ROOT MOUNT ERROR

[stephenw10]

If you're booting from USB, stick or external optical drive, you should do this:
http://doc.pfsense.org/index.php/Boot_Troubleshooting#Booting_from_USB

Steve

[Reiner030]

Hi,

@onlineph:

Hi, I'm new to pfsense. I read some features and testimonies and I guess I'm gonna like it. So i started purchasing hardware for my pfsense. I got a kind of high-end hardwares.

I downloaded 2.0.3 live cd installer.

However, when I install the pfsense I always got this error:

Trying to mount root from cd9660:dev/iso9660/pfsense
ROOT MOUNT ERROR:
If you have invalid mount options, reboot, and first try the following from the loader prompt:

set vfs.root.mountfrom.options=rw

and then remove invalid mount options from /etc/fstab

Loader variables:

vfs.root.mountfrom=cd9660:/dev/iso9960/pfsense
  vfs.root.mountfrom.options=ro

Manual root filesystem specification:
   <fstype>: <device>Mount <device>using filesystem <fstype>eg. ufs:/dev/da0s1a
                             eg. cd9960:/dev/acd0</fstype></device></device></fstype>

in my case I got day before yesterday same error message from HDD … but...
You should have there directly after these lines a prompt where you cann write the line "cd9960:/dev/acd0" (or what device path your cdrom is found) in ?

[onlineph]

Alas! I have resolved it!

[onlineph]

@onlineph:

Alas! I have resolved it!

I have 6 onboard USB and when I tried inserting to the USB port nearest to the on board LAN port it worked! It installed with a weird notification that my USB has a mismatch heads, sector and cylinder. It's quite wirdo!

Well I was able to arrived to the console. Configured the WAN and LAN and its now ready for the 99 command. Here is another error. it seems that it can't see my hdd? But how come? prior to the installation its there as shown by bios? But when I 99 it, it seems there was no longer an HD. it says alot of error on unable to write the LUA, then it questioned my USB's integrity that it was not formated correctly. So I did reformat it, tried different file system, from ntfs, fat to xfat and i got the same LUA writing error when 99.

So, any idea how to fix this?

Thanks!

[kejianshi]

Are you planning to boot from USB every time or will you be booting from HDD in the future?  Is this usb drive only for installing?
Also, incase I'm missing it, what version of pfsense are you installing?  Its a full install from the live CD?

If you are installing from USB and having trouble, try a CD instead.

If you have no CD drive but are managing to get it booted on USB, go straight to option "I" install during the startup process if you can't an option 99 to work.

Personally, I've never had a glitch going from the full live CD install > option "I" when its presented.

[onlineph]

@kejianshi:

Are you planning to boot from USB every time or will you be booting from HDD in the future?  Is this usb drive only for installing?
Also, incase I'm missing it, what version of pfsense are you installing?  Its a full install from the live CD?

If you are installing from USB and having trouble, try a CD instead.

If you have no CD drive but are managing to get it booted on USB, go straight to option "I" install during the startup process if you can't an option 99 to work.

Personally, I've never had a glitch going from the full live CD install > option "I" when its presented.

I'm using the latest 2.0.3 mem stick installer. Prior to USB I'm using a buffalo dvd ROm and it never installed, I only get ROOT MOUNT EVER. So i resorted to USB installation and there, I was able to install.

I'm planning to boot from the HDD in the future, it's always been.

Yeah I tried the option "I" when presented:

I select <accept these="" settings="">then given a menu, I selected <quick easy="" install="">then hit <ok>But I was presented a CANCELLED error window

Execution of the command
/sbin/fdisk -I da0
FAILED with a return code of 1

I tried to check the View Logs and I got these:
<ata channel="" 0:<br=""><master: no="" device="" present<br=""><slave: no="" device="" present<br=""><ata channel="" 1:<br=""><master: no="" device="" present<br=""><slave: no="" device="" present<br=""><ata channel="" 2:<br=""><master: no="" device="" present<br=""><slave: no="" device="" present<br="">This is the same error when I am executing the 99 command after install.

I really don't know what's happening. I got no background in UNIX your assistance is very very much appreaciated.</slave:></master:></ata></slave:></master:></ata></slave:></master:></ata></ok></quick></accept>

[kejianshi]

Is it possible that your hardware is so amazingly new that there is some bit of hardware there not yet supported by freebsd?
Also, totally shot in the dark…  Can you check your bios and make sure that any references to "plug and play OS" is set to No or off?

[onlineph]

@kejianshi:

Is it possible that your hardware is so amazingly new that there is some bit of hardware there not yet supported by freebsd?
Also, totally shot in the dark…   Can you check your bios and make sure that any references to "plug and play OS" is set to No or off?

Processor: AMD FX - 4100 Quad
Processor Speed: 3600

SATA: 500G
RAM: 4G (used to 8G but I took off the other)
MOBO: GIGABYTE - UEFI DualBIOS

HD Audio Azalia Device: DISABLED
OS Type under BIOS is set to Other OS (the other selection is Windows8)

[kejianshi]

Are you using 32 or 64 bit pfsense?  I'd be on 64.

(P.S. Is there a setting in your bios for optimal settings, default settings, safe settings?  If so, try safe and default)

Might even Try "windows 8".  Can't break anything worse than it is.

[onlineph]

@kejianshi:

Are you using 32 or 64 bit pfsense?  I'd be on 64.

(P.S. Is there a setting in your bios for optimal settings, default settings, safe settings?  If so, try safe and default)

Might even Try "windows 8".  Can't break anything worse than it is.

I'm using 32 bit pfsense

It only have Optimized Defaults.

I also tried awhile ago a crazy setup. I have a usb bridge for sata so, I attached my 1TB to the USB and the 500G to the sata ports on board. reboot then I got the "I" option, the system has read the 1TB instead but never ack the one on sata on board. The system formated it the pfsense way, allocates a slice on it, write the os on the 1TB. Then when I reboot, i exchanged the hdds, now the 1TB with installed pfsense on board and puff ROOT MOUNT ERROR. Whew! no luck yet.

[kejianshi]

Switch to 64 bit version for your 64 bit system (or at least I would).

[kejianshi]

P.S.  It sure is acting like it doesn't know what to do with the hardware on your board.
Did they just design this board last week and send it out yesterday?
Crazy idea…  Do you have an old PCI or PCIe or USB3 > sata adapter?

[onlineph]

I tried the 64 bit.

I was presented the "I" option, selected pfsense install to HDD, window menu opened but it only presents the USB as target of installation. Whew!. Is there a way to initialize the HDD in the loader command prompt? I think the system can't read the HD controller at all that's why it wont show the HD but I dont know how to do it.

Any fix?

[kejianshi]

I'm thinking your sata hardware isn't compatible with the freebsd.  Thats why I'm thinking a pci or pcie sata adapter will at least get you booted up.  Problem is, after that will your Ethernet ports be compatible?  Are they also bleeding edge tech that only NASA has a working driver for?

[kejianshi]

I noted also that pfsense 2.03 is based on Freebsd 8.1
and pfsense 2.1 is based on Freebsd 8.3

Perhaps 8.3 has support for your hardware rolled into it better than 8.1?

[onlineph]

@kejianshi:

P.S.  It sure is acting like it doesn't know what to do with the hardware on your board.
Did they just design this board last week and send it out yesterday?
Crazy idea…   Do you have an old PCI or PCIe or USB3 > sata adapter?

MOBO has pci and pcie. Am using the two pci for my NIC WAN/LAN interface. I have no problem there though. My real problem is whenever "I" is presented and the system would install pfsense to the HD, I was presented a target disk with USB (the installer) as the only option to install with. The HDD is not there as a selection. Kind of wirdo mobo. But it seems my only problem is what to do in order that the pfsense would recognize the hdd as a target hdd to install.

Is there any unix command to handshake the hdd and the pfsense installer?

[kejianshi]

If pfsense can't see the HD on that SATA port because your chipset isn't supported by BSD 8.1, I imagine it wouldn't present it as a choice after the "I".

[kejianshi]

I don't know if

gpart show -l

will show your big HD or not.

If it does, maybe you can work this out with a not quick and easy install.

[padapa]

I too recently ran into this issue setting up my new PFSense box.  I could boot up the to main menu screen where I could select option 1-8 and I tried a wide variety of fixes listed in this thread.

The issue finally ended up being that I could not boot past the dreaded "Boot Mount Error" while my external CD/DVD drive was connected to any of the USB 3.0 ports.

As soon as I used a USB 2.0 port and selected option 3 (boot from USB connected device) everything ran fine.

I believe we are seeing a FreeBSD drive issue where the USB 3.0 port is running in USB 2.0 compatibility and the drivers don't know how to manage that.

The solution is to use a USB 2.0 port with your USB 2.0 CD/DVD drive and select option 3 from the boot up menu.

If someone has a USB 3.0 CD/DVD drive it would be good to test it with USB 3.0 and USB 2.0

BTW … My hardware is as follows:

Jetway HBJC200F99-525-B

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856107095

General
Brand Jetway
Model HBJC200F99-525-B
Color Black

CPU Supported
CPU Type Intel Atom D525 (1.8GHz, Dual-Core)

Chipset
South Bridge ICH9R

Memory Supported
Memory Slots 2 x 204Pin  DDR3 1066
Max Memory 4GB

Expansion Slots
PCI 1
Mini PCI-E x1 1

Storage
SATA 6 x SATA 3.0Gb/s
SATA RAID RAID 0, 1, 5, 10

Graphics
Onboard Video Intel GMA 3150

Audio
Onboard Audio VIA VT1705  (6 Channel)

Network
LAN 2 x Intel 82574L (Dual 10/100/1000Mbps)

Extension Bays
Slim ODD
1 x Blank Bay
2.5" Internal Bays 1

Front Panel Ports
Front USB                2 x USB 2.0  (not exposed)

Back Panel Ports
PS/2 1
COM 1
VGA 1 x D-sub
Rear USB
3 x USB 2.0
2 x USB 3.0
RJ45 2
Rear Audio Ports 3 jacks

[marceloleite]

In my case it was simpler.
My USB CD drive was recognized as cd0, so I typed the following command and he continued to installation.

cd9960:/dev/cd0

Good luck!