OPNsense installation image doesn't enter the installation mode with new install

[logi]

I have been installing and testing OPNsense across two devices multiple times, I am using Protectli VP2420 and VP4670, I will connect the USB-C drive with the installation image, power on and OPNsense will boot into the installation mode, first asking for:

Press any key to start the configuration importer

Then asking for:

Press any key to start the manual interface assignment

But now, suddenly, it doesn't ask any of those two questions, and go straight to the login, auto-assigning the interfaces I would assume, then I login into installer mode and go through the regular installation process, after it completes the installation, I boot the device, I login as root and reassign the interfaces, option1 from the menu. Out of 5 different fresh installations this is the first time this happening.

The only change I have made to the Protectli devices is that now they have coreboot as BIOS, before it was AMI BIOS, with AMI always the OPNsense installer asked the questions about configuration importer and interface assignment, any idea why this might be happening?

To summarize:

1.- When I install OPNsense from a USB-C drive using the AMI BIOS, the installer will ask me for the configuration importer and to assign interfaces, as expected, all good.

2.- When I install OPNsense from a USB-C drive using the Coreboot BIOS, the installer will NOT ask for the configuration importer and to assign interfaces, NOT, as expected.

I did the above installations on both, the VP24240 and the VP4670, something happens with the OPNsense installer when using Coreboot BIOS.

Thank you

[gspannu]

Wild guess !
Is it that your keyboard is not working under Coreboot, so OPNsense installer does not detect any key presses; and only after OPNsense boots up fully, you get a working keyboard.

[logi]

Wild guess !
Is it that your keyboard is not working under Coreboot, so OPNsense installer does not detect any key presses; and only after OPNsense boots up fully, you get a working keyboard.

Protectli just told me that Coreboot provides more hardware information at boot, therefore the installer bypass the assignments, I am not sure yet

[franco]

If you only see the login prompt you may have the wrong image type or the primary console will not redirect to your screen for whatever reason.

I'm assuming you say that you still see the kernel boot messages but once init takes over no messages no questions for a while and then a login prompt?


Cheers,
Franco

[logi]

If you only see the login prompt you may have the wrong image type or the primary console will not redirect to your screen for whatever reason.

I'm assuming you say that you still see the kernel boot messages but once init takes over no messages no questions for a while and then a login prompt?


Cheers,
Franco

I have done the OPNsense installation more than 20 times, on different hardware, the image is OPNsense-24.7-dvd-amd64.iso.

With the Protectli devices, if I use the AMI BIOS everything will work as expected, I have an HDMI monitor attached to the device, I see all the boot log/messages on the screen, as normal, then I will have to option to press a key for the configuration importer or interface assignment.

Now, if I replace the AMI BIOS with the coreboot BIOS, everything will be the same regarding the messages/logs on the monitor connected via HDMI, after many messages/logs, similar to the previous scenario with the AMI BIOS, it will go straight into the login prompt, skipping the options to press a key for the configuration importer and interface assignments.

To summarize, all messages on the screen, nothing is being missed, the problem is, no option to press a key for configuration importer and interface assignment.

I hope it is clearer now, thank you for the help

[franco]

It's quite clear, but a video would be more helpful at this point so we can talk about the same thing.

> If you only see the login prompt you may have the wrong image type or the primary console will not redirect to your screen for whatever reason.

I don't think anything would create automatic key events to skip the questions, because the questions should wait for input then. So this circles back to not showing init messages after kernel is fully booted.


Cheers,
Franco

[logi]

It's quite clear, but a video would be more helpful at this point so we can talk about the same thing.

I can't upload the video is 135MB, but I took a picture (attached) of this at the end that might give you an idea of what might be happening.

da0 is the SATA SSD, and this is how it is reported from the coreboot BIOS, and captured by OpenBSD as the primary GPT corrupted, when in reality is fine, and therefore aborting installater's mode, just my guess.

If you have other ways for me to upload the video, please let me know, thank you for the help

[logi]

If at the login, I enter installer/opnsense, and follow the initial installation steps I will get to this screen (attached) with the SATA SSD ada0, I can continue with the installation and everything will be fine.

[franco]

If you only see the login prompt you may have the wrong image type or the primary console will not redirect to your screen for whatever reason.

I'm assuming you say that you still see the kernel boot messages but once init takes over no messages no questions for a while and then a login prompt?

This is still spot on.

So for whatever reason the kernel doesn't consider the output a primary (VGA) console.


Cheers,
Franco