ERROR: cannot open /boot/lua/loader.lua: no such file or directory

alex82

I’m getting this during boot-up.

Consoles: EFI console
    Reading loader env vars from /efi/freebsd/loader.env
Setting currdrv to disk0p1:
FreeBSD/amd64 EFI loader, Revision 1.1
(Fri Feb 10 20:27:51 UTC 2023 root@freebsd)

Command line arguments: loader.efi
Image base: 0x050ec000
EFI version: 2.70
EFI Firmware: American Megatrends (rev 5.19)
Console: efif (0)
Load Path: \EFI\BOOT\BOOTX64.EFI
Load Device: PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x17,0x0)/Sata(0x2,0xFFFF,0x0)/HD(1,GPT,832BBCA0-375A-11ED-B697-587C6F801FED4,0x28,0x64000)
BootOrder: 0002 0001
Trying ESP: PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x17,0x0)/Sata(0x2,0xFFFF,0x0)/HD(2,GPT,833BBCA0-375A-11ED-B697-587C6F801FED4,0x28,0x64000)
Setting currdrv to disk0p1:
Trying: PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x17,0x0)/Sata(0x2,0xFFFF,0x0)/HD(3,GPT,833BBC429-375A-11ED-B697-587C6F801FED4,0x28,0x64000)
Setting currdrv to disk0p3:
Trying: PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x17,0x0)/Sata(0x2,0xFFFF,0x0)/HD(4,GPT,833EF5EF-375A-11ED-B697-587C6F801FED4,0x28,0x64000)
Setting currdrv to zfs:pfSense/Root/default:
ERROR: cannot open /boot/lua/loader.lua: no such file or directory.

Type "?" for a list of commands, 'help' for more detailed help.
OK

The router is in a remote location, and there’s no experienced person on-site; I need to provide instructions on how to restore the boot process.
Is that possible in this situation?

I’ve read through similar threads but still haven't figured out if anything can be done without reinstalling.

It’s a standard PC running pfSense; I don't even recall the exact version—it might be one of the latest "plus" versions.

No updates were performed; it was simply left running. I was told there wasn't even a power outage (though I can't verify that), but when they tried to move the cables over from another router, it turned out not to be working. They connected a monitor and saw this.

SteveITS

@alex82 If Plus it would be a paid subscription, presumably.

Obviously it booted. Maybe they shocked it when messing with cables? Have they tried to power off for 30 seconds?

Reinstalling is "easiest" and probably fastest except it's remote so they need the Installer and you'd need to walk them through it from the docs... I'd wonder if it's just disk failure. How old is it?

alex82

@SteveITS

This subscription is one of those that were given away for free a long time ago :)

We tried turning it off, but the same thing happened anyway.

The drives are practically new; the system unit had just been sitting there unused.

It was kept as a spare at one location. Later, I changed the settings for a different ISP, and everything worked fine. It was then moved to a site where it was supposed to replace an old router. It booted up normally there and sat idle for a day; then, when they went to put it into service, they found it turned off. They turned it on, and... this happened :)

So, has everything completely crashed?
Are there no commands to restore the bootloader?

stephenw10

That loader.lua error should not prevent it booting. The loader tries to include that whether or not it exists and it only exists in Plus. So if your running CE you will see it at every boot. So I would expect to see some other error there. It should also show the bootloader menu before that prompt

That OK prompt looks like the loader prompt but entering ? there will confirm that. You can also enter show there to see what loader values have been set.

If you are running Plus you might have a backup ZFS BE in which case you can try to boot that from the loader prompt.

alex82

COLUMNS=100
LINES=37
autoboot_delay=NO
bootenvs[0]=zfs:pfSense/ROOT/auto-default-20230611120957
bootenvs[1]=zfs:pfSense/ROOT/default
bootenvs_count=2
conconsole_pcidev=
conconsole_port=1016
conconsole_speed=9600
console=efi
currdev=zfs:pfSense/ROOT/default:
efi-version=2.70
hint.smbios.0.mem=0x8dd64000
interpret=OK
loaddev=zfs:pfSense/ROOT/default:
loader.efi=1
module_verbose=2
prompt=$(interpret)
screen.depth=32
screen.font=8x16
screen.height=600
screen.width=800
script.lang=luu
smbios.bios.reldate=05/12/2022
smbios.bios.revision=5.19
smbios.bios.vendor=American Megatrends International, LLC.
smbios.bios.version=P1.90
smbios.chassis.maker=To Be Filled By O.E.M.
smbios.chassis.serial=To Be Filled By O.E.M.
smbios.chassis.tag=To Be Filled By O.E.M.
smbios.chassis.type=Desktop
smbios.chassis.version=To Be Filled By O.E.M.
smbios.memory.enabled=8980608
smbios.planar.location=
smbios.planar.maker=ASRock
smbios.planar.product=H510M-HVS
screen.font=8x16
screen.height=600
screen.width=800
script.lang=lua
smbios.bios.reldate=05/12/2022
smbios.bios.revision=5.19
smbios.bios.vendor=American Megatrends International, LLC.
smbios.bios.version=P1.90
smbios.chassis.maker=To Be Filled By O.E.M.
smbios.chassis.serial=To Be Filled By O.E.M.
smbios.chassis.tag=To Be Filled By O.E.M.
smbios.chassis.type=Desktop
smbios.chassis.version=To Be Filled By O.E.M.
smbios.memory.enabled=8388608
smbios.planar.location=
smbios.planar.maker=ASRock
smbios.planar.product=H510M-HVS
smbios.planar.serial=HQ0210902709495
smbios.planar.tag=
smbios.planar.version=
smbios.socket.enabled=1
smbios.socket.populated=1
smbios.system.family=To Be Filled By O.E.M.
smbios.system.maker=To Be Filled By O.E.M.
smbios.system.product=H510M-HVS
smbios.system.serial=To Be Filled By O.E.M.
smbios.system.sku=To Be Filled By O.E.M.
smbios.system.wuid=7a59a1a8-b1d1-0000-0000-000000000000
smbios.system.version=To Be Filled By O.E.M.
smbios.version=3.3
teken.bg_color=0
teken.fg_color=7
twiddle_divisor=16
zfs_be_active=zfs:pfSense/Root/default
zfs_be_curpage=1
zfs_be_root=pfSense/Root
OK

Here is the output from the ? show command.

What can be done next?

stephenw10

At that prompt run lszfs pfSense/ROOT that should show you if you have any other ZFS BEs you can switch to.