Fresh nanobsd install wont restore config

xbipin

the only way i got around this is to winscp the config file into pfsense and reboot

phil.davis

On a 2.2.5 32-bit nanoBSD Alix test system with an almost-default config I just did:

Backup config using webGUI
Change the ost name (so I can see the name difference when I restore the config.
Manual update to the latest 2.2.5-DEVELOPMENT Mon Sep 28 14:53:35 CDT 2015
Login, restore config on webGUI
The system rebooted automagically.

It now has the previous host name.

So the backup/restore webGUI functionality works, at least in a simple case.

More details will be needed, what is in the system log (error messages about failing to write or…)?

xbipin

there is no error log etc, earlier i thought it might be a failing CF card so i got a new one, flashed a fresh snap and plugged it in, once on the web gui i simply went to restore and gave it the config file but the page kept saying waiting but even after 5mins nothing happens and then the browser says lsot connection to site.

i then permanently mounted the CF in RW mode and rebooted and tried but still same.

xbipin

can u plz factory restore ur alix, reboot and then simply try to upload the config and see what happens?

xbipin

even after manually restoring config using winscp and system completely up and running and i try to restore again it doesnt go ahead, i can backup the config though.

i think its related to the below thread as i tried editing the config file and that too wont save
https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=100028.0

phil.davis

@xbipin:

can u plz factory restore ur alix, reboot and then simply try to upload the config and see what happens?

Reset to Factory Defaults - it rebooted, I had to do the interface assignment from the console, then it came up fine.
Restored the config - it rebooted and came up with that restored config.
No problem.

Off-topic note of frustration: I forgot that these days the factory default config does not have the vr0 and vr1 device names of the Alix Ethernet devices. I left it for a while wondering why the lights were flashing funny on the front and why it had not come back. Then realised I had to plug in a serial console cable and do interface assignment.
It would be nice for the factory default config to choose some matching devices out of what is reasonably available on first boot, avoiding the interface assignment for most cases. Possible code is waiting https://github.com/pfsense/pfsense/pull/1819 and can easily work for 2.2.* also.

xbipin

what CF card r u using?
what could be broken on my box, could it be the bios which i updated to 0.99m from 0.99h?

phil.davis

Mine has 0.99h BIOS - I would be surprised if a newer BIOS broke this, given that you can SCP the file to the box.
My CF card is SanDisk Ultra 15MB/s - it comes from a system that was running in production for about 2 years and is now a test unit on my desk.

xbipin

i downgraded to 0.99h and during the process i noticed in bios LBA was set so changed that to CHS but still no luck.

how can it be 2 CF cards having same issue and no sign of any error in any system log and plus the earlier snaps of 2.2.5 were working perfectly fine

xbipin

i tried it on a 2.2.4 alix box running in production in a remote location using same brand of CF card and they work all fine, am able to edit any file, config restore also works fine so im definitely sure its something in 2.2.5 only

cmb

This the same ALIX that always has problems that no one else on earth has ever seen?

Nothing related to writing of files has changed since 2.2.4 or earlier much less since earlier 2.2.5 snapshots. That's what's failing there from the sounds of it, likely the same cause as your other thread. Backup/restore and editing of files works fine here.

Go back to 2.2.4 with the same board and CF and try same, what happens?

xbipin

like i said earlier everything else works and on 2.2.4 also everything works.

if u insist the board is failing then it cant be 2 of them that r failing together and that too without even a single error message anywhere.
if the board were failing then rest of the 99% of the features would also give issues but thats not the case, can use pfsense completely, rules, alias, nat, dhcp, openvpn etc etc
even on the earlier 2.2.5 everything was fine, just since a month or so 2 things stopped working, wasnt able to edit files in www directory and then tried a fresh install and it wont restore the config which i then had to do using winscp and then everything came up just fine

but still if u think its my board only then im in no hurry, we can wait till 2.2.5 is out and some1 else reports the same on a fresh install

cmb

I missed that you'd tried two boards. How about the same setup with 2.3-ALPHA?

xbipin

i tried the below

same board on 2.2.5 and different CF cards doesnt work on all
same board on 2.2.4 and different CF cards and works on all
different board on 2.2.4 with same brand CF card and works
cant try that other board with 2.2.5 as its in production and in remote location so dont want to bring it down

2.3 i dont feel confident enough to try it out.

i could give u access to this board if u want to have a look at it

phil.davis

I just tried:

a) Download pfSense-2.2.5-DEVELOPMENT-2g-i386-nanobsd-20150930-1813.img.gz from snapshots.pfsense.org
b) physdiskwrite.exe pfSense-2.2.5-DEVELOPMENT-2g-i386-nanobsd-20150930-1813.img.gz to a CF card
c) Put in an Alix 2D13 and boot, assign interfaces.
d) Login to 192.168.1.1 and skip doing the wizard
e) Restore a simple config using the webGUI - it rebooted fine.
f) Restore a complex real config saved from a production box - again it rebooted fine.
g) Use the config history and revert to a previous config, then reboot - also worked fine.

So this is a bit mysterious - I can't reproduce this issue at all on my test hardware.

xbipin

sounds wierd, let me get a sandisk or lexar CF card and try.

first time in my life i see a computer failing without any signs of it, if thats the case or the brand of CF card which is causing this

i believe this issue is the root cause and not the backup/restore config in general
https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=100028.0

cmb

@xbipin:

2.3 i dont feel confident enough to try it out.

We're not talking about putting it into production, just write out a nano image and try what you're trying. It'll help narrow down whether there's a problem and if so where it is.

xbipin

ok ill give that a try and report back soon

xbipin

@cmb:

@xbipin:

2.3 i dont feel confident enough to try it out.

We're not talking about putting it into production, just write out a nano image and try what you're trying. It'll help narrow down whether there's a problem and if so where it is.

i tried 2.3 today, the issue still persists, cant restore config as well as cant edit files in www folder using edit file but can upload config using winscp and edit using ee editor from console.

is this something to do with those SLC based CF cards that pcengines sells because recently there was a recall of some old CF cards with bad firmware and i have got a brand new replacement one and i tried that as well as my old one, in total i have 3 of their CF cards and same issue with all of them. Its preety hard to find CF cards in my region and the ones that r sold are very high capacity ones that r to be used in DSLRs

xbipin

same brand, firmware and capacity CF card in the other remote alix box on 2.2.4 edits all files properly. let me once again try a 2.2.4 image on the same CF card and see if that too has the issues or no, last time i tried it was working fine and was able to do everything