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    Also on a related note if anyone buys a no name Micro PC you may be sadly left out for a fix to this terrible Intel bug: https://arstechnica.com/information-...vice-firmware/

    Using the Intel tool I was able to confirm the majority of the PC's on site are not impacted or will have a firmware fix in the near future. Some of the third party no name brands I'm not holding my breath. So people should take the required steps to ensure the appliances are well isolated and sand boxed from the Internet.

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      Thank you Teken.

      Been still doing baby steps here and now with the holidays here it slowed down to a slow crawl.

      Went to a store this past week to do a purchase which is the first time I have done this in a few years. It's been all internet with my fingers doing the walking.

      On the PFSense router side I am still OK running a lower energy wise mITX mother board using a pico PSU (borrowed technology from my auto PCs). It is not though 7 watts.

      I do not pay attention to it other than doing updates. It sits away from the living part of the home and maybe looked at once every couple of weeks.

      The search continues as it is easy to do.
      - Pete

      Auto mator
      Homeseer 3 Pro - 3.0.0.548 (Linux) - Ubuntu 18.04/W7e 64 bit Intel Haswell CPU 16Gb
      Homeseer Zee2 (Lite) - 3.0.0.548 (Linux) - Ubuntu 18.04/W7e - CherryTrail x5-Z8350 BeeLink 4Gb BT3 Pro
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      HS4 Pro - V4.1.18.1 - Ubuntu 22.04 / Lenova Tiny M900 / 32Gb Ram
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        Originally posted by Teken View Post
        Also on a related note if anyone buys a no name Micro PC you may be sadly left out for a fix to this terrible Intel bug: https://arstechnica.com/information-...vice-firmware/



        Using the Intel tool I was able to confirm the majority of the PC's on site are not impacted or will have a firmware fix in the near future. Some of the third party no name brands I'm not holding my breath. So people should take the required steps to ensure the appliances are well isolated and sand boxed from the Internet.


        Good post @Tekken;1334976,

        This bug hit most Intel 6th gen through 8th gen systems. The problem with it is that it requires a BIOS f/w update to fix.


        Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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          Originally posted by Kerat View Post
          Good post @Tekken;1334976,

          This bug hit most Intel 6th gen through 8th gen systems. The problem with it is that it requires a BIOS f/w update to fix.


          Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
          Correct, also for real world use case the Intel bug isn't something most people should be worried about in the *Big Picture*. It doesn't negate the fact it still needs to be plugged but for the average person there is a higher likelihood of getting struck by a drunk driver while crossing the street.

          Than to be hit by some random hacker who picks you out of billions of computers in the world.

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            I've been using pfSense on a Qotom mini PC and it is working well.

            However, one thing that I have had problems with is changing the BIOS so that it auto boots up after a power fail. I've been into the BIOS several times and have changed and saved the setting. But still doesn't do it automatically. It reverts.

            Anyone else had this problem and possibly solved it? I'm pretty sure it is specific to the Qotom PC rather than pfSense.

            Robert

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              Originally posted by logbuilder View Post
              I've been using pfSense on a Qotom mini PC and it is working well.

              However, one thing that I have had problems with is changing the BIOS so that it auto boots up after a power fail. I've been into the BIOS several times and have changed and saved the setting. But still doesn't do it automatically. It reverts.

              Anyone else had this problem and possibly solved it? I'm pretty sure it is specific to the Qotom PC rather than pfSense.

              Robert
              Can provide what American Megatrend BIOS firmware is in place? One of my box's indicates 5.6.5 released on Friday July 2017.

              Which has no issues auto booting from a loss of power restore.

              Comment


                Originally posted by logbuilder View Post
                I've been using pfSense on a Qotom mini PC and it is working well.



                However, one thing that I have had problems with is changing the BIOS so that it auto boots up after a power fail. I've been into the BIOS several times and have changed and saved the setting. But still doesn't do it automatically. It reverts.



                Anyone else had this problem and possibly solved it? I'm pretty sure it is specific to the Qotom PC rather than pfSense.



                Robert


                Is your CMOS battery dead?


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                  Just finished checking again. It was set to Power Off. Changed it to Power On, saved and rebooted. Cut power, restored power. It stayed off. Tried one more time being very careful to go slowly and look closely. Changed one more time and it seems to have stuck. Tested it a couple of times and it did boot on power restoration.

                  I think the problem may be operator error. The last time, I was very careful and saved on the page where the option is. Before I was just using the save and exit on the top horizontal menu. Might have been the problem although it is debatable it should have been fine. For now, I'll take the blame.

                  @Kerat, regarding the cmos battery, do they still use batteries in PCs? If so, on the Qotom where would it be? A guess is I would have to remove the heatsink case to get to it? Does it recharge itself?

                  @Teken, bios is 5.6.5 Rel Date Sept 19, 2016. Are there mechanisms in place to update that bios level? How do you know there are updates available and if the are security related? Where do you get new bios images? This is the only box that directly connects to the internet so I want to make sure if there are bios updates available that have anything to do with security that I load them.

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                    Yes they use a lithium coin cell which is single use.


                    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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                      Any idea on how frequently we should change them?

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                        Should last a few years I would think.


                        Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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                          You can remove the battery and check it with a voltage meter. A good battery will be around 3.0V DC. A failing battery will be way below that.

                          A save to settings of the cold power boot should stick if present in the BIOS settings.

                          Confirm this by setting it and just doing a reboot and going back to the BIOS - DEL key.

                          A battery with low voltage or no voltage will illicit a bios boot prompt on a cold boot.

                          Here went looking at the Qotom site and forum. While the folks are mentioning that there is no update to the 2016 BIOS someone on the forum posted a link to an update for a specific model.

                          What specific model of Qotom motherboard do you have Robert?

                          Here is a link (from PFSense forum) for some drivers which are zipped that may include a BIOS upgrade.

                          When I go to dl.qotom.net I get a blocking from Firefox message "The site ahead may contain harmful programs"
                          Last edited by Pete; December 28, 2017, 07:59 AM.
                          - Pete

                          Auto mator
                          Homeseer 3 Pro - 3.0.0.548 (Linux) - Ubuntu 18.04/W7e 64 bit Intel Haswell CPU 16Gb
                          Homeseer Zee2 (Lite) - 3.0.0.548 (Linux) - Ubuntu 18.04/W7e - CherryTrail x5-Z8350 BeeLink 4Gb BT3 Pro
                          HS4 Lite - Ubuntu 22.04 / Lenovo Tiny M900 / 32Gb Ram

                          HS4 Pro - V4.1.18.1 - Ubuntu 22.04 / Lenova Tiny M900 / 32Gb Ram
                          HSTouch on Intel tabletop tablets (Jogglers) - Asus AIO - Windows 11

                          X10, UPB, Zigbee, ZWave and Wifi MQTT automation-Tasmota-Espurna. OmniPro 2, Russound zoned audio, Alexa, Cheaper RFID, W800 and Home Assistant

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                            Pete,
                            Please drop me from the list, I ended up grabbing something on my own.
                            Thanks for the effort.

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                              @Ken...done...

                              Still sort of working on this.

                              Meanwhile updating my current PFSense mITX based PC.
                              - Pete

                              Auto mator
                              Homeseer 3 Pro - 3.0.0.548 (Linux) - Ubuntu 18.04/W7e 64 bit Intel Haswell CPU 16Gb
                              Homeseer Zee2 (Lite) - 3.0.0.548 (Linux) - Ubuntu 18.04/W7e - CherryTrail x5-Z8350 BeeLink 4Gb BT3 Pro
                              HS4 Lite - Ubuntu 22.04 / Lenovo Tiny M900 / 32Gb Ram

                              HS4 Pro - V4.1.18.1 - Ubuntu 22.04 / Lenova Tiny M900 / 32Gb Ram
                              HSTouch on Intel tabletop tablets (Jogglers) - Asus AIO - Windows 11

                              X10, UPB, Zigbee, ZWave and Wifi MQTT automation-Tasmota-Espurna. OmniPro 2, Russound zoned audio, Alexa, Cheaper RFID, W800 and Home Assistant

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                                Pete,

                                With UniFi equipment, I decided to go with the USG. So, please take me off the list. Thanks for everything.
                                Michael

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