PC Engines apu2 experiences

kevindd992002

@daddygo said in PC Engines apu2 experiences:

@kevindd992002 said in PC Engines apu2 experiences:

So are you recommending that TSO and LRO be enabled in this use case?

So we have been using APU4d4 stuff at the endpoints of our users and colleagues for years, so I can tell you first hand that their performance is finite....

The answer to your question is to never enable TSO and LRO on a router

+++edit:
this is an old thread, read my posts above

BTW:
why do you think the TSO and LRO are disabled after a clean pfSense install (by Netgate)

Where did I say that TSO and LRO are disabled after a clean install of pfSense? I never said that.

kevindd992002

Is it recommended to downgrade from 14.13.0.1 to 14.11.0.6 for the APU2C4 since it says on pcengines' website that the recommended firmware is the "latest 4.11.x.x"? Can you downgrade without any issues?

fireodo

@kevindd992002 said in PC Engines apu2 experiences:

Can you downgrade without any issues?

Yes, but you have to respect the correct flashing procedure.
Current BIOS is v4.13.0.2 so why downgrade?

kevindd992002

@fireodo where can I see the proper flashing procedure/order? And like I said, the only reason I'm considering downgrading is because 4.11.x.x is the recommended firmware as mentioned in their website.

fireodo

@kevindd992002 said in PC Engines apu2 experiences:

@fireodo where can I see the proper flashing procedure/order?

Here:
Apu-Flashing

And like I said, the only reason I'm considering downgrading is because 4.11.x.x is the recommended firmware as mentioned in their website.

OK, understood.

Regards,
fireodo

kevindd992002

@fireodo said in PC Engines apu2 experiences:

@kevindd992002 said in PC Engines apu2 experiences:

@fireodo where can I see the proper flashing procedure/order?

Here:
Apu-Flashing

And like I said, the only reason I'm considering downgrading is because 4.11.x.x is the recommended firmware as mentioned in their website.

OK, understood.

Regards,
fireodo

Ahh, I thought you were pertaining to an "order" of flashing when downgrading. So it's just the usual flashing procedure then? I'm using flashrom inside of pfsense. So I can directly go from 14.13.0.1 to 14.11.0.6?

fireodo

@kevindd992002 said in PC Engines apu2 experiences:

@fireodo said in PC Engines apu2 experiences:

@kevindd992002 said in PC Engines apu2 experiences:

@fireodo where can I see the proper flashing procedure/order?

Here:
Apu-Flashing

And like I said, the only reason I'm considering downgrading is because 4.11.x.x is the recommended firmware as mentioned in their website.

OK, understood.

Regards,
fireodo

Ahh, I thought you were pertaining to an "order" of flashing when downgrading. So it's just the usual flashing procedure then? I'm using flashrom inside of pfsense. So I can directly go from 14.13.0.1 to 14.11.0.6?

You mean v4.13.0.1 to v4.11.0.6? If so yes, no problem, dont forget to interrupt power supply after flashing. (important to ensure a BIOS CMOS-Reset)

Regards,
fireodo

kevindd992002

@fireodo Sorry, yes, that's what I meant. And yes, I always make sure to interrupt power supply after flashing, for about 10 seconds.

Do you think it's still wise to downgrade though?

fireodo

@kevindd992002 said in PC Engines apu2 experiences:

@fireodo Sorry, yes, that's what I meant. And yes, I always make sure to interrupt power supply after flashing, for about 10 seconds.

Do you think it's still wise to downgrade though?

If everything work as expected you dont have to downgrade. The v4.13.0.2 has cleanup all problems that raised in the latest time - so if there is no trouble you dont need to down/upgrade.

Regards,
fireodo

Qinn

@kevindd992002 I am for 3 days on bios mainline version 13.0.2 (don't use the legacy anymore) and no issues, IMO there is no reason to revert back to an older bios version and as @fireodo mentioned, whenever you upgraded to a new bios version you should power down the system. This is best done by going to the Diagnostics -> Halt System, wait for the system to power down, check if the power led is off, then remove the power plug, wait for 30 sec and then re-insert the power plug.

kevindd992002

@qinn said in PC Engines apu2 experiences:

@kevindd992002 I am for 3 days on bios mainline version 13.0.2 (don't use the legacy anymore) and no issues, IMO there is no reason to revert back to an older bios version and as @fireodo mentioned, whenever you upgraded to a new bios version you should power down the system. This is best done by going to the Diagnostics -> Halt System, wait for the system to power down, check if the power led is off, then remove the power plug, wait for 30 sec and then re-insert the power plug.

Ok, I'll just upgrade to 4.13.0.2 instead. And yes, I always do those same steps when upgrading the APU2 firwamre. I always gracefully shutdown/reset the APU2.

Qinn

Another advise when you got the time. When you are still using UFS it is best to move over to the filesystem ZFS, this system can withstand power-loss better than UFS, as the APU2C4 has ECC memory which gives almost a 100% safeguard against bit errors.

Also recommend by Netgate https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/install/install-walkthrough.html

kevindd992002

@qinn said in PC Engines apu2 experiences:

Another advise when you got the time. When you are still using UFS it is best to move over to the filesystem to ZFS, this system can withstand power-loss better that the default filesystem as the APU2C4 has ECC memory with gives almost a 100% safeguard against bit errors.

Also recommend by Netgate https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/install/install-walkthrough.html

Way ahead of you on that, I already am on ZFS. I swtiched from UFS to ZFS a few years ago :) Thanks for the suggestion though.

DaddyGo

@kevindd992002 said in PC Engines apu2 experiences:

Ok, I'll just upgrade to 4.13.0.2 instead.

Always follow the manufacturer's and BIOS developer's instructions, these are not stupid guys and are moving forward rather than backward

kevindd992002

@daddygo said in PC Engines apu2 experiences:

@kevindd992002 said in PC Engines apu2 experiences:

Ok, I'll just upgrade to 4.13.0.2 instead.

Always follow the manufacturer's and BIOS developer's instructions, these are not stupid guys and are moving forward rather than backward

Not sure what you mean. The recommendation is 4.11.0.6.

DaddyGo

@kevindd992002 said in PC Engines apu2 experiences:

Not sure what you mean. The recommendation is 4.11.0.6.

Hmmmmm..

Yeah I know... (I see you are not an "old biker" with the APU MOBOs)
My friend this is an old web wording on the site (everyone runs into this) and the guys is messy and the site not updated...

pls. subscribe to the newsletter and there are the latest infos, they told us a thousand times why it is not recommended the legacy / old BIOS

but you can also monitor the BIOS developments and ask the questions on GitHub..

the polish guys (3mdeb), super informatives, by contrast with pcEngines, they only answer the sales questions, hahaha

Vollans

Hi all, I had my apu4d4 delivered last week, and it’s working pretty well. It’s easily coping with my NBN connection.

One thing I’ve not managed to find a definitive answer to is if the hardware watchdog in it is compatible with pfSense and if it is how to enable/configure it. Anyone?

Qinn

@vollans I can’t comment, I only use the service_watchdog from the package manager and that works rather nice. If you are worried for power surges, be sure to use the ZFS filesystem.

Vollans

@qinn oh, don’t worry, I already do.

fireodo

Hi,

is there somebody who's running pfsense 2.5.0 on his APU and is he/she getting the Front-LEDs working?

Thanks,
fireodo