Serial install on DEC740 impossible [solved]

[Raketenmeyer]

After trying to install 22.1 on a new DEC740 for about an hour, I'm giving up for now - it seems to be impossible. At the beginning, the console works as expected until I reach the menu to choose the keyboard layout. When using the arrow keys to navigate down the available keyboard layouts, the menu navigation suddenly gets slower until it freezes completely (the tab key still works at this point). A few seconds later, the installer skips the whole menu to the next menu - same again there.

Used the original usb console cable and the image OPNsense-22.1-OpenSSL-serial-amd64.img.bz2. Tested via screen on a macbook (Monterey) and putty on a windows laptop (Windows 10 pro) - same results. Console speed was set to 115200.

Am I doing something wrong?

[lilsense]

Yeah I was playing around with the console on the DEC850 and after the OPNsense booted I lost the console which was working on the 21. version.

[franco]

Although I didn't see these issues while testing 22.1 FreeBSD changed a bit for EFI serial console devices and we added a patch for that in 22.1.2 (which requires to disable legacy UART in the BIOS).

It's one of the reasons why there will be new images based on 22.1.2 next week.


Cheers,
Franco

[Raketenmeyer]

Thank you Franco - I'll test the new image as soon as it is available  :)

[lilsense]

That makes sense.

[franco]

As promised: https://pkg.opnsense.org/releases/22.1/

Had no issue on a DEC to install. If you do make sure to disable legacy UART support.


Cheers,
Franco

[Raketenmeyer]

Thank you very much franco - I'll test the new image tomorrow after work.

[Raketenmeyer]

Finally I was able to (re-)install 22.1 via serial connection. The key to success was indeed the deactivation of legacy UART support. Afterwards the console worked without any issues - same for the new image. Thanks again Franco :)

[lilsense]

Is there a process to disabling the legacy UART.

[franco]

In the BIOS: AMD CBS->FCH-UART ->Uart 0 Legacy Options: Disabled

Best make sure to remove the hw.console.uart tunable when this is set.


Cheers,
Franco

[lilsense]

Thanks.