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    Watchguard x550e / x750e UDMA CF-Card

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Hardware
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    • S
      sub205
      last edited by

      Hello,

      i modded my Watchguard to support UDMA on CF-Slot.
      Quite easy … Cf-Pin 44 -> IDE-Pin 29, Cf-Pin 43 -> Ide-Pin 21

      IMG_20121207_230542.jpg
      IMG_20121207_230542.jpg_thumb

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      • stephenw10S
        stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
        last edited by

        Nice mod!  :)
        Are those pins just not connected in the CF slot.?
        Does it make any difference?

        Steve

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        • S
          sub205
          last edited by

          The generic problem is that if you use this device with a udma-capable cf-card pfsense wont boot correctly because it cannot read the cf once it has switched to kernel-controller i/o.

          This is the case for many older CF-IDE-converters. I just used the information on how to mod them to mod my watchguard.

          I must say that i had no time to test it yet as i had not found a suitable cf-card in my lab, i'll test it tomorrow. But i'm quite sure this is doing the trick as its a standard issue with many cf->ide converter pcbs.

          (for example: http://www.fccps.cz/download/adv/frr/cf.html)

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          • S
            sub205
            last edited by

            Hello.

            I now had time to test my mod because i need the box for a fair.
            It works as expected. Really huge improvement!
            The cf-troughput is much higher, the box itself acts much smoother.

            So i can only recommend it to everyone who is able to use a soldering iron.

            Kind regards, Stephan

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            • stephenw10S
              stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
              last edited by

              Hmm, that's interesting. What sort of pfSense install are you running?
              I had assumed you would running a NanoBSD image on the CF card in which case I would expect little or no improvement in the box performance. Maybe there is some other side effect I haven't thought of. Perhaps the switch to DMA mode off loads the CPU significantly?

              Time to get soldering!  :)

              Steve

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              • S
                sub205
                last edited by

                I'm running the normal stock 2.0.3 nanobsd vga image.
                The kind of cf-card is important, many are a bit slow.

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                • U
                  Unubtanium
                  last edited by

                  nice one sub205.

                  Have to remember this for the next Firebox i will convert  ;D

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