How to install on a PC Engines APU1C board?

[router_wang]

I just got one and I cant seem to find a definitive guide to install. Should I use the nano or the usbstick/serial image?

[dotdash]

Lots of info here https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=59555.0 (maybe too much)

My quick notes:
Most people seem to be using a full install from usb-memstick serial if they have an m-sata.
I've got my test units on nano written to a SD card.
If you need to see the BIOS startup, it runs at 115200.
The ethernet port numbering is reversed from the Alix boards.

Here is my SD procedure:
Write the nano image to the SD card using a card reader and physdiskwrite.
Connect a null modem cable to the serial port and use putty or similar to connect at 9600.
Power the unit up. You will see a bunch of garbage due to the console being at the wrong speed.
Eventually, you will see pfSense booting. When you see a message about 'Booting [/boot/kernel/kernel]' press CTRL-C until it drops to an 'OK' prompt. If you miss it, shut down and try again.
At the prompt type:

set kern.cam.boot_delay=10000

Then press enter. It should return to the OK prompt. Then type:

boot

and press enter. The unit should now boot. Assign interfaces. Remember re2 is the one marked 'LAN'
Log in to the webgui and go to diagnostics, edit file.
Enter:

/boot/loader.conf.local

in the save/load path. Then enter:

kern.cam.boot_delay=10000

below and click the save button.

[router_wang]

@dotdash:

My quick notes:
Most people seem to be using a full install from usb-memstick serial if they have an m-sata.
I've got my test units on nano written to a CF card.
If you need to see the BIOS startup, it runs at 115200.
The ethernet port numbering is reversed from the Alix boards.

Thank you dotdash! Should I worry about the two beta BIOS updates that PC Engines posted, or just hang tight for the 1.0 version?

[mrsunfire]

I did it via memstick version on an USB stick and installed it on a SD card. Works fine, till 2.1.2.

[dotdash]

@router_wang:

Should I worry about the two beta BIOS updates that PC Engines posted, or just hang tight for the 1.0 version?

I didn't notice the BIOS update was out as I haven't been following their support forum. They posted a manual finally I see.
I would wait on flashing the BIOS unless you have some issue like a wireless card not working right. I haven't been able to find a changelog on the BIOS, but it appears the new version may be to properly support OpenBSD.

[router_wang]

@mrsunfire:

I did it via memstick version on an USB stick and installed it on a SD card. Works fine, till 2.1.2.

Should I not install from the 2.1.2 image?

[dotdash]

I was using the 2.1.1-RC builds, but I just loaded up 2.1.2-nano-i386, and it seems fine.

[router_wang]

I just got it up and running on an SSD. The biggest problem I had was some bizarre bug where putty wouldn't let me type in the console. Other than that it was pretty painless.

Thanks for the help!!!!

[phil.davis]

@dotdash

I've got my test units on nano written to a CF card.

I am sure you mean "SD card".

[dotdash]

@phil.davis:

I am sure you mean "SD card".

Yes, I did mean SD card. I'm so used to CF cards on the Alix boxes I sometimes misspeak (mistype).

[blackbird]

I used the pfSense-2.1.2-RELEASE-4g-i386-nanobsd-20140410-0523.img  on a SD card, but when it boots it stops at this. Any help would be great.

1 pfSense
2 pfSense

Boot:1
\

[chsu83]

Coreboot has baudrate 115200
Pfsense has baudrate 9600

Until boot:1 it should be coreboot
afterwards pfsense will be booted with other baudrate

[blackbird]

What Terminal program do you recommend. Tera Term doesn't seen to work well for this.

[GruensFroeschli]

minicom
putty on windows

[blackbird]

All I get on boot is this.

ROOT MOUNT ERROR:
If you have invalid mount options, reboot, and first try the following from
the loader prompt:

set vfs.root.mountfrom.options=rw

and then remove invalid mount options from /etc/fstab.

Loader variables:
vfs.root.mountfrom=ufs:/dev/ufs/pfsense0
vfs.root.mountfrom.options=ro,sync,noatime

Manual root filesystem specification:
  <fstype>:<device>  Mount <device>using filesystem <fstype>eg. ufs:/dev/da0s1a
                      eg. cd9660:/dev/acd0
                      This is equivalent to: mount -t cd9660 /dev/acd0 /

?                  List valid disk boot devices
  <empty line="">      Abort manual input

mountroot></empty></fstype></device></device></fstype>

[jasonlitka]

@blackbird:

I cant seem to get CTRL-C to work in PUTTY. all I can get to is a mountroot>  prompt

That's because you haven't finished booting.  It sounds like you skipped the step to introduce a boot delay.  Another user reported a similar issue, not likely to be user-error on both cases.

[phil.davis]

Finally got my APU1C today. Used physdiskwrite to put pfSense-2.1.2-RELEASE-4g-amd64-nanobsd.img.gz onto a 4GB SD card. Put it in and booted. Used puTTY from windows, first at 115200 to see the BIOS output (just for fun). Then at 9600 to see the pfSense output. Did the ctrl-C thing and "set kern.cam.boot_delay=10000" then "boot". It spewed out plenty of output, but then went to the mountroot prompt._
Thought I might as well use the latest firmware, so I made a USB stick with the PCengines  apu-tinycore-usb-installer.exe from http://www.pcengines.ch/tinycore.htm - that went well, like this:

coreboot-unknown Tue Dec 24 11:13:00 MST 2013 booting...
PCI: Left over static devices:
PCI: 00:15.1
PCI: 00:15.2
PCI: 00:15.3
PCI: Check your devicetree.cb.
APIC: 00 missing read_resources
APIC: 01 missing read_resources
Start bios (version ?-20131224_111227-ubuntubuilderx64)
CPU Mhz=1000
Found 28 PCI devices (max PCI bus is 04)
Found 2 cpu(s) max supported 2 cpu(s)
Copying PIR from 0x7e16f000 to 0x000fdb40
Copying MPTABLE from 0x7e170000/7e170010 to 0x000fda10
Copying ACPI RSDP from 0x7e171000 to 0x000fd9f0
Copying SMBIOS entry point from 0x7e17c400 to 0x000fd9d0
Scan for VGA option rom
EHCI init on dev 00:12.2 (regs=0xfeb08420)
EHCI init on dev 00:13.2 (regs=0xfeb08520)
OHCI init on dev 00:14.5 (regs=0xfeb06000)
EHCI init on dev 00:16.2 (regs=0xfeb08620)
Found 1 lpt ports
Found 2 serial ports
ATA controller 1 at 1f0/3f4/4010 (irq 14 dev a1)
ATA controller 2 at 170/374/4018 (irq 15 dev a1)
AHCI controller at 11.0, iobase feb08000, irq 0
Searching bootorder for: /rom@img/sortbootorder
Searching bootorder for: /rom@img/memtest
Searching bootorder for: /pci@i0cf8/usb@12,2/storage@1/*@0/*@0,0
Searching bootorder for: /pci@i0cf8/usb@12,2/usb-*@1
USB MSC vendor='GH' product='PicoR' rev='1.00' type=0 removable=1
Searching bootorder for: /pci@i0cf8/usb@16,2/storage@1/*@0/*@0,0
Searching bootorder for: /pci@i0cf8/usb@16,2/usb-*@1
USB MSC blksize=512 sectors=16039872
USB MSC vendor='Multiple' product='Card  Reader' rev='1.00' type=0 removable=1
USB MSC blksize=512 sectors=15523840
All threads complete.
Scan for option roms
Press F12 for boot menu.

Select boot device:

1\. USB MSC Drive Multiple Card  Reader 1.00
2\. USB MSC Drive GH PicoR 1.00
3\. Payload [sortbootorder]
4\. Payload [memtest]

drive 0x000fd960: PCHS=0/0/0 translation=lba LCHS=998/255/63 s=16039872
drive 0x000fd930: PCHS=0/0/0 translation=lba LCHS=966/255/63 s=15523840
Space available for UMB: 000c0000-000ee800
Returned 49152 bytes of ZoneHigh
e820 map has 6 items:
  0: 0000000000000000 - 000000000009fc00 = 1 RAM
  1: 000000000009fc00 - 00000000000a0000 = 2 RESERVED
  2: 00000000000f0000 - 0000000000100000 = 2 RESERVED
  3: 0000000000100000 - 000000007e16ac00 = 1 RAM
  4: 000000007e16ac00 - 000000007efffc00 = 2 RESERVED
  5: 00000000f8000000 - 00000000f9000000 = 2 RESERVED
enter handle_19:
  NULL
Booting from Hard Disk...
Booting from 0000:7c00

SYSLINUX 3.85 2010-02-20 EBIOS Copyright (C) 1994-2010 H. Peter Anvin et al

SYSLINUX 3.85 2010-02-20  Copyright (C) 1994-2010 H. Peter Anvin et al
Loading vmlinuz...............................................
Loading core.gz...ready.

  ____   ____   _____             _
 |  _ \ / ___| | ____|_ __   __ _(_)_ __   ___  ___
 | |_) | |     |  _| | '_ \ / _` | | '_ \ / _ \/ __|
 |  __/| |___  | |___| | | | (_| | | | | |  __/\__ \
 |_|    \____| |_____|_| |_|\__, |_|_| |_|\___||___/
                            |___/

TinyCore www.tinycorelinux.com

searching for home directory ...

Welcome to TinyCore running on APU
To update the BIOS type "flashrom -w apu140405.rom"

[+64.5 C][root@box:/mnt/sda1]$ ls -l
total 18200
-rwxr-xr-x    1 root     root         18339 Mar  3  2010 Copying
-rwxr-xr-x    1 root     root           394 Apr 10  2014 Readme.txt
-rwxr-xr-x    1 root     root       2097152 Apr  6  2014 apu140405.rom
-rwxr-xr-x    1 root     root           123 Apr  9  2014 autostart.sh
-rwxr-xr-x    1 root     root      13539832 Apr 13  2014 core.gz
-r-xr-xr-x    1 root     root         15086 Apr 17  2014 ldlinux.sys
-rwxr-xr-x    1 root     root           236 Apr 10  2014 syslinux.cfg
-rwxr-xr-x    1 root     root           233 Apr  2  2014 takemehome.txt
-rwxr-xr-x    1 root     root       2941168 Feb 14  2014 vmlinuz
[+62.0 C][root@box:/mnt/sda1]$ flashrom -w apu140405.rom
flashrom v0.9.7-r1711-APU on Linux 3.8.13-tinycore (i686)
flashrom is free software, get the source code at http://www.flashrom.org

Using default programmer "internal".
Calibrating delay loop... OK.
coreboot table found at 0x7e17cc00.
Found chipset "AMD SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0". Enabling flash write... OK.
Found Macronix flash chip "MX25L1605A/MX25L1606E" (2048 kB, SPI) at physical address 0xffe00000.
Reading old flash chip contents... done.
Erasing and writing flash chip... Erase/write done.
[+65.2 C][root@box:/mnt/sda1]$

Took out the USB stick and did the boot and ctrl-C… sequence again. I still get the mountroot prompt.

Consoles: serial port
BIOS drive C: is disk0
BIOS 639kB/2064688kB available memory

FreeBSD/x86 bootstrap loader, Revision 1.1
(root@pf2.1.1_amd64.pfsense.org, Thu Apr 10 06:26:53 EDT 2014)
Loading /boot/defaults/loader.conf
/boot/kernel/kernel data=0x8d2938 data=0x555948+0xc24e0 syms=[0x8+0xe4000+0x8+0xd2118]
-
Hit [Enter] to boot immediately, or any other key for command prompt.
Booting [/boot/kernel/kernel] in 4 seconds...

Type '?' for a list of commands, 'help' for more detailed help.
OK set kern.cam.boot_delay=10000
OK boot
Copyright (c) 1992-2012 The FreeBSD Project.
Copyright (c) 1979, 1980, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994
        The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
FreeBSD is a registered trademark of The FreeBSD Foundation.
FreeBSD 8.3-RELEASE-p15 #0: Thu Apr 10 06:39:47 EDT 2014
    root@pf2.1.1_amd64.pfsense.org:/usr/obj.pfSense/usr/pfSensesrc/src/sys/pfSense_wrap.8.amd64 amd64
Timecounter "i8254" frequency 1193182 Hz quality 0
CPU: AMD G-T40E Processor (1000.01-MHz K8-class CPU)
  Origin = "AuthenticAMD"  Id = 0x500f20  Family = 14  Model = 2  Stepping = 0
  Features=0x178bfbff <fpu,vme,de,pse,tsc,msr,pae,mce,cx8,apic,sep,mtrr,pge,mca,cmov,pat,pse36,clflush,mmx,fxsr,sse,sse2,htt>Features2=0x802209 <sse3,mon,ssse3,cx16,popcnt>AMD Features=0x2e500800 <syscall,nx,mmx+,ffxsr,page1gb,rdtscp,lm>AMD Features2=0x35ff <lahf,cmp,svm,extapic,cr8,abm,sse4a,mas,prefetch,ibs,skinit,wdt>TSC: P-state invariant
real memory  = 2115289088 (2017 MB)
avail memory = 2021343232 (1927 MB)
ACPI APIC Table: <core  coreboot="">FreeBSD/SMP: Multiprocessor System Detected: 2 CPUs
FreeBSD/SMP: 1 package(s) x 2 core(s)
 cpu0 (BSP): APIC ID:  0
 cpu1 (AP): APIC ID:  1
ioapic0 <version 2.1="">irqs 0-23 on motherboard
wlan: mac acl policy registered
ipw_bss: You need to read the LICENSE file in /usr/share/doc/legal/intel_ipw/.
ipw_bss: If you agree with the license, set legal.intel_ipw.license_ack=1 in /boot/loader.conf.
module_register_init: MOD_LOAD (ipw_bss_fw, 0xffffffff80422ab0, 0) error 1
ipw_ibss: You need to read the LICENSE file in /usr/share/doc/legal/intel_ipw/.
ipw_ibss: If you agree with the license, set legal.intel_ipw.license_ack=1 in /boot/loader.conf.
module_register_init: MOD_LOAD (ipw_ibss_fw, 0xffffffff80422b50, 0) error 1
ipw_monitor: You need to read the LICENSE file in /usr/share/doc/legal/intel_ipw/.
ipw_monitor: If you agree with the license, set legal.intel_ipw.license_ack=1 in /boot/loader.conf.
module_register_init: MOD_LOAD (ipw_monitor_fw, 0xffffffff80422bf0, 0) error 1
cryptosoft0: <software crypto="">on motherboard
padlock0: No ACE support.
acpi0: <core coreboot="">on motherboard
acpi0: [ITHREAD]
acpi0: Power Button (fixed)
Timecounter "ACPI-fast" frequency 3579545 Hz quality 1000
acpi_timer0: <32-bit timer at 3.579545MHz> port 0x808-0x80b on acpi0
cpu0: <acpi cpu="">on acpi0
cpu1: <acpi cpu="">on acpi0
acpi_hpet0: <high precision="" event="" timer="">iomem 0xfed00000-0xfed003ff on acpi0
Timecounter "HPET" frequency 14318180 Hz quality 900
pcib0: <acpi host-pci="" bridge="">port 0xcf8-0xcff iomem 0xa0000-0xbffff on acpi0
pci0: <acpi pci="" bus="">on pcib0
pcib1: <acpi pci-pci="" bridge="">irq 16 at device 4.0 on pci0
pci1: <acpi pci="" bus="">on pcib1
re0: <realtek 8111="" 8168="" b="" c="" cp="" d="" dp="" e="" f="" pcie="" gigabit="" ethernet="">port 0x1000-0x10ff mem 0xf7a00000-0xf7a00fff,0xf7900000-0xf7903fff irq 16 at device 0.0 on pci1
re0: Using 1 MSI-X message
re0: ASPM disabled
re0: Chip rev. 0x2c000000
re0: MAC rev. 0x00000000
miibus0: <mii bus="">on re0
rgephy0: <rtl8169s 8110s="" 8211b="" media="" interface="">PHY 1 on miibus0
rgephy0:  none, 10baseT, 10baseT-FDX, 10baseT-FDX-flow, 100baseTX, 100baseTX-FDX, 100baseTX-FDX-flow, 1000baseT, 1000baseT-master, 1000baseT-FDX, 1000baseT-FDX-master, 1000baseT-FDX-flow, 1000baseT-FDX-flow-master, auto, auto-flow
re0: [ITHREAD]
pcib2: <acpi pci-pci="" bridge="">irq 17 at device 5.0 on pci0
pci2: <acpi pci="" bus="">on pcib2
re1: <realtek 8111="" 8168="" b="" c="" cp="" d="" dp="" e="" f="" pcie="" gigabit="" ethernet="">port 0x2000-0x20ff mem 0xf7c00000-0xf7c00fff,0xf7b00000-0xf7b03fff irq 17 at device 0.0 on pci2
re1: Using 1 MSI-X message
re1: ASPM disabled
re1: Chip rev. 0x2c000000
re1: MAC rev. 0x00000000
miibus1: <mii bus="">on re1
rgephy1: <rtl8169s 8110s="" 8211b="" media="" interface="">PHY 1 on miibus1
rgephy1:  none, 10baseT, 10baseT-FDX, 10baseT-FDX-flow, 100baseTX, 100baseTX-FDX, 100baseTX-FDX-flow, 1000baseT, 1000baseT-master, 1000baseT-FDX, 1000baseT-FDX-master, 1000baseT-FDX-flow, 1000baseT-FDX-flow-master, auto, auto-flow
re1: [ITHREAD]
pcib3: <acpi pci-pci="" bridge="">irq 18 at device 6.0 on pci0
pci3: <acpi pci="" bus="">on pcib3
re2: <realtek 8111="" 8168="" b="" c="" cp="" d="" dp="" e="" f="" pcie="" gigabit="" ethernet="">port 0x3000-0x30ff mem 0xf7e00000-0xf7e00fff,0xf7d00000-0xf7d03fff irq 18 at device 0.0 on pci3
re2: Using 1 MSI-X message
re2: ASPM disabled
re2: Chip rev. 0x2c000000
re2: MAC rev. 0x00000000
miibus2: <mii bus="">on re2
rgephy2: <rtl8169s 8110s="" 8211b="" media="" interface="">PHY 1 on miibus2
rgephy2:  none, 10baseT, 10baseT-FDX, 10baseT-FDX-flow, 100baseTX, 100baseTX-FDX, 100baseTX-FDX-flow, 1000baseT, 1000baseT-master, 1000baseT-FDX, 1000baseT-FDX-master, 1000baseT-FDX-flow, 1000baseT-FDX-flow-master, auto, auto-flow
re2: [ITHREAD]
atapci0: <ati 800="" ixp700="" sata300="" controller="">port 0x4010-0x4017,0x4020-0x4023,0x4018-0x401f,0x4024-0x4027,0x4000-0x400f mem 0xf7f08000-0xf7f083ff irq 19 at device 17.0 on pci0
atapci0: [ITHREAD]
atapci0: AHCI v1.20 controller with 6 6Gbps ports, PM supported
ata2: <ata channel="">at channel 0 on atapci0
ata2: [ITHREAD]
ata3: <ata channel="">at channel 1 on atapci0
ata3: [ITHREAD]
ata4: <ata channel="">at channel 2 on atapci0
ata4: [ITHREAD]
ata5: <ata channel="">at channel 3 on atapci0
ata5: [ITHREAD]
ata6: <ata channel="">at channel 4 on atapci0
ata6: [ITHREAD]
ata7: <ata channel="">at channel 5 on atapci0
ata7: [ITHREAD]
ohci0: <ohci (generic)="" usb="" controller="">mem 0xf7f04000-0xf7f04fff irq 18 at device 18.0 on pci0
ohci0: [ITHREAD]
usbus0: <ohci (generic)="" usb="" controller="">on ohci0
ehci0: <ehci (generic)="" usb="" 2.0="" controller="">mem 0xf7f08400-0xf7f084ff irq 17 at device 18.2 on pci0
ehci0: [ITHREAD]
usbus1: EHCI version 1.0
usbus1: <ehci (generic)="" usb="" 2.0="" controller="">on ehci0
ohci1: <ohci (generic)="" usb="" controller="">mem 0xf7f05000-0xf7f05fff irq 18 at device 19.0 on pci0
ohci1: [ITHREAD]
usbus2: <ohci (generic)="" usb="" controller="">on ohci1
ehci1: <ehci (generic)="" usb="" 2.0="" controller="">mem 0xf7f08500-0xf7f085ff irq 17 at device 19.2 on pci0
ehci1: [ITHREAD]
usbus3: EHCI version 1.0
usbus3: <ehci (generic)="" usb="" 2.0="" controller="">on ehci1
pci0: <serial bus,="" smbus="">at device 20.0 (no driver attached)
isab0: <pci-isa bridge="">at device 20.3 on pci0
isa0: <isa bus="">on isab0
pcib4: <acpi pci-pci="" bridge="">at device 20.4 on pci0
pci4: <acpi pci="" bus="">on pcib4
ohci2: <ohci (generic)="" usb="" controller="">mem 0xf7f06000-0xf7f06fff irq 18 at device 20.5 on pci0
ohci2: [ITHREAD]
usbus4: <ohci (generic)="" usb="" controller="">on ohci2
pcib5: <acpi pci-pci="" bridge="">at device 21.0 on pci0
pci5: <acpi pci="" bus="">on pcib5
ohci3: <ohci (generic)="" usb="" controller="">mem 0xf7f07000-0xf7f07fff at device 22.0 on pci0
ohci3: [ITHREAD]
usbus5: <ohci (generic)="" usb="" controller="">on ohci3
ehci2: <ehci (generic)="" usb="" 2.0="" controller="">mem 0xf7f08600-0xf7f086ff at device 22.2 on pci0
ehci2: [ITHREAD]
usbus6: EHCI version 1.0
usbus6: <ehci (generic)="" usb="" 2.0="" controller="">on ehci2
acpi_button0: <power button="">on acpi0
atrtc0: <at realtime="" clock="">port 0x70-0x71 irq 8 on acpi0
orm0: <isa option="" rom="">at iomem 0xee800-0xeffff on isa0
ppc0: cannot reserve I/O port range
uart0: <16550 or compatible> at port 0x3f8-0x3ff irq 4 flags 0x10 on isa0
uart0: [FILTER]
uart0: console (9600,n,8,1)
uart1: <16550 or compatible> at port 0x2f8-0x2ff irq 3 on isa0
uart1: [FILTER]
acpi_throttle0: <acpi cpu="" throttling="">on cpu0
acpi_throttle1: <acpi cpu="" throttling="">on cpu1
acpi_throttle1: failed to attach P_CNT
device_attach: acpi_throttle1 attach returned 6
Timecounters tick every 10.000 msec
IPsec: Initialized Security Association Processing.
usbus0: 12Mbps Full Speed USB v1.0
usbus1: 480Mbps High Speed USB v2.0
ugen0.1: <ati>at usbus0
uhub0: <ati 1="" 9="" ohci="" root="" hub,="" class="" 0,="" rev="" 1.00="" 1.00,="" addr="">on usbus0
ugen1.1: <ati>at usbus1
uhub1: <ati 1="" 9="" ehci="" root="" hub,="" class="" 0,="" rev="" 2.00="" 1.00,="" addr="">on usbus1
usbus2: 12Mbps Full Speed USB v1.0
usbus3: 480Mbps High Speed USB v2.0
ugen2.1: <ati>at usbus2
uhub2: <ati 1="" 9="" ohci="" root="" hub,="" class="" 0,="" rev="" 1.00="" 1.00,="" addr="">on usbus2
ugen3.1: <ati>at usbus3
uhub3: <ati 1="" 9="" ehci="" root="" hub,="" class="" 0,="" rev="" 2.00="" 1.00,="" addr="">on usbus3
usbus4: 12Mbps Full Speed USB v1.0
usbus5: 12Mbps Full Speed USB v1.0
ugen4.1: <ati>at usbus4
uhub4: <ati 1="" 9="" ohci="" root="" hub,="" class="" 0,="" rev="" 1.00="" 1.00,="" addr="">on usbus4
ugen5.1: <ati>at usbus5
uhub5: <ati 1="" 9="" ohci="" root="" hub,="" class="" 0,="" rev="" 1.00="" 1.00,="" addr="">on usbus5
usbus6: 480Mbps High Speed USB v2.0
uhub0: 5 ports with 5 removable, self powered
ugen6.1: <ati>at usbus6
uhub6: <ati 1="" 9="" ehci="" root="" hub,="" class="" 0,="" rev="" 2.00="" 1.00,="" addr="">on usbus6
SMP: AP CPU #1 Launched!
Root mount waiting for: usbus6 usbus5 usbus4 usbus3 usbus2 usbus1
uhub4: 2 ports with 2 removable, self powered
uhub2: 5 ports with 5 removable, self powered
uhub5: 4 ports with 4 removable, self powered
Root mount waiting for: usbus6 usbus3 usbus1
uhub1: 5 ports with 5 removable, self powered
uhub3: 5 ports with 5 removable, self powered
uhub6: 4 ports with 4 removable, self powered
ugen6.2: <generic>at usbus6
umass0: <generic 0="" 2="" flash="" card="" readerwriter,="" class="" 0,="" rev="" 2.01="" 1.00,="" addr="">on usbus6
Root mount waiting for: usbus6
Trying to mount root from ufs:/dev/ufs/pfsense1
ROOT MOUNT ERROR:
If you have invalid mount options, reboot, and first try the following from
the loader prompt:

     set vfs.root.mountfrom.options=rw

and then remove invalid mount options from /etc/fstab.

Loader variables:
vfs.root.mountfrom=ufs:/dev/ufs/pfsense1
vfs.root.mountfrom.options=ro,sync,noatime

Manual root filesystem specification:
  <fstype>:<device>Mount <device>using filesystem <fstype>eg. ufs:/dev/da0s1a
                       eg. cd9660:/dev/acd0
                       This is equivalent to: mount -t cd9660 /dev/acd0 /

  ?                  List valid disk boot devices
  <empty line="">Abort manual input

mountroot></empty></fstype></device></device></fstype></generic></generic></ati></ati></ati></ati></ati></ati></ati></ati></ati></ati></ati></ati></ati></ati></acpi></acpi></isa></at></power></ehci></ehci></ohci></ohci></acpi></acpi></ohci></ohci></acpi></acpi></isa></pci-isa></serial></ehci></ehci></ohci></ohci></ehci></ehci></ohci></ohci></ata></ata></ata></ata></ata></ata></ati></rtl8169s></mii></realtek></acpi></acpi></rtl8169s></mii></realtek></acpi></acpi></rtl8169s></mii></realtek></acpi></acpi></acpi></acpi></high></acpi></acpi></core></software></version></core ></lahf,cmp,svm,extapic,cr8,abm,sse4a,mas,prefetch,ibs,skinit,wdt></syscall,nx,mmx+,ffxsr,page1gb,rdtscp,lm></sse3,mon,ssse3,cx16,popcnt></fpu,vme,de,pse,tsc,msr,pae,mce,cx8,apic,sep,mtrr,pge,mca,cmov,pat,pse36,clflush,mmx,fxsr,sse,sse2,htt> 

Anyone got a good idea for what I do next?

[phil.davis]

And if I leave the USB stick with TinyCore Linux attached to the system, it happily boots pfSense (SD card is first in the boot order) and goes all the way through the interface setup. Then I could use the webGUI, wizard, reboot - everything.
I shutdown and removed the USB stick - now I have the mountroot problem.
Put the USB stick back, and it boots fine.
So the USB stick slows something down in the boot sequence that lets it work. I guess I will leave the USB stick inserted for now, while I play.

[jasonlitka]

@phil.davis:

And if I leave the USB stick with TinyCore Linux attached to the system, it happily boots pfSense (SD card is first in the boot order) and goes all the way through the interface setup. Then I could use the webGUI, wizard, reboot - everything.
I shutdown and removed the USB stick - now I have the mountroot problem.
Put the USB stick back, and it boots fine.
So the USB stick slows something down in the boot sequence that lets it work. I guess I will leave the USB stick inserted for now, while I play.

Just out of curiosity, what happens if you use 20000 instead of 10000?

[phil.davis]

I moved on to the 2nd APU1C unit. Updated the firmware to 5 Apr 2014 (I like to start with the latest when testing/learning and not bother about what was wrong with old stuff)
Installed 2.2 on SD card - pfSense-2.2-DEVELOPMENT-4g-amd64-nanobsd-20140417-0415.img.gz
It boots fine, no mountroot issue, so no need to do any ctrl-C and magic commands.
Assigned interfaces, then went through the webGUI wizard. I have done multiple restarts, and multiple halt, power cycle, boot sequences. Every time it has booted fine. So the timing issue does not seem to be there in FreeBSD 10/pfSense 2.2.
Now I will go back to the 1st unit and answer the question:

Just out of curiosity, what happens if you use 20000 instead of 10000?

[phil.davis]

Just out of curiosity, what happens if you use 20000 instead of 10000?

No joy, I still get the "mountroot" prompt.
I tried 100000 also.
I wonder what I am doing different to everyone else?

[blackbird]

pfSense-2.2-DEVELOPMENT-4g-amd64-nanobsd-20140417-1054.img worked for me. but the 2.1.1 no 2.1.2 no joy.

[dotdash]

Make sure you are setting:
kern.cam.boot_delay=10000

I mistakenly typed it with a . instead of an _ in one post.

[router_wang]

@Jason:

@blackbird:

I cant seem to get CTRL-C to work in PUTTY. all I can get to is a mountroot>  prompt

Another user reported a similar issue, not likely to be user-error on both cases.

That was me. I tried 3 different terminal programs before I found one that would accept keyboard input. This is the first time I have ever had a problem with putty. But this is the first time I have ever used it with an actual serial cable….

[blackbird]

That did it Dotdash

set kern.cam.boot_delay=10000

then type

boot

Log in to the webgui and go to diagnostics, edit file.
Enter:

/boot/loader.conf  ( this was different for me I didn't have a  /boot/loader.conf.local)

at the end of the file . Then enter:

kern.cam.boot_delay=10000

Save and your done.

I used the pfSense-2.1.2-RELEASE-4g-amd64-nanobsd-20140410-0542.img file
and I used a 8G SD card
I had to use ZOC/Pro 6.56 terminal emulator to get it to work on windows 7 :D

[phil.davis]

@dotdash - I pasted from the original instructions early in this thread. They say boot.delay, can you edit that and make it boot_delay to help other mortals who cut-and-paste in future?

It worked first time when I used the correct command :)

[dotdash]

@phil.davis:

@dotdash - I pasted from the original instructions early in this thread. They say boot.delay, can you edit that and make it boot_delay to help other mortals who cut-and-paste in future?

Sorry, I tried and it tells me that I cannot edit the topic…
EDIT: GruensFroeschli used his mod powers to edit the original post, so it is now correct. Danke.

[chsu83]

I think all found out the solution, but: Perhaps that helps for others
https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=75427.0