Watchguard XTM 5 Series

A Former User

This post is deleted!

DeLorean

@747Builder:

Delorean,

pin 3 isnt connected between the SPI header and the chip on mine but the SHIELDED cable i used to connect the adapter on my willems programmer works great and can read/write the flash chip just fine from the SPI header.

Thanks for the update.
In the meanwhile i have finally tried the BIOS update with flashrom trough serial console,
and succesfully updated 5 of these red boxes :)
But now i'm sure that your programmer works, and this is my lifeline if anything goes wrong.
I have now flashed all XTM 5 boxes here in the house, and i'm safe for the moment.
Thanks for taking the time to investigate this. ;-)

ps : can you give a link of the shielded cable you used ?

Grtz
DeLorean

A Former User

This post is deleted!

dlucas46

Those of you that are running Xeon processors have you had any problems with the temperature sensors?

I have just done my first 771 to 775 mod on one of these watchguards and want to confirm if I am seeing an error or usual behaviour since the microcode in the BIOS might be wrong.

I installed a L5420 and the dashboard widget is reporting over 70 Celsius but the BIOS is reporting about 40 Celsius.

I am using the Intel Core temp sensor option in settings and not None / ACPI.

Anybody else seen this behaviour before? Which temperature is correct?

Should I redo the thermal paste? I did not use Arctic silver but cheap gold stuff, as I had run out of the good stuff. Since the two are reporting different temps I would think that the paste might be OK.

Thanks

stephenw10

It could very likely be incorrect.

The coretemp driver reads a delta value from the CPU sensor and removes that from a known maximum value for the CPU. But since you've modified the CPU to pretend to be something else it's probably using the wrong values there. No way to fix that in software that I know of. Check your Tjmax value against the documented value for that CPU:

[2.4.0-BETA][admin@xtm5.stevew.lan]/root: sysctl dev.cpu.0.coretemp
dev.cpu.0.coretemp.throttle_log: 0
dev.cpu.0.coretemp.tjmax: 85.0C
dev.cpu.0.coretemp.resolution: 1
dev.cpu.0.coretemp.delta: 53

Steve

dlucas46

Hi Steve,

I guessed Coretemp was the issue.
The Tjmax for a L5420 is 70c but coretemp sets the processor to 105c.

As far as I can see this is because the code contains an else if clause for the core2duo but the Xeon has the same family model Id (0x17) and the same stepping (6) so the code executes and sets the wrong value.
I have modified the coretemp.c file on a 10.3 BSD and rebuilt it to set a tjmax of 70 instead.

Have just loaded it up and now have dashboard and widget reporting 40c instead of 75c.

I will do some testing and then post it here.

DeLorean

@stephenw10:

It could very likely be incorrect.

The coretemp driver reads a delta value from the CPU sensor and removes that from a known maximum value for the CPU. But since you've modified the CPU to pretend to be something else it's probably using the wrong values there. No way to fix that in software that I know of. Check your Tjmax value against the documented value for that CPU:
[2.4.0-BETA][admin@xtm5.stevew.lan]/root: sysctl dev.cpu.0.coretemp
dev.cpu.0.coretemp.throttle_log: 0
dev.cpu.0.coretemp.tjmax: 85.0C
dev.cpu.0.coretemp.resolution: 1
dev.cpu.0.coretemp.delta: 53
Steve

On YouTube there is a vid about LGA775 to LGA771 mod ,
and this vid explains the use of a tool for modifying / adding cpu instructionsets to the BIOS rom file,
can this be usefull for a XTM5 or not ?

This is the link of the vid :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUqBW-kq1_0

Grtz
DeLorean

stephenw10

Mmm, that would probably work. Not sure I have the tools I used anymore. Definitely don't have the WinXP system I did all that on. ;)

Be ready to recover from bricking though if you try it!

Steve

A Former User

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wubs

I hope this isn't too off topic, but I've got an XTM 525 and I can only get WGXepc64 to control the case fan. Has anyone in this thread had any luck with controlling the 2 CPU and/or PSU fans? My only thought is to swap one of the CPU fans to run on the case fan connector and remove the case fan entirely, but then I'm still stuck with one fan at 100% all the time for the CPU cooler and also the one for the PSU. I also don't know if there is a way to specify specific fans in WGXepc64, but the default at least seems to be the case fan. I really just want to quiet this box down so it can hang out in my office without sounding like an airplane is taking off constantly.

stephenw10

For some reason the CPU fans are controller by a separate chip that is connected only via SMBus. Despite the LPC controller having multiple FAN outputs.

WGXepc only has access to the LPC controller so cannot set the CPU fan speed, in the default fan setup at least.

https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=43574.msg717350#msg717350

Steve

wubs

@stephenw10:

For some reason the CPU fans are controller by a separate chip that is connected only via SMBus. Despite the LPC controller having multiple FAN outputs.

WGXepc only has access to the LPC controller so cannot set the CPU fan speed, in the default fan setup at least.

https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=43574.msg717350#msg717350

Steve

I wonder if it would be possible to get around this with a hardware fan controller, perhaps controlled by USB or something, in front of these fans that would be supported by pfSense. I know most fans wouldn't support a simple potentiometer in front of them since there is feedback on fan speed provided to the system. I'd just worry about overvoltage in that scenario.

I guess that's just a ramble. I am going to see if I can control it with something like what's available here: https://www.newegg.com/Controller-Panels/SubCategory/ID-11

Edit: I'm thinking of ordering this to bypass the system entirely. https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=9SIACJF5S63669

stephenw10

Pretty sure they are 3 pin fans on the XTM5 (mine is buried right now!) so no danger of overvolting etc. The third pin only provides speed output. If you disconnect it and the controller is set to adjust fan speed it might ramp up tomax but that's 12V which is fine.

I'm sure you could use a hardware controller. Personally I would just get some quieter fans if you need it.

Steve

wubs

@stephenw10:

I'm sure you could use a hardware controller. Personally I would just get some quieter fans if you need it.

Steve

Do you have a recommendation for quieter 1U fans? I looked at Noctua, but they're crazy expensive.

dlucas46

@stephenw10:

For some reason the CPU fans are controller by a separate chip that is connected only via SMBus. Despite the LPC controller having multiple FAN outputs.

WGXepc only has access to the LPC controller so cannot set the CPU fan speed, in the default fan setup at least.

https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=43574.msg717350#msg717350

Steve

They are indeed 3 pin fans.

Personally I think the XTM 5 is quiet compared to the 750e.

The fans run at about 6000 rpm on my unit, you could put a resistor on the 12v line and reduce the voltage. Or you could simply buy quieter fans.

chpalmer

I can't even hear the fans on mine as long as I keep the room cool.. My switch has louder fans and they are not that bad..

pF-JoelP

I am looking forward to utilizing this thread to get my 510 up and running. I acquired 2 of them from work awhile back as part of the EOL upgrade when Watchguard advised they would no longer be supported.

I'll be equipping one of them with a SATA 160Gb laptop Hard Drive, and was able to find a 2.66Ghz Q9400 Quad Core CPU with 6M cache for $20 from a local PC Recycler. The CPU is installed and recognized, and the device boots with the Watchguard CF still installed.

EDIT:

I've also managed to find and install 2 sticks of Kingston KVR800D2N6K2 (4 Gig) for a total of 8Gig RAM. When the Watchguard boots with the original CF in it though, scrolling through the LCD menus I've observed that the system reports only 4Gig available. I assume the the original factory OS on the device was 32 bit based?

Also, in looking at the Lanner FW-7581 manual that was linked several pages back, has anyone attempted connecting leads to the J9 (VGA) and J16 (Keyboard/Mouse) headers?

wubs

@stephenw10:

I'm sure you could use a hardware controller. Personally I would just get some quieter fans if you need it.

Steve

I ordered three of these and am going to nix the case fan entirely. My wife just wants it to be quieter in our office. :X
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000LB0M8S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

bergsport

Does anyone have any rack mount ears they are willing to sell?

I am in the UK. Cheers.

StlCardsFanJR

I just put to of these ( Crucial CT25664AA800 Specs: DDR2 PC2-6400 • CL=6 • Unbuffered • NON-ECC • DDR2-800 • 1.8V • 256Meg x 64) into my XTM-505, recognized by stock BIOS w/o any issues. Send me a PM if you'd like to buy ($20 shipped) the other pair I have. @dhoffman98:

@747Builder:

dont forget you need low density 4G sticks… apparently NON low density sticks dont work.

Right… Forgot to mention that was another requirement on my list.
NON ECC
Unbuffered
AND Low Density.

I'm finding them out there, but it's almost $50 per stick.

I'd like to set up Squid, but only have 2GB right now, and hear that would take more than 2GB.

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