How to start up VSX 12400 with an new HDD -> "Appliance is initializing please wait"

[SchwarzeLanze]

Hi, I'm new here and I try to get more information about the hardware i bought. The Story, I got before a view days two checkpoint VSX 12400 firewalls from the Public services ministry near my home (20€ each). One has an HDD with a system on it, the other one doesn't. Now I bought a new SAS [3 TB SAS] for the Firewall with came without storage, I slid it in, turned it on and I get "Appliance is initializing please wait" but nothing is happening, any ideas?. First of all, I want to read out what type of hardware is in there, what I saw to this moment, both have more than 64GB Ram.

-Note The other VSX ist booting up fine. 

Thanks a lot, best regards. 

SchwarzeLanze

[SchwarzeLanze]

Thanks allot for those who answered to the unfinished post before, (I thought it would be possible to edit them later).

Bob_Zimmerman: "Check Point's "appliances" are really just x86 servers with weird PCIe slots and no video. You should be able to boot them from a USB drive, though you will be limited to OSs which can work over a serial console. You might be able to use GUI-based OSs with the LOM's KVMS functionality, but it's pretty flakey in my experience.

To reinstall Check Point's software on them, you will need three things: an ISO image for the version you want to use, a USB drive, and a tool called ISOmorphic to set up the USB drive from the image. Once you have imaged the drive, be careful with what you plug it into. There is an option in ISOmorphic to set the drive to automatically overwrite the OS on a system which boots from the drive."

- Yes I saw. The plan before was, to use one as a Gaming Server and the other for "open projects" because both have a ridiculous amount of Ram, may the Public services ministry became a custom version...? In the meantime, I plug in the other SAS from the working system, and it could boot up. So I think it could be work when I just mirror the working SAS to the new one? Otherwise, I will follow your recommendation. 

[Maarten_Sjouw]

Start by downloading a ISO with the version you want to install, then also download isomorphic and use the latter to create a bootable USB stick.

The stick needs to be 4GB at least. 

[SchwarzeLanze]

Thanks, I found although the manual so it should work 

[SchwarzeLanze]

_Val_:"Are you sure that is Check Point? AFAIK, we have never had 2400 appliances."

- Sorry my fault, I mean 12400

[G_W_Albrecht]

Looks like you need a support contract ! Did the former customer push the appliances into your UserCenter Account ? There will be Support available until Jun-2022, but HW is from Oct-2011 though...

[SchwarzeLanze]

Good point, this is what I actually tried, I called the checkpoint support which was very kindly. They would do that, but first I need to contact the IT-department from the Ministry. 

[_Val_]

12400 for 20 Euro is a good bargain, but what about software subscription and licenses? You will need those to run the boxes.

[SchwarzeLanze]

Software and licenses are going to solve when I get in touch with the Ministry. The usher which was responsible for the handing over could not tell me anything.

[G_W_Albrecht]

Usually you will pay 20$ when giving the obsolete HW to get recycled ! It is more than 10 years old...

[SchwarzeLanze]

Sure they are old :D, a german authority, must use their hardware to the limit as they can, but for my use case, it is enough.