'Cannot open root device "mtdblock2"' when flashing from USB.

[Pandemonium]

Has anyone successfully flashed their device from USB?

I follow the v1.2 instructions in their documentation.  I download and verify all the files from Marvell, and flash u-boot-rd88f6281Sheevaplug_400db_nand.bin from a tftp server.  I then follow all their instructions, but when it comes to the final reboot into the supposedly working system, it ends with:
---
Root-NFS: No NFS server available, giving up.
VFS: Unable to mount root fs via NFS, trying floppy.
VFS: Cannot open root device "mtdblock2" or unknown-block(2,0)
Please append a correct "root=" boot option; here are the available partitions:
1f00       3072 mtdblock0 (driver?)
1f01     520192 mtdblock1 (driver?)
Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(2,0)
---

I tried switching root=/dev/mtdblock1 just for kicks, even though I know that's not right.  Of course it doesn't work.

Anyway, I've reflashed it now about six times, redownloaded the files, reformatted my flash drive, and tried all kinds of variations on their instructions.

Any clues?

[plugcomp]

Is it failing while booting from USB or after you have written the images to the NAND flash when the boot from USB was successful?
Can you provide the logs so that it will be easy to debug?

Also, can you check the foloowing:
loadaddr (should be 0x2000000)
mtd1Size (should be 0x300000)
filesize

[plugcomp]

Use the following command in the uboot after the images have been written to the NAND:

Marvell>> setenv bootargs 'console=ttyS0,115200 mtdparts=nand_mtd:0x100000@0x00000(u-boot),0x300000@0x100000(uImage)ro,0x1fc00000@0x400000(rootfs)rw root=/dev/mtdblock2'

[Pandemonium]

Thanks for the reply.

It is failing after I have written everything, and am trying to boot from the internal NAND.  I flashed using loadaddr 0x2000000, mtd1Size 0x300000, and filesize 0x44ad000.  All those arguments I got straight from the documentation (USB Flash Recovery from U-Boot-Rev1.2.pdf).  Are there different values I should try?

I just tried booting with the bootargs you suggest (which I believe are the same as in the documentation).  Still nothing.

I went through the entire process again (except for re-upgrading u-boot) and saved a log of it, which you can download here:
http://djpandemonium.com/sheevaflash.txt

[plugcomp]

Please try the bootargs command I gave you in my previous reply. The command in the document is missng the parameter - 0x100000@0x000000(u-boot). I think the document will be updated shortly.

Thanks.

[Pandemonium]

Ah, you're right.  The documentation is missing that argument.

When I use the bootargs you posted I am now able to mount the file system, but then I get a kernel panic due to a missing init.
---
VFS: Mounted root (jffs2 filesystem).
Freeing init memory: 124K
scsi 0:0:0:0: Direct-Access     I-Stick2 IntelligentStick 0.00 PQ: 0 ANSI: 2
Warning: unable to open an initial console.
Kernel panic - not syncing: No init found.  Try passing init= option to kernel.
---

Any ideas?

[plugcomp]

Can you send me the print dump in the uboot. This is how you can get it:

Marvell>> print

Thanks.

[Pandemonium]

Yep.

Code:

Marvell>> print
baudrate=115200
loads_echo=0
ipaddr=10.4.50.165
serverip=10.4.50.5
rootpath=/mnt/ARM_FS/
netmask=255.255.255.0
CASset=min
MALLOC_len=1
ethprime=egiga0
bootargs_root=root=/dev/nfs rw
bootargs_end=:::DB88FXX81:eth0:none
image_name=uImage
standalone=fsload 0x2000000 $(image_name);setenv bootargs $(console) root=/dev/mtdblock0 rw ip=$(ipaddr):$(serverip)$(bootargs_end) $(mvPhoneConfig); bootm 0x2000000;
ethaddr=00:50:43:d6:13:26
ethmtu=1500
mvPhoneConfig=mv_phone_config=dev0:fxs,dev1:fxs
mvNetConfig=mv_net_config=(00:11:88:0f:62:81,0:1:2:3),mtu=1500
usb0Mode=host
yuk_ethaddr=00:00:00:EE:51:82
nandEcc=1bit
netretry=no
rcvrip=169.254.100.100
autoload=no
ethact=egiga0
loadaddr=0x2000000
mtd1Size=0x300000
filesize=0x44ad000
bootcmd=nand read.e 0x800000 0x100000 0x300000; bootm 0x800000
bootargs=console=ttyS0,115200 mtdparts=nand_mtd:0x100000@0x00000(u-boot),0x300000@0x100000(uImage)ro,0x1fc00000@0x400000(rootfs)rw root=/dev/mtdblock2
stdin=serial
stdout=serial
stderr=serial
console=console=ttyS0,115200 mtdparts=nand_mtd:0x100000@0(uboot)ro,0x300000@0x100000(uImage),0x1fc00000@0x400000(rootfs)rw
mainlineLinux=no
enaMonExt=no
enaCpuStream=no
enaWrAllo=no
pexMode=RC
disL2Cache=no
setL2CacheWT=yes
disL2Prefetch=yes
enaICPref=yes
enaDCPref=yes
sata_dma_mode=yes
netbsd_en=no
vxworks_en=no
bootdelay=3
disaMvPnp=no
enaAutoRecovery=yes

Environment size: 1341/131068 bytes
Marvell>>

[Pandemonium]

Well, it seems that there's something wrong with either the image I'm flashing, or perhaps the NAND memory in my device.  If I boot onto the USB flash drive and then try to mount the root filesystem, look at what I find:

Code:

-sh-3.2# mount -t jffs2 /dev/mtdblock2 /mnt
-sh-3.2# JFFS2 notice: (310) check_node_data: wrong data CRC in data node at 0x00069000: read 0xc5585480, calculated 0xa78a6243.
JFFS2 warning: (310) jffs2_do_read_inode_internal: Truncating ino #22 to 30236 bytes failed because it only had 16384 bytes to start with!
cd /mnt
-sh-3.2# find
.
./bin
./bin/bash
./bin/bzcat
./bin/bunzip2
./dev
./etc
./lib
./mnt
./opt
./srv
./tmp
./sys
./var
./usr
./boot
./home
./proc
./sbin
./root
./media
./selinux

Woops.

It seems like there's a lot missing there.  I'm going to play around with it some more and see if I can figure out why.

[Pandemonium]

There is something really wrong.

I reformatted my USB drive to ext3, and redownloaded both the filesystem and USB recovery zips from the Marvell site before unzipping them to the USB drive.  I verified that file sizes of the images were appropriate before unmounting the device.  I then followed the USB recovery documentation for reflashing.  After flashing mtd1 and mtd2, I mounted mtd2 at /mnt and took a look at it.  There's not much in there.  Most of the root directory structure is there, and there are a few binaries in /bin, but other than that it's completely empty.

You can view a log of what's going on here:
http://djpandemonium.com/sheevaflash2.txt
As far as I can tell, there's something really wrong with either the flashing process or the NAND memory in the device.

Why is it not flashing successfully?  Does it have to do with the bad eraseblocks?

[plugcomp]

I tried exactly the same method as yours except I did not mount the jffs2 filesystem to /mnt after writing to NAND.

It worked for me. Can you try the same? I will also try playing with it a few times to confirm it works successfully.

You are already taking care of bad blocks by assigning more space in mtdblock2 than the size of the filesystem.

[Pandemonium]

I've reflashed it now 11 times.  I only mounted the filesystem that last time just to take a peek and make sure the filesystem was all there.  I've done it at least five or six times identical to that time, except without mounting it.  Still nothing.

Frankly, I'm out of ideas.  The only other thing I can think to try is flashing it from NFS, though I have my doubts about whether that will turn out any differently.  I can't think why it would.  I went the USB method because I thought it would be easier and take less time.

Out of curiosity, had you used your plug at all before you flashed it?  What does your u-boot print dump look like?

[bfmorgan]

I would say the we need a 'virgin' printenv from uboot. This would a great reference to return to after the #*@^ hits the fan.

Anybody have an 'out of the box' printenv they can share?

[Pandemonium]

I can.  I have access to a second plug, still in the box.

Here's a virgin printenv from it on its second boot:

Code:

Marvell>> printenv
baudrate=115200
loads_echo=0
ipaddr=10.4.50.165
serverip=10.4.50.5
rootpath=/mnt/ARM_FS/
netmask=255.255.255.0
console=console=ttyS0,115200 mtdparts=nand_mtd:0xc0000@0(uboot)ro,0x1ff00000@0x100000(root)
CASset=min
MALLOC_len=1
ethprime=egiga0
bootargs_root=root=/dev/nfs rw
bootargs_end=:::DB88FXX81:eth0:none
image_name=uImage
standalone=fsload 0x2000000 $(image_name);setenv bootargs $(console) root=/dev/mtdblock0 rw ip=$(ipaddr):$(serverip)$(bootargs_end) $(mvPhoneConfig); bootm 0x2000000;
ethmtu=1500
mvPhoneConfig=mv_phone_config=dev0:fxs,dev1:fxs
mvNetConfig=mv_net_config=(00:11:88:0f:62:81,0:1:2:3),mtu=1500
usb0Mode=host
yuk_ethaddr=00:00:00:EE:51:81
nandEcc=1bit
netretry=no
rcvrip=169.254.100.100
loadaddr=0x02000000
autoload=no
ethact=egiga0
ethaddr=00:50:43:01:C3:C2
run_diag=no
bootargs=console=ttyS0,115200 mtdparts=nand_mtd:0x400000@0x100000(uImage),0x1fb00000@0x500000(rootfs) rw root=/dev/mtdblock1 rw ip=10.4.50.4:10.4.50.5:10.4.50.5:255.255.255.0:DB88FXX81:eth0:none
bootcmd=nand read.e 0x800000 0x100000 0x400000; bootm 0x800000
stdin=serial
stdout=serial
stderr=serial
mainlineLinux=no
enaMonExt=no
enaCpuStream=no
enaWrAllo=no
pexMode=RC
disL2Cache=no
setL2CacheWT=yes
disL2Prefetch=yes
enaICPref=yes
enaDCPref=yes
sata_dma_mode=yes
netbsd_en=no
vxworks_en=no
bootdelay=3
disaMvPnp=no
enaAutoRecovery=yes

Environment size: 1330/131068 bytes
Marvell>>

[Pandemonium]

Oh, and to save you the time bfmorgan, don't bother trying to just drop in the virgin bootcmd and/or bootargs.  Tried it, and it locks up after booting the kernel.

To me, it seems like the problem is not in u-boot, but in the root filesystem.  When I boot from the USB drive images I should be able to mount mtd2 and see all the files just fine.  Instead, I'm getting a CRC error, and all I can see are the empty root directories with three executables in /bin.  Missing critical files would cause the init kernel panic that we're seeing, wouldn't it?  If what I'm seeing is correct when I mount mtd2, then we're missing critical files and a whole lot more.