unable to boot i386 image from usb flashdrive

[lebowski]

I mentioned this in another thread, but this definitely needs more attention. It seems to be impossible to boot the 32bit image from usb flash drive. I've tried this on four different devices (all native 32bit), and they all crash the moment they try to load the bootloader. With the exception of an intel atom based device, when the flash drive is inserted into it it fails to even do the basic memorycount (please be aware that in "modern" bioses there is a lot more going on in the background then that what is shown on screen).

So different devices from different brands, tested with various usb flash drives ( all branded, no noname chinese stuff) , all have the same outcome.

@franco , in the other thread you mentioned testing the i386 image just a few days ago, can you please specify what kind of device this was? Was this a  true 32bit device or did you test it in legacy mode on a amd64 machine? And was it uefi or bios booting? (yes, 32bit uefi exists  )

[franco]

Hi dipswitch,

I've tested i386 on a T400, A10, APU1 and an old Soekris.

While UEFI for 32 bit exists there are two caveats:

1. 32bit UEFI is supported since FreeBSD 11.2. We currently use 11.1.
2. Even if we use 11.2 in OPNsense 19.1 we would still have to reengineer images to be able to support it.

So the decision eventually boils down to this: Since i386 is supposed to be phased out in 2020 should we start creating a larger audience for i386 in 19.1 and onwards?


Cheers,
Franco

[lebowski]

Hi Franco,

The T400, A10 and APU1 are all native 64bit platforms, such platforms dont give me any trouble either. Dont know about the soekris, these where sold with various cpus. I have difficulties with real native 32bit platforms, such as intel centrino, intel diamondville etc. These simply wont boot, while the last 32bit pfsense release does boot on these devices.

Do you have in your possesion a "real" 32bit device on which you can test the 32bit release? What kind of soekris device (model) did you test it on?

[franco]

It's one of the older Soekris Net boxes that supposedly have 64 bit support but don't work in GENERIC FreeBSD amd64.

I'm aware it matters that much if it's a "real" i386 or not. Are we talking about "real older" or "real newer" devices?


Cheers,
Franco

[lebowski]

I'm not aware of a soekris net box which has a 64bit cpu, do you mean the net6501?

The devices i am talking about , are for example native 32bit boxes with intel centrino pentium m 1.6ghz cpu, intel atom n270 cpu etc. Lets say the watchguard firebox generation of devices. Still powerfull enough to process gigabit speeds, energy efficient, enterprise class hardware and therefore great for home use.