I don't remember, it was too long ago 
Checked the boot order ?
You could try what @erizan did in Now 250€, EU eBay new Dell Edge 680 16 core C3958, 32GB RAM 240GB SSD 6x1GbE 2xSFP+ - #15 by erizan, might work for the thumb drive too.
I have no idea what this option does.
Excellent! Disabling CSM did the job! Thank you!
Is CSM like an alias for UEFI secure boot? So I can now install OS without UEFI option? Or I didn't get it?
I really have no idea 
so it is confirmed then ! Disabling CSM does work ! I was not sure myself, but this is the second case working. Now lets wait for @frollic when he gets his unit
@trendy I would update the bios first to get rid of the watchdog, after that it becomes a normal x86 box. You can enable ( although I think it’ll enable itself upon reboot) CSM and repurpose it for your needs
I'll triple confirm once my own unit (currently delayed by one day) arrives, and update my old 620/640/680 thread.
No, there is no relation to secure boot. Your system doesn't have a BIOS, but a UEFI firmware (all modern systems from the last ~decade+ do), but in order to non-UEFI capable bootloaders and Operating Systems (e.g. DOS) many UEFI firmwares allow to enable a BIOS personality to the bootloader/ OS. This BIOS compatibility mode is called "legacy CSM", it fakes legacy BIOS calls on top of the running UEFI.
EDIT: Normally one would use modern systems in UEFI mode (if possible) and disable the "legacy CSM"; secure boot is orthogonal to this question (except that there can't be secure boot active while "legacy CSM" is enabled). Very recent mainboards may not even offer the option to enable the "legacy CSM" (but disabling secure boot should still be possible).
The steps I took to have it up and running, in case someone else needs it.
Enter BIOS, advanced Disable CSM, fix boot order
Boot from DiagOS: https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-us/drivers/driversdetails?driverid=dmg5j
Install DiagOS on MMC, SSD, or some other USB stick.
Installer will fail so follow instructions -> https://forums.servethehome.com/index.php?threads/dell-vep-vmware-edge-velo-cloud-sd-wan-veracloud-vep1400-vep1400-x-firewall-units.39392/page-12#post-421676
login root:calvin
Disable watchdog: i2cset -y 1 0x22 0 0 b
Boot into DiagOS.
Copy bios update: https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-us/drivers/driversdetails?driverid=dftr4
run the update: vep1400x_ufw_2.5
Multiple reboots until it is done.
Enter bios with password "service tag" with ! at the end.
again disable CSM, fix boot order to boot from usb and install the OS.
As the device has no graphics, you always need to enable console output. If it is not enabled in grub, you need to edit the grub options by appending: console=ttyS0,115200n8
How loud are the fans of your unit ? Mine keep spinning constantly on half max speed
They are quite loud. I don't remember their speed and unfortunately they don't seem to be detectable by lm-sensors.
I am anyway planning to install the box in a rack I have in a pantry, but I'm afraid it will still be audible to the other rooms.
A few possible solutions are:
Any other ideas are very welcome!
yeah, it's kind of stupid they didn't add a bigger, low RPM fan, instead of the two small 40mm:s ....
I have ordered two small fan controllers from Ali. I’ll hook them between the board and the two fans. The noise of these things is annoying.
Maybe somebody writes a daemon or a script for this in the future so that we can run
I managed to get one of those NL 680, cheap enough to take some risks... I tore it apart to take pictures, but didn't have enough courage to desolder the shields covering some parts.
My BIOS (UEFI) fimware looks like this:
BIOS Boot Selector for VEP1400-X
Version 3.50.0.9-12
POST Configuration
CPU Signature 506F1
CPU FamilyID=6, Model=5F, SteppingId=1, Processor=0
Microcode Revision 2E
Platform ID: 0x0
PMG_CST_CFG_CTL: 0x37
Misc EN: 0x840089
Gen PM ConA: 0xA0800200
Therm Status: 0x8000000
POST Control=0xEA000303, Status=0xE6008700
BIOS initializations...
My BIOS version is 3.50.0.9-12, yet I see that everyone is flashing a previous version.
Also, when disabling watchdog on i2c bus 1, address 0x22 with "0 0 b", do we know where do we get those parameters?
ic2 buses and addresses are hardware coded or may vary from OS to OS?
I'm getting this...
vc-edge:~# i2cdetect -l
i2c-3 i2c igb BB I2C adapter
i2c-1 smbus SMBus iSMT adapter at 777ff54000 SMBus adapter
i2c-4 i2c igb BB I2C adapter
i2c-2 i2c igb BB I2C adapter
i2c-0 smbus SMBus I801 adapter at e000 SMBus adapter
i2c-5 i2c igb BB I2C adapter
vc-edge:~# i2cdetect -y 1
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 a b c d e f
00: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
10: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- UU -- -- -- --
20: UU 21 22 -- 24 25 26 27 28 29 2a -- -- 2d -- --
30: -- UU -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
40: 40 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- UU -- -- -- -- --
50: 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
60: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
70: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
vc-edge:~# i2cdump -y 1 0x22
No size specified (using byte-data access)
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 a b c d e f 0123456789abcdef
00: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
10: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
20: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
30: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
40: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
50: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
60: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
70: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
80: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
90: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
a0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
b0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
c0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
d0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
e0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
f0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
Apparently there is no data in that address, yet watchdog is still active. Watchdog is not active, probably because I'm in the approved OS.
EDIT:
I don't really know if watchdog config goes into the chip from the different OSes, or how does it get defined to reboot or not.
Does your BIOS have the watchdog enabled ?
Hi there,
from what I know, not every box comes with an active watchdog, mostly they do.
You'll notice the state of watchdog when you try to boot something on it. When active, the box will automatically reboot every 5 minutes or so.
So if the box does not reboot, you're good to go, otherwise just boot into Dell Diag OS and flash the latest bios ( 3.50.0.9.20)
Yes, if I enter the BIOS, it reboots after 5 minutes.
Then at least you know why you need to flash it.
BusyBox v1.30.1 () built-in shell (ash)
Enter 'help' for a list of built-in commands.
_ __ __ ________ __
| | / /__ / /___ / ____/ /___ __ ______/ /
| | / / _ \/ / __ \/ / / / __ \/ / / / __ /
| |/ / __/ / /_/ / /___/ / /_/ / /_/ / /_/ /
|___/\___/_/\____/\____/_/\____/\__,_/\__,_/
VeloCloud Inc.
------------------------------------------------
vc-edge:~# i2cset -y 1 0x22 0 0 b
vc-edge:~#
Done. Let's see in 5 minutes if it reboots...
EDIT:
It rebooted
Has anyone tried to do something from UEFI console?
Aptio Setup Utility - Copyright (C) 2020 American Megatrends, Inc.
Main Advanced IntelRCSetup Event Logs Security Boot Save & Exit
/----------------------------------------------------+-------------------------\
| Save Options |Exit system setup after |
| Save Changes and Exit |saving the changes. |
| Discard Changes and Exit | |
| | |
| Save Changes and Reset | |
| Discard Changes and Reset | |
| | |
| Save Changes | |
| Discard Changes | |
| |-------------------------|
| Default Options |><: Select Screen |
| Restore Defaults |^v: Select Item |
| Save as User Defaults |Enter: Select |
| Restore User Defaults |+/-: Change Opt. |
| |F1: General Help |
| Boot Override |F2: Previous Values |
| MMC - AJTD4R |F3: Optimized Defaults |
| UEFI: Built-in EFI Shell |F4: Save & Exit |
| |ESC: Exit |
\----------------------------------------------------+-------------------------/
Version 2.19.1266. Copyright (C) 2020 American Megatrends, Inc.
If I go into BIOS and Boot Override - UEFI: Built-in EFI Shell, it does not reboot.
Disable CSM setting in bios first ! Look at @trendy steps a couple of post above. He did a bios update too today.
@frollic has a nice write up too
Dell does not provide that BIOS in the support web page. The latest I'm able to find is 3.48.0.9-22. Anyone has a link for that version?