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    VGA console takes "forever" to become visible...

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    • rcfaR
      rcfa
      last edited by

      I already thought VGA console support was broken, since several minutes after booting the system, after the web interface is long active, VPN links are up and functional, the VGA screen still was stuck on the last boot messages.

      Then what seems an eternity later (like at least five minutes), suddenly the login prompt shows up.

      Why does this take so long? I don't have that issue with the 2.4.x system with identical configuration.
      Does anyone else have this?

      I mean, it's not a fatal flaw, knowing that eventually the login will show up, but it's a nuisance that it takes so long, and it makes me wonder what's going on.

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      • stephenw10S
        stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
        last edited by

        You solved this? Sounds like serial console set as primary.

        Steve

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        • rcfaR
          rcfa
          last edited by

          Well, serial console was active, but not primary.
          In the mean time serial console is deactivated, in an attempt of accessing the GPS module.

          I should add that the device in question is a SG-2340/MBT-4220/MinnowBoard.

          Haven't rebooted it with with the monitor attached, again lately, as the system runs smoothly and I was chasing other issues which are more pressing, because once I knew the console would show up eventually, the long delay was just a comparatively minor nuisance.

          I'll try to reboot the device in the next few, maybe after installing another snapshot, and then will check the behavior again.

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          • stephenw10S
            stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
            last edited by

            Ah, OK yes there is an issue with that device and 2.5 snapshots.

            https://redmine.pfsense.org/issues/9488

            Interestingly when I tested it there was never any output. How long did you have to wait? I'm pretty sure I waited a loooooong time but maybe not long enough.

            Steve

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            • rcfaR
              rcfa @stephenw10
              last edited by

              @stephenw10 I can't exactly say how long it took. Basically, I noticed that I had no console access after the boot, but since I had no issues accessing the web interface, I didn't pay much attention. When I later came back, there was a login prompt and I could log in. That was probably hours later, but how long the login prompt was available at that point, I could not say, as I didn't time this, just noticed that a long time later, the prompt was there and working.

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              • stephenw10S
                stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                last edited by

                Interesting, thanks. I'll retest.

                Steve

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                • rcfaR
                  rcfa
                  last edited by

                  Just FYI: this matter seems to be resolved. Either whatever minor changes I made in my configuration lately changed the behavior, or recent snapshots fixed the issue.
                  In either case, now the prompt comes as soon as the system is fully booted.

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                  • stephenw10S
                    stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                    last edited by

                    Yeah, it works fine for me on an MBT upgraded from 2.4.4. However the 2.5 VGA installer will not boot on it. Yet.

                    Steve

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                    • rcfaR
                      rcfa @stephenw10
                      last edited by

                      @stephenw10 said in VGA console takes "forever" to become visible...:

                      Yeah, it works fine for me on an MBT upgraded from 2.4.4. However the 2.5 VGA installer will not boot on it. Yet.

                      Steve

                      Won't boot, or just won't get you to the login prompt?

                      Sorry, can't really help, as I installed off the 2.4.x USB key that came with the SG-2340/MBT-4220 and then upgraded from there.

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                      • stephenw10S
                        stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                        last edited by

                        It does boot but stops outputing to the console after mountroot. Exactly as though it's set to serial console as primary. But it isn't and you can't force VGA/EFI console from the boot loader.
                        Bigger brains than me are assigned to it. 😉

                        Steve

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