1541 failed after reboot - no boot loader found

[BubbaGreen]

Hello Everyone - I have a netgate 1541 that has been running without any problems for some time now. I tried to update a package via the packet manager and it gave me an error which I wasn't famiar with. So I attempted to reboot it. Believe it was on version 2.5 something. Anyway, it would not come up correctly to access via the web interface, so I connected a monitor to the vga port only to find it stops at a boot: prompt
Default: 0:ad(0,a)/boot/kernel/kernel
No /boot/kernel/kernel

so i am not that good with freebsd file system, I replaced the m.2 sata drive with an identical one, downloaded 2.7.2 to a thumb drive image and was able to re-install things. I have auto backups enabled, so was able to restore the conifg.
Here is my problem,
Branch shows current stable release 2.7.2
but the message just below that is you netgate device has pfsense+ as part of your device purchase, your device is eligible for pfsense plus. Select to upgrade....so I did. All worked for a few hours then all the ports just quit working on the unit....
nothing seemed to work, the display on the video card on the 1541 showed no errors and was responsive. So i re-installed things again from the usb thumb drive - restored the config but did not upgrade yet to pfsense plus. Can someone explain what happened? I work the rest of the week - so do not want to lose my internet while i am at work. After the second install, the system has been up for more than 24 hours.

Kinda concerned.

Regards,
and I appreciate any feed back

[SteveITS]

@BubbaGreen if you tried to install a package from a later version that would likely break pfSense/GUI, though I’d expect it to boot. See my sig.

You can just install Plus direct: https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/solutions/xg-1541/reinstall-pfsense.html (free ticket)

[BubbaGreen]

@SteveITS
Hello Steve,
Ok, filled out what I think is the correct request to get an image file, will see what happens.
I appreciate in information.

After the ports went dead, I lost access to the GUI even though a keyboard and monitor connected to the device was acting normally.