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

    Install pfSense from USB does not load kernel??

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Problems Installing or Upgrading pfSense Software
    35 Posts 8 Posters 5.3k Views 8 Watching
    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.
    • dotdashD Offline
      dotdash @jimp
      last edited by

      @jimp said in Install pfSense from USB does not load kernel??:

      Use https://www.balena.io/etcher/

      An over 120 mb app to flash an image? physdiskwrite was 108k...

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • jimpJ Offline
        jimp Rebel Alliance Developer Netgate
        last edited by

        Yes, it's bloated, but it natively supports compressed images and makes things fairly bulletproof. It's worth it to not have to explain 50 different reasons why someone has failed to properly make an installer disk.

        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!

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • johnpozJ Offline
          johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
          last edited by johnpoz

          Are you installing TNSR? Why is this in this section... Looks like your just normal pfsense..

          Moved..

          An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
          If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
          Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
          SG-4860 25.07 | Lab VMs 2.8, 25.07

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

            @MasterAdde said in Install pfSense from USB does not load kernel??:

            Strange :/ I have just 2 files License and Readme......

            Just for reference that's expected after flashing the image if you try to read it in Windows. It can only see the fat32 partition with those files in it. The main part of the installer is in UFS which Windows can't read.

            Steve

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • M Offline
              MasterAdde @jimp
              last edited by

              @jimp
              I have tried that as well, but will try again.
              /Adde

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • jimpJ Offline
                jimp Rebel Alliance Developer Netgate
                last edited by

                Then try a completely different USB thumbdrive, and try a different USB port on the hardware you are trying to boot.

                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!

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • M Offline
                  MasterAdde
                  last edited by MasterAdde

                  This is what I get:
                  20191108_171251 (1).jpg 20191108_171229 (1).jpg

                  Wrong order just :)

                  GalaG 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • M Offline
                    MasterAdde
                    last edited by

                    Trying with etcher again to see what happens

                    /Adde

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • M Offline
                      MasterAdde
                      last edited by

                      Does not work with etcher either ::(
                      Keep playing around :)

                      /Adde

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • M Offline
                        MasterAdde
                        last edited by MasterAdde

                        20191108_214916.jpg
                        I did a lsdev and got this...

                        What are win doing there??

                        When booting I can use 3 different "kernel" in "options: Kernel: Default/kernel/kernel.old??

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • jimpJ Offline
                          jimp Rebel Alliance Developer Netgate
                          last edited by

                          There is a windows partition on the installer so you can put a config.xml in there, and it also contains a copy of the license. That is all normal.

                          The installer works for pretty much everyone else, so there must be something wrong with either that USB drive or the target hardware/BIOS. Maybe try changing some boot options in the BIOS.

                          That system is very old, and went EOL about 5 years ago and G5 systems stopped being sold about 10 years ago. It might be a problem with the system in general.

                          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!

                          M 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • M Offline
                            MasterAdde @jimp
                            last edited by

                            @jimp
                            No its not a problem because i had pfsense verion 2.4.4 installed on this maskine before. I just needed to reinstall te server.
                            Trying another USB win Win32Manager this time

                            /Adde

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • jimpJ Offline
                              jimp Rebel Alliance Developer Netgate
                              last edited by

                              Did you install 2.4.4 before? Or was it an older upgraded installation? There are some older/outdated systems that booted the 2.3.x installer OK but won't boot 2.4. It's rare, but it has happened.

                              You might also try a 2.5.0 snapshot.

                              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!

                              M 4 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 1
                              • M Offline
                                MasterAdde @jimp
                                last edited by

                                @jimp I did a upgrade from 2.3 I think.... cant remember but i worked. I will try snapshot then :)

                                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • M Offline
                                  MasterAdde @jimp
                                  last edited by MasterAdde

                                  @jimp
                                  Got the snapshot to work to install and rebooted.
                                  I tried the USB on another pc and it booted correcly. When I install it on my server I get the FreeBSD logo but on the other I got pfSense logo ???
                                  Can It be a kernel problem that is still in memory or on hdd??

                                  Anyone who has a 2.4.4 snapshot??

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • M Offline
                                    MasterAdde @jimp
                                    last edited by

                                    @jimp
                                    Got 2.4.5 snapshot installed:) Working now
                                    Dont know what was wrong Hmmmmm
                                    Gonna look into it..

                                    /adde

                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • M Offline
                                      MasterAdde @jimp
                                      last edited by

                                      @jimp Thx for your help. I gonna see what was wrong with my HP. Can be that something is still there even if I rebuild the disk.

                                      /Adde

                                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • GertjanG Offline
                                        Gertjan
                                        last edited by

                                        Normally, rufus (and friends) will blow away all mbr sectors so no more partitions etc.
                                        So no FreeBSD or WIN or whatever partitions ....

                                        Normally, I wipe them clean myself before with adequate tools like diskpart or other disk-wiping tools.

                                        No "help me" PM's please. Use the forum, the community will thank you.
                                        Edit : and where are the logs ??

                                        M 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • M Offline
                                          MasterAdde @Gertjan
                                          last edited by MasterAdde

                                          @Gertjan
                                          I used "diskpart" also to wipe the usb before flashing to pfsense.......strange

                                          Tried rufus. etcher and win32manager, all failed :( everyone of them wiped in diskpart

                                          I have not failed befor when using rufus or etcher to flash pfsense just this version...can be a bad img as well, I dont really know way.....

                                          /Adde

                                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • M Offline
                                            MasterAdde
                                            last edited by

                                            Sorry to open a old topic.

                                            But I got it to work and its up and running on x1250e Watchguard now.
                                            Thanks for your help all :)

                                            // Adde

                                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                            • First post
                                              Last post
                                            Copyright 2025 Rubicon Communications LLC (Netgate). All rights reserved.