PFsense hanging since version 2.4.4

[Taz79]

i tried to create a USB stick with 2.4.4 p1 but after installing i get into that crappy serial console bug.. i pressed ESC to type "set kern.vty=sc" but then booting into multi user mode i seem to get a crash.. text scrolls by too fast for me to read.. so after ESC i want to boot into single user mode to be able to see the boot errors.. but how do i boot from CLI (ESC) into single user mode.. i have tried to google for it but cannot find anything... i tried like boot single and such without success.. please help!

I really wanted to try 2.4.4 before i go back and try 2.3 or something that might work better...

[chrismacmahon]

Not sure, I would re-burn the image, try again...if it happens again the hardware issue is the problem.

We are a fan of Etcher.io

[Taz79]

Found it... "boot -s" it is :) .. Will try it and review the logs.

[Taz79]

Had to run fsck -y a few times due to unclean system because i did a power off because of the display issue in 2.4.4.. i did not realize the system would start up anyway..

So now the system is up .. 2.4.4 p1 with basic settings.. Nothing changed except password.. will let it run like that to see what happens.. if it hangs again i will try to go back to an old version where i know it was working... to rule out software too...

Is there anyone that has an older image available? 2.4 or 2.4.1 or 2.4.2? that i could have to test?

[Taz79]

Another thing... i found this...

Intel Atom systems containing HD Graphics chipsets similar to the Z3700 may experience console problems after the update. Affected systems will boot successfully, but fail to display console output after the boot menu. To fix the problem, add the following lines to /boot/loader.conf.local:

i915kms_load="YES"
drm.i915.enable_unsupported=1
Systems with similar console problems not containing a graphics chip supported by the i915 driver may need to reinstall 2.4.4 to use a UEFI console.

Alternately, try using the syscons console instead of VT in /boot/loader.conf.local:

kern.vty=sc

I have been using kern.vty=sc.. but i see i can enter the other stuff instead... Could this be a source of my problems i have had? I'm running Atom with Z36xx or Z37xx gfx chip..

Here is pciconf -lv output of my system:

code
[2.4.4-RELEASE][root@pfSense.localdomain]/root: pciconf -lv
hostb0@pci0:0:0:0:      class=0x060000 card=0x0f318086 chip=0x0f008086 rev=0x0e hdr=0x00
    vendor     = 'Intel Corporation'
    device     = 'Atom Processor Z36xxx/Z37xxx Series SoC Transaction Register'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = HOST-PCI
vgapci0@pci0:0:2:0:     class=0x030000 card=0x0f318086 chip=0x0f318086 rev=0x0e hdr=0x00
    vendor     = 'Intel Corporation'
    device     = 'Atom Processor Z36xxx/Z37xxx Series Graphics & Display'
    class      = display
    subclass   = VGA
ahci0@pci0:0:19:0:      class=0x010601 card=0x0f238086 chip=0x0f238086 rev=0x0e hdr=0x00
    vendor     = 'Intel Corporation'
    device     = 'Atom Processor E3800 Series SATA AHCI Controller'
    class      = mass storage
    subclass   = SATA
xhci0@pci0:0:20:0:      class=0x0c0330 card=0x0f358086 chip=0x0f358086 rev=0x0e hdr=0x00
    vendor     = 'Intel Corporation'
    device     = 'Atom Processor Z36xxx/Z37xxx, Celeron N2000 Series USB xHCI'
    class      = serial bus
    subclass   = USB
none0@pci0:0:26:0:      class=0x108000 card=0x0f188086 chip=0x0f188086 rev=0x0e hdr=0x00
    vendor     = 'Intel Corporation'
    device     = 'Atom Processor Z36xxx/Z37xxx Series Trusted Execution Engine'
    class      = encrypt/decrypt
hdac0@pci0:0:27:0:      class=0x040300 card=0x0f048086 chip=0x0f048086 rev=0x0e hdr=0x00
    vendor     = 'Intel Corporation'
    device     = 'Atom Processor Z36xxx/Z37xxx Series High Definition Audio Controller'
    class      = multimedia
    subclass   = HDA
pcib1@pci0:0:28:0:      class=0x060400 card=0x0f488086 chip=0x0f488086 rev=0x0e hdr=0x01
    vendor     = 'Intel Corporation'
    device     = 'Atom Processor E3800 Series PCI Express Root Port 1'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
pcib2@pci0:0:28:1:      class=0x060400 card=0x0f4a8086 chip=0x0f4a8086 rev=0x0e hdr=0x01
    vendor     = 'Intel Corporation'
    device     = 'Atom Processor E3800 Series PCI Express Root Port 2'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
pcib3@pci0:0:28:2:      class=0x060400 card=0x0f4c8086 chip=0x0f4c8086 rev=0x0e hdr=0x01
    vendor     = 'Intel Corporation'
    device     = 'Atom Processor E3800 Series PCI Express Root Port 3'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
pcib4@pci0:0:28:3:      class=0x060400 card=0x0f4e8086 chip=0x0f4e8086 rev=0x0e hdr=0x01
    vendor     = 'Intel Corporation'
    device     = 'Atom Processor E3800 Series PCI Express Root Port 4'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
isab0@pci0:0:31:0:      class=0x060100 card=0x0f1c8086 chip=0x0f1c8086 rev=0x0e hdr=0x00
    vendor     = 'Intel Corporation'
    device     = 'Atom Processor Z36xxx/Z37xxx Series Power Control Unit'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-ISA
none1@pci0:0:31:3:      class=0x0c0500 card=0x0f128086 chip=0x0f128086 rev=0x0e hdr=0x00
    vendor     = 'Intel Corporation'
    device     = 'Atom Processor E3800 Series SMBus Controller'
    class      = serial bus
    subclass   = SMBus
igb0@pci0:1:0:0:        class=0x020000 card=0x00008086 chip=0x15398086 rev=0x03 hdr=0x00
    vendor     = 'Intel Corporation'
    device     = 'I211 Gigabit Network Connection'
    class      = network
    subclass   = ethernet
igb1@pci0:2:0:0:        class=0x020000 card=0x00008086 chip=0x15398086 rev=0x03 hdr=0x00
    vendor     = 'Intel Corporation'
    device     = 'I211 Gigabit Network Connection'
    class      = network
    subclass   = ethernet
igb2@pci0:3:0:0:        class=0x020000 card=0x00008086 chip=0x15398086 rev=0x03 hdr=0x00
    vendor     = 'Intel Corporation'
    device     = 'I211 Gigabit Network Connection'
    class      = network
    subclass   = ethernet
igb3@pci0:4:0:0:        class=0x020000 card=0x00008086 chip=0x15398086 rev=0x03 hdr=0x00
    vendor     = 'Intel Corporation'
    device     = 'I211 Gigabit Network Connection'
    class      = network
    subclass   = ethernet

[Taz79]

Ok.. i entered:
i915kms_load="YES"
drm.i915.enable_unsupported=1

Into /boot/loader.conf.local

I now have much smaller text on the monitor connected to the system (VGA) when i boot the system than i have had before.. Maybe this could have been the issue why i had system freeze? .. I will run with the default config for 2 days... if no freeze i will load my config into the system and see if everything works as it should....

[Taz79]

This looks promising.. I really hope this was the issue.. seems like it though... Uptime of 2 days and 6 hours now.. I will let it run until 3 days then i will apply my own config..

[Gertjan]

While you're applying, switch to p3.

[Taz79]

@gertjan said in PFsense hanging since version 2.4.4:

While you're applying, switch to p3.

That one seems not to be available.. At least not in the stable brand. Is there some improvements for the problems im having?

[Taz79]

Ok. I think i found the problem. The problem were infact not Hardware fault but it was software "fault" related to the 2.4.4 releases.

When installing 2.4.4 the bootup changed to console display instead of VGA display. To fix that i found articles that i should add:
kern.vty=sc
To my /boot/loader.conf.local
But that seemed to have caused the system freezes i have had.

I now found another article that i should add the following to /boot/loader.conf.local
i915kms_load="YES"
drm.i915.enable_unsupported=1

THAT solved my problems it seems like!

I still have to apply my original config though to verify. I will do that now.. System has now been running fine for 4.5 days.

[Gertjan]

@taz79 said in PFsense hanging since version 2.4.4:

That one seems not to be available.

You're right : it should be p2 - sorry.

[Taz79]

@unb2b said in PFsense hanging since version 2.4.4:

may i know how old your pc does it supported?

If you read the thread you will find out.. it has already been mentioned. Computer is from 1st of April 2017 so not very old.

[Taz79]

My backup with all configuration has now been applied.

Lets give it a few more days too see if this is a complete solution or not :)

[Taz79]

Ok. After applying my config system hung after 2 days again. So i suspect there is something wrong with my config since v 2.4.4... Or my 2 OpenVPN tunnels or something else causing the system to crash. Any advices how to go forward? I think i have established that this is not a hardware issue anymore?

[Taz79]

And it hung again this morning. I reverted back to factory default settings now to get it stable again..

[provels]

@taz79 Maybe you'd want to open the box and see if there are any swelled or popped capacitors. Just a thought.

[Taz79]

I have replaced the pfsense router with a dovado router in the meantime. I will see if i could find some other hardware i could use instead :( ... As a last resort i will try to use an older version of PFsense on the router in a last hope there wont be a hardware issue :) .. But yesterday the router hung again with default config this time :(

[Taz79]

Ok.. Setup with both 2.3.5 and 2.4.3 did lockup and hang with a flickering screen.. So as a few of you said in the beginning.. Hardware trouble.. I guess this PC will end up in the recycle pile :( Thanks for the help and input everyone!!! :)

[Taz79]

Probably gonna try to buy a SG-1100 instead :)

[Taz79]

So... I'm with my first Netgate hardware! :D :D :D