Watchguard Firebox XTM 8 Series

[Eams]

Ok so I've got a decent version of FreeDOS loaded. I used the image that worked and copied over the other files from the image you posted.

I got a Nanobsd_vga booted to the pfSense menu but then stopped outputting once it carried on, however the HDD light did flicker every so often, nothing came over COM2 :(

I didn't think it would redirect and convert vga to ansi but it was worth a go!

So at the mo I've my own version of the FreeDOSBios image loaded, is there anything I need to run that could be of interest?

Eamon

[stephenw10]

Hmm, OK.
So your hybrid FreeDOS image doesn't switch the console to the com port I take it? Or is it using com2?

Interesting the the nanobsd_vga image booted to the menu. I would not expect to see anything on the com port normally from that image. Its console output is all text mode so I would have thought there was a good chance of it being redirected. Can you escape from the boot process at the menu to get a prompt?

So booting the normal nanobsd image do you see anything after the POST?

Steve

[Eams]

Yeah with the FreeDOS image I just left everything as it was, no redirection to COM ports done and it works fine - I guess the bios is handling all of the redirection to COM2.

With nanobsd_vga it was just the first pfSense text menu that showed up, then nothing - I guess bios handling the redirection then the switch to vga ends the output.

Booting nanobsg_vga I can escape to a command prompt. I didn't get much out of it as I am not familiar with FreeBSD - managed ls but that was it!

A normal nanobsd image - nothing - however UDMA/SMART message shows in POST - it didn't show with any of the above where I can boot and at least see something.

I've a 12pin IDC to 15pin Vga lead on order from ebay, might make things simplier!

Eamon

[stephenw10]

Ah some progress.  :)
Probably the vga cable will make things a lot easier as long as it fits. The boxes I have here have a 2mm pitch connector instead of the more common 2.54mm (0.1"). You have a link to that cable?

Here are some things you can do at the boot loader prompt:
http://doc.pfsense.org/index.php/Booting_Options
Though I've never had to try any of them.

It appears there is no way (no practical way) use any serial port other than com1 for the console:
@http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en/books/handbook/serialconsole-setup.html:

27.6.5.2 Using a Serial Port Other Than sio0 for the Console

Using a port other than sio0 as the console requires the boot blocks, the boot loader, and the kernel to be recompiled as follows.

That's for standard FreeBSD though not NanoBSD.  :-\

I take it you tried editing the autoexec.bat file in my FreeDOS image to com2?

Steve

Edit: I see fro your BIOS shots that although there is only one serial port enabled it is still set to com2 and still uses 0x2F8 for its I/O address. Thus if this is hardcoded for com1 it won't work. But FreeDOS should be able to do it.

[stephenw10]

Some other thoughts while I think of it.
There is another difference between the nanobsd and nanobsd_vga images. The straight nano images have dma disabled for the CF card interface. That's because many CF card readers do have required connections for DMA but the cards still report that they are DMA capable causing all sorts of trouble. However the nanobsd_vga image does not do this because it was developed for a specific device that will not boot if DMA is disabled. Could this be an issue here? I think it's probably just that it's trying to use com1 but that doesn't explain why it doesn't continue to boot in the background (flashing the HD LED).

One possibility would be to pre-install a config file on the CF card with some interfaces setup and then use the web interface to configure from there.

Steve

[Eams]

@stephenw10:

Ah some progress.  :)
Probably the vga cable will make things a lot easier as long as it fits. The boxes I have here have a 2mm pitch connector instead of the more common 2.54mm (0.1"). You have a link to that cable?

You're right it's 2mm pitch and not 2.54mm which is what arrived :( The Keyboard/Mouse header is 2.54mm pitch though.

@stephenw10:

Here are some things you can do at the boot loader prompt:
http://doc.pfsense.org/index.php/Booting_Options
Though I've never had to try any of them.

I tried the set console command but got nowhere.

@stephenw10:

It appears there is no way (no practical way) use any serial port other than com1 for the console:
@http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en/books/handbook/serialconsole-setup.html:

27.6.5.2 Using a Serial Port Other Than sio0 for the Console

Using a port other than sio0 as the console requires the boot blocks, the boot loader, and the kernel to be recompiled as follows.

That's for standard FreeBSD though not NanoBSD.  :-\

I'm deffo not compiling my own, I don't know anything/enough about FreeBSD to be doing that.

@stephenw10:

I take it you tried editing the autoexec.bat file in my FreeDOS image to com2?

Steve

Edit: I see fro your BIOS shots that although there is only one serial port enabled it is still set to com2 and still uses 0x2F8 for its I/O address. Thus if this is hardcoded for com1 it won't work. But FreeDOS should be able to do it.

I didn't edit the autoexec.bat file, and I didn't put anything in about COM - just left it as a standard DOS boot up - the BIOS does a good job of redirecting it all to COM2 :)

Eamon

[Eams]

@stephenw10:

Some other thoughts while I think of it.
There is another difference between the nanobsd and nanobsd_vga images. The straight nano images have dma disabled for the CF card interface. That's because many CF card readers do have required connections for DMA but the cards still report that they are DMA capable causing all sorts of trouble. However the nanobsd_vga image does not do this because it was developed for a specific device that will not boot if DMA is disabled. Could this be an issue here? I think it's probably just that it's trying to use com1 but that doesn't explain why it doesn't continue to boot in the background (flashing the HD LED).

One possibility would be to pre-install a config file on the CF card with some interfaces setup and then use the web interface to configure from there.

Steve

All the successful boots I've had with pfSense (to the menu) or FreeDos (to the command prompt) is when the UDMA/SMART message hasn't appreared in the POST screen. When it does appear it just blank screens and hangs.

The config file thing is a problem, I can't edit anything on the cf card when pfSense is on it, no go in windows or linux, so kinda stumped on that front.

The VM way might be worth a go. Convert img to vdi, edit, convert back..

Eamon

Eamon

[stephenw10]

You may be able to do this but I don't know if nanobsd checks or not:
http://doc.pfsense.org/index.php/Automatically_Restore_During_Install

I would definitely try one of my images with autoexec edited for com2 instread of com1. That would at least indicate what the issue is.

@Eams:

All the successful boots I've had with pfSense (to the menu) or FreeDos (to the command prompt) is when the UDMA/SMART message hasn't appreared in the POST screen. When it does appear it just blank screens and hangs.

This is interesting. Where exactly does this message appear? The fact that dma is disabled in the image should not affect the POST, how could it.

Steve

[Eams]

I was actually looking at this on the FreeBSD website, it seems to be built into FreeBSD's nanobsd build - as it's documented on pfSense I would say it's safe to assume it's in pfSense nanobsd build too.

I'll try out a autoexec with com2 in it and see how that goes. I've another cf card on order so that'll make it easier to deal with mulitple images.

Yeah the UDMA/SMART thing is puzzling, I'll get a log from PuTTY later to show where it is.

Eamon

[stephenw10]

Something else while I think of it. You could potentially change the hardware resource settings for com2 in the BIOS so they use the com1 defaults. Of course you'd need to first mod the bios to open the settings.  ;)

Steve

[Eams]

Not been on here as much as I expected recently however… I have made some progress!

Forgive me for the lack of PuTTY log for the UDMA/SMART message :(

I've managed to connect a monitor to the onboard VGA connector and I can now see whats happening!

Having gotten nowhere with the nanobsd serial builds due to it being complied for COM1 and this machine having no COM1, I've been trying with the vga builds as they output to text. However they were still no good - it didn't redirect the text screen to COM2  :(

While trying the above on build of pfSense-memstick-2.1-BETA1-i386-20130510-1628.img.gz I had the monitor attached but it's giving me errors about partitioning!

Eamon


[Eams]

Oh forgot to add, I connected a keyboard via usb and it works :)

Eamon

[stephenw10]

Loving your VGA hook up!  ;)

The memstick image expects to be connected via USB so if you put it on a CF card it will probably complain.

So with the monitor connected you still can't boot the nano_vga image?
Hmm, I wonder if it set to use dual consoles. I suspect that anything hard coded to talk to the com1 resources will have a problem when they are not available. You'd hope it would fail gracefully but I no idea.

Steve

[Eams]

Haha, the vga hookup was one of two ways and this was easiest that didn't involve cutting any wires or anything.

Only connected green as I figured it'd let me see everything - apart from bold white!

I'm just writing a nano_vga image as I type on the sandisk 4gig cf card - this one will take the 4gig image!

Eamon

[Eams]

Getting some weird READ_DMA error.

Obligatory dmesg:

$ dmesg
Copyright 1992-2010 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 8.1-RELEASE-p13 #0: Fri Apr 12 11:55:06 EDT 2013
    root@snapshots-8_1-amd64.builders.pfsense.org:/usr/obj.pfSense/usr/pfSensesrc/src/sys/pfSense_wrap_vga.8.amd64 amd64
Timecounter "i8254" frequency 1193182 Hz quality 0
CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU    Q9400  @ 2.66GHz (2660.01-MHz K8-class CPU)
  Origin = "GenuineIntel"  Id = 0x1067a  Family = 6  Model = 17  Stepping = 10
  Features=0xbfebfbff <fpu,vme,de,pse,tsc,msr,pae,mce,cx8,apic,sep,mtrr,pge,mca,cmov,pat,pse36,clflush,dts,acpi,mmx,fxsr,sse,sse2,ss,htt,tm,pbe>Features2=0x408e3fd <sse3,dtes64,mon,ds_cpl,vmx,smx,est,tm2,ssse3,cx16,xtpr,pdcm,sse4.1,xsave>AMD Features=0x20100800 <syscall,nx,lm>AMD Features2=0x1 <lahf>TSC: P-state invariant
real memory  = 2147483648 (2048 MB)
avail memory = 2043940864 (1949 MB)
ACPI APIC Table: <120208 APIC1015>
FreeBSD/SMP: Multiprocessor System Detected: 4 CPUs
FreeBSD/SMP: 1 package(s) x 4 core(s)
cpu0 (BSP): APIC ID:  0
cpu1 (AP): APIC ID:  1
cpu2 (AP): APIC ID:  2
cpu3 (AP): APIC ID:  3
ioapic0 <version 2.0="">irqs 0-23 on motherboard
ipw_bss: You need to read the LICENSE file in /usr/share/doc/legal/intel_ipw/.
ipw_bss: If you agree with the license, set legal.intel_ipw.license_ack=1 in /boot/loader.conf.
module_register_init: MOD_LOAD (ipw_bss_fw, 0xffffffff8040b400, 0) error 1
wlan: mac acl policy registered
ipw_ibss: You need to read the LICENSE file in /usr/share/doc/legal/intel_ipw/.
ipw_ibss: If you agree with the license, set legal.intel_ipw.license_ack=1 in /boot/loader.conf.
module_register_init: MOD_LOAD (ipw_ibss_fw, 0xffffffff8040b4a0, 0) error 1
ipw_monitor: You need to read the LICENSE file in /usr/share/doc/legal/intel_ipw/.
ipw_monitor: If you agree with the license, set legal.intel_ipw.license_ack=1 in /boot/loader.conf.
module_register_init: MOD_LOAD (ipw_monitor_fw, 0xffffffff8040b540, 0) error 1
wpi: You need to read the LICENSE file in /usr/share/doc/legal/intel_wpi/.
wpi: If you agree with the license, set legal.intel_wpi.license_ack=1 in /boot/loader.conf.
module_register_init: MOD_LOAD (wpi_fw, 0xffffffff8058a010, 0) error 1
kbd1 at kbdmux0
cryptosoft0: <software crypto="">on motherboard
padlock0: No ACE support.
acpi0: <120208 XSDT1015> on motherboard
acpi0: [ITHREAD]
acpi0: Power Button (fixed)
acpi0: reservation of 0, a0000 (3) failed
acpi0: reservation of 100000, 7f600000 (3) failed
Timecounter "ACPI-fast" frequency 3579545 Hz quality 1000
acpi_timer0: <24-bit timer at 3.579545MHz> port 0x808-0x80b on acpi0
cpu0: <acpi cpu="">on acpi0
cpu1: <acpi cpu="">on acpi0
cpu2: <acpi cpu="">on acpi0
cpu3: <acpi cpu="">on acpi0
pcib0: <acpi host-pci="" bridge="">port 0xcf8-0xcff on acpi0
pci0: <acpi pci="" bus="">on pcib0
pcib1: <acpi pci-pci="" bridge="">irq 16 at device 1.0 on pci0
pci7: <acpi pci="" bus="">on pcib1
pcib2: <pci-pci bridge="">mem 0xfe7e0000-0xfe7fffff irq 16 at device 0.0 on pci7
pci8: <pci bus="">on pcib2
pcib3: <pci-pci bridge="">irq 16 at device 0.0 on pci8
pci14: <pci bus="">on pcib3
pci14: <encrypt decrypt,="" network="" computer="" crypto="">at device 0.0 (no driver attached)
pcib4: <pci-pci bridge="">irq 17 at device 1.0 on pci8
pci13: <pci bus="">on pcib4
em0: <intel(r) 1000="" pro="" network="" connection="" 7.3.2="">port 0xec00-0xec1f mem 0xfebe0000-0xfebfffff,0xfebdc000-0xfebdffff irq 17 at device 0.0 on pci13
em0: Using MSIX interrupts with 3 vectors
em0: [ITHREAD]
em0: [ITHREAD]
em0: [ITHREAD]
pcib5: <pci-pci bridge="">irq 16 at device 4.0 on pci8
pci12: <pci bus="">on pcib5
pcib6: <pci-pci bridge="">irq 18 at device 6.0 on pci8
pci11: <pci bus="">on pcib6
em1: <intel(r) 1000="" pro="" network="" connection="" 7.3.2="">port 0xdc00-0xdc1f mem 0xfeae0000-0xfeafffff,0xfeadc000-0xfeadffff irq 18 at device 0.0 on pci11
em1: Using MSIX interrupts with 3 vectors
em1: [ITHREAD]
em1: [ITHREAD]
em1: [ITHREAD]
pcib7: <pci-pci bridge="">irq 16 at device 8.0 on pci8
pci10: <pci bus="">on pcib7
em2: <intel(r) 1000="" pro="" network="" connection="" 7.3.2="">port 0xcc00-0xcc1f mem 0xfe9e0000-0xfe9fffff,0xfe9dc000-0xfe9dffff irq 16 at device 0.0 on pci10
em2: Using MSIX interrupts with 3 vectors
em2: [ITHREAD]
em2: [ITHREAD]
em2: [ITHREAD]
pcib8: <pci-pci bridge="">irq 17 at device 9.0 on pci8
pci9: <pci bus="">on pcib8
em3: <intel(r) 1000="" pro="" network="" connection="" 7.3.2="">port 0xbc00-0xbc1f mem 0xfe8e0000-0xfe8fffff,0xfe8dc000-0xfe8dffff irq 17 at device 0.0 on pci9
em3: Using MSIX interrupts with 3 vectors
em3: [ITHREAD]
em3: [ITHREAD]
em3: [ITHREAD]
vgapci0: <vga-compatible display="">port 0x3800-0x3807 mem 0xfe100000-0xfe17ffff,0xd0000000-0xdfffffff,0xfe000000-0xfe0fffff irq 16 at device 2.0 on pci0
em4: <intel(r) 1000="" pro="" network="" connection="" 7.3.2="">port 0x3880-0x389f mem 0xfe1c0000-0xfe1dffff,0xfe1fe000-0xfe1fefff irq 20 at device 25.0 on pci0
em4: Using an MSI interrupt
em4: [FILTER]
pcib9: <acpi pci-pci="" bridge="">irq 17 at device 28.0 on pci0
pci6: <acpi pci="" bus="">on pcib9
em5: <intel(r) 1000="" pro="" network="" connection="" 7.3.2="">port 0xac00-0xac1f mem 0xfe6e0000-0xfe6fffff irq 16 at device 0.0 on pci6
em5: Using an MSI interrupt
em5: [FILTER]
pcib10: <acpi pci-pci="" bridge="">irq 16 at device 28.1 on pci0
pci5: <acpi pci="" bus="">on pcib10
em6: <intel(r) 1000="" pro="" network="" connection="" 7.3.2="">port 0x9c00-0x9c1f mem 0xfe5e0000-0xfe5fffff irq 17 at device 0.0 on pci5
em6: Using an MSI interrupt
em6: [FILTER]
pcib11: <acpi pci-pci="" bridge="">irq 18 at device 28.2 on pci0
pci4: <acpi pci="" bus="">on pcib11
em7: <intel(r) 1000="" pro="" network="" connection="" 7.3.2="">port 0x8c00-0x8c1f mem 0xfe4e0000-0xfe4fffff irq 18 at device 0.0 on pci4
em7: Using an MSI interrupt
em7: [FILTER]
pcib12: <acpi pci-pci="" bridge="">irq 19 at device 28.3 on pci0
pci3: <acpi pci="" bus="">on pcib12
em8: <intel(r) 1000="" pro="" network="" connection="" 7.3.2="">port 0x7c00-0x7c1f mem 0xfe3e0000-0xfe3fffff irq 19 at device 0.0 on pci3
em8: Using an MSI interrupt
em8: [FILTER]
pcib13: <acpi pci-pci="" bridge="">irq 17 at device 28.4 on pci0
pci2: <acpi pci="" bus="">on pcib13
em9: <intel(r) 1000="" pro="" network="" connection="" 7.3.2="">port 0x6c00-0x6c1f mem 0xfe2e0000-0xfe2fffff irq 16 at device 0.0 on pci2
em9: Using an MSI interrupt
em9: [FILTER]
uhci0: <intel 82801i="" (ich9)="" usb="" controller="">port 0x3c00-0x3c1f irq 23 at device 29.0 on pci0
uhci0: [ITHREAD]
usbus0: <intel 82801i="" (ich9)="" usb="" controller="">on uhci0
uhci1: <intel 82801i="" (ich9)="" usb="" controller="">port 0x4000-0x401f irq 19 at device 29.1 on pci0
uhci1: [ITHREAD]
usbus1: <intel 82801i="" (ich9)="" usb="" controller="">on uhci1
ehci0: <intel 82801i="" (ich9)="" usb="" 2.0="" controller="">mem 0xfe1ff800-0xfe1ffbff irq 23 at device 29.7 on pci0
ehci0: [ITHREAD]
usbus2: EHCI version 1.0
usbus2: <intel 82801i="" (ich9)="" usb="" 2.0="" controller="">on ehci0
pcib14: <acpi pci-pci="" bridge="">at device 30.0 on pci0
pci1: <acpi pci="" bus="">on pcib14
isab0: <pci-isa bridge="">at device 31.0 on pci0
isa0: <isa bus="">on isab0
atapci0: <intel ich9="" sata300="" controller="">port 0x4c00-0x4c07,0x4880-0x4883,0x4800-0x4807,0x4480-0x4483,0x4400-0x440f,0x4080-0x408f irq 19 at device 31.2 on pci0
atapci0: [ITHREAD]
ata2: <ata 0="" channel="">on atapci0
ata2: [ITHREAD]
ata3: <ata 1="" channel="">on atapci0
ata3: [ITHREAD]
pci0: <serial bus,="" smbus="">at device 31.3 (no driver attached)
atapci1: <intel ich9="" sata300="" controller="">port 0x5c00-0x5c07,0x5880-0x5883,0x5800-0x5807,0x5480-0x5483,0x5400-0x540f,0x5080-0x508f irq 19 at device 31.5 on pci0
atapci1: [ITHREAD]
ata4: <ata 0="" channel="">on atapci1
ata4: [ITHREAD]
ata5: <ata 1="" channel="">on atapci1
ata5: [ITHREAD]
acpi_button0: <power button="">on acpi0
atrtc0: <at realtime="" clock="">port 0x70-0x71 irq 8 on acpi0
uart1: <16550 or compatible> port 0x2f8-0x2ff irq 3 on acpi0
uart1: [FILTER]
ppc0: <parallel port="">port 0x378-0x37f irq 7 on acpi0
ppc0: Generic chipset (NIBBLE-only) in COMPATIBLE mode
ppc0: [ITHREAD]
ppbus0: <parallel port="" bus="">on ppc0
ppi0: <parallel i="" o="">on ppbus0
sc0: <system console="">at flags 0x100 on isa0
sc0: VGA <16 virtual consoles, flags=0x300>
vga0: <generic isa="" vga="">at port 0x3c0-0x3df iomem 0xa0000-0xbffff 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]
atkbd0: [ITHREAD]
Timecounters tick every 10.000 msec
IPsec: Initialized Security Association Processing.
usbus0: 12Mbps Full Speed USB v1.0
usbus1: 12Mbps Full Speed USB v1.0
usbus2: 480Mbps High Speed USB v2.0
ad7: 3815MB <sandisk sdcfh-004g="" hdx="" 7.07="">at ata3-slave UDMA33 SATA 1.5Gb/s
ugen0.1: <intel>at usbus0
uhub0: <intel 1="" 9="" uhci="" root="" hub,="" class="" 0,="" rev="" 1.00="" 1.00,="" addr="">on usbus0
ugen1.1: <intel>at usbus1
uhub1: <intel 1="" 9="" uhci="" root="" hub,="" class="" 0,="" rev="" 1.00="" 1.00,="" addr="">on usbus1
ugen2.1: <intel>at usbus2
uhub2: <intel 1="" 9="" ehci="" root="" hub,="" class="" 0,="" rev="" 2.00="" 1.00,="" addr="">on usbus2
uhub0: 2 ports with 2 removable, self powered
uhub1: 2 ports with 2 removable, self powered
uhub2: 4 ports with 4 removable, self powered
ugen0.2: <chicony>at usbus0
ukbd0: <chicony 0="" 2="" usb="" keyboard,="" class="" 0,="" rev="" 2.00="" 1.57,="" addr="">on usbus0
kbd2 at ukbd0
ad7: FAILURE - READ_DMA timed out LBA=7813117
ad7: TIMEOUT - READ_DMA retrying (1 retry left) LBA=7813119
ad7: FAILURE - READ_DMA timed out LBA=7813103
ad7: TIMEOUT - READ_DMA retrying (0 retries left) LBA=7813119
ad7: FAILURE - READ_DMA timed out LBA=7813116
ad7: FAILURE - READ_DMA timed out LBA=7813119
ad7: FAILURE - READ_DMA timed out LBA=7813119
ad7: FAILURE - READ_DMA timed out LBA=7813119
SMP: AP CPU #1 Launched!
SMP: AP CPU #2 Launched!
SMP: AP CPU #3 Launched!
ad7: TIMEOUT - READ_DMA retrying (1 retry left) LBA=7813119
ad7: TIMEOUT - READ_DMA retrying (0 retries left) LBA=7813119
ad7: FAILURE - READ_DMA timed out LBA=7813119
Trying to mount root from ufs:/dev/ufs/pfsense0
ad7: FAILURE - SETFEATURES 0x85 status=51 <ready,dsc,error>error=4 <aborted>pflog0: promiscuous mode enabled
ad7: TIMEOUT - READ_DMA retrying (1 retry left) LBA=7813119
ad7: TIMEOUT - READ_DMA retrying (0 retries left) LBA=7813119
ad7: FAILURE - READ_DMA timed out LBA=7813119
ad7: TIMEOUT - READ_DMA retrying (1 retry left) LBA=7813119
ad7: TIMEOUT - READ_DMA retrying (0 retries left) LBA=7813119

Eamon</aborted></ready,dsc,error></chicony></chicony></intel></intel></intel></intel></intel></intel></sandisk></at></keyboard></generic></system></parallel></parallel></parallel></at></power></ata></ata></intel></serial></ata></ata></intel></isa></pci-isa></acpi></acpi></intel></intel></intel></intel></intel></intel></intel(r)></acpi></acpi></intel(r)></acpi></acpi></intel(r)></acpi></acpi></intel(r)></acpi></acpi></intel(r)></acpi></acpi></intel(r)></vga-compatible></intel(r)></pci></pci-pci></intel(r)></pci></pci-pci></intel(r)></pci></pci-pci></pci></pci-pci></intel(r)></pci></pci-pci></encrypt></pci></pci-pci></pci></pci-pci></acpi></acpi></acpi></acpi></acpi></acpi></acpi></acpi></software></version></lahf></syscall,nx,lm></sse3,dtes64,mon,ds_cpl,vmx,smx,est,tm2,ssse3,cx16,xtpr,pdcm,sse4.1,xsave></fpu,vme,de,pse,tsc,msr,pae,mce,cx8,apic,sep,mtrr,pge,mca,cmov,pat,pse36,clflush,dts,acpi,mmx,fxsr,sse,sse2,ss,htt,tm,pbe>

[stephenw10]

Right, that's what I mentioned earlier. The nanobsd_vga images have DMA enabled because of a specific device but many CF card slots do not have enough pins. Probably that's what's happening here.
Interrupt the boot process at the loader menu and do this:
http://doc.pfsense.org/index.php/Booting_Options#Disable_DMA_for_IDE_drives

Steve

[wallabybob]

My suspicion, based on the high LBA reported, is that your 4GB card is a bit short of providing 4GiB (1024 x 1024 x 1024) and the 4G image didn't quite fit. Some people have had to put a 2GB image on  a "4GB" card/stick. Note the card is reported having 3815MB which would allow a LBA of up to around 7630000 which is a bit short of the reported LBAs.

If I recall correctly, the FreeBSD GEOM component goes looking for a GEOM signature on the apparent last sector or two of the disk.

[Eams]

I put a 2g nano_vga 64bit image on the same card and got the same LBA error.

Did the set hw.ata.atapi_dma=0 thing too which stopped the LBA errors, however got a different LBA error!

ad7: 3815MB <sandisk sdcfh-004g="" hdx="" 7.07="">at ata3-slave PIO4 SATA 1.5Gb/s
ad7: FAILURE - READ status=51 <ready,dsc,error>error=10 <nid_not_found>LBA=7813117
ad7: FAILURE - READ status=51 <ready,dsc,error>error=10 <nid_not_found>LBA=7813119
ad7: FAILURE - READ status=51 <ready,dsc,error>error=10 <nid_not_found>LBA=7813103
ad7: FAILURE - READ status=51 <ready,dsc,error>error=10 <nid_not_found>LBA=7813116
ad7: FAILURE - READ status=51 <ready,dsc,error>error=10 <nid_not_found>LBA=7813119
ad7: FAILURE - READ status=51 <ready,dsc,error>error=10 <nid_not_found>LBA=7813119
SMP: AP CPU #2 Launched!
SMP: AP CPU #1 Launched!
SMP: AP CPU #3 Launched!
ugen0.u1g:ue gn <e2i.nn11t.:e 1l:<="">I <naittne ltue="">s lb>au ts a0tus
ubsubsu2s
u1h
ub0: <intel 1="" 9="" uhci="" root="" hub,="" class="" 0,="" rev="" 1.00="" 1.00,="" addr="">on usbus0
uhub1: <intel 1="" 9="" ehci="" root="" hub,="" class="" 0,="" rev="" 2.00="" 1.00,="" addr="">on usbus2
uhub2: <intel 1="" 9="" uhci="" root="" hub,="" class="" 0,="" rev="" 1.00="" 1.00,="" addr="">on usbus1
ad7: FAILURE - READ status=51 <ready,dsc,error>error=10 <nid_not_found>LBA=7813119
Root mount waiting for: usbus2 usbus1 usbus0
uhub2: 2 ports with 2 removable, self powered
uhub0: 2 ports with 2 removable, self powered
Root mount waiting for: usbus2
uhub1: 4 ports with 4 removable, self powered
Trying to mount root from ufs:/dev/ufs/pfsense0
ad7: FAILURE - SETFEATURES 0x85 status=51 <ready,dsc,error>error=4 <aborted>ugen0.2: <chicony>at usbus0
ukbd0: <chicony 0="" 2="" usb="" keyboard,="" class="" 0,="" rev="" 2.00="" 1.57,="" addr="">on usbus0
kbd2 at ukbd0
pflog0: promiscuous mode enabled
ad7: FAILURE - READ status=51 <ready,dsc,error>error=10 <nid_not_found>LBA=7813119
ad7: FAILURE - READ status=51 <ready,dsc,error>error=10 <nid_not_found>LBA=7813119
ad7: FAILURE - READ status=51 <ready,dsc,error>error=10 <nid_not_found>LBA=7813119
ad7: FAILURE - READ status=51 <ready,dsc,error>error=10 <nid_not_found>LBA=7813119
ad7: FAILURE - READ status=51 <ready,dsc,error>error=10 <nid_not_found>LBA=7813119
ad7: FAILURE - READ status=51 <ready,dsc,error>error=10 <nid_not_found>LBA=7813119
ad7: FAILURE - READ status=51 <ready,dsc,error>error=10 <nid_not_found>LBA=7813119
ad7: FAILURE - READ status=51 <ready,dsc,error>error=10 <nid_not_found>LBA=7813119
ad7: FAILURE - READ status=51 <ready,dsc,error>error=10 <nid_not_found>LBA=7813119
ad7: FAILURE - READ status=51 <ready,dsc,error>error=10 <nid_not_found>LBA=7813119

Burning 2g nano_vga 32bit gives the same error on the same card (4gig SanDisk Ultra)

Booting up on the no name cf card with the same 32bit 2g nano_vga image gives no errors - no ser hw.ata.ata_dma=0 performed - wierd;

ad7: 3639MB <cf card="" ver5.04="">at ata3-slave UDMA33 SATA 1.5Gb/s
SMP: AP CPU #2 Launched!
SMP: AP CPU #1 Launched!
SMP: AP CPU #3 Launched!
ugen0u.1g:e n<2I.n1t:e l<>I natte l>u saubtu guss0beuns1
2.1
: <intel>at usbus1
uhub0: <intel 1="" 9="" uhci="" root="" hub,="" class="" 0,="" rev="" 1.00="" 1.00,="" addr="">on usbus0
uhub1: <intel 1="" 9="" uhci="" root="" hub,="" class="" 0,="" rev="" 1.00="" 1.00,="" addr="">on usbus1
uhub2: <intel 1="" 9="" ehci="" root="" hub,="" class="" 0,="" rev="" 2.00="" 1.00,="" addr="">on usbus2
Root mount waiting for: usbus2 usbus1 usbus0
uhub1: 2 ports with 2 removable, self powered
uhub0: 2 ports with 2 removable, self powered
Root mount waiting for: usbus2
uhub2: 4 ports with 4 removable, self powered
Trying to mount root from ufs:/dev/ufs/pfsense0
ugen0.2: <chicony>at usbus0
ukbd0: <chicony 0="" 2="" usb="" keyboard,="" class="" 0,="" rev="" 2.00="" 1.57,="" addr="">on usbus0
kbd2 at ukbd0
pflog0: promiscuous mode enabled

How very bizarre.

Eamon</chicony></chicony></intel></intel></intel></intel></cf></nid_not_found></ready,dsc,error></nid_not_found></ready,dsc,error></nid_not_found></ready,dsc,error></nid_not_found></ready,dsc,error></nid_not_found></ready,dsc,error></nid_not_found></ready,dsc,error></nid_not_found></ready,dsc,error></nid_not_found></ready,dsc,error></nid_not_found></ready,dsc,error></nid_not_found></ready,dsc,error></chicony></chicony></aborted></ready,dsc,error></nid_not_found></ready,dsc,error></intel></intel></intel></naittne></e2i.nn11t.:e></nid_not_found></ready,dsc,error></nid_not_found></ready,dsc,error></nid_not_found></ready,dsc,error></nid_not_found></ready,dsc,error></nid_not_found></ready,dsc,error></nid_not_found></ready,dsc,error></sandisk>

[stephenw10]

The 'nid not found' error is common and nothing to worry about:
http://doc.pfsense.org/index.php/DMA_and_LBA_Errors

I would guess that your no-name card is not DMA capable so didn't cause the problem.

Did it boot successfully then?

Steve

[Eams]

Damn I bought the exact same cf card that's in that link! I guess that's that error sorted then.

Yes it did boot, even with the LBA errors, looks like it was a combination of both errors mentioned by yourself and wallabybob.
Its pretty nippy to say the least  ;)
I gotta figure out how to set it up now. At least 10x GbE ports gives me plenty to play with haha!

I've contacted Lanner to see if I can get the BIOS for the 8750 this is based on, that would help even further.

Eamon