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    Watchguard Firebox M400/M500

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    • T
      Testing
      last edited by

      Drive is not standard in m500, m500 is the same as m400 only with 8gb ecc memory instead of 4gb. I added a 120gb ssd, works fine in notebook. Also it receives some files, but not all(stops at the error).

      Thanks for your suggestion! Will try that tomorrow.

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      • T
        Testing
        last edited by

        Tried version 2.4.x(newest)=>error
        Tried version 2.3.x(newest)=>error

        Error message is different on opnsense vs pfsense.
        Pfsense: CAM status: Uncorrecatable parity/CRC error
        It keeps retrying a couple of times and then gives up.

        Which sata port did you use?

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        • stephenw10S
          stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
          last edited by

          You tried a 2.4.4 snapshot rather than 2.4.3?

          I'm not using SATA currently, I just installed to CF and booted that.

          That error looks like a bad disk though or bad disk controller or maybe some incompatibility between them.

          The original OS is on CF so I assume you have not booted anything from that drive?

          Steve

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          • T
            Testing
            last edited by

            I tried 2.3.5, 2.4.3 and 2.4.4
            Al give the same error.
            Looks like it doesn't want to start anything on Sata(used port 2 and 4).

            CPU tested in notebook, works fine
            SSD tested in notebook, works fine
            PFsense on CF(4gb), all works fine

            The problem is installing to the ssd. The installer does recognize the ssd(sata3, correct speed, correct size, etc.), but gives error or when it looks like it installed everything(manually set MBR and don't use GPT/UEFI). After it looks like it completed installation without error, it won't boot from sata. So I think it didn't write anything to it.

            The original OS is on a 4gb CF and I also have my own 4gb CF(don't want to destroy the data on the original). My own 4GB CF is tested, works fine.

            PFsense runs fine on the CF, but I would like to install it on the ssd(faster, bigger, more functions, etc).

            IJay-XTM5, how did you install it?

            I think I am going to order IDC12 to VGA cable or make one myself and see if I can get into bios. Maybe there is an faulty setting there(legacy mode perhaps?). Or can I access bios over com-port?

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            • stephenw10S
              stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
              last edited by

              The BIOS is password protected and I have not managed to remove it. Console redirect is not enabled by default either. But even after enabling it or hooking up VGA you can't enter setup.

              What size SSD is it? Something unusual? Can you try a different drive?

              You can full install to CF, which is what I did. Just be sure to remove the SWAP slice at install time and then move /var and /tmp to RAM drives after booting.

              Can you install to the SSD in the laptop and then move it back?

              Steve

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              • I
                iJay-XTM5
                last edited by

                My M400 install was rather uneventful. I had a working SSD installation in an XTM525, which I tried transplanting into the M400 but wouldn't boot. Upon Steve's suggestion, I booted from a CF card in the M400 and installed to the 120 GB SSD. Next I removed the SSD and the box booted up just fine off the SSD.
                I hooked up the VGA port to diagnose the original issue of not being able to boot off the SSD, no matter which port I used. BTW, the box only has SATA 2,3 and 4 connectors. SATA 1 connector is not populated atleast in my box. The VGA output is very useful in tinkering with the box.
                I downloaded a copy of the user manual for Lanner's FW-7585 as the M400 appears to be a derivative with some items missing; connection to the VGA port is relatively straightforward once you have the manual, I ended up using jumper cables I had lying around.
                I'm no expert but it looks like you may have a SATA controller issue if none of your SATA ports is able to boot. I would suggest verifying the SSD (looks like you already did), booting the box via CF - I used pfSense-CE-memstick-serial-2.4.3-RELEASE-amd64, and installing to the SSD. I had the SSD connected to SATA 4 for the install as it was the nearest port to the SSD but I did check and the box boots fine with the other ports as well.
                If you're still not able to complete the install successfully, I would suggest booting with an image of freeDOS and running hardware tests to ensure your SATA controller is working.
                I'm afraid I don't know of any but perhaps Steve might be able to point you in the right direction.
                I hope to install an i3 at some point in my box as well for AES-NI so it's good to know a 4370T works.
                Hope this helps

                G 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • T
                  Testing
                  last edited by

                  SSD is OCZ arc100-120gb and pfsense installs fine and works fine if I use my notebook.
                  When moving back to Firebox, doesn't boot.

                  So it seems I can't boot from sata at all, even with CF removed.

                  I ordered an old vga card, the older low profile ones have the same pinout for the vga connector as this board. So I ordered it for the cable with vga port, was cheaper than ordering jumpercables and vga port seperately ;).

                  Freedos needs vga port if I am correct, so I can do that next week. Vga card arrives  saturday or monday.

                  Maybe the m500 has more restrictions in bios? How can I dump the bios to a rom and open it?
                  Or maybe the bios is set to legacy mode for sata instead of the other one(can't come up with the name now)?

                  ADDED: Did you try to reset CMOS? Does that remove password?

                  ADDED2: I noticed someone here had the same problem: https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=61799.0. He got it installed by disabling some features for the cpu. As you guys have the original CPU and I have got 2cores/4threads(and a bunch of extra features), maybe it's because the cpu has too many features. Still doesn't explain why a working installation won't boot… I will try to access bios when I have got the vga cable ;)

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • stephenw10S
                    stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                    last edited by

                    @Testing:

                    ADDED: Did you try to reset CMOS? Does that remove password?

                    Yes. No.

                    It's custom coded into the BIOS code somewhere which makes it difficult to impossible to remove.

                    The CPU option theory is interesting though I think most of that is disabled in the BIOS default settings anyway, speedstep, hyperthreading etc. Also it still boots the Nano image.

                    When you installed to the SSD in the laptop I assume you used the VGA installer? Did you enable the serial port? Did you complete the install using the laptop NIC as an interface? If it wasn't an igb NIC the SSD might be booting fine but stopping at the interfaces assign screen due to the mismatch and you dont see it because it's on the VGA console.

                    Steve

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                    • T
                      Testing
                      last edited by

                      I installed with vga, and also it uses the laptop NIC. So you are right it isn't the igb0/igb1 I use on firebox for wan/lan.

                      Where can I enable serial port after vga-installation? And how can I configure it so it uses the igb0 and igb1 for wan/lan?

                      ADDED: found the serial setting. fresh install on the ssd, works fine in notebook. Put it in the firebox, no output on serial port. So looks like it just won't boot sata. I think when I have the vga port I can use windows live cd, create bios rom and try to tinker with that. Or maybe the vga output shows a message which describes how to fix it ;)

                      ADDED2: Is it possible to install an ami bios from ami itself? So without passwords and such? Or maybea bios from the FW-7585 mainboard?

                      ADDED3: Got it to boot. Sata2: nothing. Sata4: error with privileges or something. Sata3: boots. Strange, any explanations?

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • I
                        iJay-XTM5
                        last edited by

                        Good deal, looks like you're finally on your way!

                        If you need to access the VGA, all you need are some $3 arduino jumper cables from ebay. Here's what my crappy setup looks like - not very elegant, but works! I was able to boot freedos and tinker a bit….

                        IMG_3290.JPG
                        IMG_3290.JPG_thumb
                        IMG_3282.JPG
                        IMG_3282.JPG_thumb

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                        • T
                          Testing
                          last edited by

                          Yeah, I think my bios is setup for different devices on the sata ports. In the manual I saw that you need to select which kind of device is connected to which sata port. So it seems Sata4 is for HDD in a Firebox m500.

                          The complete videocard with the right vga port+cable was 8dollars including shipping. I will send a picture when I have it up and running ;)

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • I
                            iJay-XTM5
                            last edited by

                            Hopefully the BIOS is setup to switch automatically to an external VGA when one is detected. The problem with the locked BIOS is you can't change any setting.
                            I was naive and actually called WatchGuard support expecting to get an unlocked version of the BIOS or the password to unlock it! :)

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                            • stephenw10S
                              stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                              last edited by

                              I'd be surprised if it cannot boot a legacy install though it might be locked out of doing so in the BIOS. You'd have to inspect the BIOS image to know for sure.

                              What options did you chose in the install process?

                              My own VGA hookup was even more basic. I connected only the green signal line and used some random header cables from an old PC.  ;)

                              Steve

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                              • N
                                N1ck
                                last edited by

                                Well, it seems only uefi will boot, nothing else.

                                And for my vga cable, forgot a few holidays here, so that will arrive tuesday. I am not using the vga card, only the vga cable that comes with it. It's a low profile card and those had the blue vga port above the rest(full profile), but in low profile you needed an extra steel plate next to the card and there you would mount the blue vga port. That's why on those cards the vga port is connected via a ribbon with 12pin(1NC) connector. Ordering header/arduino cables was an option, but it was cheaper to buy an entire graphics card which has the correct vga port with ribbon ;)

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                                • stephenw10S
                                  stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                                  last edited by

                                  That's interesting. Yet legacy images boot fine from CF?

                                  I don't see anything in the default BIOS settings that I can see in the image that might do that. However some stuff is not visible there.

                                  Can we see a comparative output from the console command 'geom part list'?

                                  For example from a Minnowboard Turbot which only boots UEFI:

                                  [2.4.4-DEVELOPMENT][admin@4220.stevew.lan]/root: geom part list
                                  Geom name: ada0
                                  modified: false
                                  state: OK
                                  fwheads: 16
                                  fwsectors: 63
                                  last: 62533255
                                  first: 40
                                  entries: 152
                                  scheme: GPT
                                  Providers:
                                  1\. Name: ada0p1
                                     Mediasize: 209715200 (200M)
                                     Sectorsize: 512
                                     Stripesize: 0
                                     Stripeoffset: 20480
                                     Mode: r0w0e0
                                     efimedia: HD(1,GPT,3da27220-1e32-11e8-8da9-0008a20bc486,0x28,0x64000)
                                     rawuuid: 3da27220-1e32-11e8-8da9-0008a20bc486
                                     rawtype: c12a7328-f81f-11d2-ba4b-00a0c93ec93b
                                     label: (null)
                                     length: 209715200
                                     offset: 20480
                                     type: efi
                                     index: 1
                                     end: 409639
                                     start: 40
                                  2\. Name: ada0p2
                                     Mediasize: 29855055872 (28G)
                                     Sectorsize: 512
                                     Stripesize: 0
                                     Stripeoffset: 209735680
                                     Mode: r1w1e2
                                     efimedia: HD(2,GPT,3da318d6-1e32-11e8-8da9-0008a20bc486,0x64028,0x379c000)
                                     rawuuid: 3da318d6-1e32-11e8-8da9-0008a20bc486
                                     rawtype: 516e7cb6-6ecf-11d6-8ff8-00022d09712b
                                     label: (null)
                                     length: 29855055872
                                     offset: 209735680
                                     type: freebsd-ufs
                                     index: 2
                                     end: 58720295
                                     start: 409640
                                  3\. Name: ada0p3
                                     Mediasize: 1601175552 (1.5G)
                                     Sectorsize: 512
                                     Stripesize: 0
                                     Stripeoffset: 20480
                                     Mode: r1w1e1
                                     efimedia: HD(3,GPT,3da43efe-1e32-11e8-8da9-0008a20bc486,0x3800028,0x2fb800)
                                     rawuuid: 3da43efe-1e32-11e8-8da9-0008a20bc486
                                     rawtype: 516e7cb5-6ecf-11d6-8ff8-00022d09712b
                                     label: (null)
                                     length: 1601175552
                                     offset: 30064791552
                                     type: freebsd-swap
                                     index: 3
                                     end: 61847591
                                     start: 58720296
                                  Consumers:
                                  1\. Name: ada0
                                     Mediasize: 32017047552 (30G)
                                     Sectorsize: 512
                                     Mode: r2w2e5
                                  
                                  

                                  Any 2.4.X should be able to create that. You do have to choose efi rather than freebsd-boot though.

                                  Steve

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                                  • N
                                    N1ck
                                    last edited by

                                    I will install a CF image(nanobsd) and will try the command. Or is there a faster way to use the command? Now I have install image on my CF and unfortunately only have 1 CF.
                                    I don't think the images are legacy images, my image has got an efi-partition and is a GPT not MDR.

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                                    • stephenw10S
                                      stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                                      last edited by

                                      The installer image has both efi and freebsd-boot partitions so it should boot either.

                                      In the MBT which only boots efi the installer only adds en efi image. I'm pretty sure I didn't do anything special there. I suspect it adds the partion type depending on how the installer booted. Trying to confirm that.

                                      So if you installed to a HD in an efi laptop it will probably work.

                                      Steve

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                                      • N
                                        N1ck
                                        last edited by

                                        Ok, geom part list command executed on pfsense 2.1(grabbed a 1gb card from my dad). Seems MBR, but it could be that sata needs efi(as each sata port needs to be configured and can only accept what was configured by firebox). I don't have the vga cable yet, so I can't run anything to grab the bios image.

                                        # geom part list
                                        Geom name: ad4
                                        modified: false
                                        state: OK
                                        fwheads: 16
                                        fwsectors: 63
                                        last: 1969631
                                        first: 63
                                        entries: 4
                                        scheme: MBR
                                        Providers:
                                        1\. Name: ad4s1
                                           Mediasize: 472195584 (450M)
                                           Sectorsize: 512
                                           Stripesize: 0
                                           Stripeoffset: 32256
                                           Mode: r1w0e2
                                           attrib: active
                                           rawtype: 165
                                           length: 472195584
                                           offset: 32256
                                           type: freebsd
                                           index: 1
                                           end: 922319
                                           start: 63
                                        2\. Name: ad4s2
                                           Mediasize: 472195584 (450M)
                                           Sectorsize: 512
                                           Stripesize: 0
                                           Stripeoffset: 472260096
                                           Mode: r0w0e0
                                           rawtype: 165
                                           length: 472195584
                                           offset: 472260096
                                           type: freebsd
                                           index: 2
                                           end: 1844639
                                           start: 922383
                                        3\. Name: ad4s3
                                           Mediasize: 52641792 (50M)
                                           Sectorsize: 512
                                           Stripesize: 0
                                           Stripeoffset: 944455680
                                           Mode: r1w0e2
                                           rawtype: 165
                                           length: 52641792
                                           offset: 944455680
                                           type: freebsd
                                           index: 3
                                           end: 1947455
                                           start: 1844640
                                        Consumers:
                                        1\. Name: ad4
                                           Mediasize: 1008451584 (961M)
                                           Sectorsize: 512
                                           Mode: r2w0e4
                                        
                                        Geom name: ad4s1
                                        modified: false
                                        state: OK
                                        fwheads: 16
                                        fwsectors: 63
                                        last: 922256
                                        first: 0
                                        entries: 8
                                        scheme: BSD
                                        Providers:
                                        1\. Name: ad4s1a
                                           Mediasize: 472187392 (450M)
                                           Sectorsize: 512
                                           Stripesize: 0
                                           Stripeoffset: 40448
                                           Mode: r1w0e2
                                           rawtype: 0
                                           length: 472187392
                                           offset: 8192
                                           type: !0
                                           index: 1
                                           end: 922256
                                           start: 16
                                        Consumers:
                                        1\. Name: ad4s1
                                           Mediasize: 472195584 (450M)
                                           Sectorsize: 512
                                           Stripesize: 0
                                           Stripeoffset: 32256
                                           Mode: r1w0e2
                                        
                                        Geom name: ad4s2
                                        modified: false
                                        state: OK
                                        fwheads: 16
                                        fwsectors: 63
                                        last: 922256
                                        first: 0
                                        entries: 8
                                        scheme: BSD
                                        Providers:
                                        1\. Name: ad4s2a
                                           Mediasize: 472187392 (450M)
                                           Sectorsize: 512
                                           Stripesize: 0
                                           Stripeoffset: 472268288
                                           Mode: r0w0e0
                                           rawtype: 0
                                           length: 472187392
                                           offset: 8192
                                           type: !0
                                           index: 1
                                           end: 922256
                                           start: 16
                                        Consumers:
                                        1\. Name: ad4s2
                                           Mediasize: 472195584 (450M)
                                           Sectorsize: 512
                                           Stripesize: 0
                                           Stripeoffset: 472260096
                                           Mode: r0w0e0
                                        
                                        

                                        ADDED: I don't have any other device that uses uefi boot. laptops and computers all don't use uefi.

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                                        • N
                                          N1ck
                                          last edited by

                                          Tested MBR image in CF->works.
                                          Image installed to ssd->doesn't work.

                                          So it seems my router requires UEFI on sata. The router has a locked bios, so can't change anything there.
                                          The pfsense 2.4.3 image has uefi, but when it installs it formats the ssd GPT and doesn't add an efi-partition with data to the ssd. So I think I just need an option to let pfsense install an efi-partition and data on the ssd.

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                                          • stephenw10S
                                            stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                                            last edited by

                                            You can just add an efi partition using the manual install method. I've never tried that and don't have any easy way to test it but it should work.

                                            You can probably remove the freebsd-boot slice too. Though it should work with both in place.

                                            Steve

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