How to install this thing without formatting and erasing data

stephenw10 · May 1, 2019, 11:45 AM

If you somehow managed to get pfSense installed to your machine without accidentally wiping Windows when you boot pfSense that machine will just be pfSense. Windows will not be running anywhere.

If you need to do this on the same hardware you should install pfSense in a VM under HyperV or Virtual Box. Doing that is a lot more complex that using separate hardware but it will allow you to experiment with it.
https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/virtualization/virtualizing-pfsense-with-hyper-v.html

Steve

Alpha Radke · Apr 30, 2019, 10:49 PM

@stephenw10 @johnpoz

I have a https://www.tp-link.com/no/service-provider/dsl-router/td-w8951nd/

I installed pfsense on usb drive and my first boot isn't nice

Now Im stuck on a interfaces configuration loop.
It says done on each interface and then goes back to asking for choosing interfaces, auto detection, and vlan installation

Also it only uses wan to install, shows that it is up but can't detect or install lan and says it's down.

stephenw10 · Apr 30, 2019, 10:59 PM

What NICs does it give as choices? Some don't work well with the autodetect, try just assigning it manually.

Steve

Alpha Radke · Apr 30, 2019, 11:03 PM

@stephenw10 Yes I assigned it manually the only one available is re0 for WAN interface then after saying no to vlan and continuing installation it goes back to the start

stephenw10 · Apr 30, 2019, 11:13 PM

Would you like to assign VLANs should be the first question. Then enter re0 for the WAN. Then just hit enter to finish.

You will only have a single interface but you can investigate why it didn't detect the other NIC once it's booted.

Steve

Alpha Radke · Apr 30, 2019, 11:21 PM

@stephenw10 yes I know I just didn't write in order.
I have redone it now after restarting my PC same problem after clicking enter to finish it asks "do you want to proceed [yln]?" and I click enter again and it goes back to "should vlan be set up now [yln]?".... Am I in a critical situation rn XD

Alpha Radke · Apr 30, 2019, 11:24 PM

This post is deleted!

stephenw10 · Apr 30, 2019, 11:25 PM

Hmm, hard to know what might cause that. I can only imagine that happening if the interface it just assigned is lost for some reason or it's unable to save the config created.

I assume you are seeing this after booting from USB and installing successfully?

Steve

Alpha Radke · Apr 30, 2019, 11:30 PM

@stephenw10 yes it gives some unusual messages ig:

warning: configuration references interfaces that do not exist: em0 em1

network interface mismatch -- running interface assignment option

Mismatch?

I have rebooted from the pfsense USB installer after installing successfully to the USB pfsense installed on

Alpha Radke · Apr 30, 2019, 11:38 PM

Oh my USB is just 8gb is that enough for pfsense ?

Alpha Radke · Apr 30, 2019, 11:42 PM

Oh looks like re0 for WAN is (down).....

But it's the only interface under "valide interfaces are"

And it lets me assign it normally for WAN

stephenw10 · May 1, 2019, 1:52 AM

The fact it's still referencing em0 and em1 means it's still trying to use the default config.

The installer itself will fit on 1GB. Did you boot from one USB stick and install onto a different USB stick?

It seems like it's possibly still booting at least partially from the installer which might be why it's using the default config.

Steve

johnpoz · May 1, 2019, 2:44 AM

So now your trying to install it on your PC via a usb stick as its drive What do you think that is going to get you?

If you want to play with it - install it on a VM!!!

Alpha Radke · May 1, 2019, 2:59 AM

@stephenw10 I made sure it's installing from the USB not the USB installer by removing it still showing em0 and em1

Alpha Radke · May 1, 2019, 3:02 AM

@johnpoz what's the difference if I'm keeping the USB connected or closing the vm after configurating the network? Back to my first question about configuration activity lol

johnpoz · May 1, 2019, 3:02 AM

OMG dude you don't get what psfsense does if you think you can just close it down once you have "configured" something..

See that router you linked too - that is what pfsense does... If you turned off your router could you get to the internet??

Alpha Radke · May 1, 2019, 3:03 AM

@johnpoz oh so I have to keep VM running... That's not good for my core i5 lol

johnpoz · May 1, 2019, 3:04 AM

What exactly are you wanting to accomplish exactly... Cuz you clearly do not understand what pfsense even is.

Alpha Radke · May 1, 2019, 3:06 AM

@johnpoz if I don't understand what pfsense is then why would I be trying to install it XD I just didn't understand how it basically works and you made it clear to me

johnpoz · May 1, 2019, 3:10 AM

Please what did you think pfsense was going to do for you "exactly"...