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

    General pfSense Questions
    repo backup ssh fresh install 2.7.0-dev
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    • Sergei_ShablovskyS
      Sergei_Shablovsky @stephenw10
      last edited by

      @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.

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

        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.

        Sergei_ShablovskyS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
        • NollipfSenseN
          NollipfSense @Sergei_Shablovsky
          last edited by

          @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.

          pfSense+ 23.09 Lenovo Thinkcentre M93P SFF Quadcore i7 dual Raid-ZFS 128GB-SSD 32GB-RAM PCI-Intel i350-t4 NIC, -Intel QAT 8950.
          pfSense+ 23.09 VM-Proxmox, Dell Precision Xeon-W2155 Nvme 500GB-ZFS 128GB-RAM PCIe-Intel i350-t4, Intel QAT-8950, P-cloud.

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • Sergei_ShablovskyS
            Sergei_Shablovsky @stephenw10
            last edited by

            @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?

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

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

              Steve

              Sergei_ShablovskyS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • Sergei_ShablovskyS
                Sergei_Shablovsky @stephenw10
                last edited by

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

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

                You mean delete from .xml backup file?

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

                  You can try to do that but it would be very easy to miss something.

                  I mean remove the pfBlocker package from the 2.7 instance that is failing to see updates then take a new backup from that. Then try restoring that into a clean 2.7 install.

                  J Sergei_ShablovskyS 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • J
                    Jane757 Banned @stephenw10
                    last edited by

                    This post is deleted!
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                    • Sergei_ShablovskyS
                      Sergei_Shablovsky @stephenw10
                      last edited by

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

                      I mean remove the pfBlocker package from the 2.7 instance that is failing to see updates then take a new backup from that. Then try restoring that into a clean 2.7 install.

                      How to remove pfBlocker?

                      No any packages are visible as installed in System / Package Manager...

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

                        If packages have been removed then try backing up that config and restoring it into a clean 2.7 install. You will need to manually add packages again but the config will still be there.

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

                          Do you have RAM disks enabled in the config you're restoring?

                          If so you're probably hitting this: https://redmine.pfsense.org/issues/13182

                          I managed to hit that earlier and it presents exactly as you are describing here.

                          Remove the config line that enables RAM disks and retest if you can:

                          <use_mfs_tmpvar></use_mfs_tmpvar>
                          

                          Reinstall 2.7 clean and restore the config again without ramdisks.

                          Steve

                          Sergei_ShablovskyS 3 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • Sergei_ShablovskyS
                            Sergei_Shablovsky @stephenw10
                            last edited by

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

                            Do you have RAM disks enabled in the config you're restoring?

                            Remove the config line that enables RAM disks and retest if you can:

                            <use_mfs_tmpvar></use_mfs_tmpvar>
                            

                            Thanks You for suggestions, Steve!

                            Please confirm, this string in /conf/config.xml are equally the RAM Disk Settings (Reboot to Apply Changes) item in System / Advanced / Miscellaneous, yes?

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • Sergei_ShablovskyS
                              Sergei_Shablovsky @stephenw10
                              last edited by Sergei_Shablovsky

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

                              Do you have RAM disks enabled in the config you're restoring?

                              If so you're probably hitting this: https://redmine.pfsense.org/issues/13182

                              I managed to hit that earlier and it presents exactly as you are describing here.

                              I make this (checked double twice):
                              1.
                              installing CE 2.7.X (current snapshot from 20220520) on bare metal server (with hw RAID1, physicaly 2 HD in mirror, logically 1 Virtual Device)
                              ping, traceroute, pkg update/upgrade, NetGate servers resolved- all OK
                              hw reboot
                              2.
                              restore from config.xml backup file (RAM disk ENABLED)
                              hw reboot
                              ping, traceroute, - OK
                              NetGate servers resolving - OK
                              pkg update/upgrade - NO

                              If restoring from config.xml backup file with manually deleted <use_mfs_tmpvar></use_mfs_tmpvar> string, this error not happened.

                              If restoring form config.xml where <use_mfs_tmpvar></use_mfs_tmpvar> exist, then hw reboot, then manually in editor or webGUI delete <use_mfs_tmpvar></use_mfs_tmpvar>, then hw reboot,- this error still persist.

                              So now I'l waiting for a BUG fixing from NetGate Dev side...

                              Thank You, Steve for patience and help!

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

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

                                If restoring form config.xml where <use_mfs_tmpvar></use_mfs_tmpvar> exist, then hw reboot, then manually in editor or webGUI delete <use_mfs_tmpvar></use_mfs_tmpvar>, then hw reboot,- this error still persist.

                                That's expected because by that point the conflicy in /var has happened and the pkg db is lost. The workaround currently is to remove that line from the config before restoring it.

                                Steve

                                Sergei_ShablovskyS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                • Sergei_ShablovskyS
                                  Sergei_Shablovsky @stephenw10
                                  last edited by

                                  @stephenw10
                                  Thank You, Steve!

                                  What about SSH Error that a describe before in this thread?

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                                  • stephenw10S
                                    stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                                    last edited by

                                    This?

                                    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.	@ 2022-05-01 12:55:10
                                    

                                    That's normal whenever new keys are created. Which until 22.01/2.6 was every install or config reset.

                                    Steve

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                                    • Sergei_ShablovskyS
                                      Sergei_Shablovsky @stephenw10
                                      last edited by

                                      This post is deleted!
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                                      • Sergei_ShablovskyS
                                        Sergei_Shablovsky @stephenw10
                                        last edited by

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

                                        Do you have RAM disks enabled in the config you're restoring?

                                        If so you're probably hitting this: https://redmine.pfsense.org/issues/13182

                                        I managed to hit that earlier and it presents exactly as you are describing here.

                                        Find tread related to same problem at 2.4.X snapshot here, but hard to conclude how it may be related to my problem: I cannot use RAM disk and not see the issues with simlink that describes in a thread...

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                                        • Sergei_ShablovskyS
                                          Sergei_Shablovsky @stephenw10
                                          last edited by

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

                                          This?

                                          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.	@ 2022-05-01 12:55:10
                                          

                                          That's normal whenever new keys are created. Which until 22.01/2.6 was every install or config reset.

                                          Steve

                                          Thank You, Steve!

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