?

Thanks

Trent

jimp · Jan 10, 2011, 7:11 PM

You've got the right image. The old embedded images were discontinued as of 1.2.3, now the NanoBSD images are the "embedded" images.

Trent_R · Jan 11, 2011, 8:01 AM

Excellent! Thanks!

Trent

njaimo · Feb 17, 2011, 3:34 AM

Hi There,

…I'm new to pfSense and plan to install into a Soekris 5501-70. Reading the thread above, If all images are nanoBDS, then what is the difference between the 4G, 2G, ...512 MB images ? Is it some have more features/packages than others ?

Thanks!

-N

wallabybob · Feb 17, 2011, 4:07 AM

@njaimo:

If all images are nanoBDS, then what is the difference between the 4G, 2G, …512 MB images ? Is it some have more features/packages than others ?

Same features but tailored for different sizes of flash drives.

jimp · Feb 17, 2011, 4:16 AM

Tailored may be too strong a word. The only difference is the size of the partitions. The features and capabilities are the same.

mlsbraves · Feb 17, 2011, 5:19 AM

I'm also trying to install pfsense on a 4G CF. I picked the 4G image because according to the docs it is suppose to represent the size of my CF. When using physdiskwrite to copy the image to the CF I get the following error:

Which disk do you want to write? (0..4) 4
WARNING: that disk is larger than 2 GB! Make sure you're not accidentally
overwriting your primary hard disk! Proceeding on your own risk…
About to overwrite the contents of disk 4 with new data. Proceed? (y/n) y
Found compressed image file
4000317440 bytes writtenWrite error after 4000317440 bytes (8192).

Is the 4G image to large for a 4G CF? Should I choose the 2G and maybe resize after install?

I followed these instructions before writing the file:

If you are unable to delete all the partitions with the Disk Management utility, try the following procedure:

1. Open a command window as admin ("cmd")
2. Type "diskpart" and hit enter.
3. Type "list disk" and hit enter to find out the number of your drive.
4. Type "select disk X" (where you replace X with the number of your drive) and hit enter.
5. Type "clean" and hit enter.

When I used the 2G image everything went fine with no errors.

njaimo · Feb 17, 2011, 5:20 AM

Thanks wallabybob & jimp. If I have not yet purchased an (industrial grade) CF to go with my Soekris, is there a "best way to go" regarding which image I use ? Would using a 4G be best ? .. and thus require I purchase a 4G CF card ?… Sorry for the basic questions....

rpsmith · Feb 17, 2011, 5:28 AM

the 4G image takes forever to install and upgrade. I'm not running any packages that need the extra space so I usually use the 2G or 1G image.

Roy…

edit: BTW, you can install a 1G or 2G image on a 4G CF.

jimp · Feb 17, 2011, 12:37 PM

@mlsbraves:

Is the 4G image to large for a 4G CF? Should I choose the 2G and maybe resize after install?

From the numbers it looks like you got a 4G card that isn't as large as the 4G cards were when the images were made. Just a bit too small. The 2GB image will work fine for that.

njaimo · Feb 17, 2011, 3:59 PM

Thank you rpsmith !

mlsbraves · Feb 18, 2011, 2:02 AM

Thanks for the advice. Installed 2G and everything is working fine.

One wired thing is when the device boots I have 2 boot options:

01F0 Master 848A SanDisk SDCFH-004G
Phys C/H/S 7751/16/63 Log C/H/S 968/128/63

1 FreeBSD
2 FreeBSD

I cleared the flash before I installed the 2G. Both images are identical even after editing one.

jimp · Feb 18, 2011, 2:10 AM

That is by design. When you do an upgrade, the slice not currently in use is upgraded, and then you switch to it. If the upgrade fails, you go back to the first slice.