Debian on a Pogoplug Pro (the easy way with ALARM kernel)

Re: Debian on a Pogoplug Pro (the easy way with ALARM kernel)

WarheadsSE — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 10:20:32 -0400

This method should work, but pay attention to the uImage.pci vs uImage.nopci.

Also, there is a recently updated kernel & updater package.

Re: Debian on a Pogoplug Pro (the easy way with ALARM kernel)

rynax — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 01:36:51 -0400

Does this work on the Pogoplug V3 non Pro one?

Re: Debian on a Pogoplug Pro (the easy way with ALARM kernel)

sylbal — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 05:29:24 -0400

Hi there,

I finally went with the existing method mentioned in my previous post and this **seems** to work.

My PogoPlug b04 boots and rund under debain but apparently it crash after some time up. The first time i did not noticed it was crashed since probably few days. I've unplugged it yesterday, it started as normal but this morning it was still not accessible by ssh. I don't know exactly in wich state the device is as I can't ssh on it.

I have cron jobs runnning early morning (backup-manager, rsync) and I saw that they didn't ran as no log were produced.

I can't see anything in the system logs or I don't know where to look to try to find some clues on the problem.

- Is anybody had similar problem ?
- Can someone send some tips to start investigations because I'm a bit lost at the moment.

Cheers,
-sb

Re: Debian on a Pogoplug Pro (the easy way with ALARM kernel)

sylbal — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 13:04:58 -0400

Hi there,

Just got my new Pogoplug POGO-B04 today to replaced my died Dockstar, what a surprise that I won't be able to replug my disk just after changing uboot.

I've installed the Arch distrib on a key following the instruction from http://archlinuxarm.org/platforms/armv6/pogoplug-provideov3. But before going into kernel/module copy and other tweaks, I wonder if there is now a "clean" method to re-install Debian or to re-use my usb disk without data loss or if this method is still actual and nothing newer was raised lately.

Cheers,
-sb

Re: Debian on a Pogoplug Pro (the easy way with ALARM kernel)

Atardani — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 04:19:18 -0400

Thank you Bodhi, i got it work.

Another question, does anyone has found a pl2303 and usbserial working driver for Debian on Pogoplug Pro?
I tryed to get them from archlinux package, but i'm experiencing a strange behaviour of them.

Thank you again!

Re: Debian on a Pogoplug Pro (the easy way with ALARM kernel)

bodhi — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 17:12:00 -0400

I got it working. Hope this will help others looking for a solution.

The real problem here was the WirelessMode. It was set to a default value of 9 (which is mixed g/b/n). My wireless network is n-only. So it was never get attached to the Access Point. Setting it to 6 (n only) got it running.

ifconfig ra0 up
sleep 3

#iwpriv ra0 set WirelessMode=Managed

iwpriv ra0 set AuthMode=WPA2PSK
iwpriv ra0 set EncrypType=AES
iwpriv ra0 set WPAPSK=xxx
iwpriv ra0 set SSID=xxx
iwpriv ra0 set WirelessMode=6

sleep 1
dhcpcd ra0

Observation:

1. The driver dat file in /etc/Wireless/RT3390STA/ (or RT2860STA, depending whether you're running Debian 2.6.3x or Arch) is relevant. If you change the default values in that file, they will be used the next time ra0 is started.

2. Using DHCP, after the iwpriv commands were executed, iwconfig will not show the real parameters. Only after dhcpcd has started and the wireless interface is connected, then iwconfig will show all parameters.

Re: Debian on a Pogoplug Pro (the easy way with ALARM kernel)

bodhi — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 05:10:19 -0400

I've been trying too, without success either! here is my description of the problem (I posted this at the ArchLinux ARM site). Just to summarize my observation here:

I finally figured out what might have been the problem, but no idea how to solve it.

For some reason, these iwpriv commands were accepted by the driver, but not updated somehow (I have these commands in a script that executes after the system has started).

ifconfig ra0 up
sleep 3
iwpriv ra0 set WirelessMode=Managed
iwpriv ra0 set AuthMode=WPA2PSK
iwpriv ra0 set EncrypType=AES
iwpriv ra0 set SSID=xxx
iwpriv ra0 set WPAPSK=xxxxx

A few seconds later after executing these commands, I then executed iwconfig and it showed:

#iwconfig
lo        no wireless extensions.

ra0       Ralink STA  ESSID:""  Nickname:"RT2860STA"
          Mode:Auto  Frequency=2.417 GHz  Bit Rate:1 Mb/s   
          RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
          Encryption key:off
          Link Quality=10/100  Signal level:-31 dBm  Noise level:-31 dBm
          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:0   Missed beacon:0

eth0      no wireless extensions.

It seems like none of the commands were "taken"? On purpose, I've tried a iwpriv command with a wrong parameter name and it was rejected so the driver was accepting/rejecting private commands. There was an exception in dmesg from the wireless driver. WarheadsSE and others at the Arch Linux ARM site got it working using these commands (or close to that, depending on the encryption). So I'm stumped!

Re: Debian on a Pogoplug Pro (the easy way with ALARM kernel)

Atardani — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 02:55:28 -0400

Hi all.

I managed to install the varkey roots and the system works very well, but I found a problem: I wasn't able to make built-in wifi work (I have pogo pro with wifi)
Was anyone able to make it works??

Thanks in advance.

Re: Debian on a Pogoplug Pro (the easy way with ALARM kernel)

funtoy1001 — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:59:05 -0500

Hope this is not off-topic too much...
I have been using Varkey's rootfs on my pogoplug pro for couple of weeks now and notice one thing. It seems to generate more log files than my dockstar. For example, I see daemon.log, debug, kern.log, mail.log, messages... on my pogoplug pro but not on my dockstar. I forgot if I did something to the debian on my dockstar to stop these files or not. Can someone points me the way for me to do the same on my pogoplug?
Thanks.

EDIT: Found a solution - delete /etc/rsyslog.conf and most of the log files are no longer being generated.

Re: Debian on a Pogoplug Pro (the easy way with ALARM kernel)

WarheadsSE — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 10:03:46 -0500

No. They use different kernels & some platform specific initialization.

You need at least the kernel, as well as the gmac_copro_firmware && /etc/rc.d/set-oxnas-mac.

The lib modules of course, the firmware where it should be, and then editing rc.conf to run that script as a daemon, which relies on the contents of /usr/local/mac_addr

Re: Debian on a Pogoplug Pro (the easy way with ALARM kernel)

funtoy1001 — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:39:44 -0500

Thanks.
Another newbie question. If I duplicate the USB stick on my DockStar and change the MAC address, will it work on the Pogoplug Pro?

Re: Debian on a Pogoplug Pro (the easy way with ALARM kernel)

WarheadsSE — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 11:56:37 -0500

@funtoy1001
There is no netconsole support on the oxnas uboot by default, and I have not changed that out in my installer.

Re: Debian on a Pogoplug Pro (the easy way with ALARM kernel)

funtoy1001 — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 11:53:33 -0500

No luck with net console. If I don't plug in my archlinux or debian usb stikc, the LED on the Pogoplug Pro just blinks. Can not talk to it via telnet or ssh.

Re: Debian on a Pogoplug Pro (the easy way with ALARM kernel)

bodhi — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 01:09:30 -0500

I prefer net console. It's easier with if you can:
http://forum.doozan.com/read.php?3,14,14

Re: Debian on a Pogoplug Pro (the easy way with ALARM kernel)

twinclouds — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:49:34 -0500

I used the serial connection with CA-42. Use envprint to see what is the currently setting and setenv and saveenv to modify and save.

Re: Debian on a Pogoplug Pro (the easy way with ALARM kernel)

funtoy1001 — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:34:27 -0500

funtoy1001 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> how do you change/delete bootargs in uboot?

bump

Re: Debian on a Pogoplug Pro (the easy way with ALARM kernel)

funtoy1001 — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:52:27 -0500

how do you change/delete bootargs in uboot?

Re: Debian on a Pogoplug Pro (the easy way with ALARM kernel)

twinclouds — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 18:02:07 -0500

davygravy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> any chance this ext2 vs ext3 issue is caused
> by/due to a setting for rootfstype in uBoot?
>
> (I had the identical behavior on my units until I
> removed that setting... you can simply change it
> from ext2 to ext3, but I find that much more
> restrictive)
Hi, davygravy:
Indeed this is the case! I deleted the rootfstype in bootargs and now the ext2 drive works. Thanks for your observation and suggestion.

Re: Debian on a Pogoplug Pro (the easy way with ALARM kernel)

davygravy — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 14:12:10 -0500

any chance this ext2 vs ext3 issue is caused by/due to a setting for rootfstype in uBoot?

(I had the identical behavior on my units until I removed that setting... you can simply change it from ext2 to ext3, but I find that much more restrictive)

Re: Debian on a Pogoplug Pro (the easy way with ALARM kernel)

twinclouds — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 13:31:13 -0500

Hi, bodhi:
I have already installed ArchLinux and also successfully running Debian using either Varkey's rootfs and the Squeezeplug one. Both works fine. I like the Squeezeplug image better because it has webmin and swap function installed. But both work fine.
As for ext2 and ext3 partition types, I verified only ext3 works. I even tried to disable the journal function of a working ext3 debian installation(tune2fs -O ^has_journal /dev/***), thus effectively became ext2. It stopped working. If I reenable journal(tune2fs -j /dev/***), it started working again. The journal function for some reason is necessary for this debian installation on Pogo Pro and alike.

Re: Debian on a Pogoplug Pro (the easy way with ALARM kernel)

bodhi — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 04:14:13 -0500

Twinclouds,

The ArchLinux installation must be done before before we can switch to the Debian roots. Because WarheadsSE kernel for OXNAS is installed in NAND, and that will boot whatever in the USB drive.

Make sure that the USB Debian drive is EXT3. Prepare the drive with Varkey's rootfs for Debian. And correct the MAC address on this Debian drive with your own box address. After that, remove the ArchLinux USB drive, and boot with this Debian USB drive. It should work without any problem.

I would go through this procedure first before attempting to change files system to EXT2.

As WarheadSE mentioned, the roots type variable could be removed and the kernel will find to correct one, but this should be done only if we have a serial connection ready to recover from unexpected problem.

Re: Debian on a Pogoplug Pro (the easy way with ALARM kernel)

twinclouds — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 23:30:41 -0500

bodhi:
Thanks for your clarification. Now I have the question that if the first step of install Archlinux is necessary at all? Can I simply burn the Varkey rootfs to a drive then plug it in?

Edit:
I tried to put Varkey's rootfs on an ext2 partion but it cannot boot (the lights always flashing). I am not sure why. I even edited the fstab from ext3 to ext2 but still couldn't make it boot.

Re: Debian on a Pogoplug Pro (the easy way with ALARM kernel)

WarheadsSE — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 18:22:31 -0500

Technically, you can remove the rootfstype entirely, and the kernel should try all the fstypes it knows.

Re: Debian on a Pogoplug Pro (the easy way with ALARM kernel)

bodhi — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 08:51:31 -0500

Twinclouds,

Of course there is really no need to maintain a separate ArchLinux USB boot drive. I was only suggesting that we should maintain a copy of the ALARM USB stick for:
- Just in case we need a fallback mechanism for booting back to ArchLinux.
- In the scenario where we'd need to compile new modules or updating modules from ALARM distribution. It seems the best way to to do that is keeping our ArchLinux drive up-to-date. And then copy the new/updated modules to the appropriate location on the Debian drive. It's really simple, no-thought process to do that.

I have not tried but EXT2 I think it should work with the rootf type variable changed to ext2 in UBoot envs.

Re: Debian on a Pogoplug Pro (the easy way with ALARM kernel)

twinclouds — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 21:01:30 -0500

Thanks to bodhi and shankargopal for your reply. I tried the Varkey's rootfs. It was pretty easy and works well. I have a couple of questions hope you can answer, though.
(1) It was requested that the usb drive should be formatted as ext3. As I know, ext3 has journal files. Will it reduce the life of the flash drive? Will ext2 work also?
(2) Once I installed Debian Linux, I don't need ArchLinux anymore, right? Then, why I need to install ArchLinux first and keep it up to date. Will simply plug in the USB drive with Varkey's FS work? If not, what is the function of the ArchLinux?

Re: Debian on a Pogoplug Pro (the easy way with ALARM kernel)

bodhi — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 02:43:01 -0500

You should always keep your ArchLinux USB stick/HDD up-to-date for the PogoPlug Pro. Prepare your modules on that (whether compiling new ones, or updating from ALARM distribution), and then copy them over the Debian USB stick/HDD. Isn't that simple?

Re: Debian on a Pogoplug Pro (the easy way with ALARM kernel)

shankargopal — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 23:54:41 -0500

twinclouds Wrote:
> I used the Squeezeplug method described here
> http://archlinuxarm.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=29&t
> =1730&start=20 and here
> http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=852
> 85&page=62 on a Pogoplug B1 device. It works
> pretty well for me so far. Is there any advantage
> using Varkey's rootfs comparing to the Squeezeplug
> route?

I didn't try the Squeezeplug route though I read through that. This route just seems much easier. The instructions at archlinuxarm.org tell you how to install Arch Linux ARM, and most of the important steps in that are done by WarheadSE's script. Then, to run Debian, just download Varkey's rootfs, untar it on to a flash drive, change the mac address and you're done (i.e. you power off your Pogoplug, plug in the flash drive and reboot). Nothing else is required. And of course after you've rebooted you need to regenerate your SSH keys as Varkey says.

The entire process could take you (excluding download time) under twenty minutes, and then one has an operational, normal Debian system on a Pogoplug Pro.

Re: Debian on a Pogoplug Pro (the easy way with ALARM kernel)

shankargopal — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 23:51:51 -0500

> I would say a serial cable and tftpboot would
> allow you to do all the testing you need to,
> without touching the NAND, until you are sure it
> is working.

Sorry for taking so long to get back, I've been traveling. Yes, I could do that, but would it be necessary if I only want to compile modules?

Re: Debian on a Pogoplug Pro (the easy way with ALARM kernel)

twinclouds — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 17:34:13 -0500

I used the Squeezeplug method described here http://archlinuxarm.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=1730&start=20 and here http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=85285&page=62 on a Pogoplug B1 device. It works pretty well for me so far. Is there any advantage using Varkey's rootfs comparing to the Squeezeplug route?

Re: Debian on a Pogoplug Pro (the easy way with ALARM kernel)

WarheadsSE — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 11:58:14 -0500

I would say a serial cable and tftpboot would allow you to do all the testing you need to, without touching the NAND, until you are sure it is working.