Navigation

    Netgate Discussion Forum
    • Register
    • Login
    • Search
    • Categories
    • Recent
    • Tags
    • Popular
    • Users
    • Search

    2.1 + ZFS Mirror Installation Instructions

    Installation and Upgrades
    2
    3
    2074
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as topic
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
    • N
      nlemberger last edited by

      I'm just posting this as it might be of use to someone else.  It's what works for me, YMMV.

      - Boot pfSense 2.1 LiveCD
        - Get an accessible IP on an interface and enable SSH
        - Enter command line and disable pf:```
      pfctl -d

        - Visit the website:```
      https://<ip address="">/installer</ip>
      

      - Login with admin/pfsense
          - You will probably need to retype the installer URL
          - Choose custom install
            - Set the boot manager to BSD
            - Set the Filesystem of line 1 to ZFS
            - Set the size of that line to an appropriate round number (120GB drive ~ 98304)
            - Remove the SWAP line (optional)
            - Begin the installation & wait until 100% complete
          - SSH into the LiveCD OS
            - Fix the installation bugs:
              - Mount the ZFS:```
      mount -t zfs tank0 /mnt

              - Change the installation platform from 'cdrom' to 'pfSense':```
      ee /mnt/etc/platform
      

      - Setup the compact flash virtual configuration directory:```
      mkdir -p /mnt/cf/conf

              - Copy the empty configuration file:```
      cp /mnt/conf.default/config.xml /mnt/cf/conf/config.xml
      

      - Unmount the ZFS:```
      umount /mnt

            - Create the ZFS mirror, if applicable (assuming drive 1 is ad4, drive 2 is ad6).
              - Delete all partitions on drive 2:```
      
      gpart delete -i 1 ad6
      gpart destroy ad6
      
      

      - Clone the drive 1 partition table & boot sectors:```

      gpart backup /dev/ad4 | gpart restore /dev/ad6
      gpart backup /dev/ad4s1 | gpart restore /dev/ad6s1
      dd if=/boot/zfsboot of=/dev/ad6s1 count=1
      dd if=/boot/zfsboot of=/dev/ad6s1a skip=1 seek=1024

              - Add the ZFS mirror:```
      zpool attach tank0 ad4s1a ad6s1a
      

      - Install the bootloaders on drive 2:```
      gpart bootcode -b /boot/boot0 ad6

        - Reboot
      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • stephenw10
        stephenw10 Netgate Administrator last edited by

        Nice.
        So what hardware are you installing that on? Does it actually use compact flash to store the config file?

        Steve

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • N
          nlemberger last edited by

          We use Supermicro Atom based boards with a mirrored pair of SATA SSDs for web-caching.  We don't use a CF for configuration, we just store the conf on the ZFS mirror.

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • First post
            Last post