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    Full install (instead of embedded) on ALIX?

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    • G
      garrettmoore
      last edited by

      Will I be able to run pfsense-full on a 500mhz/256mb ALIX system (2c3) using a 4GB Hitachi microdrive?

      I don't want to use embedded as I would like to have the option to use packages, want to have persistent logging, etc. I currently use pfsense on a P3 550mhz/256mb which I'd like to ditch because of its size and the amount of noise it makes. Replacing it with an ALIX and installing the exact same software on it would be great.

      I would think it would be fine in general but I'm not sure how I would do the initial setup since it'll be trying to put a signal out to a monitor which doesn't exist.

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      • H
        hoba
        last edited by

        Search the forum. This has been discussed a lot already.

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        • G
          garrettmoore
          last edited by

          I tried searching before posting for multiple variations of 'full install alix', and got nothing. I figured it'd be better to start a new thread with a clear subject than to try to find this mentioned somewhere in one of the general-use 10+ page ALIX threads.

          edit: found the WIKI page on this subject: http://devwiki.pfsense.org/FullInstallOnWRAP
          I fail at searching

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          • H
            hoba
            last edited by

            Yes, the existing topics deal with the wrap, not the alix but it's basically the same as the alix ist just more powerful performancewise.

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            • G
              gmckinney
              last edited by

              Try here…

              http://devwiki.pfsense.org/FullInstallOnWRAP

              That will get you going in the right direction

              gm...

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              • G
                garrettmoore
                last edited by

                I've got my ALIX system now I'm having trouble getting it to boot.

                I installed 1.2RC3 to my 4GB microdrive using VMWare and USB device redirection. I chose the embedded install option. It seemed to be a success.

                I popped the microdrive into my ALIX and booted it. The bios loads (v0.99), and I have the baud rate set to 9600. However, it doesn't get any further than

                <bios stuff="">F1  FreeBSD

                Default: F1</bios>

                It stops there and I can't get it to boot.

                Any suggestions?

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                • A
                  Andrey
                  last edited by

                  @garrettmoore:

                  It stops there and I can't get it to boot.

                  Any suggestions?

                  Stupid question - did you wait long enough? By default it's 10 seconds timeout for a boot loader. Also, you can connect this microdrive to a working system and check what the MBR partition table looks like. I just installed pfSense to a CF card in a similar way, the only difference is that I used qemu instead of vmware and created disk image, which I dd-ed to a CF, instead of using USB device, and it works.

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                  • G
                    GoldServe
                    last edited by

                    I'm running full install on Alix using the virtual box install method. Works!

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