[WORKAROUND] Unable to update and package install (ERROR: It was not possible to identify which pfSense kernel is installed)

Sergei_Shablovsky · May 11, 2022, 12:39 AM

@stephenw10
Please look at my initial post, I mean on:

ADDED
There are also some mismatching on SSH keys level, because after restoring System section from backup .xml and hardware rebooting not possible to logging in webGUI: browser pop-up with “This browser must to support cookies** appear.

How to fix this?

stephenw10 · May 11, 2022, 12:44 PM

Do not restore single config sections. Only restore the full config.

You are missing some pkgs as we showed earlier. Try to install those. You will not be able to upgrade again until they are present.

Steve

NollipfSense · May 11, 2022, 4:20 PM

@stephenw10 That seems to be working...

stephenw10 · May 11, 2022, 4:56 PM

@nollipfsense Ok so in your case it was an IPv6 connectivity issue.

NollipfSense · May 12, 2022, 1:30 AM

@stephenw10 It seems that it was the last update before the developer shutdown as the date now appears as April 26.

Sergei_Shablovsky · May 12, 2022, 11:20 AM

@stephenw10 said in Unable to update and package install (ERROR: It was not possible to identify which pfSense kernel is installed):

Do not restore single config sections. Only restore the full config.

You are missing some pkgs as we showed earlier. Try to install those. You will not be able to upgrade again until they are present.

As I note before, I try both path before and unsuccessfully.

And of course, I read carefully Your suggestions, and if restore, doing that only from full .xml config file.

What about SSL key issue?

stephenw10 · May 12, 2022, 12:47 PM

Ok what I expect here is that you install a 2.7 snapshot clean (new snaps should be available later today).
Make sure that has connectivity as expected.
Then restore the complete config file and it should pull in the required packages at first boot.

If that's failing then something in the config file is breaking access to the pkg repo.

Check the repo line itself matches, for 2.7 is should be:

		<pkg_repo_conf_path>/usr/local/share/pfSense/pkg/repos/pfSense-repo-devel.conf</pkg_repo_conf_path>

Steve

Sergei_Shablovsky · May 14, 2022, 9:15 PM

@stephenw10 said in Unable to update and package install (ERROR: It was not possible to identify which pfSense kernel is installed):

Do not restore single config sections. Only restore the full config.

You are missing some pkgs as we showed earlier. Try to install those. You will not be able to upgrade again until they are present.

Steve

I was trying another one time:

bare metal install latest 2.7.0 from memstik-VGA console
cold restart
ping appear ok, traceroute appear ok, speedtest show full link utilization
restore from .xml backup file
cold restart
waiting ~4-5h about exclamation warning message disappear
cold restart
ping appear ok, traceroute appear ok, speedtest show full link utilization

Result:

No possible to check system update info in Dashboard / System Information / Version vidjet

Unable to check for updates

No possible to update system by System / Update

Retrieving Unable to check for updates

No possible to install any package by System / Package Installer

>>> Upgrading pkg... done.
>>> Updating repositories metadata... 
Updating pfSense-core repository catalogue...
Fetching meta.conf: . done
Fetching packagesite.pkg: . done
Processing entries: . done
pfSense-core repository update completed. 7 packages processed.
Updating pfSense repository catalogue...
Fetching meta.conf: . done
Fetching packagesite.pkg: .......... done
Processing entries: .......... done
pfSense repository update completed. 513 packages processed.
All repositories are up to date.
ERROR: Unable to compare version of pfSense-repo

Notice that 1 main alerts persist:

SSH KeyGen

pfSense has started creating missing SSH keys. SSH Startup will be delayed. Please note that reloading the filter rules and changes will be delayed until this operation is completed.

$ host -t srv _https._tcp.packages.netgate.com
_https._tcp.packages.netgate.com has SRV record 10 10 443 pkg00-atx.netgate.com.
_https._tcp.packages.netgate.com has SRV record 10 10 443 pkg01-atx.netgate.com.

$ host files01.netgate.com.
files01.netgate.com has address 208.123.73.209
files01.netgate.com has IPv6 address 2610:160:11:18::209

$ host files00.netgate.com.
files00.netgate.com has address 208.123.73.207
files00.netgate.com has IPv6 address 2610:160:11:18::207

# pkg-static update -f
Updating pfSense-core repository catalogue...
Fetching meta.conf: . done
Fetching packagesite.pkg: . done
Processing entries: . done
pfSense-core repository update completed. 7 packages processed.
Updating pfSense repository catalogue...
Fetching meta.conf: . done
Fetching packagesite.pkg: .......... done
Processing entries: .......... done
pfSense repository update completed. 513 packages processed.
All repositories are up to date.

pkg -d4 update

DBG(1)[60047]> pkg initialized
Updating pfSense-core repository catalogue...
DBG(1)[60047]> PkgRepo: verifying update for pfSense-core
DBG(1)[60047]> Pkgrepo, begin update of '/var/db/pkg/repo-pfSense-core.sqlite'
DBG(1)[60047]> Request to fetch pkg+https://packages-beta.netgate.com/packages/pfSense_master_amd64-core/meta.conf
DBG(1)[60047]> opening libfetch fetcher
DBG(1)[60047]> Fetch > libfetch: connecting
DBG(1)[60047]> Fetch: fetching from: https://pkg00-atx.netgate.com/packages/pfSense_master_amd64-core/meta.conf with opts "i4"
DBG(1)[60047]> Fetch: fetcher chosen: https
DBG(1)[60047]> Request to fetch pkg+https://packages-beta.netgate.com/packages/pfSense_master_amd64-core/packagesite.pkg
DBG(1)[60047]> opening libfetch fetcher
DBG(1)[60047]> Fetch > libfetch: connecting
DBG(1)[60047]> Fetch: fetching from: https://pkg00-atx.netgate.com/packages/pfSense_master_amd64-core/packagesite.pkg with opts "i4"
DBG(1)[60047]> Fetch: fetcher chosen: https
DBG(1)[60047]> Request to fetch pkg+https://packages-beta.netgate.com/packages/pfSense_master_amd64-core/packagesite.txz
DBG(1)[60047]> opening libfetch fetcher
DBG(1)[60047]> Fetch > libfetch: connecting
DBG(1)[60047]> Fetch: fetching from: https://pkg00-atx.netgate.com/packages/pfSense_master_amd64-core/packagesite.txz with opts "i4"
DBG(1)[60047]> Fetch: fetcher chosen: https
pfSense-core repository is up to date.
Updating pfSense repository catalogue...
DBG(1)[60047]> PkgRepo: verifying update for pfSense
DBG(1)[60047]> Pkgrepo, begin update of '/var/db/pkg/repo-pfSense.sqlite'
DBG(1)[60047]> Request to fetch pkg+https://packages-beta.netgate.com/packages/pfSense_master_amd64-pfSense_devel/meta.conf
DBG(1)[60047]> opening libfetch fetcher
DBG(1)[60047]> Fetch > libfetch: connecting
DBG(1)[60047]> Fetch: fetching from: https://pkg00-atx.netgate.com/packages/pfSense_master_amd64-pfSense_devel/meta.conf with opts "i4"
DBG(1)[60047]> Fetch: fetcher chosen: https
DBG(1)[60047]> Request to fetch pkg+https://packages-beta.netgate.com/packages/pfSense_master_amd64-pfSense_devel/packagesite.pkg
DBG(1)[60047]> opening libfetch fetcher
DBG(1)[60047]> Fetch > libfetch: connecting
DBG(1)[60047]> Fetch: fetching from: https://pkg00-atx.netgate.com/packages/pfSense_master_amd64-pfSense_devel/packagesite.pkg with opts "i4"
DBG(1)[60047]> Fetch: fetcher chosen: https
DBG(1)[60047]> Request to fetch pkg+https://packages-beta.netgate.com/packages/pfSense_master_amd64-pfSense_devel/packagesite.txz
DBG(1)[60047]> opening libfetch fetcher
DBG(1)[60047]> Fetch > libfetch: connecting
DBG(1)[60047]> Fetch: fetching from: https://pkg00-atx.netgate.com/packages/pfSense_master_amd64-pfSense_devel/packagesite.txz with opts "i4"
DBG(1)[60047]> Fetch: fetcher chosen: https
pfSense repository is up to date.
All repositories are up to date.

stephenw10 · May 14, 2022, 9:57 PM

And still missing some packages? It looks like you probably are and they must be lost during the restore.
This is what you should see in the current snapshot:

[2.7.0-DEVELOPMENT][admin@cedev.stevew.lan]/root: pkg info -x pfSense
pfSense-2.7.0.a.20220513.0600
pfSense-Status_Monitoring-1.7.11_4
pfSense-base-2.7.0.a.20220513.0600
pfSense-default-config-2.7.0.a.20220513.0600
pfSense-kernel-pfSense-2.7.0.a.20220513.0600
pfSense-pkg-System_Patches-2.0_4
pfSense-rc-2.7.0.a.20220513.0600
pfSense-repo-2.7.0.a.20220513.0600
pfSense-upgrade-1.0_21
php74-pfSense-module-0.80

Steve

NollipfSense · May 14, 2022, 9:58 PM

@sergei_shablovsky I just updated and installed pfBlockerNG, no problem...I did the update from the console and the install from the webGUI...maybe you have another update.

Sergei_Shablovsky · May 14, 2022, 11:00 PM

@stephenw10 said in Unable to update and package install (ERROR: It was not possible to identify which pfSense kernel is installed):

And still missing some packages? It looks like you probably are and they must be lost during the restore.

Please read item 1-3 from previous message: I have no ability to install ANY package
;)

This is what you should see in the current snapshot:

[2.7.0-DEVELOPMENT][admin@cedev.stevew.lan]/root: pkg info -x pfSense
pfSense-2.7.0.a.20220513.0600
pfSense-Status_Monitoring-1.7.11_4
pfSense-base-2.7.0.a.20220513.0600
pfSense-default-config-2.7.0.a.20220513.0600
pfSense-kernel-pfSense-2.7.0.a.20220513.0600
pfSense-pkg-System_Patches-2.0_4
pfSense-rc-2.7.0.a.20220513.0600
pfSense-repo-2.7.0.a.20220513.0600
pfSense-upgrade-1.0_21
php74-pfSense-module-0.80

Steve

That is what I have:

pkg: No package(s) matching pfSense

Sergei_Shablovsky · May 15, 2022, 6:30 PM

@nollipfsense said in Unable to update and package install (ERROR: It was not possible to identify which pfSense kernel is installed):

@sergei_shablovsky I just updated and installed pfBlockerNG, no problem...I did the update from the console and the install from the webGUI...

Update from console looks like normally screen output (see previous message).

maybe you have another update.

What exactly a You mean? I download LATEST snapshot from official pfSense web

Sergei_Shablovsky · May 14, 2022, 11:05 PM

@stephenw10

May be some issue with SSH keys? (Please look at the error description that I write above)...

Sergei_Shablovsky · May 14, 2022, 11:29 PM

@stephenw10 said in Unable to update and package install (ERROR: It was not possible to identify which pfSense kernel is installed):

Ok what I expect here is that you install a 2.7 snapshot clean (new snaps should be available later today).
Make sure that has connectivity as expected.
Then restore the complete config file and it should pull in the required packages at first boot.

If that's failing then something in the config file is breaking access to the pkg repo.

Check the repo line itself matches, for 2.7 is should be:
		<pkg_repo_conf_path>/usr/local/share/pfSense/pkg/repos/pfSense-repo-devel.conf</pkg_repo_conf_path>

Checked double twice: all as You wrote.

stephenw10 · May 15, 2022, 3:34 AM

It looks like something in the config you're restoring is causing it to brake the pkg repo such that it overwrites the existing pkgs and cannot replace them.
I have failed to replicate it here restoring a backup from 2.7 into 2.7.

Try testing a basic backup config made after the clean install. That restores OK for me so if that also fails for you it must somehow be in your environment.

Steve

Sergei_Shablovsky · May 15, 2022, 6:50 AM

@stephenw10 said in Unable to update and package install (ERROR: It was not possible to identify which pfSense kernel is installed):

It looks like something in the config you're restoring is causing it to brake the pkg repo such that it overwrites the existing pkgs and cannot replace them.

I come to same conclusion. Because this I decide trying to restore from .xml backup file step-by-step (mean one category at a time), so we return to my 2-nd post in this tread (with the list of packages, please see it).

I have failed to replicate it here restoring a backup from 2.7 into 2.7.

Try testing a basic backup config made after the clean install. That restores OK for me so if that also fails for you it must somehow be in your environment.

No, restoring the basic backup config was made successfully.

stephenw10 · May 15, 2022, 4:40 PM

I still think the most likely thing here is pfBlocker. It can add aliases or Unbound lists that are unpopulated at first boot after a restore resulting in the firewall being unable to reach the pkg repo.

NollipfSense · May 15, 2022, 6:30 PM

@sergei_shablovsky said in Unable to update and package install (ERROR: It was not possible to identify which pfSense kernel is installed):

What exactly a You mean? I download LATEST snapshot from official pfSense web

Okay, sorry my bad, thought you were updating an earlier install.

Sergei_Shablovsky · May 15, 2022, 9:03 PM

@stephenw10 said in Unable to update and package install (ERROR: It was not possible to identify which pfSense kernel is installed):

I still think the most likely thing here is pfBlocker. It can add aliases or Unbound lists that are unpopulated at first boot after a restore resulting in the firewall being unable to reach the pkg repo.

If so, how to ensure that exactly this are the source of problem?

stephenw10 · May 15, 2022, 9:41 PM

Remove pfBlocker and any associated rules and lists.
Make a new backup.
Restore that into a clean 2.7 install.

Steve