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    Initial pfSense Garabage Serial Output Prompt

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Problems Installing or Upgrading pfSense Software
    17 Posts 6 Posters 14.3k Views
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    • DerelictD
      Derelict LAYER 8 Netgate
      last edited by

      Do you have

      DEVICE=C:\MSDOS\ANSI.SYS

      In your C:\CONFIG.SYS file?

      But seriously. Not sure what you're seeing as putty generally displays things OK. As far as I can tell, putty emulates xterm and pfSense defaults to cons25 which should be pretty close. I have never had it not be good enough to get a system installed.

      The terminal type for the serial console is set in /etc/ttys. cons25 should work fine though. If you break your system messing with it it's on you. Have a restoration plan.

      Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
      A comprehensive network diagram is worth 10,000 words and 15 conference calls.
      DO NOT set a source address/port in a port forward or firewall rule unless you KNOW you need it!
      Do Not Chat For Help! NO_WAN_EGRESS(TM)

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • K
        kevindd992002
        last edited by

        Let me check and report back.

        Yeah, this is the first time I've used serial with pfsense too so I'm not sure why it displays the initial text/graphics as such. It's working just fine, installation was a bliss, but I'm just experiencing this minor issue.

        No problem with breaking my system, I'm a tech savvy person ;)

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        • K
          kevindd992002
          last edited by

          I don't have a C:\config.sys file in Windows 8.1 x64 (and yes I already made sure to show hidden files and folder including system files). Any thoughts?

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • K
            kevindd992002
            last edited by

            This is a very old thread but can anyone follow up on this please?

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            • P
              pppfsense
              last edited by

              PUTTY does not use or care what config.sys may have.
              (I stopped using that file completely 10 years ago?).

              I imagine a speed (bps), parity or stop bits (i.e. serial port config) issue.

              Btw, specific terminal info only comes into play for special commands/formatting.

              For just the regular login, any terminal emulator will do. Even no terminal emulator, anything that can read the serial port with the with the speed, parity, etc. will show the login prompt.

              @Derelict:

              Do you have

              DEVICE=C:\MSDOS\ANSI.SYS

              In your C:\CONFIG.SYS file?

              But seriously. Not sure what you're seeing as putty generally displays things OK. As far as I can tell, putty emulates xterm and pfSense defaults to cons25 which should be pretty close. I have never had it not be good enough to get a system installed.

              The terminal type for the serial console is set in /etc/ttys. cons25 should work fine though. If you break your system messing with it it's on you. Have a restoration plan.

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • K
                kevindd992002
                last edited by

                @pppfsense:

                PUTTY does not use or care what config.sys may have.
                (I stopped using that file completely 10 years ago?).

                I imagine a speed (bps), parity or stop bits (i.e. serial port config) issue.

                Btw, specific terminal info only comes into play for special commands/formatting.

                For just the regular login, any terminal emulator will do. Even no terminal emulator, anything that can read the serial port with the with the speed, parity, etc. will show the login prompt.

                @Derelict:

                Do you have

                DEVICE=C:\MSDOS\ANSI.SYS

                In your C:\CONFIG.SYS file?

                But seriously. Not sure what you're seeing as putty generally displays things OK. As far as I can tell, putty emulates xterm and pfSense defaults to cons25 which should be pretty close. I have never had it not be good enough to get a system installed.

                The terminal type for the serial console is set in /etc/ttys. cons25 should work fine though. If you break your system messing with it it's on you. Have a restoration plan.

                So how can I fix this?

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

                  You don't. It's some BIOS bug, plus dunno what's the giant deal with that.

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • DerelictD
                    Derelict LAYER 8 Netgate
                    last edited by

                    LOL. CONFIG.SYS was a JOKE, people.

                    Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
                    A comprehensive network diagram is worth 10,000 words and 15 conference calls.
                    DO NOT set a source address/port in a port forward or firewall rule unless you KNOW you need it!
                    Do Not Chat For Help! NO_WAN_EGRESS(TM)

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • K
                      kevindd992002
                      last edited by

                      Ok then, thanks. It's really not a big deak but one of those OC things tgat you figure might as well ask experienced guys about it.

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

                        @Derelict:

                        LOL. CONFIG.SYS was a JOKE, people.

                        Yeah, in fact they need

                        @GARBAGE OFF
                        

                        in AUTOEXEC.BAT instead.

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

                          Sorry for necroposting, but to resolve the installer looking all funky, in putty:
                          Window -> Translation.
                          Set "Remote Character Set" to "Use Font Encoding" (it's at the bottom of the list).
                          Leave "Handling of line drawing characters" set to "Use Unicode line drawing code points."

                          0_1534523880961_2018-08-17 10_15_38-PuTTY Reconfiguration.png

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
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