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    Can't get FreeDOS to boot on WatchGuard Firebox X550e

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    • stephenw10S
      stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
      last edited by

      If it doesn't get to the three beeps then it's not booting FreeDOS as opposed to just not displaying the output.

      How are you writing the card?

      Do you have a smaller card you can try?

      Steve

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      • K
        kobzar
        last edited by

        It doesn't work with 512 MB CF card. You must use 256 and lower size for it.

        WatchGuard x750e + 2GB + SATA-IDE 320GB

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        • stephenw10S
          stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
          last edited by

          Whether it will boot or not is determined but the virtual drive geometry the card presents to the IDE controller. Since the card doesn't actually have heads, sectors etc it can choose to present as anything but must add up to the correct size. The BIOS is unable to read some combinations (hence the Heads = 2 workaround) but almost all very small cards present readable geometry.
          Some 512MB cards do present as readable, some 256MB cards present as unreadable. Unfortunately there's not really anyway to tell before purchasing. Generally though the smaller the better. I have an 8MB card that has never failed to boot.

          Steve

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          • N
            nerone
            last edited by

            Sorry for borrowing this post, hope it's ok.

            What card size are you running after the BIOS flash?

            I'm trying to run a 8gb but i think the card might be the issue.

            The same card boots just fine in a Check Point so there is nothing wrong with the card.

            Thanks

            Kind regards
            Nerone

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            • stephenw10S
              stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
              last edited by

              Never tried a card larger than 4GB personally but that works file with the 8.1 bios.

              Steve

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              • D
                denniske3
                last edited by

                Does someboy know what the issue is? Unfortunatelly I have the same issue. I flashed my FreeDOSBIOS to the original 128mb CF card that was provided with it. And I only get one beep and the it's stuck at "Booting OS…" Anybody any clue's?
                Don't have any output on my putty screen. When I hold in the arrow up button to go back to factory settings I receive following  error message:

                Recovery Version 1.00 11/10/2005
                WG:Bad Magic Number
                Restoring Partition
                Verifying CHS
                Reading MBR
                WG File Header 65 62 ED FF A5 D5 08 12 2E F9 01 62 A2 7D 83 E8 87 36 F9 FA 5D 57                                      7C 90
                WG Header      D7 48 D2 A5 47 28 8C D0 53 90 73 C1 B0 97 7D 94 30 6A 67 5E
                HW Name        ▒R▒8▒D\▒ĵ
                                        ?▒Q▒Q▒▒r2p(▒▒&2t▒$▒▒̧ំ▒jp▒▒▒s▒▒*9_▒K▒`▒y▒
                HW Version    ߅BU
                HW Xsum        D85E05AF
                HW File Len    3FE5210E
                Bad Signature
                System Halted!

                So I'm guessing he is not able to boot to that FreeDosBios. But why?
                I did used the latest version and flashed it couple of times with Win32Diskmanager and other tools. No results.
                Would be great if somebody knows how to tacle this.

                Greetz,

                Dennis

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                • D
                  DeLorean
                  last edited by

                  @stephenw10:

                  Never tried a card larger than 4GB personally but that works file with the 8.1 bios.

                  Steve

                  I can confirm that 8Gb and 16Gb CF cards work fine with the 8.1 Bios.

                  Grtz
                  DeLorean

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                  • stephenw10S
                    stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                    last edited by

                    @denniske3:

                    Does somebody know what the issue is?

                    Try a different card. Try writing the image differently. Try zeroing the card out first.

                    It should boot.

                    Steve

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                    • D
                      denniske3
                      last edited by

                      I tried already with different tools and cards. I didn't however tried to zeroing the card out.
                      What about the bios version 8.1? I just used the regular FREEDOSBIOS image file that was suggested in the manuel to install pfsense.

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                      • stephenw10S
                        stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                        last edited by

                        I don't think I ever added it to the image. You can add it yourself though. It's here: https://sites.google.com/site/pfsensefirebox/home/XEBIOS_81.BIN

                        Steve

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                        • D
                          denniske3
                          last edited by

                          @stephenw10:

                          I don't think I ever added it to the image. You can add it yourself though. It's here: https://sites.google.com/site/pfsensefirebox/home/XEBIOS_81.BIN

                          Steve

                          In the meanwhile I'm able to get it booting to the FREEDOSBIOS. And I was able to flash it and adjust the needed settings.
                          Tried the next step to get PFsense to boot from the CF card, but that is still an issue for the moment.

                          Many thanks already for your help guys!

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