New Alix board for 2013
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When i stopped the test i saw lots of these messages in the syslog:
ad4: TIMEOUT - WRITE_DMA retrying (1 retry left) LBA=21459663
ad4: WARNING - WRITE_DMA requeued due to channel reset LBA=21459599
ad4: TIMEOUT - WRITE_DMA retrying (1 retry left) LBA=21459515
ad4: WARNING - WRITE_DMA requeued due to channel reset LBA=21459663
ata2: FAILURE - already active DMA on this device
ata2: setting up DMA failed
ad4: TIMEOUT - WRITE_DMA retrying (1 retry left) LBA=21459523
g_vfs_done():ad4s1a[WRITE(offset=10987307008, length=32768)]error = 5
ad4: WARNING - WRITE_DMA requeued due to channel reset LBA=21459515
ata2: FAILURE - already active DMA on this device
ata2: setting up DMA failed
ad4: TIMEOUT - WRITE_DMA retrying (1 retry left) LBA=2145953g5
_vfs_done():ad4s1a[WRITE(offset=10987231232, length=2048)]error = 5
ad4: TIMEOUT - WRITE_DMA retrying (0 retries left) LBA=21459523
ad4: TIMEOUT - WRITE_DMA retrying (0 retries left) LBA=21459535
ad4: FAILURE - WRITE_DMA timed out LBA=21459535
g_vfs_done():ad4s1a[WRITE(offset=10987241472, length=32768)]error = 5
ad4: TIMEOUT - WRITE_DMA retrying (1 retry left) LBA=1152271
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etc.i guess this are failed writes of the RRD graph (or is there anything else writing regularly to the disk?).
Are you running a plain NanoBSD install on there? That really sounds like what happens when you need to make these changes:
https://doc.pfsense.org/index.php/Boot_Troubleshooting#NanoBSD_on_Newer_HardwareThanks for your reply. Will this maybe added to the nanobsd image as default? also the automatic mapping of the new APU interfaces re0 re1 re2?
Unlikely, as it isn't needed for most. Not sure on interface mappings, but the general default may eventually change, though I'm not sure if the APU interfaces would be the new default or em0/em1 as those are increasingly more common.
I used now the normal installer from a usb stick. i installed the embedded kernel and set a ramdisk for /tmp and /var in the webconfigurator. is this enough, that my SD card will not die in a few weeks or have i better to reinstall the whole boxes with the embedded edition?
If you have a RAM disk setup for /var and /tmp using a full install should be OK on there so long as you aren't going crazy with packages that would write to the disk.
I'm running a full install on an mSATA in my APU and it's good so far. Not sure I'll bother with NanoBSD.
When Netgate starts shipping them in assembled form, they'll likely be full installs on mSATA not SD.
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When i stopped the test i saw lots of these messages in the syslog:
ad4: TIMEOUT - WRITE_DMA retrying (1 retry left) LBA=21459663
ad4: WARNING - WRITE_DMA requeued due to channel reset LBA=21459599
ad4: TIMEOUT - WRITE_DMA retrying (1 retry left) LBA=21459515
ad4: WARNING - WRITE_DMA requeued due to channel reset LBA=21459663
ata2: FAILURE - already active DMA on this device
ata2: setting up DMA failed
ad4: TIMEOUT - WRITE_DMA retrying (1 retry left) LBA=21459523
g_vfs_done():ad4s1a[WRITE(offset=10987307008, length=32768)]error = 5
ad4: WARNING - WRITE_DMA requeued due to channel reset LBA=21459515
ata2: FAILURE - already active DMA on this device
ata2: setting up DMA failed
ad4: TIMEOUT - WRITE_DMA retrying (1 retry left) LBA=2145953g5
_vfs_done():ad4s1a[WRITE(offset=10987231232, length=2048)]error = 5
ad4: TIMEOUT - WRITE_DMA retrying (0 retries left) LBA=21459523
ad4: TIMEOUT - WRITE_DMA retrying (0 retries left) LBA=21459535
ad4: FAILURE - WRITE_DMA timed out LBA=21459535
g_vfs_done():ad4s1a[WRITE(offset=10987241472, length=32768)]error = 5
ad4: TIMEOUT - WRITE_DMA retrying (1 retry left) LBA=1152271
.
.
.
etc.i guess this are failed writes of the RRD graph (or is there anything else writing regularly to the disk?).
Are you running a plain NanoBSD install on there? That really sounds like what happens when you need to make these changes:
https://doc.pfsense.org/index.php/Boot_Troubleshooting#NanoBSD_on_Newer_HardwareNo this is a memstick install on the SSD.
However with the embedded kernel to get the serial output.
I've added these settings. and am testing again.One thing i've noticed is that with the intel cards a don't get any "DMA failed" messages anymore.
Only the retrying messages. -
No this is a memstick install on the SSD.
However with the embedded kernel to get the serial output.
I've added these settings. and am testing again.One thing i've noticed is that with the intel cards a don't get any "DMA failed" messages anymore.
Only the retrying messages.Difference could be that I'm using AHCI (Netgate image) and not the old ATA stack. Seems to work fine for me with the embedded kernel that way.
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Tested again with the onboard NICs.
Getting lots of DMA errors under load again.Which image for netgate do you mean?
I could try with this one too.For now i'm going to test 2.2 :)
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Tested again with the onboard NICs.
Getting lots of DMA errors under load again.Which image for netgate do you mean?
I could try with this one too.For now i'm going to test 2.2 :)
It's not a public image, it's the one that will be loaded onto the APU when it's released by Netgate. It's Netgate's 2.1.1 version tailored for the hardware, though some things are still being tweaked for it yet.
2.2 would have AHCI by default (no old ATA stack) so it might not be a bad test, though the current 2.2 snap has a pf rule issue the next one should be better (or pick an older one)
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I hope Netgate get the new cases soon.
(I just order 2 correct cases)The cases in the Netgate store are made by PC Engines.
A couple years back we were making out own (due to supply issues with PC Engines).Ā These fit the Alix boards correctly.
After that, PC Engines revised their case, and it is this revised case that they can get adequate volumes of, and that fits the APU.
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Tested again with the onboard NICs.
Getting lots of DMA errors under load again.Which image for netgate do you mean?
I could try with this one too.For now i'm going to test 2.2 :)
It's not a public image, it's the one that will be loaded onto the APU when it's released by Netgate. It's Netgate's 2.1.1 version tailored for the hardware, though some things are still being tweaked for it yet.
2.2 would have AHCI by default (no old ATA stack) so it might not be a bad test, though the current 2.2 snap has a pf rule issue the next one should be better (or pick an older one)
This "Netgate image" is also the image that will be on APUs sold through the pfSense Store.
The problem is not just AHCI, .vs ATA.Ā There are a lot of variables to get right in order to use that SSD with TRIM support enabled and have a stable system.Ā Patches to the system (which are not in 2.2), patches to the installer (also not yet in 2.2), etc. are all required.
The issue is complex enough (and occurs on other OSes, such as Linux) that PC Engines has pulled the msata16 for now.
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Noob question here:
I just got my board yesterday and have tried just about every pfsense build (nano, memstick, i386, etc) but cannot get the device to boot from the usb/sd. All I get is:
booting from Hard Diskā¦
Booting from 0000:7c00Then it just sits there indefinitely.
I read that the ALIX required you to boot into the BIOS to change the baud rate to 9600 to load pfsense. I have tried every key combination I could think of and nothing gets me into the BIOS. Can someone point me in the right direction for what to do to get something running?
Thanks!
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The BIOS defaults to 115200, pfSense defaults to 9600. You do not have to change the BIOS, you can set your serial client to 9600 and though you will not see the BIOS messages, you will see pfSense boot.
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Noob question here:
I just got my board yesterday and have tried just about every pfsense build (nano, memstick, i386, etc) but cannot get the device to boot from the usb/sd.
Did you take the previously mentioned steps?
Interrupt the boot loader.
type-
set kern.cam.boot_delay=10000
boot
After booting add kern.cam.boot_delay=1000 to /boot/loader.conf.local via edit or from console.I have done this successfully with nano builds on USB and SD. I also tried nano on an SSD on the SATA port. It needed no modification, but is not a practical option in this case. m-SATA is probably a good option, but I didn't have one around to test with.
The serial speed is annoying, and it seems you cannot change the serial console speed in coreboot without re-compiling. It's also annoying that the interfaces count backwards from the legacy products. So the port marked LAN, is re2 and opt is re0. Also, be careful to get the correct power cord. It's a 2.5mm plug vs the 2.1mm on the Alix boards.
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Hi,
I receive my APU with the SSD m.Sata and a wireless cardĀ today and very enthusiast to replace my current DSL box with the APU and a simple DSL modem but :
- I play hard a long time before to switch the console from 115200 to 9600 to be running correctly when the APU play at 115200 and the pfsense install at 9600ā¦ Now I am ok
- I try the different version for the install (LiveCD, memstick and Nano version) and for me the memstick seems to be the most appropriate installer
- the current 2.1 cannot boot on the APU
- the latest 2.1.1 snapshot cannot boot on the APU
- the latest 2.2 snapshot is booting on the APU
I decide to do a full install from the memstick to the internal SSD.
After reload and reboot to branch to the DSL modem location I was not able to have a proper pppoe session with the correct DNS info. Impossible to replace the DSL box today. I will inspect more in depth to try to have an 2.2 Alpha running better.Any feedback with more success ?
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- I try the different version for the install (LiveCD, memstick and Nano version) and for me the memstick seems to be the most appropriate installer
- the current 2.1 cannot boot on the APU
- the latest 2.1.1 snapshot cannot boot on the APU
You must be doing something wrong, since the 2.1 memstick works without a problem on the apu.
Did you download the version with serial?
Did you press F12 to select the memstick as bootmedium? -
- I try the different version for the install (LiveCD, memstick and Nano version) and for me the memstick seems to be the most appropriate installer
- the current 2.1 cannot boot on the APU
- the latest 2.1.1 snapshot cannot boot on the APU
You must be doing something wrong, since the 2.1 memstick works without a problem on the apu.
Did you download the version with serial?
Did you press F12 to select the memstick as bootmedium?Correct, it works now, should be a different behavior with my RedPark adapter on the iPad with the 2.1 and the 2.2 ALPHA !
Could pfSense add a new serial build with 115200bps enabled by default ? (menstick-serial and memstick-serial-115k for example). -
Just ordered a ready-built one - I am getting the SSD version, will report when running:
http://linitx.com/product/linitx-apu-1c-3nicusbrtc-pfsense-msata-firewall-kit/14095
HTH
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Just ordered a ready-built one - I am getting the SSD version, will report when running:
http://linitx.com/product/linitx-apu-1c-3nicusbrtc-pfsense-msata-firewall-kit/14095
HTH
That'sā¦. about twice as much as when ordered at pcengines directly O_o
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That'sā¦. about twice as much as when ordered at pcengines directly O_o
And they still use a pic from a WRAPā¦Ā :o
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@tohil and others re: running on SD card
Now that the "standard" 16GB mSATA has been pulled, I know not to go with that - glad I didn't order last week. I have a friend coming from the USA in mid-April and I really want to order something, but don't want to find that in 2 weeks some other show-stopper issue comes up, like that there is some issue with using an SD card orā¦
And I would prefer to run the nanoBSD image, just because of the flexiblity of the dual-slice for doing upgrades and going back if necessary. But a full install should also be OK, I guess.I would like some feedback from anyone who has put the nanoBSD image (2.1.1 or 2.2) onto an SD card and run it. I guess you can put an SD card into a Windows device and write it with phydiskwrite in the same way as a CF card? And then put it in the APU, select the correct boot device, boot, set the interface from the console, and go?
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may i know whats the issue with msata ssd..I havent encountered any problem yet using the ssd with pfsense 2.1 nano install. but please tell me before ordering another oneā¦thx
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may i know whats the issue with msata ssd..I havent encountered any problem yet using the ssd with pfsense 2.1 nano install. but please tell me before ordering another oneā¦thx
http://store.netgate.com/16-GB-mSATA-SSD-module-P2041.aspx
Not compatible with Sophos UTM or pfSense
http://store.netgate.com/APU1C-DIY-KitāP2040.aspx
The mSATA SSD is not currently compatible with pfSense.Ā If you plan to load pfSense on this system, please select a SD Card.
I think there was some mention of the issue earlier in this thread - but not sure that it goes into all the gory detail, just to say that there were also some tricky issues with running some Linux on it also.
These things happen with very new hardware. At least NetGate are upfront about it and have put notices about it on their store.
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So you're not refering to this one:
http://pcengines.ch/msata16a.htmBecause from the image they are different brands.
The one from pcengines certainly works. (albeit the mentioned dma warnings when the board is overloaded).
