Alix 2d3 with CF install: m0n0wall works, pfsense won't boot

[comi]

Hi there,

I'm unable to boot any pfsense image on my new Alix 2d3 (BIOS 0.99h). I tried with m0n0 1.3b18 and this worked. But pfsense 1.2.1, 1.2.2 (embeddd) and 1.2.3-RC3-1g-nanobsd won't even boot. Flashed the image onto the 1GB CF-card on Windows, Linux and Mac OS X several times.

I have a USB-to-serial thingie. What makes me worried is that I can't even press "s" while RAM is counting up, it just doesn't do anything.

9600 8N1

Welcome to minicom 2.3

OPTIONS: I18n 
Compiled on Feb 25 2008, 03:47:42.
Port /dev/ttyUSB0

                 Press CTRL-A Z for help on special keys                                              

   ��t..cSDD//ii338866  bboooott                                                                      

DDeefll 00:                            

38400 8N1

Welcome to minicom 2.3

OPTIONS: I18n                                               
Compiled on Feb 25 2008, 03:47:42\.                          
Port /dev/ttyUSB0                                           

                 Press CTRL-A Z for help on special keys                                              

17r 044A CF 1GB                                                                                       
Phys C/H/S 1966/16/63 ���x��xx

I'd appreciate every help.

[jimp]

By default the ALIX board is 38400 for the BIOS settings, so you have to use that speed to set them. I typically do the first connect at 38400, go into the BIOS, set it for 9600, CHS mode, then save and adjust back to 9600/8/n/1.

Neither one of those outputs looks good though.

Have you been over the embedded-related choices on this page?
http://doc.pfsense.org/index.php/Boot_Troubleshooting