Changing the Boot Order in SBL

Users can change the SBL boot order in either a temporary way for a single boot or persistently.

Changing these settings requires local console access and downtime while making changes.

Temporary Boot Order Override

SBL has a boot manager which can temporarily override the boot device for a single boot. For example, to boot from a USB drive when installing or reinstalling pfSense® Plus software:

  • Connect to the serial console.

  • Reboot the device.

  • Wait for the boot prompt to appear.

  • Press F7 to enter the boot manager menu.

    ../_images/netgate-4200-boot-menu-sbl.png

    SBL Boot Manager Menu

  • Use the up/down arrow keys to highlight a device in the boot manager menu.

  • Press the Enter key to boot from the selected device.

Tip

The Boot Manager is also available from within the firmware configuration. To reach it that way, press either the F2 or Down arrow key at the prompt then select Boot Manager.

Persistent Boot Order Change

Changing the boot order in the SBL firmware settings is relatively straightforward but requires rebooting the device and accessing the firmware configuration. The device will be offline during this time, so these actions must be performed from a local serial console either directly connected to a client system or by other means of out-of-band access.

To alter the boot order in this way, take the steps in the following sections.

Access the SBL Boot Maintenance Manager

  • Connect to the serial console.

  • Reboot the device.

  • Wait for the firmware prompt to appear.

    ../_images/netgate-4200-fw-prompt-sbl.png

    SBL Firmware Prompt

  • Press either the F2 or Down arrow key to enter the firmware configuration.

  • Use the up/down arrow keys to select the Boot Maintenance Manager then press Enter.

    ../_images/netgate-4200-boot-maintenance-sbl.png

    SBL Boot Maintenance Manager

  • Select Boot Options then press Enter.

Make pfSense® Plus software boot first

  • Select Change Boot Order then press Enter.

    ../_images/netgate-4200-boot-order-change-sbl.png

    SBL Change Boot Order

  • Select Change the order and press Enter.

  • Use the arrow keys to select the entry in the list corresponding to the disk containing pfSense® Plus software.

    Note

    The eMMC disk is likely named Generic Ultra Fast Media but can vary depending on hardware. If the device contains an M.2 NVMe SSD, the SSD should be moved to the first position in the list.

    ../_images/netgate-4200-boot-order-change-device-sbl.png

    Boot Order Device List

  • Use the + key to move the selected entry up in the list until it reaches the top.

  • Repeat selecting entries and moving them if any other changes to the order are necessary.

  • Press Enter to finish setting the positions.

Disable Redundant/Unnecessary Entries

The Boot Options screen can also add or remove boot entries. For example, if the device contains an M.2 NVMe SSD, it should not boot using the eMMC disk, so the eMMC disk option can be removed.

Alternately, unwanted devices can be moved to the bottom of the boot order so they are unlikely to be used as long as other options are possible.

Save and Exit the SBL Configuration

SBL displays a notice at the bottom of the screen when there are unsaved changes pending:

../_images/netgate-4200-fw-changes-pending.png

SBL Configuration Changed Notice

To save these changes:

  • Press the F10 key.

    ../_images/netgate-4200-boot-order-change-confirm-sbl.png

    Confirm Saving Boot Order Changes

  • Press the y key to confirm.

This will save any pending changes, such as alterations to the boot order.

From this point, the device can be rebooted. Either by pressing the Esc key to exit the firmware configuration or by power cycling the device.