Install Debian distribution to on-board FLASH

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Re: Install Debian distribution to on-board FLASH

The Debian Lenny is available at http://www.glomationinc.com/Download/debian-lenny-arm-base.tgz

September 28, 2009, 05:47:31 AM

#16

faumarz

faumarz

Super Hero
Posts: 17

Re: Install Debian distribution to on-board FLASH

Tried the lenny package, but with similar results.

Note: the USB pen must be formatted EXT2 or EXT3 otherwise the GESBC-9260S does not "mount /dev/sda1 /mnt"; maybe I could try the -t mount option with FAT instead of using an EXT2 formatted USB-pen: could be this the problem?

- Uncompressing the lenny archive on the GESBC-9260S gives an error:
[...lot of uncompressed files...]
var/cache/apt/archives/ncurses-bin_5.7+20081213-1_arm.deb
var/cache/apt/archives/libc6_2.7-18_arm.deb
tar: Invalid tar magic

- Rebooting the card hangs on loading rsyslogd and gives error messages for modules.dep

I attach a text file with the linux boot log.

What I do wrong?... I've used the 2.6.25 kernel options (it seems that the kernel in ramdisk.gz is 2.6.25); do I have to use other kernel or options?
Here below the command sequence I used (starting from bootloader):

set ipaddr 192.168.2.127
set serverip 192.168.2.150
t 0x21800000 ramdisk.gz
...image load...
set bootargs console=ttyS0,115200 root=/dev/ram rw initrd=0x21800000,8M rootfstype=ext2 mtdparts=at91_nand:1M(bootloader),3M(kernel),-(rootfs)
nand read 0x21000000 0x100000 0x200000; bootm 0x21000000
...linux boot...
mount /dev/sda1 /mnt
mount -t jffs2 /dev/mtdblock2 /tmp
cd /tmp
tar zvxf /mnt/user/debian-lenny-arm-base.tgz
...lot of untar...
tar: Invalid tar magic
cd \
umount /mnt
umount /tmp
reboot
...linux boot...
hangs on rsyslogd (see attached file).

Thank you,

Fausto

debian-lenny.log (6.06 KB - downloaded 66 times.)

September 29, 2009, 02:57:21 PM

#17

admin

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Posts: 342

Re: Install Debian distribution to on-board FLASH

The tar file should be fine. Not sure why the untar would fail. Try to untar the file to the USB drive on a desktop and copy the files from USB to FLASH, cp -ar <source dir> <mounted flash>

October 03, 2009, 01:59:26 PM

#18

faumarz

faumarz

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Posts: 17

Re: Install Debian distribution to on-board FLASH

SOLVED.

The problem is not in the tar error messages: I don't know why I get them but it's not this the cause of the hang in the boot procedure.
To be more precise, the boot procedure does not really hangs!

It's the output console in the /etc/inittab of the debian package that is wrong.
The default /etc/inittab try to open 5 or 6 consoles on tty, but no one on the serial port ttyS0... so the result is that the system "seems" to hang at the rsyslogd load.
But it's only that you have no way to reach it with the debug serial port.

If you set the correct line in inittab:
T0:23:respawn:/sbin/getty -L ttyS0 115200 vt100

then all works correctly; you will see a few boot messages like this:
modprobe: FATAL: Could not load /lib/modules/2.6.25/modules.dep: No such file or directory

but I think this is normal: the preinstalled kernel does not have any external module nor has the debian-lenny base setup.

Well, now I don't want to see the word "Newbie" any more below my nickname here at the left side! ;-)

By the way, I wrote a little howto on how to install the Debian base distribution on an USB drive and boot from it in the GESBC-9260S board: do you think I could post it here?

October 05, 2009, 02:33:44 PM

#19

admin

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Re: Install Debian distribution to on-board FLASH

You are welcome to post howtos.

The ranking is done by the forum software. It is just an indication of number of posts. It has nothing to do with one's knowledge. We will change the name.

October 06, 2009, 02:00:23 AM

#20

faumarz

faumarz

Quote from: admin on October 05, 2009, 02:33:44 PM

Super Hero
Posts: 17

Re: Install Debian distribution to on-board FLASH

You are welcome to post howtos.

The ranking is done by the forum software. It is just an indication of number of posts. It has nothing to do with one's knowledge. We will change the name.

;-)
Ok, thanks! Just a joke, anyway...
Well, yesterday I tried installing in the internal JFFS2 flash my debian-base USB-drive root fs copying the files from USB to FLASH, cp -ar <source dir> <mounted flash>, as you suggested, but it doesn't work: there are a lot of cp errors ("can't delete file...") and the resulting root fs hangs when the kernel tries to start init.
I will try today to untar your debian-lenny-base archive into the JFFS2 and modify the inittab before re-booting.
Then I will add these infos to my "howto" and post it.

October 06, 2009, 07:36:41 AM

#21

admin

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Re: Install Debian distribution to on-board FLASH

Its possible that the file system in FLASH is corrupted to a point that you might need to wipe it clean. Try to erase the entire partition either at U-boot command line or from a USB/RAM disk booted Linux.

U-boot:

nand erase 0x400000 0x7c00000

Linux RAM disk boot:

eraseall /dev/mtd2

Linux USB Debian boot:

flash_eraseall /dev/mtd2

October 06, 2009, 10:03:15 AM

#22

faumarz

faumarz

Quote from: admin on October 06, 2009, 07:36:41 AM

Super Hero
Posts: 17

Re: Install Debian distribution to on-board FLASH

Its possible that the file system in FLASH is corrupted to a point that you might need to wipe it clean. Try to erase the entire partition either at U-boot command line or from a USB/RAM disk booted Linux.

U-boot:
nand erase 0x400000 0x7c00000

Linux RAM disk boot:
eraseall /dev/mtd2

Linux USB Debian boot:
flash_eraseall /dev/mtd2

Linux USB Debian boot does not work:
flash_eraseall /dev/mtd2
flash_eraseall: command not found

Tried from U-boot:
----------------------------------------------------------------
U-Boot> nand erase 0x400000 0x7c00000

NAND erase: device 0 offset 0x400000, size 0x7c00000
Skipping bad block at 0x015a0000
Skipping bad block at 0x05200000
Skipping bad block at 0x05920000
Erasing at 0x7fe0000 -- 100% complete.
OK
----------------------------------------------------------------

It seems that the flash has "bad blocks". What does it mean?
Can I use it anyway?
After this erase, I copied with success all my debian-usb root fs into the JFFS2 internal flash, and it works.

October 07, 2009, 01:59:42 AM

#23

faumarz

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Re: Install Debian distribution to on-board FLASH

Here is (attached to this message, ZIP file) my howto on how to install the Debian base distribution on an USB drive and boot it in the GESBC-9260S board, and then (eventually) install all in the internal JFFS2 flash.

Have fun.

GESBC-9260S_debian_usb.zip (3.05 KB - downloaded 294 times.)

March 23, 2010, 02:29:04 PM

#24

frankz

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Posts: 8

Re: Install Debian distribution to on-board FLASH

I followed your how-to in 9G20 board and it hangs... not sure about reason. And I think I jprobably won't try this path because I am more interested in etch(smaller).

Quote from: faumarz on October 07, 2009, 01:59:42 AM

Here is (attached to this message, ZIP file) my howto on how to install the Debian base distribution on an USB drive and boot it in the GESBC-9260S board, and then (eventually) install all in the internal JFFS2 flash.

Have fun.

April 23, 2010, 06:19:10 AM

#25

juan

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Re: Install Debian distribution to on-board FLASH

hi everyone,
i've been working with 2.6.30 kernel and 9260rootfs.img fs, but i need to install a ftp on it, and i haven't been able to do it, so i tried installing debian etch instead of that emdebian. But i've found some problems doing it. When i finish doing the process, i restart the board and when it is loading appears this forever:

mmcblk0: unknown partition table
Bad inittab entry at line 5
Bad inittab entry at line 39
Bad inittab entry at line 40
Bad inittab entry at line 41
can't open /dev/si: No such file or directory
can't open /dev/~~: No such file or directory
can't open /dev/l0: No such file or directory
can't open /dev/l1: No such file or directory
can't open /dev/l2: No such file or directory
can't open /dev/l3: No such file or directory
can't open /dev/l4: No such file or directory
can't open /dev/l5: No such file or directory
can't open /dev/l6: No such file or directory
can't open /dev/z6: No such file or directory
can't open /dev/T0: No such file or directory
can't open /dev/z6: No such file or directory
can't open /dev/T0: No such file or directory

Am i writing in an incorrect position?
Do i Have to erase something before installing the new FS? in that case when do i have to do it?

To give more details, when i tar the debian file, it finish saying something like "it is nos able to erase old ..., because it is a directory", and when i do:
mount -t jffs2 /dev/mtdblock2 /tmp
appears twolines saying two adresses which are ampty.

Any idea?

I would really thanks it
It's a pleasure from Spain
Than you!

April 23, 2010, 09:00:03 AM

#26

admin

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