Trouble installing PFSense on Soekris 6501-70
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Trying to get PFSense installed on a Soekris 6501-70.
I've tried using pfSense-memstick-serial-2.2.2-RELEASE-i386.img and pfSense-memstick-serial-2.1.5-RELEASE-i386.img.
For 2.2.2, the install goes ok, and I pick the no VGA/keyboard kernel. Using an Intel 80GB mSATA SSD. When the system reboots, it loads and I get:
<trim>10:00:0 8086 10D3 02000000 0107 0010 08 00 00 A3000000 00000000 10
11:00:0 8086 10D3 02000000 0107 0010 08 00 00 A4000000 00000000 111 Seconds to automatic boot. Press Ctrl-P for entering Monitor.
F1 pfSense
F6 PXE
Boot: F1And then the system reboots. It will not boot into the OS. I've tried using the 2.1.5 image. The system won't boot at all with that image.
I've tried a manual install. Making the partition 4GB. Same symptoms. I have two Soekris 6501-70's and they're both having this issue.
What gives?</trim>
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Wrong console speed?
2.1.5 uses 9600 by default.
https://doc.pfsense.org/index.php/Soekris_6501_USB_Flash_installationSteve
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I have set the console speed to 115200. Using any other speed results in an un-viewable experience.
The install actually completes just fine*. After the install completes and the system reboots is when it goes into the reboot loop and will not boot from the installed drive.
*With v2.2.2. 2.1.5 I see "/" and it halts and won't even boot from the install media (SanDisk Fit 32GB).
–UPdate - set the conspeed=9600, 2.1.5 installed. System is currently booting!!
Something about 2.2.2 does not like the 6501. I'll try an upgrade and see what happens.
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Hmm, well I'm pretty sure 2.1.5 should boot from that hardware with no problem. I've never tried 2.2 directly but I know there are people who have upgraded to it.
Are you running the latest BIOS?
Have you tried using a different USB drive? Some hardware is really fussy about USB flash drives.Steve
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Yeah, 2.1.5 is up and running now. Trying to get it into a position where I can upgrade it.
I tried another SanDisk Fit 32GB USB drive. I don't think that was the issue. There just seems to be something funkey with trying to do a fresh install of 2.2.2.
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I noticed the 2.1.5 build was built on FreeBSD 8.3. Let the system upgrade itself to 2.2.2 and that build was being reported as 8.3. Thought that was weird. Checked my install on VMWare and it was FreeBSD 10.1.
So I grabbed the PFSense 2.2.2 upgrade tarball and manually upgraded and the system is now on FreeBSD 10.1.
Crazy upgrade process but everything is working. Here's how it went:
PFSense 2.1.5 on a USB key -> System self upgrades to 2.2.2. Then manually upgrade with the 2.2.2 tarball and BAM. 2.2.2 on FreeBSD 10.1.
Off to configure!
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There is an issue currently with some systems not rebooting correctly after an upgrade from 2.1.X to 2.2.X. Likely if you had just rebooted it it would have come back up running the correct kernel.
Anyway glad you got to 2.2.2 in the end. :)Steve
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My problem wasn't with an upgrade.
It was with a fresh, clean install of 2.2.2. It refused to reboot after the install had finished.
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Oh, OK. Nevermind then.
I was just reffering to this:
@tom-28:Let the system upgrade itself to 2.2.2 and that build was being reported as 8.3.
Failing to reboot is usually the cause when you see that.
Steve
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I have the same problem on Soekris
1 Seconds to automatic boot. Press Ctrl-P for entering Monitor. F1 pfSense F6 PXE Boot: F1Then it reboots. Release 2.2.2 too.
Additionally at installation I see a crippled boot menu.
First I see this
nsSeconds to automatic boot. Press Ctrl-P for entering Monitor. onboooott//ccoonnffiigg:: --SS111155220000 --DDThen the cursor jumps around untill it finally draws something like a boot menu but it's unreadable
+ e + W | | | | . ] | B | . r | B | . t | [ | . t | R | | | | : | O | . ) | [ | . . | C | | | | | | | | | + + + \ H- \ey24:0 8086 8185 06040000 0107 0010 08 00 01 3FFF2000 A2FFA100 11 ke25:0 8086 8180 06040000 0107 0010 08 00 01 5FFF4000 A4FFA300 05 /k26:0 8086 8181 06040000 0107 0010 08 00 01 0FFF1000 00FFA000 09 [/code] The numbers are remains of the soekris bios output the rest has been drawn by the boot menu I set the soekris console speed to 115200 and after boot from install USB I see normal output, just the menu is totally crippled and I have to use trial and error to select the right option. Once on harddisk however it does not boot anymore, I tried easy and advanced install and standard or modified kernel, nothing works. This is not my first pfsense I installed on soekris but the first one that does not boot after install on harddisk. -
I'm having the same difficulty on a 6501-30.
I installed just fine, but can't boot afterward.
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So, I was able to install 2.1.5, and then upgrade to 2.2.2.
That's strange. Anyone able to venture a guess as to why? -
Hmm, the boot loader in 2.2 somehow incompatible? Seems odd though.
Steve
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Hope it helps: I am running a net6501-70 with pfSense 2.2.2 i386 nanoBSD on a compact flash card.
I marched the whole upgrade path: 2.1.5 -> 2.2 -> 2.2.1 -> 2.2.2, no experience so far with a fresh installation. Luckily I never had a reboot issue.
Peter
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Adding another data point, I see the same issue only with a fresh 2.2 install on my net6501. I installed 2.1.x and then upgraded and it runs fine that way, probably not worth the effort tracking it down further at the moment. There are some installer changes happening for 2.3 that might make for an interesting test once they materialize in full.
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May want to add an installation note somewhere in the official documentation at doc.pfsense.org for the Soekris installs out there.
We know it affects the 6501-30 and 70 whatever jimp has.
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Has anyone tried a NanoBSD install to see if that works? Or if it's just a full install?
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I've got a net6501-50 running 2.2.2-nano-i386 off USB.
As far as I remember, I just wrote nano to the stick and popped it in. The x64 build did not work.edit-the issue with x64 is the missing mptable support in the kernel (see http://wiki.soekris.info/Net6501_freebsd)
Should work with these additions-
device atpic # Optional legacy pic support
device mptable # Optional MPSPEC mptable support -
I just started having the same issue with a clean install on a Soerkis6501 using pfSense-CE-memstick-serial-2.3.1-RELEASE-i386.img from a USB to install pfSense 2.3.1 on a CF….
Any ideas? ??? -
I've loaded 2.3-i386 nano on a usb stick and just popped it in, works fine. Haven't tried 2.3.1, or an msata yet. (Hardware is 6501-50)
