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16  Linux Stuff / General Linux questions / Re: How to backup an SD-card that contains a Root File System? on: August 09, 2009, 04:42:57 AM
I tar the root fs every now and then (using cron) to an external location. If the SD card dies for example, I can easily recover by getting a new SD card, formatting in a similar way, and untar the backup on the new SD card.

Code:
tar cf /media/usbdrive/rootfs_backup.tar --exclude=/media --exclude=/lost+found --exclude=/proc --exclude=/dev --exclude=/sys /
17  General Category / General Discussion / Re: Windows Putty hangs when using vi on: August 05, 2009, 06:18:51 AM
Or try vim instead of vi. I sometimes have issues with keystrokes not being interpreted right by vi, while vim is fine. If it's not installed yet, do apt-get install vim.
18  Linux Stuff / General Linux questions / Re: A few problems on: July 24, 2009, 01:04:57 AM
I used a vm of Debian 5.0 running in Windows XP to connect to the serial of the plug. Works, no problems. Just make sure the VM has the focus when you insert the usb cable, vmware will then allow the vm to use the usb.
19  Linux Stuff / Kernel / Re: Kernel upgrade to fix SDHC performance issues on: July 23, 2009, 01:18:24 AM
Congrats with the plug, I got mine last monday Smiley

My situation is a bit different from yours, but I'd be interested in the answer also.

I'm running Debian on an SD card (followed http://www.cyrius.com/debian/kirkwood/sheevaplug/), and the kernel and initrd are both on the SD card and booted using an upgraded uboot. First thing I did after getting the plug was running the alpha 6 installer, and after that the Debian install guide. Now I can easily switch kernels by using the standard debian proces. No SD performance problems here. (I do have big problems when I attach a usb hub between the plug port and external hard drive, but I'm working on that Wink )

Anyway, I'm also wondering how to install the "cbxbiker61" kernels. For example, it delivers a uImage, but in my Debian install a kernel is always accompanied by its own initrd (or, after uboot gzip, uInitrd), no idea yet how to generate that, unless there's an easy way to 'gunzip' the uImage.
20  General Category / General Discussion / Re: Received yours yet? on: July 20, 2009, 01:40:53 PM
Ordered may 26th, shipped july 17th, arrived july 20th. Worth the wait!
21  Linux Stuff / Linux distributions / Re: Debian running on the plug on: July 20, 2009, 01:04:22 PM
Excellent, thanks a lot! Got Debian up and running on an SD card in no time!

I did a apt-get dist-upgrade, the last few lines:
Code:
Setting up mdadm (2.6.7.2-3) ...
Installing new version of config file /etc/init.d/mdadm-raid ...
Installing new version of config file /etc/init.d/mdadm ...
Generating array device nodes... done.
update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated)
Starting MD monitoring service: mdadm --monitor.
Assembling MD arrays...done (no arrays found in config file or automatically).
Processing triggers for initramfs-tools ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.29-2-kirkwood
W: mdadm: /etc/mdadm/mdadm.conf defines no arrays.
W: mdadm: no arrays defined in configuration file.
Generating kernel u-boot image... done.
Creating backup of /boot/uImage
Creating new /boot/uImage.
Generating initrd u-boot image... done.
Creating backup of /boot/uInitrd.
Creating new /boot/uInitrd.

Around the 'update-initramfs' errors started spawning on the serial output:

Code:
[  153.550000] uncorrectable error : <3>end_request: I/O error, dev mtdblock1, sector 8064
[  153.560000] Buffer I/O error on device mtdblock1, logical block 1008
[  153.570000] uncorrectable error : <3>end_request: I/O error, dev mtdblock1, sector 8064
[  153.570000] Buffer I/O error on device mtdblock1, logical block 1008
[  153.580000] uncorrectable error : <3>end_request: I/O error, dev mtdblock1, sector 8176
[  153.590000] Buffer I/O error on device mtdblock1, logical block 1022
[  153.600000] uncorrectable error : <3>end_request: I/O error, dev mtdblock1, sector 8176
[  153.600000] Buffer I/O error on device mtdblock1, logical block 1022
[  153.620000] uncorrectable error : <3>uncorrectable error : <3>end_request: I/O error, dev mtdblock0, sector 0
[  153.620000] Buffer I/O error on device mtdblock0, logical block 0
[  153.630000] uncorrectable error : <3>uncorrectable error : <3>end_request: I/O error, dev mtdblock0, sector 0
[  153.640000] Buffer I/O error on device mtdblock0, logical block 0

I actually expected that apt-get would not update the kernel (this being such a custom install), but it actually does?? How is this done, I am curious, is it configuration of the 'update-initramfs' command that makes this whole automatic process work?

And what about the errors? Same errors come when executing 'update-initramfs -u'

Joost
22  General Category / General Discussion / Re: Sheevaplug installer - alpha-6 release - Testers needed on: July 19, 2009, 06:02:50 AM
From 'uboot-custom.txt':
Code:
# NAND flash partitions. If using kernel >= 2.6.30 then replace orion_nand with orion_mtd
mtdpartitions mtdparts=orion_nand:0x400000@0x100000(uImage),0x1fb00000@0x500000(rootfs)

Doesn't the installer come with kernel 2.6.30? Then why does it use 'orion_nand' instead of 'orion_mtd' as the comments suggest?
23  General Category / General Discussion / Re: Sheevaplug installer - alpha-6 release - Testers needed on: July 19, 2009, 05:13:04 AM
Quote from: Rabeeh Khoury on July 19, 2009, 04:30:45 AM
Yes. And you need to untar the rootfs.tar.gz on the SD card with the relevant modules.tar.gz


Couldn't the installer take care of this, just like when installing to NAND (when no manual untarring is necessary)?

I'm getting the impression that 'installation onto SD' actually means: just doing a regular install to NAND, and afterwards insert an SD card with a bootable filesystem, and reconfiguring uboot to boot onto SD.

Joost
24  General Category / General Discussion / Re: Sheevaplug installer - alpha-6 release - Testers needed on: July 19, 2009, 04:09:42 AM
Quote from: Rabeeh Khoury on June 04, 2009, 10:21:39 PM
For booting from SD you need to modify bootargs_root from the NAND thing (UBIFS etc...) to much more simpler -

Code:
bootargs_root root=/dev/mmcblk0p1

Which means boot from first partition (p1).

Note that you must make sure that the root filesystem type in the command (ubifs) is removed.



So, if I want to install to and boot from SD instead of NAND. I only have to change 'uboot_custom.txt':

Code:
bootargs_root ubi.mtd=1 root=ubi0:rootfs rootfstype=ubifs
into

Code:
bootargs_root root=/dev/mmcblk0p1
Is this correct? Any pre-formatting of the SD needed?

And can I incorporate the newest kernel (http://sheeva.with-linux.com/sheeva/index.php?dir=2.6.30.1) by just replacing 'uImage' and 'modules.tar.gz' in the 'installer' dir?

Joost
25  General Category / General Discussion / Re: Received yours yet? on: July 15, 2009, 11:47:37 PM
Quote from: mgillespie on July 15, 2009, 10:42:14 AM
Ordered 10 days after you, no sign of anything yet.   Did they email you shipping confirmation?   I can't even get a email response from them...
No email, I check the account page regularly and it now says that it shipped on July 14th. No FedEx tracking number yet (still pending...)

Joost
26  General Category / General Discussion / Re: Received yours yet? on: July 15, 2009, 12:15:54 AM
OMG! It's on its way! Ordered may 26th, shipped july 14th.
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