Netgate Discussion Forum
    • Categories
    • Recent
    • Tags
    • Popular
    • Users
    • Search
    • Register
    • Login

    Loader.conf.local deleted on restart

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved General pfSense Questions
    23 Posts 7 Posters 4.3k Views
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as topic
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
    • 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!

                          Need help fast? Netgate Global Support!

                          Do not Chat/PM for help!

                          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
                            • First post
                              Last post
                            Copyright 2025 Rubicon Communications LLC (Netgate). All rights reserved.