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

    Install to embedded intel flash chips

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Problems Installing or Upgrading pfSense Software
    2 Posts 2 Posters 2.1k 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.
    • Z
      ZGamer
      last edited by

      At work we have some older embedded devices and I am wondering if it is possible to install pfsense on it. I am wondering how the general install would work as it has no compact flash, ps/2 ports, ide ports, floppy ports, ect.

      Ports available: 2xserial ports, 2x10/100 realtek nics, 1xJDAG diagnostic port.

      When booting the device it boots directly to the software where no command line is available vi the console but when using ssh I get a regular command prompt….system appears to currently be a linux 2.4 kernel with busybox and the proprietary software on it.

      The medium for storage is a couple of intel flash chips(64meg total) so it should be able to run the embedded firmware I would guess but not sure how to actually load it up.
      Oh, I haven't seen any tftp booting options.

      The circuit board is the 128meg ram w/64meg flash memory version of the se2580 by cyberguard.

      ...if i toast the device trying to load the os, it's ok;).....they are paperweights currently as the old company which originally sold the units went belly-up and have since been pulled out of service.

      –------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      pfSense Documentation Wiki
      Need Commercial Support?
      Personal Blog

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • B
        billm
        last edited by

        You might be able to use linux to dd an image direct to the embedded flash although good luck upgrading it afterward - heh.  Hopefully the unit(s) load the OS into a ramdisk after booting, if not, I can't see how you're going to dd over the on disk OS w/out panic'ing it, resulting in an immediate paperweight.

        If possible, I'd do the following.

        Boot into linux
        configure the flash to read-only (better yet, see if you can put the OS in a ram disk and change the / mountpoint to it - good luck)
        SSH into the machine
        use ssh to ssh to another unix box passing dd if=pfsense.img of=/dev/whatevertheflashdriveis command to the remote ssh daemon
        Pray that nothing writes to disk other than the dd, sync; sync; pull powercord - do NOT let the OS hit that disk
        power on and pray some more

        If it works, pay me $1000 for the consulting and report back.  If it doesn't work…do the same ;-P

        --Bill

        pfSense core developer
        blog - http://www.ucsecurity.com/
        twitter - billmarquette

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