mfi0: I/O error as soon as the installation starts, need to use mrsas driver instead mfi, how to do that please?

Elrick75

Hello everyone,

I'm trying to install pfsense CE v2.71 on a DELL R340 server equipped with a PERC H330 controller card, but the installation is failing.
I get mfi0: I/O Error messages as soon as the installation starts.

I've switched from RAID mode to HBA mode, but that hasn't changed anything.
I've updated everything possible, Bios, Card firmware, iDRAC... but the problem persists.

After reading a few posts, it seems to be a driver problem with this type of card.
The solution is to replace mfi with mrsas, but I don't know how to do that.

https://bugs.freebsd.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=239801

Could you tell me how to tell it to use this driver during installation.
Go step by step, I'm a unix novice ;)

Many thanks for your help, I hope I'll be able to get out of this one.

jimp

When it first boots pick the menu option for a loader prompt and then enter:

set hw.mfi.mrsas_enable="1"

If that works, then on the first boot post install do that again at the loader prompt, and then once it's up and running, add it into /boot/loader.conf.local:

hw.mfi.mrsas_enable="1"

See also:
https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/config/advanced-tunables.html#managing-loader-tunables

Elrick75

@jimp said in mfi0: I/O error as soon as the installation starts, need to use mrsas driver instead mfi, how to do that please?:

loader prompt

You go too fast for me... really too fast ;)
How to pick the menu option for a loader prompt ? what key ? does i need to select number ? when i have a prompt, how to continu the installation process ?

jimp

When it first boots there will be a menu with the "pf" logo and a list of numbered options. One of those is Escape to loader prompt, likely option 3.

Before the timer expires and it continues booting, you have to press the number for that menu option to get to the loader prompt.

N.B. you can press the space bar to pause the boot timer at the menu to give yourself more time.

Once you get to the loader prompt, enter the following:

set hw.mfi.mrsas_enable="1"
boot

It should boot into the installer and then continue as usual.

If that works, on the next boot you need to do the loader menu and those commands again.

Then once it's up and running the rest of the way you need to follow the instructions on the link in my last reply to make that setting happen automatically for future boot attempts.

Elrick75

@jimp Thanks... so i confirm that the command hw.mfi.mrsas_enable="1" is working to make installation
After installation, I rebooted the hard disk and performed the same operation.
What should I do to add it into /boot/loader.conf.local ?

stephenw10

You can run the command:

echo 'hw.mfi.mrsas_enable="1"' >> /boot/loader.conf.local

Elrick75

@stephenw10 and @jimp
Hi

I add the command echo 'hw.mfi.mrsas_enable="1"' >> /boot/loader.conf.local but when i go into pfsense webinterface and try to load /boot/loader.conf.local > It answer me that the file does not exit, why ?
i tried to install some package and i see some error message related to mfi .... i think that it doesn't take hw.mfi.mrsas_enable="1"
How can I set this information on the first startup of pfsense after installation?
I would like to make this change before the first startup, before accessing the management interface... to avoid any data corruption.

stephenw10

@Elrick75 said in mfi0: I/O error as soon as the installation starts, need to use mrsas driver instead mfi, how to do that please?:

I add the command

What did you add? Where?

That command I gave is something to run at the command prompt. Running it will add set hw.mfi.mrsas_enable="1" to /boot/loader.conf.local.

Elrick75

@stephenw10 I add the command echo 'hw.mfi.mrsas_enable="1"' >> /boot/loader.conf.local on choice number 3 (Escapte to loader prompt).
But when i go to web interface and i try to load the file, it doesn't exist

stephenw10

That's the loader prompt. You need to run that command at the command line once it's booted.

Elrick75

@stephenw10 Just to be sure to understand.
Here i enter only set hw.mfi.mrsas_enable="1" and boot.
After booting it ask to me setup VLAN etc... that's here where i enter the command echo 'hw.mfi.mrsas_enable="1"' >> /boot/loader.conf.local ?

stephenw10

Where it asks you about VLANs is the interfaces assign prompt. You should complete that and assign WAN and LAN. When boot completes you will see the console menu like:

 *** Welcome to pfSense 2.7.2-RELEASE (amd64) on t70 ***

 WAN (wan)       -> igb0       -> v4/DHCP4: 172.21.16.226/24
 LAN (lan)       -> igb1       -> v4: 192.168.226.1/24

 0) Logout (SSH only)                  9) pfTop
 1) Assign Interfaces                 10) Filter Logs
 2) Set interface(s) IP address       11) Restart webConfigurator
 3) Reset webConfigurator password    12) PHP shell + pfSense tools
 4) Reset to factory defaults         13) Update from console
 5) Reboot system                     14) Disable Secure Shell (sshd)
 6) Halt system                       15) Restore recent configuration
 7) Ping host                         16) Restart PHP-FPM
 8) Shell

Enter an option:

Enter option 8 there to reach the command line. Then run the command there.