An update on this. I gave method 3 another try (install pfSense on a SATA hard disk inside another computer, then move it inside the net6501). I chose again the embedded kernel and this time it worked. I don't know why it didn't work in the first place.
Another install method I tried was with a SATA CD connected to the internal SATA bus, but that didn't work. The installation process is painful, I wish the net6501 would boot directly off a USB CD. Thanks for the help and pointers! Ovidiu On Wed, Feb 29, 2012 at 4:35 PM, Ovidiu Predescu <ovi...@gmail.com> wrote: > Hi Robert, > > On Wed, Feb 29, 2012 at 2:54 PM, Robert Guerra <rgue...@privaterra.org> wrote: >> I too had a bit of a hard time getting pfSense installed on a net6501. >> >> I couldn't get the PXE methods to work using Parallels on my Mac, so then >> proceeded to try running the installer on a bootable USB . it worked well, >> but required that I use a more modern USB stick. With that, the installation >> went well. > > Thanks, I'll try with a newer USB stick. > >> let me share with you the thread on the PfSense forum as well as the URL to >> my collection of 6501 & Pfsense notes. >> >> http://forum.pfsense.org/index.php/topic,46718.0.html >> http://dl.dropbox.com/u/48937776/soekris6501-notes.pdf > > Thanks for the pointers! > > Ovidiu > >> On 2012-02-29, at 5:37 PM, Ovidiu Predescu wrote: >> >>> Hi there, >>> >>> I just got two net6501 boxes and I'd like to install pfSense on them. >>> I'm new to both pfSense and Soekris hardware, so please bear with me. >>> I tried at least three methods, with various degrees of success. >>> >>> Method 1: PXE install >>> >>> I first tried to use PXE to do the install. I have a small machine >>> that runs dnsmasq as DHCP and TFTP server. I downloaded the >>> pfSense-2.0.1-RELEASE-i386.iso.gz and installed the contents of the >>> file in a directory accessible to the TFTP server. I'm serving the >>> boot/pxeboot file from the tftp server. The net6501 box finds the >>> pxeboot file, but it gets stuck shortly after: >>> >>> Building the boot loader arguments >>> Relocating the loader and the BTX >>> Starting the BTX loader >>> >>> It looks like the next load phase never happens. >>> >>> Method 2: nanobsd install >>> >>> On a Mac machine I put the contents of >>> pfSense-2.0.1-RELEASE-2g-i386-nanobsd.img.gz on a 2GB memory stick. I >>> placed the stick in the internal USB slot where it's recognized just >>> fine: >>> >>> Controller Bus#02, Device#06, Function#00: 02 Ports, 01 Devices >>> Port-00: Hard Disk, INTEL SSDSA2CT040G3 >>> Port-01: No device detected >>> >>> Soekris USB Expansion ROM ver. 1.01 20111203 >>> >>> 81: USB 01 Single Flash Reader Xlt 997-64-63 2011 Mbyte >>> >>> When I type 'boot 81' I get 'Missing operating system' >>> >>> Method 3: Install pfSense on hard drive on a different machine >>> >>> I installed pfSense on a machine with screen and keyboard and selected >>> the embedded kernel. When I plug the hard drive back in, I do get past >>> the initial loader stage, but then the screen is garbled. I do set the >>> serial to 9600 8N1 as pfSense is supposed to use that once it boots. >>> >>> ---- >>> >>> What am I doing wrong in my attempts? I'd prefer to install over PXE, >>> but I'd love to install through other means as well. >>> >>> Thanks, >>> Ovidiu >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Soekris-tech mailing list >>> Soekris-tech@lists.soekris.com >>> http://lists.soekris.com/mailman/listinfo/soekris-tech >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Soekris-tech mailing list >> Soekris-tech@lists.soekris.com >> http://lists.soekris.com/mailman/listinfo/soekris-tech _______________________________________________ Soekris-tech mailing list Soekris-tech@lists.soekris.com http://lists.soekris.com/mailman/listinfo/soekris-tech
