Install on Mini-PCIe SSD?
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Can pfSense recognize and boot from a Mini-PCIe SSD? If so, would save $$ in energy, and save space in my build, enabling cooler temperatures.
My motherboard has a Mini-PCIe slot on its underside, and this would be a great place to put a Mini-PCIe SSD. Here's the motherboard.
I've plugged a Mini-PCIe SSD into it, but it doesn't show up in BIOS as a bootable device, and pfSense doesn't appear to see it…(unless I'm missing something).
I currently have a HDD attached by SATA and this new SSD in the Mini-PCIe slot.
I've run "devinfo -v" to see if the device is listed, and here is the output:$ devinfo -v nexus0 cryptosoft0 apic0 ram0 padlock0 acpi0 cpu0 pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_PR_.P000 acpi_perf0 acpi_throttle0 est0 p4tcc0 coretemp0 cpufreq0 cpu1 pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_PR_.P001 acpi_perf1 acpi_throttle1 est1 p4tcc1 coretemp1 cpufreq1 cpu2 pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_PR_.P002 acpi_perf2 acpi_throttle2 est2 p4tcc2 coretemp2 cpufreq2 cpu3 pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_PR_.P003 acpi_perf3 acpi_throttle3 est3 p4tcc3 coretemp3 cpufreq3 pcib0 pnpinfo _HID=PNP0A08 _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0 pci0 hostb0 pnpinfo vendor=0x8086 device=0x0044 subvendor=0x8086 subdevice=0x0044 class=0x060000 at slot=0 function=0 vgapci0 pnpinfo vendor=0x8086 device=0x0046 subvendor=0x0000 subdevice=0x0000 class=0x030000 at slot=2 function=0 handle=\_SB_.PCI0.GFX0 agp0 drm0 em0 pnpinfo vendor=0x8086 device=0x10ea subvendor=0x8086 subdevice=0x0000 class=0x020000 at slot=25 function=0 handle=\_SB_.PCI0.GBE_ ehci0 pnpinfo vendor=0x8086 device=0x3b3c subvendor=0x8086 subdevice=0x3b3c class=0x0c0320 at slot=26 function=0 handle=\_SB_.PCI0.USBE usbus0 uhub0 uhub2 pnpinfo vendor=0x8087 product=0x0020 devclass=0x09 devsubclass=0x00 sernum="" release=0x0000 intclass=0x09 intsubclass=0x00 at bus=1 hubaddr=1 port=0 devaddr=2 interface=0 pcib1 pnpinfo vendor=0x8086 device=0x3b42 subvendor=0x8086 subdevice=0x3b42 class=0x060400 at slot=28 function=0 handle=\_SB_.PCI0.PEX0 pci1 pcib2 pnpinfo vendor=0x8086 device=0x3b4a subvendor=0x8086 subdevice=0x3b4a class=0x060400 at slot=28 function=4 handle=\_SB_.PCI0.PEX4 pci2 em1 pnpinfo vendor=0x8086 device=0x150c subvendor=0x8086 subdevice=0x0000 class=0x020000 at slot=0 function=0 ehci1 pnpinfo vendor=0x8086 device=0x3b34 subvendor=0x8086 subdevice=0x3b34 class=0x0c0320 at slot=29 function=0 handle=\_SB_.PCI0.EUSB usbus1 uhub1 uhub3 pnpinfo vendor=0x8087 product=0x0020 devclass=0x09 devsubclass=0x00 sernum="" release=0x0000 intclass=0x09 intsubclass=0x00 at bus=1 hubaddr=1 port=1 devaddr=2 interface=0 pcib3 pnpinfo vendor=0x8086 device=0x2448 subvendor=0x8086 subdevice=0x2448 class=0x060401 at slot=30 function=0 handle=\_SB_.PCI0.BR20 pci3 isab0 pnpinfo vendor=0x8086 device=0x3b07 subvendor=0x8086 subdevice=0x3b07 class=0x060100 at slot=31 function=0 handle=\_SB_.PCI0.SBRG isa0 sc0 vga0 fdc0 ppc0 uart0 uart1 atapci0 pnpinfo vendor=0x8086 device=0x3b2e subvendor=0x8086 subdevice=0x3b2e class=0x01018a at slot=31 function=2 handle=\_SB_.PCI0.SAT0 ata0 at channel=0 ad1 subdisk1 ata1 at channel=1 unknown pnpinfo vendor=0x8086 device=0x3b30 subvendor=0x8086 subdevice=0x3b30 class=0x0c0500 at slot=31 function=3 handle=\_SB_.PCI0.SMB_ atapci1 pnpinfo vendor=0x8086 device=0x3b2d subvendor=0x8086 subdevice=0x3b2d class=0x010185 at slot=31 function=5 handle=\_SB_.PCI0.SAT1 ata2 at channel=0 ata3 at channel=1 acpi_sysresource0 pnpinfo _HID=PNP0C01 _UID=10 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.MCH_ unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.P0P1 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.P0P1.PEGP unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.P0P2 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.P0P3 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.P0P4 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.P0P5 acpi_sysresource1 pnpinfo _HID=PNP0C02 _UID=2 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.SBRG.SIO2 unknown pnpinfo _HID=PNP0501 _UID=3 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.SBRG.UAR3 unknown pnpinfo _HID=PNP0501 _UID=4 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.SBRG.UAR4 unknown pnpinfo _HID=PNP0501 _UID=5 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.SBRG.UAR5 unknown pnpinfo _HID=PNP0501 _UID=6 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.SBRG.UAR6 acpi_sysresource2 pnpinfo _HID=PNP0C02 _UID=46 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.SBRG.SIO1 atkbdc0 pnpinfo _HID=PNP0303 _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.SBRG.PS2K atkbd0 psm0 psmcpnp0 pnpinfo _HID=PNP0F03 _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.SBRG.PS2M unknown pnpinfo _HID=PNP0501 _UID=1 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.SBRG.UAR1 unknown pnpinfo _HID=PNP0501 _UID=2 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.SBRG.UAR2 unknown pnpinfo _HID=PNP0000 _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.SBRG.PIC_ atdma0 pnpinfo _HID=PNP0200 _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.SBRG.DMAD attimer0 pnpinfo _HID=PNP0100 _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.SBRG.TMR_ atrtc0 pnpinfo _HID=PNP0B00 _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.SBRG.RTC0 unknown pnpinfo _HID=PNP0800 _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.SBRG.SPKR acpi_sysresource3 pnpinfo _HID=PNP0C02 _UID=16 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.SBRG.RMSC fpupnp0 pnpinfo _HID=PNP0C04 _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.SBRG.COPR unknown pnpinfo _HID=PNP0C31 _UID=1 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.SBRG.TPM_ acpi_sysresource4 pnpinfo _HID=PNP0C01 _UID=455 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.PCH_ unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.SAT0.CHN0 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.SAT0.CHN0.DRV0 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.SAT0.CHN0.DRV1 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.SAT0.CHN1 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.SAT0.CHN1.DRV0 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.SAT0.CHN1.DRV1 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.SAT1.CHN0 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.SAT1.CHN0.DRV0 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.SAT1.CHN0.DRV1 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.SAT1.CHN1 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.SAT1.CHN1.DRV0 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.SAT1.CHN1.DRV1 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.USB0 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.USB1 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.USB2 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.USB3 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.USB4 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.USB5 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.USB6 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.PEX1 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.PEX2 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.PEX3 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.PEX5 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.PEX6 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.PEX7 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.EUSB.HUBN unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.EUSB.HUBN.PR01 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.EUSB.HUBN.PR01.PR11 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.EUSB.HUBN.PR01.PR12 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.EUSB.HUBN.PR01.PR13 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.EUSB.HUBN.PR01.PR14 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.EUSB.HUBN.PR01.PR15 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.EUSB.HUBN.PR01.PR16 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.EUSB.HUBN.PR01.PR17 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.EUSB.HUBN.PR01.PR18 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.EUSB.HUBN.PR02 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.EUSB.HUBN.PR03 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.USBE.HUBN unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.USBE.HUBN.PR01 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.USBE.HUBN.PR01.PR11 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.USBE.HUBN.PR01.PR12 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.USBE.HUBN.PR01.PR13 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.USBE.HUBN.PR01.PR14 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.USBE.HUBN.PR01.PR15 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.USBE.HUBN.PR01.PR16 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.USBE.HUBN.PR01.PR17 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.USBE.HUBN.PR01.PR18 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.USBE.HUBN.PR02 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.USBE.HUBN.PR03 unknown pnpinfo _HID=PNP0103 _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.HPET unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.GFX0.DD01 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.GFX0.DD02 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.GFX0.DD03 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.GFX0.DD04 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.GFX0.DD05 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.GFX0.DD06 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.GFX0.DD07 unknown pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.GFX0.DD08 unknown pnpinfo _HID=INTC0102 _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.PCI0.ITPM unknown pnpinfo _HID=PNP0C0E _UID=0 at handle=\_SB_.SLPB acpi_button0 pnpinfo _HID=PNP0C0C _UID=170 at handle=\_SB_.PWRB pci_link0 pnpinfo _HID=PNP0C0F _UID=1 at handle=\_SB_.LNKA pci_link1 pnpinfo _HID=PNP0C0F _UID=2 at handle=\_SB_.LNKB pci_link2 pnpinfo _HID=PNP0C0F _UID=3 at handle=\_SB_.LNKC pci_link3 pnpinfo _HID=PNP0C0F _UID=4 at handle=\_SB_.LNKD pci_link4 pnpinfo _HID=PNP0C0F _UID=5 at handle=\_SB_.LNKE pci_link5 pnpinfo _HID=PNP0C0F _UID=6 at handle=\_SB_.LNKF pci_link6 pnpinfo _HID=PNP0C0F _UID=7 at handle=\_SB_.LNKG pci_link7 pnpinfo _HID=PNP0C0F _UID=8 at handle=\_SB_.LNKH acpi_sysresource5 pnpinfo _HID=PNP0C01 _UID=1 at handle=\_SB_.RMEM unknown pnpinfo _HID=PNP0C0B _UID=0 at handle=\_TZ_.FAN0 acpi_tz0 pnpinfo _HID=none _UID=0 at handle=\_TZ_.TZ00 acpi_sysresource6 pnpinfo _HID=PNP0C02 _UID=3601 at handle=\OMSC acpi_hpet0 pnpinfo unknown at unknown acpi_timer0 pnpinfo unknown at unknown
"atacontrol list" only lists my SATA HDD.
$ atacontrol list ATA channel 0: Master: no device present Slave: ad1 <wdc wd1600bpvt-00jj5t0="" 01.01a01=""> SATA revision 2.x ATA channel 1: Master: no device present Slave: no device present ATA channel 2: Master: no device present Slave: no device present ATA channel 3: Master: no device present Slave: no device present</wdc>
How do I get my MB and then pfSense to recognize and boot from a Mini-PCIe SSD?
Ari -
Some mini PCI-e slots have only USB electrical interface. Is that true of yours?
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MiniPCIe connector might include USB, mSATA and PCIe 1x. In this case (AIMB 270) they have USB and MiniPCIe.
What brand/model is your SSD?
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Many (all?) mini-PCIe SSDs required a non-standard slot I seem to remember. Those used in early netbooks for example.
Your board mini-PCIe slot may not support sata devices at all.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_ATA#mSATASteve
Edit: Now I see: @tirsojrp:
In this case (AIMB 270) they have USB and MiniPCIe
In which case it will not be possible to use an mSATA drive in that slot. At least not without some serious reworking of the board.
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On this, there seems to be some confusion out in the marketplace b/c the mSata and Mini-PCIe slots have the same appearance and dimensions, but are not interchangeable. There's also SATA and PATA.
I did take care to purchase the non-sata Mini-PCIe SSD.
In any event, I've been in contact with the manufacturer's tech support and it does not appear that the board will recognize and boot this disk, and recommends a 'disk emulator' be run to attempt to recognize the disk. I assume this would not be running under FreeBSD… Perhaps the slot was intended for a wireless adapter?
I think I'll try to go another route, get a SATA to mSata adapter and mSata SSD, and try to boot that. -
If you are looking to save $$s you can just boot from USB. That does exclude running some packages but maybe you don't need them?
Steve
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This board is complicated in many aspects. LOUD, I have to remove the minipcie to fit it in a 1u case, weird location an configuration of led and power pins, etc…
The only reason I risked buying 5 of them was the ridiculous low price I got them (CPU and RAM included) and one of them was a AIMB272 with a frigging Core i7 and 16gb.
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This board is complicated in many aspects. LOUD, I have to remove the minipcie to fit it in a 1u case, weird location an configuration of led and power pins, etc…
The only reason I risked buying 5 of them was the ridiculous low price I got them (CPU and RAM included) and one of them was a AIMB272 with a frigging Core i7 and 16gb.I agree - weird board layout, and was difficult to fit in the case. Had to make my own risers to allow room for the mini-pcie slot on the underside. Good thing about the board is low price and low power use (mine came with a mobile i3-330m) and dual Intel NICs.
Have you had any other quirks with your AIMB boards?
Do you have any reason to believe one COULD boot from a Mini-PCIe disk?
Do you have any reason to believe one could NOT boot from an mSATA SSD connected by SATA-mSATA adapter cable? -
Do you have any reason to believe one COULD boot from a Mini-PCIe disk?
Do you have any reason to believe one could NOT boot from an mSATA SSD connected by SATA-mSATA adapter cable?1 - Have not tested, But if the disk is a real mini-pcie device AND pfsense has the right driver it should work.
2 - No reason at all. -
Do you have any reason to believe one COULD boot from a Mini-PCIe disk?
1 - Have not tested, But if the disk is a real mini-pcie device AND pfsense has the right driver it should work.
Booting also needs BIOS support. The BIOS almost certainly supports booting from the on-board disk controller. It doesn't necessarily support booting from "expansion" disk controllers.
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Booting also needs BIOS support. The BIOS almost certainly supports booting from the on-board disk controller. It doesn't necessarily support booting from "expansion" disk controllers.
Agree. When BIOS didn't see the disk I knew I was hosed.
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Just for the record and for what its worth: I'm running 32 bit 2.0.3 on a Intel DN2800MT motherboard with a 64GB mSata SSD in a miniPCI Express slot.
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That mini-pcie is also a msata port.
• Two SATA ports:
― One internal SATA 3.0 Gb/s port (Port 0, black)
― One internal SATA 3.0 Gb/s port (multiplexed with an mSATA
port, routed to the PCI Express Full-/Half-Mini Card slot)
(Port 1, gray) -
Agree. When BIOS didn't see the disk I knew I was hosed.
Can Plop see it ? :http://www.plop.at/en/bootmanager/index.html