Debian on Synology DS216

linux-tools-installation-bodhi.tar.gz
seems to be ARM, but not x86-64

> Finished learning and doing the basics and ready
> now.
>
> wow, I got:

> U-Boot 2024.04-tld-1-00827-g90ac8d08ae-dirty (Apr
> 21 2024 - 22:09:45 -0700)
> Synology DS216

Congrats :)

Let me post the next step and explain what you got.

-bodhi
===========================
Forum Wiki
bodhi's corner (buy bodhi a beer)

linux-tools-installation-bodhi.tar.gz

looks like binary arm, but needs x86-84

kwboot was successful. But the envs have not been flashed, so you got this error (expected).

*** Warning - bad CRC, using default environment

There are 4 files in the u-boot tarball

uboot.2024.04-tld-1.ds216.kwb
boot.cmd
boot.scr
README.txt

Bring the USB rootfs to another Linux box and mount it, assuming it is mounted at /media/sdb1.

Copy the boot script to /boot folder

cp -a boot.scr /media/sdb1/boot/
sync

Umount, take it back to the DS216. Attach it and kwboot again.

-bodhi
===========================
Forum Wiki
bodhi's corner (buy bodhi a beer)

problem now with
root@NASbox4:~# fw_printenv
Configuration file wrong or corrupted

root@NASbox4:~# fw_printenv -V
0.3.2

bodhi Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> kwboot was successful. But the envs have not been
> flashed, so you got this error (expected).
>

> *** Warning - bad CRC, using default environment
>

>
>
> There are 4 files in the u-boot tarball
>
>

> uboot.2024.04-tld-1.ds216.kwb
> boot.cmd
> boot.scr
> README.txt
>

>
> Bring the USB rootfs to another Linux box and
> mount it, assuming it is mounted at /media/sdb1.
>
> Copy the boot script to /boot folder
>

> cp -a boot.scr /media/sdb1/boot/
> sync
>

>
> Umount, take it back to the DS216. Attach it and
> kwboot again.

I misunderstood a few things, kwboot runs on a different x86-64 NAS for me.

bodhi Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> kwboot comes with your Linux host is probably not
> new enough.
>
> See here for my latest uploaded kwboot binaries.
>
> https://forum.doozan.com/read.php?3,27280

Here is the output running your x86-64 kwboot binary now:
./kwboot -t -B 115200 -p /dev/ttyUSB0 -b uboot.2024.04-tld-1.ds216.kwb

kwboot version 2025.01-rc1-ge61ea9f2e5d2-dirty
Detected kwbimage v1 with SPI boot signature
Patching image boot signature to UART
Sending boot message. Please reboot the target...|
Sending boot image header (100992 bytes)...
  0 % [......................................................................]
  8 % [......................................................................]
 17 % [......................................................................]
 26 % [......................................................................]
 35 % [......................................................................]
 44 % [......................................................................]
 53 % [......................................................................]
 62 % [......................................................................]
 71 % [......................................................................]
 79 % [......................................................................]
 88 % [......................................................................]
 97 % [...................                                                   ]
Done

U-Boot SPL 2024.04-tld-1-00827-g90ac8d08ae-dirty (Apr 21 2024 - 22:09:45 -0700)
High speed PHY - Version: 2.0
Detected Device ID 6820
board SerDes lanes topology details:
 | Lane # | Speed |  Type       |
 --------------------------------
 |   0    |   0   | SGMII0      |
 |   1    |   6   | SATA0       |
 |   2    |   6   | SATA1       |
 |   4    |   5   | USB3 HOST0  |
 |   5    |   5   | USB3 HOST1  |
 --------------------------------
High speed PHY - Ended Successfully
mv_ddr: 14.0.0
DDR3 Training Sequence - Switching XBAR Window to FastPath Window
mv_ddr: completed successfully
Trying to boot from BOOTROM
Returning to BootROM (return address 0xffff05c4)...

Sending boot image data (504632 bytes)...
  0 % [......................................................................]
  1 % [......................................................................]
  3 % [......................................................................]
  5 % [......................................................................]
  7 % [......................................................................]
  8 % [......................................................................]
 10 % [......................................................................]
 12 % [......................................................................]
 14 % [......................................................................]
 16 % [......................................................................]
 17 % [......................................................................]
 19 % [......................................................................]
 21 % [......................................................................]
 23 % [......................................................................]
 24 % [......................................................................]
 26 % [......................................................................]
 28 % [......................................................................]
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 31 % [......................................................................]
 33 % [......................................................................]
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 37 % [......................................................................]
 39 % [......................................................................]
 40 % [......................................................................]
 42 % [......................................................................]
 44 % [......................................................................]
 46 % [......................................................................]
 47 % [......................................................................]
 49 % [......................................................................]
 51 % [......................................................................]
 53 % [......................................................................]
 55 % [......................................................................]
 56 % [......................................................................]
 58 % [......................................................................]
 60 % [......................................................................]
 62 % [......................................................................]
 63 % [......................................................................]
 65 % [......................................................................]
 67 % [......................................................................]
 69 % [......................................................................]
 71 % [......................................................................]
 72 % [......................................................................]
 74 % [......................................................................]
 76 % [......................................................................]
 78 % [......................................................................]
 79 % [......................................................................]
 81 % [......................................................................]
 83 % [......................................................................]
 85 % [......................................................................]
 87 % [......................................................................]
 88 % [......................................................................]
 90 % [......................................................................]
 92 % [......................................................................]
 94 % [......................................................................]
 95 % [......................................................................]
 97 % [......................................................................]
 99 % [.......................                                               ]
Done
Finishing transfer
[Type Ctrl-\ + c to quit]


U-Boot 2024.04-tld-1-00827-g90ac8d08ae-dirty (Apr 21 2024 - 22:09:45 -0700)
Synology DS216

SoC:   MV88F6820-A0 at 1332 MHz
DRAM:  512 MiB (666 MHz, 32-bit, ECC not enabled)
Core:  58 devices, 20 uclasses, devicetree: separate
MMC:
Loading Environment from SPIFlash... SF: Detected n25q064 with page size 256 Bytes, erase size 4 KiB, total 8 MiB
*** Warning - bad CRC, using default environment

Model: Synology DS216
Net:
Warning: ethernet@70000 (eth0) using random MAC address - 6a:19:f7:1a:7f:c7
eth0: ethernet@70000
Hit any key to stop autoboot:  0
Scanning for bootflows in all bootdevs
Seq  Method       State   Uclass    Part  Name                      Filename
---  -----------  ------  --------  ----  ------------------------  ----------------
Scanning global bootmeth 'efi_mgr':
No EFI system partition
No EFI system partition
Failed to persist EFI variables
Hunting with: mmc
Hunting with: scsi
scanning bus for devices...
Target spinup took 0 ms.
SATA link 1 timeout.
AHCI 0001.0000 32 slots 2 ports 6 Gbps 0x3 impl SATA mode
flags: 64bit ncq led only pmp fbss pio slum part sxs
No EFI system partition
Failed to persist EFI variables
No EFI system partition
Failed to persist EFI variables
  Device 0: (0:0) Vendor: ATA Prod.: WDC WD5000LPLX-7 Rev: 02.0
            Type: Hard Disk
            Capacity: 476940.0 MB = 465.7 GB (976773168 x 512)
Scanning bootdev 'ahci_scsi.id0lun0.bootdev':
Hunting with: usb
Bus usb@58000: USB EHCI 1.00
Bus usb3@f0000: MVEBU XHCI INIT controller @ 0xf10f4000
Register 2000120 NbrPorts 2
Starting the controller
USB XHCI 1.00
Bus usb3@f8000: MVEBU XHCI INIT controller @ 0xf10fc000
Register 2000120 NbrPorts 2
Starting the controller
USB XHCI 1.00
scanning bus usb@58000 for devices... 1 USB Device(s) found
scanning bus usb3@f0000 for devices... 1 USB Device(s) found
scanning bus usb3@f8000 for devices... 1 USB Device(s) found
Hunting with: ethernet
ethernet@70000 Waiting for PHY auto negotiation to complete...... done
BOOTP broadcast 1
BOOTP broadcast 2
DHCP client bound to address 192.168.178.189 (362 ms)
Scanning bootdev 'ethernet@70000.bootdev':
BOOTP broadcast 1
DHCP client bound to address 192.168.178.189 (19 ms)
*** Warning: no boot file name; using 'C0A8B2BD.img'
Using ethernet@70000 device
TFTP from server 192.168.178.1; our IP address is 192.168.178.189
Filename 'C0A8B2BD.img'.
Load address: 0x1000000
Loading: *
TFTP server died; starting again
missing environment variable: pxeuuid
Retrieving file: pxelinux.cfg/01-6a-19-f7-1a-7f-c7
Using ethernet@70000 device
TFTP from server 192.168.178.1; our IP address is 192.168.178.189
Filename 'pxelinux.cfg/01-6a-19-f7-1a-7f-c7'.
Load address: 0x1900000
Loading: *
TFTP server died; starting again
Retrieving file: pxelinux.cfg/C0A8B2BD
Using ethernet@70000 device
TFTP from server 192.168.178.1; our IP address is 192.168.178.189
Filename 'pxelinux.cfg/C0A8B2BD'.
Load address: 0x1900000
Loading: *
TFTP server died; starting again
Retrieving file: pxelinux.cfg/C0A8B2B
Using ethernet@70000 device
TFTP from server 192.168.178.1; our IP address is 192.168.178.189
Filename 'pxelinux.cfg/C0A8B2B'.
Load address: 0x1900000
Loading: *
TFTP server died; starting again
Retrieving file: pxelinux.cfg/C0A8B2
Using ethernet@70000 device
TFTP from server 192.168.178.1; our IP address is 192.168.178.189
Filename 'pxelinux.cfg/C0A8B2'.
Load address: 0x1900000
Loading: *
TFTP server died; starting again
Retrieving file: pxelinux.cfg/C0A8B
Using ethernet@70000 device
TFTP from server 192.168.178.1; our IP address is 192.168.178.189
Filename 'pxelinux.cfg/C0A8B'.
Load address: 0x1900000
Loading: *
TFTP server died; starting again
Retrieving file: pxelinux.cfg/C0A8
Using ethernet@70000 device
TFTP from server 192.168.178.1; our IP address is 192.168.178.189
Filename 'pxelinux.cfg/C0A8'.
Load address: 0x1900000
Loading: T
TFTP server died; starting again
Retrieving file: pxelinux.cfg/C0A
Using ethernet@70000 device
TFTP from server 192.168.178.1; our IP address is 192.168.178.189
Filename 'pxelinux.cfg/C0A'.
Load address: 0x1900000
Loading: *
TFTP server died; starting again
Retrieving file: pxelinux.cfg/C0
Using ethernet@70000 device
TFTP from server 192.168.178.1; our IP address is 192.168.178.189
Filename 'pxelinux.cfg/C0'.
Load address: 0x1900000
Loading: *
TFTP server died; starting again
Retrieving file: pxelinux.cfg/C
Using ethernet@70000 device
TFTP from server 192.168.178.1; our IP address is 192.168.178.189
Filename 'pxelinux.cfg/C'.
Load address: 0x1900000
Loading: *
TFTP server died; starting again
Retrieving file: pxelinux.cfg/default-arm-mvebu-ds216
Using ethernet@70000 device
TFTP from server 192.168.178.1; our IP address is 192.168.178.189
Filename 'pxelinux.cfg/default-arm-mvebu-ds216'.
Load address: 0x1900000
Loading: *
TFTP server died; starting again
Retrieving file: pxelinux.cfg/default-arm-mvebu
Using ethernet@70000 device
TFTP from server 192.168.178.1; our IP address is 192.168.178.189
Filename 'pxelinux.cfg/default-arm-mvebu'.
Load address: 0x1900000
Loading: T
TFTP server died; starting again
Retrieving file: pxelinux.cfg/default-arm
Using ethernet@70000 device
TFTP from server 192.168.178.1; our IP address is 192.168.178.189
Filename 'pxelinux.cfg/default-arm'.
Load address: 0x1900000
Loading: *
TFTP server died; starting again
Retrieving file: pxelinux.cfg/default
Using ethernet@70000 device
TFTP from server 192.168.178.1; our IP address is 192.168.178.189
Filename 'pxelinux.cfg/default'.
Load address: 0x1900000
Loading: *
TFTP server died; starting again
No more bootdevs
---  -----------  ------  --------  ----  ------------------------  ----------------
(0 bootflows, 0 valid)
DS216>

========
moderator edit: please use code tags (formatted code button) to post log.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/30/2025 12:49AM by bodhi.

bodhi Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> kwboot was successful. But the envs have not been
> flashed, so you got this error (expected).
>
> *** Warning - bad CRC, using default environment

It's the same message as with stock u-boot from synology:

| \/ | __ _ _ ____ _____| | |
| |\/| |/ _` | '__\ \ / / _ \ | |
| | | | (_| | | \ V / __/ | |
|_| |_|\__,_|_| \_/ \___|_|_|
_ _ ____ _
| | | | | __ ) ___ ___ | |_
| | | |___| _ \ / _ \ / _ \| __|
| |_| |___| |_) | (_) | (_) | |_
\___/ |____/ \___/ \___/ \__|
** LOADER **


U-Boot 2013.01-g74a026b-dirty (Dec 30 2015 - 14:38:52) Marvell version: 2015_T1.0p16

Board: SYNO-DS216
SoC: MV88F6820 Rev A0
running 2 CPUs
CPU: ARM Cortex A9 MPCore (Rev 1) LE
CPU 0
CPU @ 1332 [MHz]
L2 @ 666 [MHz]
TClock @ 250 [MHz]
DDR3 @ 666 [MHz]
DDR3 32 Bit Width,FastPath Memory Access, DLB Enabled, ECC Disabled
DRAM: 512 MiB
MMC: mv_sdh: 0
SF: Detected N25Q64 with page size 64 KiB, total 8 MiB
*** Warning - bad CRC, using default environment



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/28/2025 01:44PM by DSfuchs.

Assuming, as in my case, that kwboot is running on another x86-64 NAS, should the binaries for ARM still be in the working directory?

I haven't provided a Linux image yet either.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/28/2025 01:55PM by DSfuchs.

What is the link for the initial Debian image, found this:
https://forum.doozan.com/read.php?2,32146
Debian-6.6.2-mvebu-tld-1-rootfs-bodhi.tar.bz2
linux-6.15.2-mvebu-tld-1-bodhi.tar.bz2

Where do I specify the TFTP server where the file is located?



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 07/28/2025 02:22PM by DSfuchs.

On DS116, kwboot latest testing u-boot, I'm doing something like the following

DS116> setenv ipaddr <DS116-IP-addr>
DS116> setenv serverip <TFTPD-IP-addr>
DS116> setenv load_image_addr 0x02000000
DS116> setenv load_initrd_addr 0x3000000
DS116> setenv load_image 'echo loading uImage from tftpserver ...; tftpboot $load_image_addr uImage-6.15.2-mvebu-standard'
DS116> setenv load_initrd 'echo loading uInitrd from tftpserver ...; tftpboot $load_initrd_addr uInitrd-ds116'
DS116> setenv set_bootargs 'setenv bootargs "console=ttyS0,115200 root=LABEL=rootfs rootdelay=10 $mtdparts earlyprintk=serial"'
DS116> setenv bootcmd_exec 'echo Booting Debian ...; run set_bootargs; setenv fdt_skip_update yes; setenv initrd_high 0xffffffff; run load_image; run load_initrd; bootm $load_image_addr $load_initrd_addr'
DS116> setenv bootcmd 'mw.l f1018100 00008000; scsi init; run bootcmd_exec; echo Booting Stock OS ...; run bootspi'

this is with a /boot/boot.scr, generated from boot.cmd below

#
echo Booting with DS116 distro boot script
#
setenv bootdelay 10
setenv console "console=ttyS0,115200"
setenv custom_params "raid=noautodetect earlyprintk=serial"
setenv mtdids "spi0=spi_flash"
setenv mtdparts "mtdparts=spi0.0:1m(boot),6656k(kernel),0x10000@0x7E0000(u-boot-env)"
setenv bootargs "${console} root=LABEL=rootfs rootdelay=10 ${mtdparts} ${custom_params}"
#
setenv fdtfile /boot/dts/armada-385-synology-ds116.dtb
setenv uImage /boot/uImage
setenv uInitrd /boot/uInitrd
#
setenv load_uimage "echo loading uImage from ${devtype} ${devnum}:${distro_bootpart} ...; load ${devtype} ${devnum}:${distro_bootpart} ${kernel_addr_r} ${uImage}"
setenv load_initrd "echo loading uInitrd from ${devtype} ${devnum}:${distro_bootpart} ...; load ${devtype} ${devnum}:${distro_bootpart} ${ramdisk_addr_r} ${uInitrd}"
setenv load_dtb "echo loading DTB file from ${devtype} ${devnum}:${distro_bootpart} ... ; load ${devtype} ${devnum}:${distro_bootpart} ${fdt_addr_r} ${fdtfile}"
#
run load_uimage
run load_initrd
run load_dtb
bootm ${kernel_addr_r} ${ramdisk_addr_r} ${fdt_addr_r}
#

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/28/2025 04:48PM by eno789.

eno789 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> On DS116, kwboot latest testing u-boot, I'm doing
> something like the following
>
>

> DS116> setenv ipaddr <DS116-IP-addr>
> DS116> setenv serverip <TFTPD-IP-addr>
> DS116> setenv load_image_addr 0x02000000
> DS116> setenv load_initrd_addr 0x3000000
> DS116> setenv load_image 'echo loading uImage from
> tftpserver ...; tftpboot $load_image_addr
> uImage-6.15.2-mvebu-standard'
> DS116> setenv load_initrd 'echo loading uInitrd
> from tftpserver ...; tftpboot $load_initrd_addr
> uInitrd-ds116'
> DS116> setenv set_bootargs 'setenv bootargs
> "console=ttyS0,115200 root=LABEL=rootfs
> rootdelay=10 $mtdparts earlyprintk=serial"'
> DS116> setenv bootcmd_exec 'echo Booting Debian
> ...; run set_bootargs; setenv fdt_skip_update yes;
> setenv initrd_high 0xffffffff; run load_image; run
> load_initrd; bootm $load_image_addr
> $load_initrd_addr'
> DS116> setenv bootcmd 'mw.l f1018100 00008000;
> scsi init; run bootcmd_exec; echo Booting Stock OS
> ...; run bootspi'
>

>
> this is with a /boot/boot.scr, generated from
> boot.cmd below
>

> #
> echo Booting with DS116 distro boot script
> #
> setenv bootdelay 10
> setenv console "console=ttyS0,115200"
> setenv custom_params "raid=noautodetect
> earlyprintk=serial"
> setenv mtdids "spi0=spi_flash"
> setenv mtdparts
> "mtdparts=spi0.0:1m(boot),6656k(kernel),0x10000@0x7E0000(u-boot-env)"
> setenv bootargs "${console} root=LABEL=rootfs
> rootdelay=10 ${mtdparts} ${custom_params}"
> #
> setenv fdtfile
> /boot/dts/armada-385-synology-ds116.dtb
> setenv uImage /boot/uImage
> setenv uInitrd /boot/uInitrd
> #
> setenv load_uimage "echo loading uImage from
> ${devtype} ${devnum}:${distro_bootpart} ...; load
> ${devtype} ${devnum}:${distro_bootpart}
> ${kernel_addr_r} ${uImage}"
> setenv load_initrd "echo loading uInitrd from
> ${devtype} ${devnum}:${distro_bootpart} ...; load
> ${devtype} ${devnum}:${distro_bootpart}
> ${ramdisk_addr_r} ${uInitrd}"
> setenv load_dtb "echo loading DTB file from
> ${devtype} ${devnum}:${distro_bootpart} ... ; load
> ${devtype} ${devnum}:${distro_bootpart}
> ${fdt_addr_r} ${fdtfile}"
> #
> run load_uimage
> run load_initrd
> run load_dtb
> bootm ${kernel_addr_r} ${ramdisk_addr_r}
> ${fdt_addr_r}
> #
>

No. Do not do the above ( it will add to the confusion)!

-bodhi
===========================
Forum Wiki
bodhi's corner (buy bodhi a beer)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/29/2025 12:22AM by bodhi.

Martin,

You need to create the Debian rootfs on a USB thumb drive, using Debian-6.6.2-mvebu-tld-1-rootfs-bodhi.tar.bz2 as instructed in the release thread. That's the entire Debian/Linux system you will boot from (not using tftp).

However, there is a fundemental problem with the USB port (shown in your kwboot booting above). So let's try testing Ethernet, USB and HDD in u-boot first.

With a USB drive attached, and an HDD drive in the slot, ethernet cable connected. kwboot again, interrupt the count down and

dm tree
usb start
usb part
usb info
scsi reset
scsi part
dm tree

Assuming your router IP address is 192.168.0.1,

setenv serverip 192.168.0.1 
setenv ipaddr 192.168.0.100   # this 100 is an example, it could be anything unique to your local network in range 2..255
ping $serverip
dm tree

And post the entire log of this session here.

-bodhi
===========================
Forum Wiki
bodhi's corner (buy bodhi a beer)



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/29/2025 01:29AM by bodhi.

bodhi Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
,,,,
> And post the entire log of this session here.

I understand, thank you very much.
I can continue on Friday.

Hi, I've got DS216j that I want to mainline

I'm really happy to see all the progress that has been made, and have been reading through all the posts.

Slightly off-topic questions before I begin contributing:

- the original firmware will still exist on the device, I'm just forcing the bootloader to boot from USB, right? Is the final aim to eventually flash the firmware, or to have dual boot via USB, or to have dual boot via firmware (if possible)?

- the Share/Volume/Raid I made on the disks before can be reconstructed in the new Debian? There's no proprietary software stopping this from happening?

Sorry for the off-topic questions, and thanks to all for all the efforts so far

Hi, do you have an SHR which builds the RAID1, or not?
If it's SHR (Synology proprietary), it won't work.

tetris11,

> - the original firmware will still exist on the
> device, I'm just forcing the bootloader to boot
> from USB, right?

Correct.

> Is the final aim to eventually
> flash the firmware,

The goal is to

1. Boot the latest Debian distro on USB or HDD. And run the custom build Linux kernel I provided here.
2. Replace u-boot with the new u-boot, ie. 2025.07, tracking mainline. The stock DSM OS is not touched (but not used).

> or to have dual boot via USB,
> or to have dual boot via firmware (if possible)?

There is no guarantee that the new u-boot will dual boot back to stock FW.

If dual boot is important for you, then you should stay with stock u-boot (goal #1). And you can boot Debian from stock u-boot. In this case, you have a "rescue'" system on flash.

>
> - the Share/Volume/Raid I made on the disks before
> can be reconstructed in the new Debian? There's no
> proprietary software stopping this from
> happening?

Yes. The basic rootfs is a vanilla and barebone Debian system.

It has been done before for other boxes. But you should back up the data on your RAID volumes before trying to reconstruct the array.

But what I don't know for sure is: If after the array is reconstructed in Debian, it can still be used in DSM when you boot back to stock.

> Sorry for the off-topic questions, and thanks to
> all for all the efforts so far

No problem. And it's not off-topic at all. These info are all important to know so you can decide what's best for your use case.

-bodhi
===========================
Forum Wiki
bodhi's corner (buy bodhi a beer)

Thanks for the replies, it took me some time to remember the credentials to get into the Synology system and remember what everything was.

> If it's SHR (Synology proprietary), it won't work.

Yes it appears to be "Synology Hybrid RAID (SHR) (With data protection for 1-drive fault tolerance)", so I guess getting to just work on vanilla Debian will be difficult

> It has been done before for other boxes. But you should back up the data on your RAID volumes before trying to reconstruct the array.

Yeah, I think I'll do a full backup first before I start doing anything.

I've got myself a USB-to-TTL adapter today, so I should be ready to start the mainlining process after I do the backup.
Cheers for the detailed primer!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/31/2025 06:10PM by tetris11.