Does Angstrom work on Guruplug? How can I install it?

[doragasu]

I have used Angstrom distribution some time ago in the BeagleBoard, and I would like to test it on my new GuruPlug. I have compiled the distro using OpenEmbedded, but now I don't know how to install it (on an SD Card or USB device if possible). On the BeagleBoard, it was pretty easy, these are the steps I followed:
1.- Create a FAT partition and an EXT3 partition on the SD Card. The FAT partition must be bootable.
2.- Copy the kernel (and if needed uBoot and uImage) to the FAT partition.
3.- Copy the root filesystem to the EXT3 partition.
4.- Configure U-Boot to boot from SD.

The problem I have is U-Boot seems unable to boot from SD (I miss mmc commands), so I don't know if this is possible (maybe using other commands or updating U-Boot to a newer version). Is it possible to boot from SD? Is it possible to boot from USB device or eSata device? How?

Also I don't know if GuruPlug is compatible with Angstrom. I know SheevaPlug is, so I suppose GuruPlug should also be, but I'm not sure. Anyone using Angstrom on a GuruPlug?

Also, is there detailed info about the boot proccess of GuruPlug?

[doragasu]

This is my progress:

I built a sheevaplug Angstrom image, put the rootfs in the SD card and configured uBoot to boot from it. It booted and worked! But the kernel still was the factory one (inside internal Flash) so I decided to replace it with the Angstrom one. I flashed it and it stopped booting. It hanged after "Uncompressing Linux... done, booting the kernel.".

Then I decided to restore the original kernel, so I downloaded it from http://openplug.org/index.php/us/resources/downloads?func=fileinfo&id=66
Then I flashed it, but it still refuses to boot! Why can't I get it to boot? The process to flash the kernel I have followed is this:

1. Start TFTP server with the kernel image in /tftpboot/uImage
2. Configure IP dirs in U-Boot.
3. tftp 0x6400000 uImage
4. nand write.e 0x6400000 0x100000 0x400000

Is anything wrong? Am I missing a step?

[rooster]

Did you set the uboot environment mainlineLinux/archNumber?
AFAIK plugs come with Marvell LSP based Kernel, to work with mainline you must enable Mainline support in uboot

[doragasu]

Hi rooster, thanks for help.

I tried enabling mainline

Code:

setenv mainlineLinux yes
setenv arcNumber 2097
saveenv

But it doesn't help

Also tried with "setenv arcNumber 2659" but it also fails. Is any of these numbers correct for GuruPlug Server+?

I suppose I'm missing an additional step.

[doragasu]

I got it to boot again the debian kernel by reflashing U-Boot. But I'm still out of luck trying to boot the Angstrom kernel. The Angstrom kernel is compiled for sheevaplug, maybe this is the reason for it refusing to boot. Are sheevaplug kernels supposed to be compatible with guruplug?

[doragasu]

I have followed the instructions here and I can compile a kernel, but no matter what I try, the kernel NEVER BOOTS. I set mainlineLinux but it doesn't help.

Nobody got this problem?

[big_ignoramus]

Are you still having trouble? I wanted to try putting Angstrom Linux on my plug too (and maybe try Poky Linux after that) and have started a Virtual Machine to host OpenEmbedded in order to build it. So I have some interest in your problem.

One other question: did you upgrade your u-boot or are you running the factory installed one? It is well-known in the forums (and has been noted in the Wiki) that the factory installed one won't boot a custom kernel (unless you change some numbers).

[doragasu]

I have finally solved the problem. I had upgraded U-Boot, but it didn't work until I upgraded again with flip-flip's version. I configured it to boot from MMC and now I have angstrom working flawlessly. And for my purposes it works a lot better than Debian.

[big_ignoramus]

Great! I'm glad to hear that you got up and running.

[soxs060389]

Can you please post zour uboot environment setup, I`d like to to give it a shoot. Didyou use the sheeva kernel provided by Angstroem, factory Debian or a vanilla custom build? How do you boot it, is the kernel on mmc or on internal flash, is sysinit in use? A lot of queestions, but this would really help me a lot.
Regards.

[swaery]

Well, I too got it worked when I updated the U-Boot with the latest version of flip-flip! Now my Angstrom works pretty well with Guru Plug. Anyway, I think it would be really helpful for me the next time I run up into similar issues if you could post your setup of the u boot environment!