General

This article will explain how to create a bootable FreeDOS USB drive and prepare the drive with the appropriate BIOS update files for installation on a Protectli Vault.  FreeDOS is a free DOS application that is compatible with Intel based computers, such as the Vault. The Vault uses FreeDOS to install BIOS updates to the Vault.

For creating a bootable USB with Windows, Protectli recommends a tool called Rufus. The home page for Rufus is https://rufus.akeo.ie.  The Windows system requirements are listed on the Rufus homepage.

Create Bootable FreeDOS USB – Windows

• Download the Rufus tool from the official page to a Windows computer
• Verify an executable file with a name of rufus-2.17 or similar is downloaded (the version you download may have a higher version number than this example)
  • Note that rufus is an executable and does not need to be installed.
• Select the Rufus application that was downloaded and verify that the main menu pops up (example screenshot below)
• Verify that “FreeDOS” is the default selection

Rufus Main Menu

• Insert a USB drive into a USB port on the PC
• Verify that Rufus recognizes the USB drive

Rufus Detects USB Drive

• Select Start
• Verify the warning appears and select Ok

Rufus Warning Message

• Verify the FreeDOS is created on the USB, application status is “READY” and the green bar is complete

Rufus Ready Message

Download BIOS and Copy BIOS Folder to FreeDOS USB

*** Important ***

Note that the folder, file, and version names in this article are used as an example. The actual folder, file, and version names will vary depending on the model of Vault and the version of BIOS.

• Download the BIOS folder to the Windows machine from the Protectli BIOS Version page at this link
• The BIOS folder will be a compressed “zip” file. If compressed, uncompress the zip file
• Go to “This PC” on the Windows machine and select the USB drive

Select USB Drive on This PC

• Drag/copy the BIOS folder to the USB drive
• If prompted, check the box to copy all current items to the USB Drive

Copy Prompt

• Verify folder copied to the USB Drive

BIOS Folder in USB Drive

• Safely remove the USB drive from the Windows computer

BIOS update on the Vault 

Note: Freedos will not boot in UEFI BIOS. To successfully complete this procedure make sure the BIOS is set to Legacy. We have a guide covering this here. Using the same steps but switch to “Legacy Only”.

• Insert the USB drive into the Vault
• Hit the “F11” key repeatedly during boot
• Verify the Vault boots to the boot selection menu
• Select the USB and verify the Vault boots to the DOS prompt
• Type “dir” to see the contents of the USB drive
• In this example the folder “4A171114” should appear
• Type “cd 4A171114” to change directory to the BIOS folder
• Type “update.bat”
• Verify that the BIOS installation completes

Verify BIOS ID on the Vault 

• Reboot the Vault
• Hit the “DEL” key repeatedly during boot
• Verify the Vault boots to the main BIOS window
• Verify the BIOS ID is the correct version

BIOS ID

At this point the new BIOS should be installed. However, if there are any issues, please check our Knowledge Base or submit a ticket.

With  no moving parts, the Vault has proven to be an extremely stable platform over the years. However, as with all computers, occasionally the Vault may have an issue.

The most common issues that occur are usually due to faulty components – mSATA drives and DRAM.  Occasionally we also see the CMOS get into a hung state on the FW1, FW2 and FW4A series.

This article will help the user diagnose and repair the majority of the problems that do occur.

Accessing components           

In order to access the components, disconnect power, turn the unit upside down and remove the 4 screws on the bottom plate. The photos below show the internal sockets of the Vault when the bottom plate is removed.

DRAM troubleshooting instructions

Some issues are due to faulty DRAM or system memory.

Note: DRAM is REQUIRED in order for the Vault to run.  If no DRAM is present, or if it is faulty, the Vault will not boot and you will not see anything on the VGA / HDMI or serial console output.

In order to verify memory, follow these steps:

Remove the bottom plate of the Vault and identify the components per the instructions above.

• Verify memory is properly installed. There should be a noticeable “click” when the DRAM is properly inserted into the socket.
• Verify the memory for the FW1, FW2, FW2B, FW4A, FW4B series is DDR3L where the “L” is for “low voltage” of 1.35V. DDR3 requires 1.5V and is not compatible with the Vault.
• If there are still issues, run a cycle of Memtest. Instructions can be found at this link.
• If there are still issues, replace the DRAM with known good DRAM.
• If there are still issues, it is likely the DRAM is not the issue.

mSATA troubleshooting instructions

Some issues are due to faulty mSATA or system solid state drive (SSD).

In order to verify mSATA, follow these steps:

Remove the bottom plate of the Vault and identify the components per the instructions above.

• There are 2 PCI sockets in the Vault. One is for mSATA and the other is for the WiFi module. See the photos above for the proper mSATA socket. Verify the mSATA is installed in the proper socket and screwed down.
• If the mSATA is properly installed and there are still issues, replace it with a known good mSATA.
• If there are still issues, then likely the mSATA is not the fault.

CMOS reset instructions

The Vault’s CMOS is a small amount of battery backed memory that contains basic system information for the BIOS. Occassionally the CMOS on the FW1, FW2 and FW4A series units can get into a state where it needs to be reset.

To reset the CMOS, see this link.

Physical Damage

Examine the Vault for any obvious external damage that may have occurred during shipping, installation, or while in service.

• Verify that all of the ports, connectors, and power button are properly positioned in the chassis.

Loose components or screws

Shake the Vault

• Verify there are no sounds to indicate a loose screw or other loose component
• If it sounds like a loose item, open the vault and verify the issue.

Basic troubleshooting

See photos below for the Vault interfaces

Plug one end of the power cable into a live AC power outlet and the other end into the DC power adapter.

• Verify both connections are secure.
• Verify the LED on the DC power adapter is illuminated.
• Connect one end of a video cable to either the VGA connector or to the HDMI connector depending upon the model of the Vault. Connect the other end to the appropriate connection of a video monitor.
• Verify the connections are secure.
• Note that most video monitors have multiple interfaces such as VGA, HDMI and DVI.
• Verify the video monitor is configured to use the correct interface for the Vault or that the video monitor can auto select the correct interface.
• Connect a keyboard and mouse to the USB ports on the Vault.
• Verify both connections are secure.
• Plug the DC power cable into the power jack of the vault
• Verify the blue LED on the power button is illuminated.
• Verify that the green LED on the front panel is illuminated.

Issues

No Video           

Monitor the video screen and verify that the system boots up.

If no video is displayed, it may be due to a “barebone” unit. In other words, there is no DRAM or mSATA installed in the device when it ships from the factory. The FWX001, FW2B, FW4X-0, and FW6X-0 series are all barebone units and require installation of at least DRAM before any video can be displayed.

• Verify a working VGA/HDMI cable
• If available, try another monitor to check possible compatibility issues (depending on the BIOS version, there is a known compatibility issue with monitors that have a native 2560 x 1440 resolution).

If still no video

• Remove the power plug from the Vault
• Open the vault per the instructions above and verify that DRAM is properly installed in the system

If DRAM is properly in place,

• Follow the CMOS reset instructions above
• After CMOS reset, power on the device and verify it displays video and boots correctly
• If the system boots correctly, this indicates CMOS reset was required to resolve the issue

If there is still no video

• Follow the DRAM troubleshooting instructions above
• After DRAM troubleshooting, power on the device and verify it displays video and boots correctly
• If the system boots correctly, this indicates replacing faulty DRAM was required to resolve the issue

If there is still no video

• Remove the mSATA and verify the system boots up to the BIOS menu
• If the system boots correctly, this indicates faulty mSATA that should be replaced

If there is still no video, contact Protectli support at: [email protected]

Boot directly to BIOS           

If the device boots and goes directly to BIOS

• Verify that mSATA is properly installed per the instructions above

If mSATA is properly in place,

• Follow the CMOS reset instructions above
• After CMOS reset, power on the device and verify it displays video and boots correctly.
• If the system boots correctly, this indicates CMOS reset was required to resolve the issue.

If the system still boots directly to BIOS

• Follow the mSATA troubleshooting instructions above.
• If the system boots correctly, this indicates faulty mSATA that should be replaced.

If the system still boots directly to BIOS, contact Protectli support at: [email protected]

No Operating System (OS) found

If the device boots and the following message or similar is displayed on the screen:

“Reboot and Select proper Boot device or Insert boot Media in selected Boot device and press a key”

it means that the device has booted correctly, recognized the mSATA as a bootable device, and there is no OS installed on the mSATA.

Protectli does not install a default OS onto the Vault so this is expected initial behavior.

Install an OS onto the Vault. There are instructions for many of the most popular open source firewalls, routers, network applications, Linux and Windows software packages on the Protectli Knowledge Base at this link.

• Verify the installation completes successfully.

USB Stick not recognized

If you have a USB stick that is not recognized by the Vault (i.e. you cannot get the Vault to boot to the USB stick in order to install an operating system or run a memtest), then try moving the USB stick to the bottom USB port.  Further, if a USB hub is available, try using the hub to see if the USB stick begins working.  If this still does not work, then verify the USB stick was created properly per instructions at this link to create a bootable USB drive.

OS Installation Issues

Problems installing an OS are typically related to the specific OS image and/or the method used to create the installation image.

Specific instructions for many popular OS can be found on the Protectli Knowledge Base page at this link.

• Verify that AMD 64 bit image type is selected, if image type selection is required, depending on the OS.
• Verify that a VGA or COM/Serial port image is selected, if required, depending on the OS.
• Follow the instructions on the Protectli Knowledge Base page at this link to create a bootable USB drive.

Can’t install OS via COM/Serial port

If an OS cannot be installed via the COM port:

• Verify the COM port session has been configured correctly. See this link
• Verify the image used for OS installation supports the COM port. Some OS installations require a specific image to use the COM port.

If the COM port session has been configured correctly and the correct image is used for OS installation and there are still issues, follow the instructions above for “No Video”.

Vault Crashes or Reboots            

If the Vault “crashes” or performs erratically during boot up, installation, or while in service,

• Follow the mSATA troubleshooting instructions above.
• If issues continue, follow the DRAM troubleshooting instructions above
• If issues continue, follow the CMOS reset instructions above
• If issues continue, it may be due to a corrupt OS. If possible with the OS, save the configuration file. Reinstall the OS.
• If issues continue, it is most likely a software OS problem. Common issues are typically posted to the support sites or forums for the specific OS.

Here are some of the support sites for the most common OS:

• https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php
• https://forums.freebsd.org
• https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/itpro/windows/support
• https://ubuntuforums.org
• https://forum.vyos.io
• https://forums.untangle.com
• https://community.sophos.com
• https://communities.vmware.com/welcome

No Network Connectivity

If an OS is installed and appears to operate correctly, but there is no network connectivity for one or more Ethernet ports, follow these instructions:

For all Ethernet ports:

• Verify the Ethernet cable is properly connected between the Vault and a switch/router.
• Verify the Green connectivity LED for the port is constantly illuminated.
• Verify the Yellow activity LED is blinking

WAN port:

The default IP address on the WAN port for almost all OS is to get an IP address from a DHCP server.

• Verify the connected switch/router/network is configured as a DHCP server to provide an IP address to the Vault.
• Verify the OS that is installed recognizes a proper IP address on the WAN port.
• An address of 169.254.10.1 or 169.254.XX.YY indicates that the IP address was generated automatically by the Vault because it was unable to get an IP address from a DHCP server.

LAN port:

Depending on the OS, the LAN port may get a default static IP address. As an example, pfSense® CE sets a static IP address to 192.168.2.1 and enables it as a DHCP server. FreeBSD automatically names the LAN port “em1” and sets a static IP address to 192.168.2.1 and enables it as a DHCP server.

• Verify the OS that is installed recognizes a proper IP address on the LAN port.

OPT1-OPT3 ports:

Depending on the OS, the OPT ports are typically not configured as a default. Sometimes they can be configured during installation, but not always.

• Verify the OS that is installed recognizes the OPT ports.
• Verify the OS can configure the OPT ports for the proper IP configuration, static, DHCP, IPv4/IPv6, etc.

For all Ethernet ports, verify there are proper firewall rules in place to allow and or deny the desired traffic through the specified port.

More details for configuration of various OS that are compatible with the Vault can be found on the Protectli Knowledge Base page at this link.

Vault seems to be hot

Depending on the load and system activity, the external temperature of the Vault will vary. The Vault uses Intel devices that can monitor the temperature of the CPU, other components and the system. Many OS have the ability to display the temperature data in the dashboard or via other utilities. If running pfSense we have an article here which covers temperatures and a table showing max safe temps.

If the Vault seems hot,

• Verify the temperature via the OS dashboard or other utility. CPU core temperatures in the 60’s C are not unusual for heavy load.
• For the FW1, FW2, FW4A series, verify that the ventilation slots on the side of the unit are not blocked.
• Verify adequate ventilation around the Vault
• Verify the ambient temperature where the Vault is installed. Operating temperature is from 0 C to 50 C.

We expect that this troubleshooting guide has the information to resolve most common issues that occur with the Vault. However, if there are still unresolved issues, feel free to reach out to us at [email protected], or find more information in our Knowledge Base.

The Vault can be used for many different applications including Windows, general Linux Distributions, Firewalls, Network Management Applications, and other uses. The common requirement for all of these applications is that the operating system must be installed on the Vault.  The Vault is like any other computer, in that you can use a monitor and keyboard, along with an installation USB to install an operating system. This article will explain how to create a bootable USB drive for software installation.

For creating a bootable USB with Windows, Protectli recommends a tool called Rufus. The home page for Rufus is https://rufus.ie/.  The Windows system requirements are listed on the Rufus homepage.  For creating a bootable USB with a Mac, Protectli recommends Etcher (https://etcher.io/).  please see below.  Note that before the USB drive can be created, the desired installation image for the application should have been previously downloaded to the computer and, if necessary, uncompressed.  Examples are below.

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