Netgate Discussion Forum
    • Categories
    • Recent
    • Tags
    • Popular
    • Users
    • Search
    • Register
    • Login

    Upgrade to 2.1.2: Stuck on 2.1

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Problems Installing or Upgrading pfSense Software
    81 Posts 29 Posters 30.6k Views
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as topic
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
    • stephenw10S
      stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
      last edited by

      You can use that card or any card bigger than 4GB. Seems like a bit of a waste though, that's an expensive CF card.

      Write the Nano image to the card as described here:
      https://doc.pfsense.org/index.php/Installing_pfSense#Writing_the_image

      Backup your config file first remember.

      Steve

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • M
        mickrussom
        last edited by

        @jimp:

        Despite hacking and slashing at things in various ways I have yet to see any installation actually recover from this condition without reflashing the CF card (or using a new CF card)

        Is there any way to upgrade the install in-place (kernel + userland) and just keep the corrupted labels for the time being.

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • jimpJ
          jimp Rebel Alliance Developer Netgate
          last edited by

          @mickrussom:

          @jimp:

          Despite hacking and slashing at things in various ways I have yet to see any installation actually recover from this condition without reflashing the CF card (or using a new CF card)

          Is there any way to upgrade the install in-place (kernel + userland) and just keep the corrupted labels for the time being.

          Not any way that would be feasible/workable/supportable.

          People have tried it, but it's not something I'd recommend or for which I'd provide any guidance.

          Remember: Upvote with the 👍 button for any user/post you find to be helpful, informative, or deserving of recognition!

          Need help fast? Netgate Global Support!

          Do not Chat/PM for help!

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • luckman212L
            luckman212 LAYER 8
            last edited by

            On my stuck unit I wound up just taking it apart and re-flashing the CF with a fresh 2.1.5 - problem solved.

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • P
              pguthrie
              last edited by

              Since there does not appear to be a fix for this yet, could someone with a valid partition table (e.g. on 2.1.5) on a 2G nanobsd post the results of a "gpart show", so I can compare with the invalid one.

              Thank you!

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • jimpJ
                jimp Rebel Alliance Developer Netgate
                last edited by

                @pguthrie:

                Since there does not appear to be a fix for this yet, could someone with a valid partition table (e.g. on 2.1.5) on a 2G nanobsd post the results of a "gpart show", so I can compare with the invalid one.

                I've tried comparing them before and saw no differences, and overwriting a bad with a good didn't appear to make a difference. Behavior like that is what led me even stronger toward the conclusion that it was something on the card itself to blame and not the actual partition table.

                Remember: Upvote with the 👍 button for any user/post you find to be helpful, informative, or deserving of recognition!

                Need help fast? Netgate Global Support!

                Do not Chat/PM for help!

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • J
                  jcpolo
                  last edited by

                  I have the same issue upgrading from any 2.x version to any newer 2.x version. for example I have a 2.1 that I wanted to upgrade to 2.1.5 but couldn't.

                  it wasn't until I started looking in the

                  Diagnostics: NanoBSD : view upgrade log that I put it together.

                  Bootup
                  Bootup slice is currently: ad0s1

                  NanoBSD Firmware upgrade in progress…

                  Installing /root/latest.tgz.
                  SLICE        2
                  OLDSLICE      1
                  TOFLASH      ad0s2
                  COMPLETE_PATH ad0s2a

                  It appears that the slice that the auto upgrade utility (or manual) is upgrading is not the boot slice that is booting up. How do I change this? Clicking on change boot slice at the top does nothing.

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • D
                    doktornotor Banned
                    last edited by

                    @jcpolo:

                    It appears that the slice that the auto upgrade utility (or manual) is upgrading is not the boot slice that is booting up. How do I change this? Clicking on change boot slice at the top does nothing.

                    Of course! That is by design. You don't kill a working one under your hands.

                    Other than that - why's this thread even going? Do a fresh install on an empty drive/CF or whatnot and restore the config! 5 minutes job. Instead of debugging screwed partitioning for years. WTF really.

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • P
                      phil.davis
                      last edited by

                      On nanoBSD the upgrade is supposed to write to the opposite boot slice. When all the commands to the opposite boot slice have succeeded then the upgrade script will switch the selected boot slice and initiate a reboot.
                      Being stuck means that something went wrong in setting up the opposite boot slice, and the upgrade aborted itself.
                      I typed more here: https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=87292.msg481424#msg481424

                      As the Greek philosopher Isosceles used to say, "There are 3 sides to every triangle."
                      If I helped you, then help someone else - buy someone a gift from the INF catalog http://secure.inf.org/gifts/usd/

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • P
                        pguthrie
                        last edited by

                        Other than that - why's this thread even going? Do a fresh install on an empty drive/CF or whatnot and restore the config! 5 minutes job. Instead of debugging screwed partitioning for years. WTF really.

                        Except for those of us who have remote firewalls where it is not a 5 minute job and costs money to go out there.  WTF really.

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • D
                          doktornotor Banned
                          last edited by

                          You'll need to ship someone on site, or ship a replacement box in site. How many more years do you intend to wait for a nonexistent fix?

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • K
                            kejianshi
                            last edited by

                            Don't give up…  Keep debugging it.  Never admit defeat!

                            All the people trying to update to 2.1.2 are depending on you.  :P

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • D
                              doktornotor Banned
                              last edited by

                              LOLz. Frankly I would not even consider messing with this on a remote site. Chances of killing the box by some low-level trial-and-error fiddling with partitions and resulting unexpected downtime are enormous.

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • G
                                gazoo
                                last edited by

                                FYI, never got this running. Bought a new 4GB CF card, flashed it with 2.2. Opened up the box, swapped the CF cards. Booted good, did autoupgrade to 2.2.2. Then restored config. Went pretty well. Still worries me that this might happen again in the future but now I know how to work this CF upgrade game. Use the WIN32boot flasher program and was pretty fast. Thanks all. I know this is super old so sorry.

                                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • K
                                  kejianshi
                                  last edited by

                                  And the built in Linux Mint Image Burner program is also problem free and stupid simple.

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • First post
                                    Last post
                                  Copyright 2025 Rubicon Communications LLC (Netgate). All rights reserved.