Boot from network

I'm wandering if it's possible to configure Jeff's U-boot to boot from network to Debian or Openwrt or Pogolug Linux.

DockstarPBX Wrote:
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> I'm wandering if it's possible to configure Jeff's U-boot to boot from network to Debian
> or Openwrt or Pogolug Linux.

Sure; even the factory-installed u-boot can do that, using the "tftpboot" command.

If I want to boot your re-built Openwrt uImage and root-fs, what should I do from serial console? How should I setup U-boot such that Doskstar will boot to Openwrt after power up?
I have not used tftpboot to boot from network before, detailed instructions are appreciated.

DockstarPBX Wrote:
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> If I want to boot your re-built Openwrt uImage and root-fs, what should I do from serial console?

First of all, I'd suggest using the "official" dockstar images that are now built by the openwrt project, not my old ones.

To netboot the dockstar:

1. Put the kernel uImage on a TFTP server.
2. Connect to your dockstar with a serial cable, reboot and interrupt the countdown so you get the u-boot prompt.
3. > tftpboot 0x800000 <your-kernel-file-name>
4. Set the bootargs variable to the required kernel parameters (i.e. specify the root filesystem etc.)
5. > bootm 0x800000

> How should I setup U-boot such that Doskstar will boot to Openwrt after power up?

You'll need to modify the bootcmd "script" to include the above sequence. I can't be more specific since it's very dependent on what else it's trying to do (fallback to USB, or Pogo, or Jeff's recovery system, or ...)

I have downloaded openwrt-kirkwood-uImage and openwrt-kirkwood-rootfs.tgz,

I can load uImage using "tftpboot 0x800000 openwrt-uImage" and load root-fs using "tftpboot 0x1100000 openwrt-rootfs.tgz".
I tried to use "bootm 0x800000 0x1100000" to boot, but got the following:

Using egiga0 device
TFTP from server 192.168.15.110; our IP address is 192.168.15.105
Filename 'openwrt-uImage'.
Load address: 0x800000
Loading: *#################################################################
#
done
Bytes transferred = 963656 (eb448 hex)
Using egiga0 device
TFTP from server 192.168.15.110; our IP address is 192.168.15.105
Filename 'openwrt-rootfs.tgz'.
Load address: 0x1100000
Loading: *#################################################################
####################################
done
Bytes transferred = 1476206 (16866e hex)
## Booting kernel from Legacy Image at 00800000 ...
Image Name: Linux-2.6.30.10
Image Type: ARM Linux Kernel Image (uncompressed)
Data Size: 963592 Bytes = 941 KiB
Load Address: 00008000
Entry Point: 00008000
Verifying Checksum ... OK
Wrong Ramdisk Image Format
Ramdisk image is corrupt or invalid
resetting ...

Do I need ramdisk version of Openwrt, where can I get it?



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/26/2010 04:32PM by DockstarPBX.

DockstarPBX Wrote:
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> I have downloaded openwrt-kirkwood-uImage and openwrt-kirkwood-rootfs.tgz,
>
> I can load uImage using "tftpboot 0x800000 openwrt-uImage"
> and load root-fs using "tftpboot 0x1100000 openwrt-rootfs.tgz".

The openwrt-rootfs.tgz file is a tarball, not a ramdisk (initrd).

Where do you want the openwrt root filesystem to be -- in a flash partition or on a USB stick? Depending on the answer, you'll need to extract the tarball to the appropriate place. Then do the first of those tftpboots, and specify the root on the kernel command line (the bootargs u-boot environment variable).

Thanks for the information. Actually I' m trying to find out if it's possible to boot from network every time without using external UBS drive or internal NAND flash. Is it possible to run Openwrt on SDRAM without external USB or internal NAND flash?

After I build ramdisk version "vmlinux.elf" I got:

Filename 'vmlinux.elf'.
Load address: 0x800000
Loading: *#################################################################
#################################################################
#################################################################
#################################################################
################################################################
done
Bytes transferred = 4749908 (487a54 hex)
Wrong Image Format for bootm command
ERROR: can't get kernel image!
resetting ...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/26/2010 05:35PM by DockstarPBX.

DockstarPBX Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Actually I' m trying to find out if it's possible to boot from network
> every time without using external UBS drive or internal NAND flash.
> Is it possible to run Openwrt on SDRAM without external USB or internal NAND flash?

Yes, this is possible. You just need to set bootcmd to execute the appropriate tftpboot and bootm commands.

> After I build ramdisk version "vmlinux.elf" I got: [...]

vmlinux.elf isn't a ramdisk (it's a kernel image) and it's not in the right format for u-boot to boot.

Use the "make uImage" target after you've compiled the kernel and use the file it produces. Or use the mkimage command to convert an existing vmlinuz file.

Actually when I selected "ramdisk" and built OpenWrt, I did get new file systems in "bin", since the file names are same as before, I thought they were not "ramdisk" version of file systems. (I believe older versions of OpenWrt produced different file names for ramdisk version of file systems, according to this link: http://blog.vodkamelone.de/archives/148-Installing-OpenWrt-on-a-Microtik-Routerboard-RB433.html).
Now I can boot OpenWrt from network using TFTP.
Thanks