Installing pfSense nano-bsd on a PC Engine

[davidmg]

hardware

Alix PC Engine APU1C4
SSD M-Sata 16GB
4GB Compact Flash Sandisk

Using Debian Linux Release 7.6 (wheezy) 64-bit

Installed to compact flash with command

dd if=pfSense-2.1.3-RELEASE-1g-i386-nanobsd.img of=/dev/mmcblk0

boots up to the point of …

Press f12 for boot menu.

Searching bootorder for: HALT
drive 0x000f24d0: PCHS=0/0/0 translation=lba LCHS=960/128/63 s=7744512
drive 0x000f2500: PCHS=16383/16/63 translation=lba LCHS=1024/255/63 s=31248704
Space available for UMB: c0000-ee800, f0000-f24d0
Returned 245760 bytes of ZoneHigh
e820 map has 7 items:
  0: 0000000000000000 - 000000000009fc00 = 1 RAM
  1: 000000000009fc00 - 00000000000a0000 = 2 RESERVED
  2: 00000000000f0000 - 0000000000100000 = 2 RESERVED
  3: 0000000000100000 - 00000000df14c000 = 1 RAM
  4: 00000000df14c000 - 00000000e0000000 = 2 RESERVED
  5: 00000000f8000000 - 00000000f9000000 = 2 RESERVED
  6: 0000000100000000 - 000000011f000000 = 1 RAM
enter handle_19:
  NULL
Booting from Hard Disk...
Booting from 0000:7c00

1  pfSense
2  pfSense
5  Drive 1

F6 PXE
Boot:  1
\

and that's it nothing more happens.

[neobauer]

I have also the same problem. Also using the 64-bit nanoBSD image.
Can someone please advice what to do ?
Is there any issue when using a 8GB SD Card or must we use a 4 GB SD Card for the install ?
THanks for advance.
I'm working on a project for the school. I will be very thankfull if you could assist me. Thanks in Advance great Community !

I've just attached a screenshot.


[neobauer]

I figured out the issue.
I changed the speed Port from 115200 to 9600 and was able to forward the boot process.
However, it ended up with the following screen (see attached Screenshot).
What to do now please to start the installation ?
Thanks !


[davidmg]

NeoBauer

Yes I solved that issue as well myself. After many frustrating hours.

It throws one self off to think one has the wrong settings, when at first you see the out-put at 115200 baud rate at the boards default setting. Then problems when pfSense kicks in the installing, hanging etc. thereafter. You change the setting to 9600 and see garbage for a few seconds. You come to the conclusion that cannot be the correct settings.

The even more frustrating part is one you format and sd card or mem-stick you cannot any code as to make changes. Because I did manage to see in the

Partial Solution:

I got pfSense to boot in the starting of configuration. However here is the problem …

I have the SD card and the USB plugged in, and it gave me the prompt to start the install.

this fellow here (https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=75126.15 ) had the same problem.

Now my next task is try and figure out how to have successful repeats of an install to an mSata from one source SD or USB.

[neobauer]

Hi,
did you figure it out in the meantime ?
I have been able to boot up successfully.
I had to make some modifications from GUI to the /boot/loader.conf file.

[davidmg]

booting yes

installing on SSD no

for some strange reason it will not boot pfSense without the USB plugged into it. Also having just the USB will not boot pfSense either.

However I did multiple test booting of the BIOS to see whether storage devices get changed in boot order.
They do not. the BIOS will assign in order …

PCEngine: APU1C4

1. Compact Flash
2. SSD
3. USB "A" - top
4. USB "B" - bottom

1. USB MSC Drive Multiple Card  Reader 1.00
2. AHCI/0: SuperSSpeed mSATA SSD 16GB ATA-7 Hard-Disk (15258 M
3. USB MSC Drive SanDisk U3 Cruzer Micro 4.04
4. DVD/CD [USB MSC Drive SanDisk U3 Cruzer Micro 4.04]
5. Payload [setup]
6. Payload [memtest]

And yes, if any body asks the SSD has the new firmware.