What Triggers Recovery Mode?

Recovery mode is entered when a firewall fails to complete the boot process. This can happen for various reasons, but the most common cause is a simple power failure. When power is restored, the firewall attempts to boot automatically. However, if this process is interrupted—such as by a power cut during startup—the next boot will enter safe mode.

Exiting Safe Mode

Once the firewall boots into safe mode, there are a few methods to exit it:

1. Reboot via CLI
The simplest option is to run the CLI command:
shutdown –reboot
This command can be issued remotely if SSH or InControl is configured and accessible. The firewall will then attempt a normal boot.

2. Check Console Output
If the reboot doesn’t resolve the issue, connect a console cable and observe the console output during the boot process. This will help identify why the boot fails. If safe mode still starts but an issue is detected, you can either correct it directly or open a support ticket and include the console output for assistance.

When Safe Mode Fails to Boot

In some cases, the firewall may not boot even into safe mode—commonly due to insufficient memory. In this case:

1. Use the Console Boot Menu
While connected via a console cable, you can access the boot menu during startup. From there, you can choose to force a normal boot, bypassing safe mode entirely.
This is often effective for memory-related issues, as safe mode has limited access to system memory.

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