Differences

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--- pfsense:restore_from_backup [2020/05/13 21:08] – created peter
+++ pfsense:restore_from_backup [2022/03/03 10:08] (current) – [Add the Backup file to the USB] peter
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 ====== PFSense - Restore from Backup ======
-Download the OS image of pfSense
+===== Download pfSense image =====
+Go to https://www.pfsense.org/download/ and select the **USB Memstick Installer**.
+{{:pfsense:pfsense_image_download_-_amd64_-_usb_-_vga.png?800|}}
+<WRAP info>
+**NOTE:**  The options here are what I use.
+  * Architecture:  **AMD64 (64-bit)**.  As I use an AMD or Intel device as the router.
+  * Installer:  **USB Memstick Installer**.  As I will install from a USB.
+  * Console:  **VGA**.  As I will plug a Keyboard and Monitor into the router; and will not be setting this up via a Serial cable.
+Choose different options as required.
+</WRAP>
+----
+===== Burn the pfSense image on to a USB drive =====
+<code bash>
+sudo dd if=pfSense-CE-memstick-2.4.5-RELEASE-amd64.img of=/dev/sdb
+</code>
+<WRAP alert>
+**ALERT**:  Make sure that **if=** specifies the exact location of the downloaded file and **of=** specifies your USB device.
+If you make a mistake here, you might overwrite your hard drive!
+There are many ways to check which device is connected to the USB including:
+<code>
+dmesg
+</code>
+returns:
+<code bash>
+...
+[411849.265872] usb 3-2: new high-speed USB device number 6 using xhci_hcd
+[411849.418209] usb 3-2: New USB device found, idVendor=048d, idProduct=1234
+[411849.418210] usb 3-2: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
+[411849.418211] usb 3-2: Product: Disk 2.0
+[411849.418212] usb 3-2: Manufacturer: USB
+[411849.418212] usb 3-2: SerialNumber: 2146711134684684
+[411849.418481] usb-storage 3-2:1.0: USB Mass Storage device detected
+[411849.418603] scsi host12: usb-storage 3-2:1.0
+[411850.422697] scsi 12:0:0:0: Direct-Access     VendorCo ProductCode      2.00 PQ: 0 ANSI: 4
+[411850.422989] sd 12:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg1 type 0
+[411850.423703] sd 12:0:0:0: [sdb] 3891200 512-byte logical blocks: (1.99 GB/1.86 GiB)
+[411850.423817] sd 12:0:0:0: [sdb] Write Protect is off
+[411850.423819] sd 12:0:0:0: [sdb] Mode Sense: 03 00 00 00
+[411850.423936] sd 12:0:0:0: [sdb] No Caching mode page found
+[411850.423941] sd 12:0:0:0: [sdb] Assuming drive cache: write through
+[411850.426796]  sdb: sdb1 sdb2 sdb3
+                 sdb2: <bsd: sdb5 >
+[411850.427528] sd 12:0:0:0: [sdb] Attached SCSI removable disk
+</code>
+In this example, the device is shown as **sdb**.
+</WRAP>
+If you are using Windows, use Rufus: https://rufus.akeo.ie/.
+----
+===== Add the Backup file to the USB =====
+pfSense can automatically restore the configuration from the XML backup file.
+After writing the installer image to the USB drive, you might see a partition named FATRECOV.  If you do see this partition (as in the ARM-based image), place the backup file in the root of that drive and call it config.xml.
+Otherwise, copy the backup file, named config.xml onto another USB drive, in the root directory.
+<WRAP todo>
+**TODO:** Check if this works: To Restore the config.
+To have the pfSense installer apply the config automatically at the end of the installation, place the config file under **/conf/config.xml** on the install USB.
+</WRAP>
+<WRAP info>
+**NOTE:** An alternative to booting up from USB is to connect using a Console Cable.
+See: [[PFSense:Install pfSense:Installation of pfSense:Connect using a Console Cable|Connect using a Console Cable]]
+</WRAP>
+----
+===== Boot from the USB =====
+Connect USB drive.
+Start the router device.
+{{:pfsense:pfsense_-_boot.png?800|}}
+----
+===== Restore =====
+Choose **Recover config.xml** when the option appears.
+Pick the existing installation drive (e.g. ada0), the selection list shows the disk name, size, and filesystem type which is typically enough to identify the disk.
+Proceed through the installation as usual.
+----
+===== References =====
+https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/backup/automatically-restore-during-install.html#recover-config-xml