Watchguard Firebox M400/M500

acsaba

I manage to install Synology DMS 7.2 using an arc-24.6.2.img, then installed an SSD.
The boot is still on the USB stick.

I just ordered i5-4590T CPU as replacement for the original one and 8 GB CF to not brake the original CF.
I will keep you posted.

iJay-XTM5

This M500 may have an unlocked bios, otherwise, it would not boot from USB IIRC. I had to unlock the bios through the serial console using the password others have posted in this forum. I was able to enable USB booting after unlocking the bios and successfully booted from a USB flash drive that had the USB memstick installer (Serial Console). I chose to install pfsense on the internal CF card as I did not want to open the box. The box boots off the CF now without a fuss.
I upgraded the CPU to an i5-4590T and installed low noise fans on my M400 previously, but it hangs on reboot every single time, so I left the M500 's original configuration as is.

acsaba

@iJay-XTM5
Appreciate your feedback. I have a second M500 (I used both in datacenter in HA mode), so I can test on this as well. Yesterday did the CPU update and I'm looking forward to replace the fans as well. Unfortunately a low noise fan is expansive, so in case you have any hint please share with me.

Regarding CPU temperature, it is ~60-62C in full load with the original fans.

stephenw10

You can lower the fan speed existing fans to reduce the noise using WGXepc

That seems quite hot though. I assume you replaced the heatsink compound when you fitted that?

acsaba

@stephenw10 said in Watchguard Firebox M400/M500:

That seems quite hot though. I assume you replaced the heatsink compound when you fitted that?

Yes. I did.

What is a normal temperature on your end ?
Many thanks.

stephenw10

Depends on the ambient temp I guess but for a 'T' rated CPU I expect lower. My M500 with a 4670S runs slightly cooler than that at max:

last pid: 57560;  load averages:  4.20,  3.66,  2.22                                                                     up 0+00:13:56  19:53:36
187 threads:   9 running, 157 sleeping, 21 waiting
CPU 0: 29.1% user,  0.0% nice, 70.9% system,  0.0% interrupt,  0.0% idle
CPU 1: 29.9% user,  0.0% nice, 70.1% system,  0.0% interrupt,  0.0% idle
CPU 2: 30.7% user,  0.0% nice, 69.3% system,  0.0% interrupt,  0.0% idle
CPU 3: 32.7% user,  0.0% nice, 67.3% system,  0.0% interrupt,  0.0% idle
Mem: 106M Active, 9212K Inact, 339M Wired, 118M Buf, 7411M Free
Swap: 192M Total, 192M Free

  PID USERNAME    PRI NICE   SIZE    RES STATE    C   TIME    WCPU COMMAND
44930 root        135    0    12M  2076K RUN      2  10:53  99.97% yes
44987 root        135    0    12M  2072K CPU1     1  10:52  99.88% yes
44788 root        135    0    12M  2072K CPU0     0  10:54  99.87% yes
45189 root        135    0    12M  2068K CPU3     3  10:52  99.86% yes
    0 root        -60    -     0B   672K -        3   0:00   0.05% [kernel{if_config_tqg_0}]
57560 root         20    0    14M  3992K CPU2     2   0:00   0.03% top -HaSP
    6 root        -16    -     0B    16K pftm     0   0:00   0.02% [pf purge]

[24.03-RELEASE][root@m500.stevew.lan]/root: sysctl dev.cpu.0.temperature dev.cpu.1.temperature dev.cpu.2.temperature dev.cpu.3.temperature
dev.cpu.0.temperature: 58.0C
dev.cpu.1.temperature: 54.0C
dev.cpu.2.temperature: 57.0C
dev.cpu.3.temperature: 55.0C

The fans are pretty loud at that point!

[24.03-RELEASE][root@m500.stevew.lan]/root: ./WGXepc64 -f
Found Firebox M400/500
Current fanspeed is 78, minimum fanspeed is 1b

Also it's the hotest day of the year today in the UK so the ambient is ~30C in my 'office'.

acsaba

@stephenw10
Many thanks for the info. I will replace the heatsink compound again. Currently I'm using a Ceramic polysynthetic thermal compound which should not be bad :)

stephenw10

I wouldn't expect to need anything too special there. Just not trying to reuse the crusty stuff Lanner put on it 10 years ago!

For reference at mostly idle I see:

[24.03-RELEASE][root@m500.stevew.lan]/root: sysctl dev.cpu.0.temperature dev.cpu.1.temperature dev.cpu.2.temperature dev.cpu.3.temperature
dev.cpu.0.temperature: 40.0C
dev.cpu.1.temperature: 38.0C
dev.cpu.2.temperature: 40.0C
dev.cpu.3.temperature: 42.0C
[24.03-RELEASE][root@m500.stevew.lan]/root: ./WGXepc64 -f
Found Firebox M400/500
Current fanspeed is 2e, minimum fanspeed is 1b

chpalmer

Don't know if anyone else has tried yet (and I have no reason to think it wouldn't work but..) I successfully upgraded to Pfsense+ on my M400 today running an i5 processor..

More to support Netgate and Pfsense than anything.. but in case anyone else is holding back.. ;)