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

    What model(s) is the Minnowboard USB Key compatible with?

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Problems Installing or Upgrading pfSense Software
    14 Posts 3 Posters 1.5k 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.
    • T
      TheWaterbug
      last edited by

      I just ordered a MBT-2220 because I need to add a 4th remote site to my network.

      I will use the bundled USB key to install pfsense on to it.

      But I also need to upgrade two APU2 units that are still running 32-bit 2.3.x. These units have an AMD T40E/2 GB w/8 GB SD card.

      Can I use this same key to install onto both of those, and then restore their configurations? Or do I need to download and make a new installer for them?

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

        The MBT units just use a plain memstick to install since they have a video console.

        The APU units only have serial consoles, so you'd need to use a serial memstick to install on those.

        Remember: Upvote with the ๐Ÿ‘ 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!

        T 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • T
          TheWaterbug
          last edited by

          Thanks! I'll have to remember how to use a serial console!!!

          Can I assume that my ancient Alix-based m1n1wall (Geode) is a dead end now? I think that's 32-bit only, correct?

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

            Yes, the ALIX can't run pfSense 2.4.x or later because there are no longer any 64-bit images. You can keep it on the latest 2.3.x image if you like, but over time that will be more and more dangerous as security won't be put out any longer now that 2.3.x is EOL.

            Remember: Upvote with the ๐Ÿ‘ 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
            • T
              TheWaterbug @jimp
              last edited by

              @jimp

              Thanks! Does this look like a good installation guide for the APU2?

              https://kmg.group/installing-pfsense-version-2-4-on-an-apu2c4/

              I have never attempted an installation on a headless device before, so I'm basically starting from zero!

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

                Looks fine, they didn't say anything that isn't here though:
                https://www.netgate.com/docs/pfsense/install/installing-pfsense.html

                Are you installing to mSATA? If so no problem just do a standard install.

                If you need to install to SD card you should remove the swap slice during the install and then move /var and /tmp to ram after installing to minimise writes to the flash.

                Steve

                T 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • T
                  TheWaterbug @stephenw10
                  last edited by

                  @stephenw10 said in What model(s) is the Minnowboard USB Key compatible with?:

                  Are you installing to mSATA? If so no problem just do a standard install.

                  If you need to install to SD card you should remove the swap slice during the install and then move /var and /tmp to ram after installing to minimise writes to the flash.

                  I don't know what's inside the APU2, because I bought it as an appliance from Netgate in July of 2014 (SKU: APU2). My emailed receipt doesn't have any information on the storage device, and I didn't have to do any installation, since pfsense was already installed.

                  Is there a way to determine what's inside from the web GUI or from the console? Or do I have to open it up?

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

                    If it was supplied with an SD card the 'platform' as reported on the dashboard will be Nanobsd (4G). The card was probably 8GB but 4GB was the largest image.
                    If it was supplied with an mSATA drive it will have been ~30GB. You should see the size of / on the dashboard >20GB.

                    Steve

                    T 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • T
                      TheWaterbug @stephenw10
                      last edited by TheWaterbug

                      @stephenw10, thanks! It says nanobsd (4g).

                      Is there any benefit to installing on mSATA vs. SD? Wouldn't I have the same write-lifetime issues with both, since they're both Flash-based? Performance isn't an issue for my tiny little networks, but reliability and longevity are.

                      I might just buy an mSATA module anyway, since they're cheap:

                      https://smile.amazon.com/Dogfish-Msata-Internal-Solid-SSD/dp/B07GNYZDPW/ref=sr_1_5?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1539702236&sr=1-5&keywords=16GB+mSATA+SSD

                      Thanks!

                      Dashboard follows:

                      0_1539702470144_5cd008ad-5eac-4bb8-955f-d539764cc2d7-image.png

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

                        Yes, I would do that. It will be far easier to install (or re-install if you have to) and faster. ๐Ÿ‘

                        Though I have no experience with that particular one.

                        Steve

                        T 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • T
                          TheWaterbug @stephenw10
                          last edited by

                          @stephenw10 ๐Ÿ‘ ๐Ÿ‘ ๐Ÿ‘ ๐Ÿ‘

                          Thanks!

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • T
                            TheWaterbug @stephenw10
                            last edited by

                            @stephenw10 said in What model(s) is the Minnowboard USB Key compatible with?:

                            Looks fine, they didn't say anything that isn't here though:
                            https://www.netgate.com/docs/pfsense/install/installing-pfsense.html

                            Are you installing to mSATA? If so no problem just do a standard install.

                            If you need to install to SD card you should remove the swap slice during the install and then move /var and /tmp to ram after installing to minimise writes to the flash.

                            Is there a reason why it's OK to keep the swap/var/tmp as-is with the mSATA but not with the SD card? They're both Flash-based, correct?

                            In other news, I did get a nice USB-Null Modem cable from amazon, and I booted up one of my APU2 units, and it connected just fine.

                            I've never used a serial console on a headless device before, so it was good to see it actually working, vs. just reading about it on the internet.

                            The parts about the KMG instructions listed above that were useful to me was the actual sequencing of when to physically connect the serial cable and make the connection, plus the screen capture of the serial session. I had no idea it was a firmware feature, because after downloading a "serial console" installer for pfsense I was thinking it was a feature of the operating system. I'm learning that it's both.

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

                              The write life of flash on an SD card is many many time lower than that on an SSD drive. On top of that an SSD has a number of drive management functions to keep the write counts even across the drive and remove parts that become a problem.
                              You should never exhaust the write life of an SSD using pfSense in any sort of normal situation. But you could quite easily do that for an SD card so we need to take steps to minimise the writes in that case.

                              Steve

                              T 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                              • T
                                TheWaterbug @stephenw10
                                last edited by

                                @stephenw10

                                Thanks! That all makes sense. My SSD is en route from amazon.

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