Pfsense 2.2.3 (NanoBSD) - Alix 6 - Compact Flash Slow Write Speed

morphix

Hi Guys,

I've been using an Alix 6 board for a client, using a compact flash for storage.

Up until recently, it was running a custom version of pfsense 2.1.x.

There appeared to be some issues with some USB 3G/4G devices and so i wiped it and installed fresh vanilla nanobsd pfsense 2.2.3.

Since this update, when saving anything in the web interface or enabling read/write mode in terminal causes a massive delay before it saves, presumably slow speeds of the compact flash card.

I have tried a few different DMA modes and also tried changing the mounts to use async instead of sync, but that hasn't helped at all.

Just wondering if anyone else is running an Alix 6 board on compact flash with 2.2.3 and having the same issue?

I'm trying to source another compact flash card locally to test with, in case the card is the problem but it ran fine on the previous system without slowdowns.

phil.davis

https://redmine.pfsense.org/issues/4814
There are changes coming in 2.2.4 to turn off journaling (that was turned on in 2.2.3). Try 2.2.4-DEVELOPMENT snapshot which should be faster as safe (but not super fast) or use 2.2.2 for now.

morphix

@phil.davis:

https://redmine.pfsense.org/issues/4814
There are changes coming in 2.2.4 to turn off journaling (that was turned on in 2.2.3). Try 2.2.4-DEVELOPMENT snapshot which should be faster as safe (but not super fast) or use 2.2.2 for now.

That makes sense atleast why, i'll download and give 2.2.2 a try.

rolandk

hi,

i was also experiencing slownes and even freezes when saving config. i searched through all the forums and bugtickets, but there was no solution.

i could at least resolve the freezing issue by changing "sync" into "async" within this files:

[2.2.4-RELEASE][admin@pfSense.localdomain]/etc: cat /etc/inc/config.lib.inc | grep async
$status = mwexec("/sbin/mount -u -w -o async,noatime {$g['cf_path']}");
$status = mwexec("/sbin/mount -u -w -o async,noatime {$g['cf_path']}");
$status = mwexec("/sbin/mount -u -w -o async,noatime /");
$status = mwexec("/sbin/mount -u -w -o async,noatime /");
mwexec("/sbin/mount -u -r -f -o async,noatime {$g['cf_path']}");
mwexec("/sbin/mount -u -r -f -o async,noatime /");

[2.2.4-RELEASE][admin@pfSense.localdomain]/etc: cat /etc/fstab |grep async
/dev/ufs/pfsense0 / ufs ro,async,noatime 1 1
/dev/ufs/cf /cf ufs ro,async,noatime 1 1

i`m wondering whe we need sync at all here….

rolandk

i came across this one https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=49173.0

why is async so dangerous when async is only active during the short timeframe of switching from ro to rw and back to ro, as it is typically the case with nanobsd ?