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    Unable to open /cf/conf/config.xml for writing in write_config()

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved General pfSense Questions
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    • C Offline
      codemarauder
      last edited by

      Hello.

      I am running 2.0.1-RELEASE on Alix 3d3 and 1G CF card. It was running fine for 4 months now, but suddenly after turning the device on today I got a notification email that said "Unable to open /cf/conf/config.xml for writing in write_config()".

      On investigating further, when I tried to save a change I see following message in the logs:

      
      Jul 24 08:30:49 hopbox php: /diag_logs_settings.php: WARNING: Config contents could not be save. Could not open file!
      Jul 24 08:30:49 hopbox php: /diag_logs_settings.php: New alert found: Unable to open /cf/conf/config.xml for writing in write_config()
      Jul 24 08:30:53 hopbox php: /diag_logs_settings.php: Message sent to xxx@yyy.zzz OK
      
      

      And this is what I saw on the GUI near the top menu:

      
      Warning: copy(/cf/conf/backup/config-1343097676.xml): failed to open stream: Read-only file system in /etc/inc/config.lib.inc on line 834 Warning: fopen(/cf/conf/backup/backup.cache): failed to open stream: Read-only file system in /etc/inc/config.lib.inc on line 841 Warning: fwrite(): supplied argument is not a valid stream resource in /etc/inc/config.lib.inc on line 842 Warning: fclose(): supplied argument is not a valid stream resource in /etc/inc/config.lib.inc on line 843 Warning: fopen(/cf/conf/config.xml.58401): failed to open stream: Read-only file system in /etc/inc/config.lib.inc on line 445
      
      

      This is the output of mount command. The difference from a perfectly fine alix box with this is "read-only" on the faulty box's mounts

      
      /dev/ufs/pfsense0 on / (ufs, local, noatime, read-only, synchronous)
      devfs on /dev (devfs, local)
      /dev/md0 on /tmp (ufs, local)
      /dev/md1 on /var (ufs, local)
      /dev/ufs/cf on /cf (ufs, local, noatime, read-only, synchronous)
      devfs on /var/dhcpd/dev (devfs, local)
      
      

      There is no further information I could find in the logs or forums, but that's for sure that I am not able to make any configuration changes and save them. Does this error mean my CF card has gone kaput or there is something else?

      The device is treated as a usual embedded router or modem which is not shutdown properly, but switched off directly from the powerstrip.

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      • stephenw10S Offline
        stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
        last edited by

        If you are running the Nanobsd install, and you should be, it's supposed to be mounted read only. It will temporarily remount read-write when it saves the config. The fact that it's unable to do that is a bad sign.

        Steve

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        • C Offline
          codemarauder
          last edited by

          @stephenw10:

          If you are running the Nanobsd install, and you should be, it's supposed to be mounted read only. It will temporarily remount read-write when it saves the config. The fact that it's unable to do that is a bad sign.

          Yes I am running a nanoBSD install on alix.

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          • stephenw10S Offline
            stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
            last edited by

            Where are you running the mount command?

            From a shell (ssh or console) it should appear read-only. If you are running it via the web diagnostics page it will show as read-write as the the php code remounts it before running the command.

            Steve

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            • C Offline
              codemarauder
              last edited by

              @stephenw10:

              Where are you running the mount command?

              I ran the command from a shell.

              Miraculously, the error has gone away after a reboot today morning and output of mount command is back to normal:

              
              /dev/ufs/pfsense0 on / (ufs, local, noatime, synchronous)
              devfs on /dev (devfs, local)
              /dev/md0 on /tmp (ufs, local)
              /dev/md1 on /var (ufs, local)
              /dev/ufs/cf on /cf (ufs, local, noatime, synchronous)
              devfs on /var/dhcpd/dev (devfs, local)
              
              

              Could this error be because of dirty filesystem which got fixed on the reboot?

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              • stephenw10S Offline
                stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                last edited by

                There was a glitch a while back that prevented the remounting command functioning but I thought that had been fixed with 2.0.1.
                The / and /cf should be mounted read only in Nanobsd.

                [2.0.1-RELEASE][root@pfsense.fire.box]/root(27): mount -p
                /dev/ufs/pfsense0       /                       ufs     ro,sync,noatime         1 1
                devfs                   /dev                    devfs   rw                      0 0
                /dev/md0                /tmp                    ufs     rw                      2 2
                /dev/md1                /var                    ufs     rw                      2 2
                /dev/ufs/cf             /cf                     ufs     ro,sync,noatime         1 1
                devfs                   /var/dhcpd/dev          devfs   rw                      0 0
                
                

                You can try remounting it RO manually:

                /etc/rc.conf_mount_ro
                

                Steve

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