Linux Kernel 6.4.11 On Zyxel NSA 325v2 cannot boot.

Sadly, this is the only info I can provide, I cannot connect to console through serial to debug ATM, I will update if I can do so in the future, but I have no network connectivity with this kernel so ssh doesn't work. Kernels 6.2.7 and 6.0.7 are working without problems. This is with shrinked and unshrinked uInitrd.

@nsa_canis,

> Sadly, this is the only info I can provide, I
> cannot connect to console through serial to debug
> ATM, I will update if I can do so in the future,
> but I have no network connectivity with this
> kernel so ssh doesn't work. Kernels 6.2.7 and
> 6.0.7 are working without problems. This is with
> shrinked and unshrinked uInitrd.

My NSA325v2 is running linux-6.4.11-kirkwood-tld-1. This is my backup server so it's running 24/7. I don't see any problem.

Quote

> but I have no network connectivity with this
> kernel so ssh doesn't work

- If you power up and let it boot automatically, what is the front LEDs behavior?
- Do you mean with the Ethernet cable connected and no network?
- When you tried to log in through ssh, did you wait for a about 1-3 minutes to see if return with a login prompt?
- Have you tried to create a new USB rootfs (using Debian-5.13.6-kirkwood-tld-1-rootfs-bodhi.tar.bz2) and boot with it? and then do e2fsck on your current rootfs to check for fs errors?

-bodhi
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EDIT: Deleted
Wrong thread, sorry. Created a new thread for Zyxel 326 here: https://forum.doozan.com/read.php?2,135814



Edited 11 time(s). Last edit at 09/23/2023 02:43PM by raffe.

rafe.

Quote

I also got problems booting with 6.4.11-mvebu-tld-1.

This kernel 6.4.11-mvebu-tld-1 is for the Armada SoC, so can be used on NAS326.

This kernel 6.4.11-kirkwood-tld-1 is for the Kirkwood SoC, so can be used on NSA325.

Perhaps that you guys have installed the wrong kernel for the box?

-bodhi
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bodhi Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> rafe.
>
>

Quote

I also got problems booting with
> 6.4.11-mvebu-tld-1.

>
> This kernel
> 6.4.11-mvebu-tld-1 is for
> the Armada SoC, so can be used on
> NAS326.
>
> This kernel
> 6.4.11-kirkwood-tld-1 is
> for the Kirkwood SoC, so can be used on
> NSA325.
>
> Perhaps that you guys have installed the wrong
> kernel for the box?

Ah, you are right. I have a ZyXEL NAS326. So this is wrong thread for me :-)

raffe,

> Ah, you are right. I have a ZyXEL NAS326. So this
> is wrong thread for me :-)

Connect serial console, and power up, let it boot as far as it can. And post the entire serial console log (from u-boot banner.... everything) here in a new thread.

There is no need to guess what the problem is. Serial console log will tell the whole story.

-bodhi
===========================
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bodhi Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> rafe.
>
>

Quote

I also got problems booting with
> 6.4.11-mvebu-tld-1.

>
> This kernel
> 6.4.11-mvebu-tld-1 is for
> the Armada SoC, so can be used on
> NAS326.
>
> This kernel
> 6.4.11-kirkwood-tld-1 is
> for the Kirkwood SoC, so can be used on
> NSA325.
>
> Perhaps that you guys have installed the wrong
> kernel for the box?

Hey bodhi, thank for the quick responses, I really appreciate it!

So, Everything seems normal during the boot process, the first LED starts amber, then blinking green, then solid green - and then I think amber while the second blinks for a while and then only the first one is on and it's solid green. Watching my router's LAN devices list, it takes a while for the NAS to show up (it first shows up without an IP, and after a min or 2 it show up with the correct static IP. Nevertheless, I cannot connect to any services. ssh, transmission-daemon, mpd, are all down.

SSH gives me a "connection refused error", but ping works... :confused: --

This is with the rootfs on my main HDD. I have an emergency USB stick with 6.0.7 which I use to boot the system and downgrade - upgrade the kernel on the HDD. 6.2.7 boots normally - I haven't tried 6.3.5.

Sidenote, I'm on debian testing, and systemd for init (maybe this info is helpful/relevent. And yes, I have the kirkwood kernel :P

EDIT: Lately, I also installed systemd-logind because I was trying to fix mpd, which also installed a bunch of other packages, maybe this borks the newest kernel somehow? Just spitballing here, but as I said, no issues with 6,2,7



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/24/2023 10:21AM by nsa_canis.

> So, Everything seems normal during the boot
> process, the first LED starts amber, then blinking
> green, then solid green - and then I think amber
> while the second blinks for a while and then only
> the first one is on and it's solid green.

That means the kernel has successfully booted.

> Watching
> my router's LAN devices list, it takes a while for
> the NAS to show up (it first shows up without an
> IP, and after a min or 2 it show up with the
> correct static IP. Nevertheless, I cannot connect
> to any services. ssh, transmission-daemon, mpd,
> are all down.
>
> SSH gives me a "connection refused error", but
> ping works... :confused: --

1. The network is up and OK. That's why you can ping it. But access is not allowed until the rootfs is done mounting (Debian is not running if the rootfs cannot be mounted).

>
> This is with the rootfs on my main HDD. I have an
> emergency USB stick with 6.0.7 which I use to boot
> the system and downgrade - upgrade the kernel on
> the HDD. 6.2.7 boots normally - I haven't tried
> 6.3.5.
> Sidenote, I'm on debian testing, and systemd for
> init (maybe this info is helpful/relevent. And
> yes, I have the kirkwood kernel :P
>
> EDIT: Lately, I also installed systemd-logind
> because I was trying to fix mpd, which also
> installed a bunch of other packages, maybe this
> borks the newest kernel somehow? Just spitballing
> here, but as I said, no issues with 6,2,7

2. The above (systemd and its logind) could be another possible cause.

3. Have you run e2fsck on the HDD rootfs (after booted wit h USB rootfs?). If the file system error is significant and cannot be fixed automatically then it would be stuck in initramfs.

The bottom line is this problem is quite easy to see why if you connect serial console. This box has the serial header preinstalled, so there is soldering needed.

-bodhi
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> The bottom line is this problem is quite easy to see why if you connect serial console. This box has the serial header preinstalled, so there is soldering needed.

Yeah, I think I will do a fresh debian install once I get some free time, since I think that I tested too many things too fast :). Thanks again!

I don't know if you have connected serial console for any of your boxes, but the information it provides is very informative. dmesg + syslog does not give you any of the info after the kernel has booted and before Debian taking over.

-bodhi
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Yes of course, I followed your guides for installing the *new* U-Boot and I have also flashed a couple of routers with openwrt and an old thinkpad with coreboot. The thing is, I have my NAS at my parents house which I visit for holidays and I dont have a spare serial to usb UART cable or the time to fully debug ATM. I wanted to setup an mpd server while I am on holidays for my parents to use, but I couldn't even setup mpd properly for some reason...So, this is a project for next year I guess :P