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    New builds not working on alix ?

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved 1.2.3-PRERELEASE-TESTING snapshots - RETIRED
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    • S
      sandman06
      last edited by

      i recently tried to upgrade to the september builds

      and i can no longer get a ip to my alix 2c2 to configure the web setup on default.

      have vr1 and vr0 been changed in this build.

      i thought 192.168.1.1 was the default setup for alix on pfsense nano.

      can any confirm this for me

      ive had to rever to using m0n0wall for time being

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      • G
        gloomrider
        last edited by

        Can you connect to the serial port?

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        • C
          cmb
          last edited by

          See what it shows on the serial console. You probably don't have the latest ALIX BIOS, you need a newer one to use nanobsd snapshots.

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          • jimpJ
            jimp Rebel Alliance Developer Netgate
            last edited by

            It would also help to know exactly which image(s) you tried that did not work, either timestamps or links to the image file would help.

            Remember: Upvote with the 👍 button for any user/post you find to be helpful, informative, or deserving of recognition!

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            • S
              sandman06
              last edited by

              sorry i dont have serial port on my model. when i bought it was removed.

              erm the images i tried were the following

              pfSense-1.2.3-4g-20090904-0218-nanobsd.img.gz

              hope this helps. i really want to get back to using pfsense

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              • G
                gloomrider
                last edited by

                @sandman06:

                sorry i dont have serial port on my model. when i bought it was removed.

                erm the images i tried were the following

                pfSense-1.2.3-4g-20090904-0218-nanobsd.img.gz

                hope this helps. i really want to get back to using pfsense

                You likely need a BIOS update

                Some detail on that process is here: http://www.pcengines.ch/freedos.htm  But without a serial port, you will not be able to interact with the update process.

                So there's no DB9 connector on your ALIX board?

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                • F
                  FRiC
                  last edited by

                  You could probably create a batch file to automatically update the BIOS…

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                  • S
                    sandman06
                    last edited by

                    no db9 port.

                    if someone can explain how to fix this or create a batch automatic update file

                    please thanks

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                    • G
                      gloomrider
                      last edited by

                      Assuming you have created a FreeDOS CF card with everything you need including the flashing program and the new BIOS image, all you would need to do is add the flashing command to AUTOEXEC.BAT.  If the flashing program requires user interaction, that's another issue.

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                      • F
                        FRiC
                        last edited by

                        The update process was automatic when I last tried it, so you could probably just put the flash command in AUTOEXEC.BAT

                        Be sure to wait a while, you don't want to power cycle when it's flashing…

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                        • G
                          gloomrider
                          last edited by

                          And at the very end of the process, assuming everything worked the way it was expected to, will pfSense apply a specific IP address to a specific interface so that the box can be accessed and set up?

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                          • F
                            FRiC
                            last edited by

                            @gloomrider:

                            And at the very end of the process, assuming everything worked the way it was expected to, will pfSense apply a specific IP address to a specific interface so that the box can be accessed and set up?

                            192.168.1.1 on the right.

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                            • X
                              xbipin
                              last edited by

                              i was on the 0.99 bios on my alix2c3 and everything seemed to work till the 7th sep update for me but i read that due to image sizes being resized so a reflash was recommended so i did exactly that using the 8th sept update and found my box not to boot anymore so i did a bios update and thats where i nticed that the bios update was actually using the alix1.bin file to update rather than me providing it with the alix2.bin file but now i cant even enter bios setup at all.

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                              • S
                                sandman06
                                last edited by

                                unfortunately im not that advanced of a user to make a autoexe batch file to run the automatic update via CF.

                                all i want to know is what has changed since the last image i was using on nano

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                                • X
                                  xbipin
                                  last edited by

                                  @sandman06:

                                  unfortunately im not that advanced of a user to make a autoexe batch file to run the automatic update via CF.

                                  all i want to know is what has changed since the last image i was using on nano

                                  1. get a spare CF card and downlaod the latest bios drivers
                                  2. go to this link and follow the LBA image file part http://www.pcengines.ch/freedos.htm
                                  3. using a USB card reader use physdiskwrite to copy the image file to the CF card
                                  4. then go to windows explorer and copy the bios update files to the same CF card
                                  5. create a file called autoexec.bat and in it type the command sb.com and save in same CF card and boot from this CARD and everthing should be fine
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                                  • jimpJ
                                    jimp Rebel Alliance Developer Netgate
                                    last edited by

                                    Unfortunately there are three different FreeDOS methods on the PC Engines site, and I think only one of them worked on ALIX.

                                    I have a FreeDOS image with the BIOS update somewhere at home. If you don't have any luck with this I'll see if I can post it somewhere.

                                    Remember: Upvote with the 👍 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
                                    • X
                                      xbipin
                                      last edited by

                                      @jimp:

                                      Unfortunately there are three different FreeDOS methods on the PC Engines site, and I think only one of them worked on ALIX.

                                      I have a FreeDOS image with the BIOS update somewhere at home. If you don't have any luck with this I'll see if I can post it somewhere.

                                      i started having the same issue when i reflashed today morning but then using the LBA image method it started working, tried the others also but didnt work so i guess LBA image method is the only working one

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                                      • S
                                        sandman06
                                        last edited by

                                        @xbipin:

                                        1. get a spare CF card and downlaod the latest bios drivers
                                        2. go to this link and follow the LBA image file part http://www.pcengines.ch/freedos.htm
                                        3. using a USB card reader use physdiskwrite to copy the image file to the CF card
                                        4. then go to windows explorer and copy the bios update files to the same CF card
                                        5. create a file called autoexec.bat and in it type the command sb.com and save in same CF card and boot from this CARD and everthing should be fine

                                        hey thanks for the help.

                                        i tried as you suggested,i flashed the image and i copied over alix2.bin etc and sb.com over to cf.

                                        when i went to copy over the autoexec.bat i noticed on the cf card a bunch of files , one was FDAUTO.bat

                                        basically i put the cf card in the alix and waited for a while roughly 5 mins. i then took it out and flashed the CF card with pfsense latest snapshot.

                                        it still didnt work or pick up an ip adress straight away. i reverted back to using m0n0.

                                        i have a feeling that the FDAUTO.BAT causes the autoexec.bat not to work.

                                        or it could be the CF card is no longer good. i have read about people using different CF and pfsense working again. unfortunately their is no extra cf to test atm

                                        can anyone clarify please.

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                                        • X
                                          xbipin
                                          last edited by

                                          then simply add a new line at the end and having sb.com as command, thats it

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                                          • S
                                            sandman06
                                            last edited by

                                            ok. ive just done that

                                            i have also deleted the FDAUTO.bat and tried it with just the autoexec.bat

                                            both dont work.

                                            its either is flashing, or like i said pfsense has issues with certain cf card brands

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