====== PFSense - Restore from Backup ======

===== 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