Running headless (no VGA monitor)
-
Hello!
I have purchased a 4xLAN Qotom-Q190G4 (Celeron J1900) to install pfSense. I have installed the 2.3.2 memstick VGA AMD64 version using a USB key.
It installs and works perfectly! However, when I moved the box downstairs to run headless, it won't boot anymore.
I managed to get an extra monitor on the VGA port and see this error:
[...] netmap: loaded module kbd0 at kbdmux0 kernel trap 12 with interrupts disabled Fatal trap 12: page fault while in kernel mode cpuid = 0; apic id = 00 fault virtual address = 0x0 fault code = supervisor write data, page not present instruction pointer = 0x20:0xffffffff81017dd9 stack pointer = 0x28:0xffffffff824646a0 frame pointer = 0x28:0xffffffff824648f0 code segment = base 0x0, limit 0xfffff, type 0x1b = DPL 0, pres 1, long 1, def32 0, gran 1 processor eflags = resume, IOPL = 0 current process = 0 (swapper) [ thread pid 0 tid 100000 ] Stopped at vesa_configure+0xbb9: movl $0xffffffff,(%rcx,%rax,1) db>I have realized that I get this crash every time I boot the machine without a monitor connected to the VGA port.
I have read suggestions to type "bt" at that prompt to get more information, but the USB keyboard doesn't work at this step (it works earlier at the FreeBSD boot menu). It seems like it's not recognized at this point. There are no PS/2 or serial connectors on that PC.
This is very inconvenient for a router to require a monitor connected to it…
Is there any way to disable the vesa_configure or whatever else it's trying to do during boot time to avoid this?
Thank you!
-
Shitty designed hardware… maybe some BIOS setting?
If not, try one of these VGA Dummy Plugs: http://www.ebay.com/itm/201113177614 -
Take the monitor off boot it and let it sit for a bit then plug in the monitor and check. I have the exact same device and exact same error, after testing different hdd and ram and deciding something was wrong with the board i initiated a return. However being the kind of person that doesnt give up easily i pulled the hdd installed pfsense on a different machine, installed hdd and got same error. The shits and giggles side of me said pull the monitor since it seems to be the issue and guess what. The damn thing booted and seems to run fine after passing by the monitor check. I still am at a loss at why this particular monitor give the box so much grief but havent gotten around to testing other monitor or anymore real monkeying with it. I bet you the monitor is causing your error like it did mine and your current issue is actually something else. let us know…...
-
I tried with an older monitor and this time, it gives me that same error message EVEN if there is a monitor connected to the VGA port. Plugged back my more recent monitor, works great. I believe there's something broken with this release of FreeBSD :-[
-
My GA-H170N-WIFI board does not boot without a monitor IF in BIOS I disable "Full Screen Logo".
Maybe yours is as stupid as mine. -
My GA-H170N-WIFI board does not boot without a monitor IF in BIOS I disable "Full Screen Logo".
Maybe yours is as stupid as mine.I'll try this out tonight. In the meantime I have ordered a VGA dummy plug from eBay and waiting for it in the mail.
Still weird an OS would refuse to boot without a monitor :-\
-
Unfortunately, I couldn't find any BIOS options (including Full Screen Logo) that made it work without a monitor plugged in.
Still waiting to receive the VGA Dummy plug to test it out.
-
My GA-H170N-WIFI board does not boot without a monitor IF in BIOS I disable "Full Screen Logo".
Maybe yours is as stupid as mine.My GA-H170N-WIFI board does not work with DVI-DVI cable UNLESS in BIOS I disable "Full Screen Logo".
