# Installing FreeBSD 11.xx/12.xx - Atkbd0 GIANT LOCKED



## freebsduser1234 (Aug 14, 2019)

Hi
I use a Mini-PC with a Intel Celeron J1900 Quad Core CPU. This PC has 4 NICS (none are connected), 2 USB Ports (1 Keyboard, 1 Usb Stick with ISO) and VGA.

I tried all versions of FreeBSD (11 and 12). All versions stop loading at boot with the message:
atkbd0 : [GIANT LOCKED]

I tried using different keyboards, no keyboard, different USB sticks. Nothing works.
When installing any other linux which is not BSD based, it works perfectly fine.
Also, the installed USB sticks are perfectly valid and boot on my Intel Core i7 machine.

I also tried derivates, in this case pfsense, opnsense, ... it is definetely a question for the FreeBSD kernel.

Can someone assist? Im on this since a week without any solution.
Is it possible that some component on the mainboard is causing this issue?


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## badbrain (Aug 14, 2019)

freebsduser1234 said:


> Hi
> I use a Mini-PC with a Intel Celeron J1900 Quad Core CPU. This PC has 4 NICS (none are connected), 2 USB Ports (1 Keyboard, 1 Usb Stick with ISO) and VGA.
> 
> I tried all versions of FreeBSD (11 and 12). All versions stop loading at boot with the message:
> ...


Linux is unrelated to BSD, so Linux based on BSD doesn't exist, except you want to mention Debian GNU/kFreeBSD, which I think already deprecated.
I also see this [GIANT LOCKED] on VirtualBox but the boot process just continue and brings me to the login prompt. So I don't think it's about the keyboard at all.


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## SirDice (Aug 14, 2019)

blackdog said:


> So I don't think it's about the keyboard at all.


It isn't. It's just the last thing that was correctly loaded. So the keyboard is not the problem here.






						Giant lock - Wikipedia
					






					en.wikipedia.org


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## SirDice (Aug 14, 2019)

freebsduser1234 said:


> I also tried derivates, in this case pfsense, opnsense, ... it is definetely a question for the FreeBSD kernel.


Look at their kernel outputs when it boots, what is detected _after_ atkbd0?


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## freebsduser1234 (Aug 15, 2019)

after atkbd0 the terminal does not show any more information and hangs. same for freebsd opnsense and pfsense.
is there a way i can access some more logs stored somewhere?


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## Phishfry (Aug 15, 2019)

This sounds around the time that a serial console would kick in.
Make sure you have no settings for serial console in /boot/loader.conf
Try disabling any BIOS settings for serial console.
Maybe unplug your keyboard and see if it boots up.

Is this one of those little Qotum boxes?





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## freebsduser1234 (Aug 15, 2019)

How can i mount the bootable USB Stick in Ubuntu so i can access /boot/loader.conf?
Or can i do this in the EFI Shell?

No its unfortunatelly a non-brand-mini-pc.


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## userxbw (Aug 15, 2019)

I had to get into loader.conf once a little bit back, I just used my usb stick that I used to install this, then when it got to that one spot during the boot process of that stick, I selected shell when it showed the options, now having a root shell, I just used vi to get to loader.conf, edited what I needed to, saved it, then rebooted, and was allowed to boot in to the (my) system again.

Hope that helps.
I read back again and seen this is for VBox.... I don't think that is going to work.


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## SirDice (Aug 15, 2019)

Looking at a couple of different machines, the next step is psm(4), then uart(4). I also get a couple of apic(4) messages thrown in. 

With regards to psm(4) check your BIOS for USB/PS2 compatibility settings. 
For uart(4) maybe turn off the serial interfaces in the BIOS. Definitely make sure none of them are used to redirect the console (some BIOS's have that option). 

Also check your SATA configuration, you can often switch between IDE, AHCI or RAID. Make sure it's set to AHCI.


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## olli@ (Aug 15, 2019)

freebsduser1234 said:


> after atkbd0 the terminal does not show any more information and hangs. same for freebsd opnsense and pfsense.
> is there a way i can access some more logs stored somewhere?


Did you try booting in verbose mode? That's an option that can be selected in the boot menu, before the kernel starts. In verbose mode, the kernel prints a lot more information during the boot process. Maybe this will give you more output after the “atkbd0” line.


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## badbrain (Aug 15, 2019)

freebsduser1234 said:


> How can i mount the bootable USB Stick in Ubuntu so i can access /boot/loader.conf?
> Or can i do this in the EFI Shell?
> 
> No its unfortunatelly a non-brand-mini-pc.


You could try this guide.


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## pgauret (Aug 19, 2019)

At boot loader prompt, choose to configure boot options (or similar wording) and try:
`unset hint.uart.1.at
boot`

If this works, you can permanently comment the 
	
	



```
hint.uart.1.at="isa"
```
 entry in /boot/device.hints


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## quicktrick (Jan 13, 2020)

pgauret said:


> At boot loader prompt, choose to configure boot options (or similar wording) and try:
> unset hint.uart.1.at
> boot


Man, you've saved my life. I had the same problem with my mini PC. And I was able to successfully install 12.1 using your trick. Thank a lot!


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## Elliott32224 (Mar 30, 2020)

pgauret said:


> At boot loader prompt, choose to configure boot options (or similar wording) and try:
> `unset hint.uart.1.at
> boot`
> 
> ...


I am a noobie here. The "unset" command worked for me with this issue of locking up on boot. However, I need help as to how to make this permanent.
Do I edit a file called "device.hints" and if so, how do I do this? I have looked for this file and so far cannot find it. Thanks in advance. Elliott


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## Phishfry (Mar 30, 2020)

Yes this is simple. You can use easy edit (ee) to edit the file.
`ee /boot/device.hints`

Then edit line #22 if using FreeBSD 12.1
Just add a pound sign at the beginning of line 22.
#hint.uart.1.at="isa"


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## Elliott32224 (Mar 31, 2020)

Thanks for your response. So, that's what I figured to use "ee." However, my FreeBSD is installed by pfSense and it appears that "ee" is not there.  Elliott


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## Crivens (Mar 31, 2020)

pfSense? Maybe you should ask there why ee is absent? And maybe read the sign up mail?


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## Valombre (Jul 1, 2020)

freebsduser1234 said:


> Hi
> I use a Mini-PC with a Intel Celeron J1900 Quad Core CPU. This PC has 4 NICS (none are connected), 2 USB Ports (1 Keyboard, 1 Usb Stick with ISO) and VGA.
> 
> I tried all versions of FreeBSD (11 and 12). All versions stop loading at boot with the message:
> ...



Hello, I dig out this thread as I have the same mini ITX PC and I decided to re-install a new version of pfsense:  pfSense-CE-memstick-2.4.5-RELEASE-p1-amd64.
I found a workaround as I had the same issue.
I noticed that after quit BIOS (save and reset) boot was possible, then I changed the boot options  : setup prompt timeout at 10, quiet boot and fast boot at disabled and now boot after shutdown or cold boot is working.

Some images to illustrate the stuck and the workaround.

Hope after a year it will help you for this hardware


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