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physdiskwrite pfSense-1.2.3-RELEASE-xg-nanobsd.img.gz
Physdiskwrite will show you a numbered list of suitable devices (USB-stick, CF-cards in USB-readers, harddisks,...). Enter the number of the desired media. Linux For Linux machines, use the built in dd command from a terminal shell. Extract the downloaded gzipped archive first withunp.
unp pfSense-1.2.3-RELEASE-xg-nanobsd.img.gz
If the convenience utility unp is not installed, use gunzip instead. The img file is a raw copy of the target compact flash disk, including the partition table, mbr, boot sectors and file system. Write it to your media with dd.
dd if=pfSense-2.0.1-RELEASE-1g-i386-nanobsd.img of=/dev/sdz
You will need to amend if= (input file) when your downloaded file name varies. Destination of= (output file) is where the image is written to. It should be a block device, and the first 1Gb will be overwritten. It is set to the seldom used sdz in the above example, to prevent accidental overwrite if the command is pasted directly. Use df or lsusb to determine the device name for your compact flash. WARNING By choosing the wrong destination you might wipe one of your hard disks! Check and recheck your selection again!! PXE Some Alix boards can PXE boot from the network. If you boot a sysresccd serial console image, you could then write the pfSense image to the compact flash with the above steps, without having to physically remove it from the firewall device. You can auto start script sysresccd, and could therefore clean install and customize many firewall devices unattended. Booting pfSense the first time Before attempting to boot, if you are using NanoBSD (pfSense 1.2.3 or newer) on ALIX hardware, ensure you have the latest BIOS (at least 0.99h) and set CHS mode in the BIOS. After your media is successfully written, place it in your system as bootmedia. Check your BIOS to select the correct boot priority and configure the device. If everything is configured correctly you should see the kernel beginning to load. At systems with VGA the output will stop displaying a "/" at the screen. From that point on all output is at COM1. Please check the bootup process there by using a null modemcable and a terminal program. The image has a default config that works with the ALIX and the SOEKRIS. With these platforms simply connect a client to the LAN Interface and it gets an IP by DHCP. You can access pfSense at 192.168.1.1. Logon with user "admin" and password "pfsense". If you are using a direct connect from your client to the pfSense interface remember that you need a crossover cable. For other systems please continue at "Initial pfSense configuration" as you most likely have to assign interfaces before you can access pfSense's webgui.
The Install option At the same time the LiveCD is the installer which can setup pfSense to your hard disk. It's recommended that you first configure pfSense before you run the installer (option 99 at the shell menu).
Finishing steps
pfSense now will make the finishing touches to configure the interfaces.
After it went through the configuration you'll end up with a shell menu and a number of options. pfSense now is ready to be accessed at the interface you assigned as LAN with the webgui.
WAN is configured as DHCP client, all incoming connections are blocked by default. LAN is configured at 192.168.1.1/24 and acts as DHCP-Server and offers a DNS-forwarder. OPTx interfaces are disabled, you have to enable and configure them at the webgui. WebGUI runs at port 80, username is "admin", password "pfsense". SSH is disabled.
First you get some settings to localize your keyboard or change your console appearance. Change what you need or just go one by accepting the settings.
Next pfSense will present a list with detected suitable installmedias to you. Please make sure you are not accidently overwriting data you still need. It's recommended to have a dedicated media only for your install. Any other constelations are not officially supported. Choose your media and hit enter to continue.
You should format the disk to prepare it for the installation. Beware this will whipe your entire media!
At the next step pfSense will show you the detected drive geometry. You should leave this the way it was detected as long as you don't run into any troubles while installing with these settings. In case you get errors try to alter your bios settings befor manually entering values here. Setting your drive from auto to lba or chs in bioas already might help to detect the right settings.
Now you are at the point of no return: Only hit "Format xxX" if you are really sure there is no valuable data left at this media!
The media is now prepared to continue with partitioning. Just hit enter to move on.
pfSense suggests using the complete space of your drive for the installation. You usually should just keep this setting and move on to the next step.
In case your partitioning was the same like before as this is a reinstall confirm the changes.
You typically can confirm the following step. If you encounter problems with the bootloader after the installation is done rerun the installation and check "Packet mode" at this screen.
Confirm this step. In case you skipped the above settings this is the point where your data on the media will be overwritten.
pfSense suggests a setting for your subpartitioning now which you usually should just keep.
After accepting the above settings pfSense is starting to transfer the system to the prepared media.
You will be asked after a short time to remove the CD and reboot the system to boot your new install.
The system is now going down for reboot and your installation is finished
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