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    Watchguard Firebox M400/M500

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Hardware
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    • stephenw10S
      stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
      last edited by stephenw10

      Then any relatively cheap i3 like the 4130 will work. That will give you a faster CPU with hyperthreading and AES-NI.

      I think someone fitted one earlier in this thread. (edit: several people in fact)

      Steve

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

        For reference here is the console log of the BIOS update commands I used.

        [2.4.4-RELEASE][root@5100.stevew.lan]/root: cu -l /dev/cuaU1 -s 9600
        Connected
        
        Freedos on COM1:
        Freedos
        Current date is Sun 03-03-2019
        Current time is  9:30:01.88 pm
        C:\>dir
         Volume in drive C is FREEDOS1.0
         Volume Serial Number is 4A84-36BD
         Directory of C:\
        
        KERNEL   SYS        44,889  08-20-06  7:08a
        COMMAND  COM        66,945  08-29-06  2:40a
        BIOS                 <DIR>  03-03-19  8:37p
        AUTOEXEC BAT           277  03-03-19  9:28p
        MODE     COM        16,254  05-12-05 12:05p
                 4 file(s)        128,365 bytes
                 1 dir(s)      23,560,192 bytes free
        C:\>cd bios
        C:\BIOS>afudos
        +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
        |                 AMI Firmware Update Utility  v3.07.00                     |
        |      Copyright (C)2014 American Megatrends Inc. All Rights Reserved.      |
        +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
        | Usage: AFUDOS.EXE <ROM File Name> [Option 1] [Option 2]...                |
        |           or                                                              |
        |        AFUDOS.EXE <Input or Output File Name> <Command>                   |
        |           or                                                              |
        |        AFUDOS.EXE <Command>                                               |
        | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
        | Commands:                                                                 |
        |         /O - Save current ROM image to file                               |
        |         /U - Display ROM File's ROMID                                     |
        |         /S - Refer to Options: /S                                         |
        |         /D - Verification test of given ROM File without flashing BIOS.   |
        |         /A - Refer to Options: /A                                         |
        |       /OAD - Refer to Options: /OAD                                       |
        | /CLNEVNLOG - Refer to Options: /CLNEVNLOG                                 |
        | Options:                                                                  |
        |     /MEUL: - Program ME Entire Firmware Block, which supports             |
        |              Production.BIN and PreProduction.BIN files.                  |
        |         /Q - Silent execution                                             |
        |         /X - Don't Check ROM ID                                           |
        |       /CAF - Compare ROM file's data with Systems is different or         |
        |              not, if not then cancel related update.                      |
        |         /S - Display current system's ROMID                               |
        |       /JBC - Don't Check AC adapter and battery                           |
        |  /HOLEOUT: - Save specific ROM Hole according to RomHole GUID.            |
        |              NewRomHole1.BIN /HOLEOUT:GUID                                |
        |        /SP - Preserve Setup setting.                                      |
        |         /R - Preserve ALL SMBIOS structure during programming             |
        |        /Rn - Preserve SMBIOS type N during programming(n=0-255)           |
        |         /B - Program Boot Block                                           |
        |         /P - Program Main BIOS                                            |
        |         /N - Program NVRAM                                                |
        |         /K - Program all non-critical blocks.                             |
        |        /Kn - Program n'th non-critical block(n=0-15).                     |
        |     /HOLE: - Update specific ROM Hole according to RomHole GUID.          |
        |              NewRomHole1.BIN /HOLE:GUID                                   |
        |         /L - Program all ROM Holes.                                       |
        |        /Ln - Program n'th ROM Hole only(n=0-15).                          |
        |      /ECUF - Update EC BIOS when newer version is detected.               |
        |         /E - Program Embedded Controller Block                            |
        |        /ME - Program ME Entire Firmware Block.                            |
        |       /FDR - Flash Flash-Descriptor Region.                               |
        |       /MER - Flash Entire ME Region.                                      |
        |      /MEUF - Program ME Ignition Firmware Block.                          |
        |         /A - Oem Activation file                                          |
        |       /OAD - Delete Oem Activation key                                    |
        | /CLNEVNLOG - Clear Event Log.                                             |
        |   /CAPSULE - Override Secure Flash policy to Capsule                      |
        |  /RECOVERY - Override Secure Flash policy to Recovery                     |
        |        /EC - Program Embedded Controller Block. (Flash Type)              |
        |    /REBOOT - Reboot after programming.                                    |
        |  /SHUTDOWN - Shutdown after programming.                                  |
        +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
        C:\BIOS>dir
         Volume in drive C is FREEDOS1.0
         Volume Serial Number is 4A84-36BD
        
         Directory of C:\BIOS
        
        .                    <DIR>  03-03-19  8:37p
        ..                   <DIR>  03-03-19  8:37p
        M400     ROM     8,388,608  01-14-19 10:57a
        AFUDOS   EXE       168,944  11-10-14  3:14p
        AFUEFI   EXE       159,392  04-24-14  3:59p
                 3 file(s)      8,716,944 bytes
                 2 dir(s)      23,560,192 bytes free
        C:\BIOS>afudos backup.rom /O
        +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
        |                 AMI Firmware Update Utility  v3.07.00                     |
        |      Copyright (C)2014 American Megatrends Inc. All Rights Reserved.      |
        +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
         Saving current BIOS into file: backup.rom
         Reading flash ............... done                
        C:\BIOS>dir
         Volume in drive C is FREEDOS1.0
         Volume Serial Number is 4A84-36BD
        
         Directory of C:\BIOS
        
        .                    <DIR>  03-03-19  8:37p
        ..                   <DIR>  03-03-19  8:37p
        M400     ROM     8,388,608  01-14-19 10:57a
        AFUDOS   EXE       168,944  11-10-14  3:14p
        AFUEFI   EXE       159,392  04-24-14  3:59p
        BACKUP   ROM     4,194,304  03-03-19  9:52p
                 4 file(s)     12,911,248 bytes
                 2 dir(s)      19,365,888 bytes free
        C:\BIOS>afudos m400.rom /B /P /N
        +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
        |                 AMI Firmware Update Utility  v3.07.00                     |
        |      Copyright (C)2014 American Megatrends Inc. All Rights Reserved.      |
        +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
         Reading flash ............... done                
         - ME Data Size checking . ok
         - FFS checksums ......... ok
         Erasing Boot Block .......... done                
         Updating Boot Block ......... done                
         Verifying Boot Block ........ done                
         Erasing Main Block .......... done                
         Updating Main Block ......... done                
         Verifying Main Block ........ done                
         Erasing NVRAM Block ......... done                
         Updating NVRAM Block ........ done                
         Verifying NVRAM Block ....... done                
        C:\BIOS>
        

        After running that the box reboots twice and beeps a few times. Alarming if you're not ready for it!

        I leave creating a FreeDOS bootable USB stick as an exercise for the user.

        The BIOS file Zanthos linked here has everything unlocked. I'm sure you could prevent it booting using some of the options there so if you do this choose wisely.

        Also BIOS flashing is inherently dangerous etc etc! 😉

        Steve

        Z 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
        • Z
          zanthos @stephenw10
          last edited by

          @stephenw10
          Do I understand that correctly: You tried to flash that BIOS file, the box rebooted twice and beeped a few times. But after it worked?

          Because when I tried the first time, I messed with the afudos parameters and bricked my box. So I had to use a SPI programmer to revive it...

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

            Yes, sorry, that worked fine after going through it initialization routine because the cmos was cleared.

            Steve

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            • Z
              zanthos @zanthos
              last edited by

              @zanthos
              I just upgraded the RAM in my M400 with this one:
              Kingston Value RAM KVR16N11K2/16 (2x8GB).
              It works!

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • S
                Scorch95
                last edited by

                Does anyone know what the power draw on these are roughly? I don’t have any way to measure mine but trying to spec a ups as the storm last night knocked power out and corrupted the install. Gonna have to pull the unit and reimage it but would like to prevent this going forward. My fault for not already having a ups but I can prevent it in the future.

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                • stephenw10S
                  stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                  last edited by

                  ~35W peak at boot then ~26W once booted and idle according to my plugin power meter.

                  Steve

                  S 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • S
                    Scorch95 @stephenw10
                    last edited by

                    @stephenw10
                    Thank you!

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                    • M
                      moppa
                      last edited by

                      Can anyone suggest a compatible replacement PSU? Can't find the exact model and similar FSP ones on ebay dont have the 8 pin motherboard connector.

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

                        You can get a 4pin to 8pin P4 adapter. Or you may not even need all 8 pins connected. There is no PCIe card in the M400 by default. I have not tried either personally.

                        Steve

                        M 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • M
                          moppa @stephenw10
                          last edited by

                          @stephenw10 brilliant, never thought of an adapter. Thanks!

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                          • M
                            moppa
                            last edited by moppa

                            Just a bit of info which might help someone - this M400 happily took 2x 4Gb sticks of desktop RAM (Non ECC).

                            It was Hynix DDR3-1600 PC3-12800 (HP Branded - from an old PC a neighbour gave me to dispose of. Now wishing i hadn't sold the CPU!)

                            Hynix Part No HMT351U6CFR8C-PB

                            PS - if anyone needs an original 4 Gb ECC stick, let me know. (UK Ideally)

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • I
                              iJay-XTM5 @zanthos
                              last edited by iJay-XTM5

                              I wasn't able to get my M400 to boot successfully with a Xeon E3-1220l v3 CPU. I can hear 4 single beeps in quick succession during the boot process and then nothing past that point. Fans continue to run at full speed. I'm not sure if the CPU is bad or incompatible with my setup. I tried clearing the CMOS but that didn't help.
                              At this point I have reinstalled the Celeron and the box's back to where it was previously. Any suggestions on trouble shooting the box would be greatly appreciated. BTW, intel documentation indicate the C226 chipset is supposed to be compatible with the Xeon.
                              Thanks

                              Z 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • chpalmerC
                                chpalmer
                                last edited by

                                From Google..

                                "Four short beeps means that the motherboard timer is not working properly but it could also mean that there's an issue with the RAM module that's in the lowest (usually marked 0) slot. Usually, a hardware failure with an expansion card or an issue with the motherboard itself could be the cause of this beep code."

                                I suppose that could have to do with the CPU but check your RAM.

                                Triggering snowflakes one by one..
                                Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-4590T CPU @ 2.00GHz on an M400 WG box.

                                I 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • I
                                  iJay-XTM5 @chpalmer
                                  last edited by iJay-XTM5

                                  @chpalmer Thanks for that information, I did try reseating the RAM but it did not help. The same RAM works fine with the Celeron, so it appears the Xeon may be faulty or at least incompatible with the motherboard.

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • chpalmerC
                                    chpalmer
                                    last edited by

                                    I had a couple M400's in hand and put pfsense on them for some friends. I didn't get to tinker however.

                                    Triggering snowflakes one by one..
                                    Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-4590T CPU @ 2.00GHz on an M400 WG box.

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                                    • stephenw10S
                                      stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                                      last edited by stephenw10

                                      That Xeon has no graphics hardware. Might be an issue since the E3-1285 v3 is reported as working. Speculation at this point though.

                                      Edit: Missed that this is the 1220L. Yeah that might require something a bit extra for it's very low speed and power.

                                      Steve

                                      I 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • Z
                                        zanthos @iJay-XTM5
                                        last edited by

                                        @iJay-XTM5 Maybe Steve @stephenw10 is right about the missing gfx hardware.
                                        You could try to disable it in the BIOS before swapping CPU's (Headless mode, no RAM assignment, ...).
                                        At least in my unlocked BIOS I remember there should be an option to do so...

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                                        • I
                                          iJay-XTM5 @stephenw10
                                          last edited by

                                          @stephenw10 said in Watchguard Firebox M400:

                                          That Xeon has no graphics hardware. Might be an issue since the E3-1285 v3 is reported as working. Speculation at this point though.

                                          Edit: Missed that this is the 1220L. Yeah that might require something a bit extra for it's very low speed and power.

                                          Steve

                                          My apologies if I am not supposed to post links to an external site. Per this website -> https://www.thomas-krenn.com/en/wiki/AMI_BIOS_Beep_Codes
                                          4 short beeps are supposed to be one of the following:

                                          1. Wrong memory installed (eg. Registered when unbuffered required, or Non-ECC when ECC required)
                                          2. CPU not supported; update BIOS to support new CPU

                                          I'll need to do a bit of digging to see if the RAM is incompatible. I am more inclined to believe #2 is more likely than #1. I'm going to request Lanner support for a copy of 7585's bios for now. Adding new CPU microcodes into the bios is beyond my capabilities so this may be the end of the road for this Xeon.

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                                          • stephenw10S
                                            stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                                            last edited by

                                            I guess it depends how 'short' they are. 😉
                                            Is it the original ram? The board does not support buffered DIMMs.

                                            I could well believe that ultra low power CPU requires a lower voltage than the board can provide though.

                                            Steve

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