Posted: Fri Nov 26, 2021 23:49 Post subject: Determining Boot Order
In addition to changing my partition, I ran into an issue when having a USB drive installed, my router wouldn’t boot into dd-wrt (At least I don’t think so, it didn’t respond to ping or anything)
I have a ProtectLi router using coreboot. They have some documentation on their site on how to change the boot order for various OSes, but I couldn’t deduce something from that. _________________ Google is Spyware
I have had a similar thing happen... Unfortunately I usually have to unplug all usb devices during boot on those systems when doing headless... if you have a monitor connected it is usually trying to boot to the usb device first
So I can see from the link very clearly how to change the boot order in the BIOS.
Really do not understand what is the question here.
This is if I connect a VGA cable. Is there a way to do this via ssh?
No this is via USB/Serial cable
Depends on your hardware which you have not mentioned here.
Some ProtectCLI have a USB port labeled Console - this is a serial port (there is a USB/Serial converter behind it).
So I can see from the link very clearly how to change the boot order in the BIOS.
Really do not understand what is the question here.
This is if I connect a VGA cable. Is there a way to do this via ssh?
No this is via USB/Serial cable
Depends on your hardware which you have not mentioned here.
Some ProtectCLI have a USB port labeled Console - this is a serial port (there is a USB/Serial converter behind it).
I have the console cable. I first tried connecting via USB serial using the Mac's built in "screen" command, but that wasn't compatible with the text displayed.
I am actively looking into this, but input would be appreciated, I'm not a power linux user. I'm not sure what the relationship is between coreboot, seaBIOS, and the OS. I'm also not sure why "screen" didn't work and I had to resort to "cu", and I'm also not sure why what I'm seeing in my serial display doesn't match what's in the guide provided by protectli.
Hand holding/teaching is appreciated. _________________ Google is Spyware
Now I can further troubleshoot any problems that might emerge. Already one has cropped up that the internet transfer speeds are not what they should be. _________________ Google is Spyware
Posted: Wed Aug 21, 2024 4:34 Post subject: To hell and back
I have been to hell and back.
After switching from core boot to AMI boot, I encountered a problem: the speeds I was getting dropped across all devices, most notably my nearest access point would download at a max speed of 30mbps (uploads were slightly faster but not much).
Faced with two options I decided to do a webupgrade of the firmware with one version newer using
Code:
dd-wrt_x64-webupgrade_full_serial_2GB.bin
.
The console (via the monitor) reported a file system error.
I pulled the drive and did a DD via linux with the latest firmware using:
Code:
dd-wrt_x64_full_efi_serial_2GB.image
This caused a boot loop and I was scratching my head as to why. The console (this time via the com port) reported something along the lines of: kernel panic - not syncing. No working init found
More head scratching and cursing until I DD'ed the non-efi firmware instead:
Code:
dd-wrt_x64_full_serial_2GB.image
This worked and booted up again.
I'm finishing the setup process, but the slow speeds persist.
I'm theorizing that some of the upgraded BIOS drivers or something introduced security features that potentially nuke the throughput. I initially thought a clean DD would solve the issues, but it hasn't. The next step is switching back to coreboot and seeing if the throughput returns, and if THAT doesn't work, then maybe a prior version of the BIOS.
Unfortunately downgrading the BIOS is a true nightmare fraught with dangers. ProtectLi has written a script to automate this process and make it safer, unfortunately that script only works for the latest version AFAIK:
https://kb.protectli.com/kb/bios-versions-for-the-vault/
That said, the device was purchased in 2019, so should have already come with the security updates from meltdown, spectre, the intel management engine, etc. Perhaps not.
I will leave it here for the night. Right now after hours of torturous fiddling, I'm worse than where I started... _________________ Google is Spyware
We do not know exactly which device you have, nor do we know which BIOS version you have flashed.
There are also notes on the protectli page specifically for FW6 devices.
We do not know exactly which device you have, nor do we know which BIOS version you have flashed.
There are also notes on the protectli page specifically for FW6 devices.
The latest BIOS we recommend for FW6 devices with 82583V NIC's is KBU6LA09.
Please contact protectli if you have any problems.
We are not protect CLI and I find it funny that you reply to the thread after 3 years.
I thought I addressed that note about the 82583V NICs. Their flash utility upgraded to the appropriate BIOS version they recommended.
I have been in touch with ProtectLi.
I have a Protectli FW6A with the celeron processor.
I'm replying because I again decided to tackle the issue anew.
Why doesn't the EFI dd-wrt bios boot?
Would CoreBoot vs AMI change any of DD-WRTs behavior and/or explain the slow throughput I encountered after upgrading? _________________ Google is Spyware
Update: switched to coreboot and the shitty and unreliable bandwidth is back.
Turning SFE on/off causes a change in the behavior. After switching back to coreboot,
I was able to run a speedtest over wifi on the device that showed 500/500 (Right after
disabling SFE), but then it went back to it's unusual 100/340 or whatever.
kernel-panic69 wrote:
Anyhow, the UEFI images require an EFI-compatible device with UEFI boot enabled. I don't think the Protectli devices are such animals?
Sure it is. It's a regular x86 PC with a celeron chip, or am I missing something on why this is in question? It gave a kernel panic as described above. _________________ Google is Spyware
Enabling/disabling SFE causes the shitty performance to go from either upload to the download or vice verse. When SFE is enabled, the download is good the upload is shit. When SFE is disabled, the upload is good and the download is shit. It also disconnects from the modem temporarily and has to reacquire the IP Address. _________________ Google is Spyware