OPNsense Forum

English Forums => Hardware and Performance => Topic started by: micha on March 25, 2026, 01:59:37 PM

Title: Debian on DEC4640
Post by: micha on March 25, 2026, 01:59:37 PM
Hi there!

Does anyone have any experience installing Debian 13 or Proxmox on a DEC4640 OPNsense firewall appliance from Deciso?

/micha
Title: Re: Debian on DEC4640
Post by: nero355 on March 25, 2026, 04:28:18 PM
I always wonder why someone never asks the question : "Why wouldn't it work ?!"

Instead of : "Would it work ?!"

:)
Title: Re: Debian on DEC4640
Post by: Patrick M. Hausen on March 25, 2026, 04:33:01 PM
Download install image, write to USB drive, plug in, connect serial console, boot from USB drive.

Report back if it doesn't work. DEC appliances are standard embedded PCs by all relevant metrics.
Title: Re: Debian on DEC4640
Post by: micha on March 25, 2026, 04:42:34 PM
Quote from: Patrick M. Hausen on Today at 04:33:01 PMDownload install image, write to USB drive, plug in, connect serial console, boot from USB drive.

Report back if it doesn't work. DEC appliances are standard embedded PCs by all relevant metrics.

I have a Debian USB stick that I can use to boot on another device. The USB stick is plugged in. It is selected as the first boot device in the BIOS. Despite this, it won't boot from the installation media. Instead, the BIOS message "A0Loading bootloader..." appears.
Title: Re: Debian on DEC4640
Post by: nero355 on March 25, 2026, 05:14:53 PM
Quote from: micha on Today at 04:42:34 PMI have a Debian USB stick that I can use to boot on another device.
BIOS or UEFI mode ?

QuoteThe USB stick is plugged in. It is selected as the first boot device in the BIOS.
BIOS or UEFI mode ?

If you need something that will boot in UEFI mode for sure and allow you to try multiple ISO images I can recommend Ventoy : https://www.ventoy.net/en/index.html

For BIOS mode I just DD the USB Stick ISO (So not the CD/DVD ISO !!!) to the USB Drive and never had a problem so far :)
Title: Re: Debian on DEC4640
Post by: micha on March 25, 2026, 05:48:06 PM
QuoteBIOS or UEFI mode ?

I used dd to transfer the Debian ISO image to the stick. Therefore, I'm assuming it's in BIOS mode.