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    Loader.conf.local deleted on restart

    General pfSense Questions
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    • K
      kpa
      last edited by

      That is not good. The loader.conf.local file should never be touched by the firmware (the PfSense OS) no matter how good the intentions for doing so are. Validation of the file and notification of errors would be ok but silent modifications are definitely not.

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • C
        chbmb
        last edited by chbmb

        I can confirm I'm seeing loader.conf.local being deleted after a reboot on the current stable release of pfSense. Here's my shell output.

        EDIT: Running on x64 hardware with a VGA install from USB.

        chbmb@thinkpad ~ $ ssh admin@192.168.0.1
Password for admin@pfSense.localdomain:
....pfSense - Netgate Device ID: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

*** Welcome to pfSense 2.4.3-RELEASE-p1 (amd64) on pfSense ***

 WAN (wan)       -> pppoe0     -> v4/PPPoE: xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx/xx
 LAN (lan)       -> em1        -> v4: 192.168.0.1/24
 GUEST (opt1)    -> em1.10     -> v4: 192.168.10.1/24
 VM (opt2)       -> em1.20     -> v4: 192.168.20.1/24

 0) Logout (SSH only)                  9) pfTop
 1) Assign Interfaces                 10) Filter Logs
 2) Set interface(s) IP address       11) Restart webConfigurator
 3) Reset webConfigurator password    12) PHP shell + pfSense tools
 4) Reset to factory defaults         13) Update from console
 5) Reboot system                     14) Disable Secure Shell (sshd)
 6) Halt system                       15) Restore recent configuration
 7) Ping host                         16) Restart PHP-FPM
 8) Shell

Enter an option: 8

[2.4.3-RELEASE][admin@pfSense.localdomain]/root: dmesg | grep console
[2.4.3-RELEASE][admin@pfSense.localdomain]/root: dmesg | grep uart
uart2: <16550 or compatible> port 0x2e0-0x2e7 irq 7 on acpi0
[2.4.3-RELEASE][admin@pfSense.localdomain]/root: echo comconsole_port="0x2e0" > /boot/loader.conf.local
[2.4.3-RELEASE][admin@pfSense.localdomain]/root: ls -la /boot/loader*
-r-xr-xr-x  1 root  wheel  311296 May 10 20:06 /boot/loader
-r--r--r--  1 root  wheel    7127 May 10 20:06 /boot/loader.4th
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel     159 Jun  4 00:19 /boot/loader.conf
-r-xr-xr-x  1 root  wheel  402432 May 10 20:06 /boot/loader.efi
-r--r--r--  1 root  wheel   14766 May 10 20:06 /boot/loader.help
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel      22 Jun  4 00:19 /boot/loader.conf.local
-r--r--r--  1 root  wheel     350 May 10 20:06 /boot/loader.rc
[2.4.3-RELEASE][admin@pfSense.localdomain]/root: reboot

chbmb@thinkpad ~ $ ssh admin@192.168.0.1
Password for admin@pfSense.localdomain:
....pfSense - Netgate Device ID: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

*** Welcome to pfSense 2.4.3-RELEASE-p1 (amd64) on pfSense ***

 WAN (wan)       -> pppoe0     -> v4/PPPoE: xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx/xx
 LAN (lan)       -> em1        -> v4: 192.168.0.1/24
 GUEST (opt1)    -> em1.10     -> v4: 192.168.10.1/24
 VM (opt2)       -> em1.20     -> v4: 192.168.20.1/24

 0) Logout (SSH only)                  9) pfTop
 1) Assign Interfaces                 10) Filter Logs
 2) Set interface(s) IP address       11) Restart webConfigurator
 3) Reset webConfigurator password    12) PHP shell + pfSense tools
 4) Reset to factory defaults         13) Update from console
 5) Reboot system                     14) Disable Secure Shell (sshd)
 6) Halt system                       15) Restore recent configuration
 7) Ping host                         16) Restart PHP-FPM
 8) Shell

Enter an option: 8

[2.4.3-RELEASE][admin@pfSense.localdomain]/root: dmesg | grep console
uart2: console (115200,n,8,1)
[2.4.3-RELEASE][admin@pfSense.localdomain]/root: ls -la /boot/loader*
-r-xr-xr-x  1 root  wheel  311296 May 10 20:06 /boot/loader
-r--r--r--  1 root  wheel    7127 May 10 20:06 /boot/loader.4th
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel     159 Jun  4 00:26 /boot/loader.conf
-r-xr-xr-x  1 root  wheel  402432 May 10 20:06 /boot/loader.efi
-r--r--r--  1 root  wheel   14766 May 10 20:06 /boot/loader.help
-r--r--r--  1 root  wheel     350 May 10 20:06 /boot/loader.rc
        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
        • C
          chbmb
          last edited by

          As a workaround I've set the system immutable flag, which preserves loader.conf.local across reboots.

          chflags schg /boot/loader.conf.local

          Turn it off with:

          chflags noschg /boot/loader.conf.local

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

            Curious. I'm not seeing that here. The file is touched, that timestamp matches the reboot, but the contents are the same.

            Steve

            C 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • C
              chbmb @stephenw10
              last edited by chbmb

              @stephenw10 said in Loader.conf.local deleted on restart:

              Curious. I'm not seeing that here. The file is touched, that timestamp matches the reboot, but the contents are the same.

              Steve

              Yeah, I see that @Derelict couldn't reproduce it either, mine is a completely fresh install of 2.4.3 and the only package I've installed is Telegraf, so I'm at a loss to explain it as well.

              Happy to try troubleshooting if anyone can think of anything.

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

                Try putting something else in the file, something not ever specified in loader.conf. I used:

                legal.intel_ipw.license_ack=1
legal.intel_iwi.license_ack=1

                Steve

                C 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • C
                  chbmb @stephenw10
                  last edited by

                  @stephenw10 said in Loader.conf.local deleted on restart:

                  Try putting something else in the file, something not ever specified in loader.conf. I used:

                  legal.intel_ipw.license_ack=1
legal.intel_iwi.license_ack=1

                  Steve

                  Interestingly, when I did that the file was persistent.

                  [2.4.3-RELEASE][admin@pfSense.localdomain]/root: ls -la /boot/loader*
-r-xr-xr-x  1 root  wheel  311296 May 10 20:06 /boot/loader
-r--r--r--  1 root  wheel    7127 May 10 20:06 /boot/loader.4th
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel     159 Jun  5 18:41 /boot/loader.conf
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel      30 Jun  7 21:30 /boot/loader.conf.local
-r-xr-xr-x  1 root  wheel  402432 May 10 20:06 /boot/loader.efi
-r--r--r--  1 root  wheel   14766 May 10 20:06 /boot/loader.help
-r--r--r--  1 root  wheel     350 May 10 20:06 /boot/loader.rc
[2.4.3-RELEASE][admin@pfSense.localdomain]/root: cat /boot/loader.conf.local
legal.intel_ipw.license_ack=1
[2.4.3-RELEASE][admin@pfSense.localdomain]/root: reboot
Connection to 192.168.0.1 closed by remote host.
Connection to 192.168.0.1 closed.
chbmb@thinkpad ~ $ ssh admin@192.168.0.1
Password for admin@pfSense.localdomain:
pfSense - Netgate Device ID: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

*** Welcome to pfSense 2.4.3-RELEASE-p1 (amd64) on pfSense ***

 WAN (wan)       -> pppoe0     -> v4/PPPoE: xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx/32
 LAN (lan)       -> em1        -> v4: 192.168.0.1/24
 GUEST (opt1)    -> em1.10     -> v4: 192.168.10.1/24
 VM (opt2)       -> em1.20     -> v4: 192.168.20.1/24

 0) Logout (SSH only)                  9) pfTop
 1) Assign Interfaces                 10) Filter Logs
 2) Set interface(s) IP address       11) Restart webConfigurator
 3) Reset webConfigurator password    12) PHP shell + pfSense tools
 4) Reset to factory defaults         13) Update from console
 5) Reboot system                     14) Disable Secure Shell (sshd)
 6) Halt system                       15) Restore recent configuration
 7) Ping host                         16) Restart PHP-FPM
 8) Shell

Enter an option: 8

[2.4.3-RELEASE][admin@pfSense.localdomain]/root: ls -la /boot/loader*
-r-xr-xr-x  1 root  wheel  311296 May 10 20:06 /boot/loader
-r--r--r--  1 root  wheel    7127 May 10 20:06 /boot/loader.4th
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel     159 Jun  7 21:33 /boot/loader.conf
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel      30 Jun  7 21:33 /boot/loader.conf.local
-r-xr-xr-x  1 root  wheel  402432 May 10 20:06 /boot/loader.efi
-r--r--r--  1 root  wheel   14766 May 10 20:06 /boot/loader.help
-r--r--r--  1 root  wheel     350 May 10 20:06 /boot/loader.rc
                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • C
                    chbmb
                    last edited by chbmb

                    And then, once again, when I make my changes the file is deleted on reboot. However the changes are picked up as evidenced by dmesg | grep console at the beginning and end of the below output. However that is not the case on subsequent reboots,

                    [2.4.3-RELEASE][admin@pfSense.localdomain]/root: dmesg | grep console
[2.4.3-RELEASE][admin@pfSense.localdomain]/root: rm /boot/loader.conf.local 
[2.4.3-RELEASE][admin@pfSense.localdomain]/root: ls -la /boot/loader*
-r-xr-xr-x  1 root  wheel  311296 May 10 20:06 /boot/loader
-r--r--r--  1 root  wheel    7127 May 10 20:06 /boot/loader.4th
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel     159 Jun  7 21:33 /boot/loader.conf
-r-xr-xr-x  1 root  wheel  402432 May 10 20:06 /boot/loader.efi
-r--r--r--  1 root  wheel   14766 May 10 20:06 /boot/loader.help
-r--r--r--  1 root  wheel     350 May 10 20:06 /boot/loader.rc
[2.4.3-RELEASE][admin@pfSense.localdomain]/root: echo comconsole_port="0x2e0" > /boot/loader.conf.local
[2.4.3-RELEASE][admin@pfSense.localdomain]/root: ls -la /boot/loader*
-r-xr-xr-x  1 root  wheel  311296 May 10 20:06 /boot/loader
-r--r--r--  1 root  wheel    7127 May 10 20:06 /boot/loader.4th
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel     159 Jun  7 21:33 /boot/loader.conf
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel      22 Jun  7 21:37 /boot/loader.conf.local
-r-xr-xr-x  1 root  wheel  402432 May 10 20:06 /boot/loader.efi
-r--r--r--  1 root  wheel   14766 May 10 20:06 /boot/loader.help
-r--r--r--  1 root  wheel     350 May 10 20:06 /boot/loader.rc
[2.4.3-RELEASE][admin@pfSense.localdomain]/root: reboot
Connection to 192.168.0.1 closed by remote host.
Connection to 192.168.0.1 closed.
chbmb@thinkpad ~ $ ssh admin@192.168.0.1
Password for admin@pfSense.localdomain:
....pfSense - Netgate Device ID: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

*** Welcome to pfSense 2.4.3-RELEASE-p1 (amd64) on pfSense ***

 WAN (wan)       -> pppoe0     -> v4/PPPoE: xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx/32
 LAN (lan)       -> em1        -> v4: 192.168.0.1/24
 GUEST (opt1)    -> em1.10     -> v4: 192.168.10.1/24
 VM (opt2)       -> em1.20     -> v4: 192.168.20.1/24

 0) Logout (SSH only)                  9) pfTop
 1) Assign Interfaces                 10) Filter Logs
 2) Set interface(s) IP address       11) Restart webConfigurator
 3) Reset webConfigurator password    12) PHP shell + pfSense tools
 4) Reset to factory defaults         13) Update from console
 5) Reboot system                     14) Disable Secure Shell (sshd)
 6) Halt system                       15) Restore recent configuration
 7) Ping host                         16) Restart PHP-FPM
 8) Shell

Enter an option: 8

[2.4.3-RELEASE][admin@pfSense.localdomain]/root: ls -la /boot/loader*
-r-xr-xr-x  1 root  wheel  311296 May 10 20:06 /boot/loader
-r--r--r--  1 root  wheel    7127 May 10 20:06 /boot/loader.4th
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel     159 Jun  7 21:38 /boot/loader.conf
-r-xr-xr-x  1 root  wheel  402432 May 10 20:06 /boot/loader.efi
-r--r--r--  1 root  wheel   14766 May 10 20:06 /boot/loader.help
-r--r--r--  1 root  wheel     350 May 10 20:06 /boot/loader.rc
[2.4.3-RELEASE][admin@pfSense.localdomain]/root: dmesg | grep console
uart2: console (115200,n,8,1)
                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • stephenw10S
                      stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                      last edited by

                      Hmm, odd.
                      What if you add the license line first and keep the comconsole line in addition?

                      Steve

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

                        I have one box with a very similar line that has no issues but it's running 2.3.5:

                        [2.3.5-RELEASE][admin@xtm8.stevew.lan]/root: cat /boot/loader.conf.local
comconsole_port="0x2F8"
legal.intel_wpi.license_ack=1
legal.intel_ipw.license_ack=1
legal.intel_iwi.license_ack=1

                        [2.3.5-RELEASE][admin@xtm8.stevew.lan]/root: ls -la /boot/loader*
-r-xr-xr-x  1 root  wheel  262144 May 10 21:07 /boot/loader
-r--r--r--  1 root  wheel    6747 May 10 21:07 /boot/loader.4th
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel     133 Jun 10 17:49 /boot/loader.conf
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel     113 Sep 21  2017 /boot/loader.conf.local
-r-xr-xr-x  1 root  wheel  393724 May 10 21:07 /boot/loader.efi
-r--r--r--  1 root  wheel   14766 May 10 21:07 /boot/loader.help
-r--r--r--  1 root  wheel     350 May 10 21:07 /boot/loader.rc

                        Interesting that it does not get touched at boot.....

                        Steve

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • C
                          chbmb
                          last edited by

                          Interesting.

                          So editing the /boot/loader.conf.local to give this

                          [2.4.3-RELEASE][admin@pfSense.localdomain]/root: cat /boot/loader.conf.local
legal.intel_wpi.license_ack=1
legal.intel_ipw.license_ack=1
legal.intel_iwi.license_ack=1
comconsole_port=0x2e0

                          Then after a reboot

                          [2.4.3-RELEASE][admin@pfSense.localdomain]/root: ls -la /boot/loader*
-r-xr-xr-x  1 root  wheel  311296 May 10 21:06 /boot/loader
-r--r--r--  1 root  wheel    7127 May 10 21:06 /boot/loader.4th
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel     159 Jun 11 20:06 /boot/loader.conf
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel      90 Jun 11 20:06 /boot/loader.conf.local
-r-xr-xr-x  1 root  wheel  402432 May 10 21:06 /boot/loader.efi
-r--r--r--  1 root  wheel   14766 May 10 21:06 /boot/loader.help
-r--r--r--  1 root  wheel     350 May 10 21:06 /boot/loader.rc
[2.4.3-RELEASE][admin@pfSense.localdomain]/root: cat /boot/loader.conf.local
legal.intel_wpi.license_ack=1
legal.intel_ipw.license_ack=1
legal.intel_iwi.license_ack=1

                          So it's removing the comconsole_port=0x2e0 entry, which if there is nothing else in the file, results in it being deleted.

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

                            Do you have a comconsole_port setting in loader.conf that might be conflicting?

                            What hardware are you running on that requires this change? I wonder if it's being recognised incorrectly.

                            Steve

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • C
                              chbmb
                              last edited by chbmb

                              No comconsole_port setting in loader.conf

                              [2.4.3-RELEASE][admin@pfSense.localdomain]/root: cat /boot/loader.conf
kern.cam.boot_delay=10000
boot_multicons="YES"
boot_serial="YES"
console="comconsole,vidconsole"
comconsole_speed="115200"
autoboot_delay="3"
hw.usb.no_pf="1"

                              Running on an i5 SBC which has multiple serial ports, but disabled all of them in BIOS except the one I'm using.

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

                                Hmm, we're looking into this. Should be able to come back with something shortly.

                                Steve

                                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                • jimpJ
                                  jimp Rebel Alliance Developer Netgate
                                  last edited by

                                  Try the commit on https://redmine.pfsense.org/issues/8571 as a patch in the System Patches package. That should fix the behavior.

                                  Remember: Upvote with the 👍 button for any user/post you find to be helpful, informative, or deserving of recognition!

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                                  C 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
                                  • C
                                    chbmb @jimp
                                    last edited by

                                    @jimp @stephenw10

                                    Can confirm that patch has fixed the issue. Thanks for looking into it.

                                    [2.4.3-RELEASE][admin@pfSense.localdomain]/root: cat /boot/loader.conf.local
comconsole_port="0x2e0"
legal.intel_wpi.license_ack=1
legal.intel_ipw.license_ack=1
legal.intel_iwi.license_ack=1
                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
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