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fazi47
fazi47
New Member
February 26, 2026
Question

FortiGate directly boots into SMC mode and restart every 5 minutes

  • February 26, 2026
  • 3 replies
  • 198 views

Hi,
Hoping you all are doing great today. I want to share as well as get expert thoughts on an issue i am facing. I have a ForitGate 401E, which is out of support btw, is booting directly into SMC mode. It is getting manual LAN ip and is pingable from my laptop. And the firewall is rebooting itself nearly after every 5 minutes (possibly a bootloop). There is no option of TFTP in the SMC mode. And the logs that i have been able to fetch are as follow:

comlog print

--- COMLOG ENABLED: 2026-02-27 02:05:30 ---

--- COMLOG SYSTEM BOOT: 2026-02-27 02:07:43 ---
FortiGate-401E (22:10-08.16.2019)
Ver:05000013
Serial number:FG4H1ETBXXXXXXX
RAM activation
CPU(00:000906ea bfebfbff): MP initialization
CPU(02:000906ea bfebfbff): MP initialization
CPU(04:000906ea bfebfbff): MP initialization
CPU(06:000906ea bfebfbff): MP initialization
CPU(08:000906ea bfebfbff): MP initialization
CPU(0a:000906ea bfebfbff): MP initialization
Total RAM: 8176MB
Enabling cache...Done.
Scanning PCI bus...Done.
Allocating PCI resources...Done.
Enabling PCI resources...Done.
Zeroing IRQ settings...Done.
Verifying PIRQ tables...Done.
Boot up, boot device capacity: 15272MB.
Press any key to display configuration menu...
.............................

Reading boot image 3137421 bytes.
Initializing firewall...
System is starting...
Starting system maintenance...
Scanning /dev/sda1... (100%)
Scanning /dev/sda3... (100%)
The config file may contain errors.
Please see details by the command 'diagnose debug config-error-log read'.

Gateway-FW-Secondary login:

Also find the attached screenshot of initial boot information on console port.

WhatsApp Image 2026-02-26 at 12.28.53.jpeg
If anyone has ever encountered this please share your experience.

Thanks,
Faizan

3 replies

Jean-Philippe_P
Staff & Editor
Jean-Philippe_P
Staff & Editor
March 2, 2026

Hello fazi47, 

 

Thank you for using the Community Forum. I will seek to get you an answer or help. We will reply to this thread with an update as soon as possible. 

Jean-Philippe - Fortinet Community Team
Jean-Philippe_P
Staff & Editor
Jean-Philippe_P
Staff & Editor
March 3, 2026

Hello,

 

We are still looking for an answer to your question.

 

We will come back to you ASAP.

Jean-Philippe - Fortinet Community Team
Jean-Philippe_P
Staff & Editor
Jean-Philippe_P
Staff & Editor
March 4, 2026

Hello Faizan,

 

I found this answer, can you tell us if it helps, please?

 

Issue Summary

You are experiencing a boot loop issue with a FortiGate 401E, which is out of support. The device is booting into SMC mode, is pingable, and reboots approximately every 5 minutes. The logs indicate potential configuration errors.

 

Possible Causes

  1. Configuration Errors: The log mentions that the configuration file may contain errors. This could be causing the boot loop.
  2. Firmware Corruption: If the firmware is corrupted, it might lead to boot issues.
  3. Hardware Issues: Although less likely, hardware issues could also cause such behavior.

 

Suggested Steps for Resolution

  1. Check Configuration Errors:

    • Use the command diagnose debug config-error-log read to identify specific configuration errors.
    • Correct any errors found in the configuration file.

  2. Attempt Recovery via Secondary Partition:

  3. Firmware Reinstallation:

    • If the above steps do not resolve the issue, consider reinstalling the firmware using a TFTP server. However, you mentioned that TFTP is not available in SMC mode, so this might require additional support or a different approach.

  4. Contact Support: Since the device is out of support, you may need to consider alternative support options or consult with a Fortinet partner for further assistance.

 

Follow-ups and Clarification Questions

  • Have you tried accessing the BIOS menu to boot from the backup firmware?
  • Are there any specific error messages when you attempt to boot normally?
  • Do you have a backup of the configuration that you can restore after resolving the boot issue?
  • Have you attempted to contact a Fortinet partner for support, given that the device is out of official support?
Jean-Philippe - Fortinet Community Team
fazi47
fazi47Author
New Member
March 4, 2026

Hi Jean,

We are Partners ourselves, we have tried multiple approaches but nothing worked out for us.
Main issue is that FortiGate boots directly into Bootloader, not giving an option to switch to normal boot. Also tried breaking the boot sequence but nothing worked. That's why i posted it here in hopes of maybe someone faced this issue and got it working again. But now i think chances are low.

Thanks,
Faizan

Jean-Philippe_P
Staff & Editor
Jean-Philippe_P
Staff & Editor
March 4, 2026

Troubleshooting Steps for FortiGate Boot Issues

Given the situation where your FortiGate 401E is booting directly into the bootloader and not providing an option to switch to a normal boot, here are some steps and considerations that might help:

 

1. Console Access

Ensure you are directly connected to the FortiGate console port using a console cable. Avoid using any console servers that might interfere with the boot process.

 

2. BIOS Access

  • When the device is booting, look for the prompt: Press any key to display configuration menu...
  • If you can access the BIOS menu, try selecting the option [B]: Boot with backup firmware and set as default. This might allow you to boot from the secondary partition if it is intact.

 

3. Configuration Errors Since the logs indicate potential configuration errors, use the command diagnose debug config-error-log read to identify and resolve any configuration issues.

 

4. Firmware Reinstallation: If the device is stuck in the bootloader and you cannot access the normal boot options, you might need to reinstall the firmware. This typically requires TFTP, but since TFTP is not available in SMC mode, consider the following:

  • Contact Fortinet Support: Even though the device is out of support, Fortinet or a Fortinet partner might provide guidance or a one-time support option.
  • Use a Fortinet Partner: As a partner, you might have access to additional resources or tools that can assist in recovering the device.

 

5. Hardware Check: Ensure there are no hardware issues such as faulty RAM or storage. If possible, test with known good components.

 

Follow-ups and Clarification Question

  • Have you tried accessing the BIOS menu directly during the boot process? This might provide additional recovery options.
  • Is there any indication of hardware failure, such as error messages or unusual behavior during boot? This could point to a specific issue.
  • Do you have a backup of the configuration that can be restored after resolving the boot issue? This can help in quickly restoring the device to a working state.

 

If these steps do not resolve the issue, it might be necessary to consider hardware replacement or further professional support.

Jean-Philippe - Fortinet Community Team
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