Thinking about purchasing POGO-P21, having questions

Since https://archlinuxarm.org/platforms/armv6/pogoplug-provideov3 is no longer up, I pulled up the page using archive.org. https://web.archive.org/web/20120218191813/https://archlinuxarm.org/platforms/armv6/pogoplug-provideov3


Are the instructions still valid? Is there somewhere I can read about what the installation steps are, what linux distro would I be installing?

newuser Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Since https://archlinuxarm.org/platforms/armv6/pog
> oplug-provideov3 is no longer up, I pulled up the
> page using archive.org. https://web.archive.org/we
> b/20120218191813/https://archlinuxarm.org/platform
> s/armv6/pogoplug-provideov3
>
>
> Are the instructions still valid? Is there somewhe
> re I can read about what the installation steps ar
> e, what linux distro would I be installing?

Debian:
http://forum.doozan.com/read.php?2,16044

U-Boot:
http://forum.doozan.com/read.php?3,16017

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

Do I first have to ssh into the device and then follow the installation guides? After installation, will the pogoplug always boot into debian?

I have very limited experience with debian coming from the raspberry pi 3. Will I be able to install and run debian like I'm used to with the raspberry pi 3?

newuser Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Do I first have to ssh into the device and then fo
> llow the installation guides? After installation,
> will the pogoplug always boot into debian?
>

Yes. You would create the rootfs, and install u-boot in one SSH session before rebooting (the instruction is separate because in the old days sometime people only want to install Debian without updating u-boot).

> I have very limited experience with debian coming
> from the raspberry pi 3. Will I be able to install
> and run debian like I'm used to with the raspberry
> pi 3?

Yes, but the rootfs I released is a basic Debian rootfs, not a heavy rootfs like rPi. You will need to install packages that you want to run.

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

I'm completely new to Linux in general. Can you confirm how I'm thinking about how this whole process is correct? I'm slowing learning about Linux and how everythKng works compared to Windows


I'm going to be replacing the stock kernel with the Linux kernel. I want to do this so I can run a specific distro of Linux, specifically Debian in this case. However in order for the hardware to boot into Debian, I need u-boot to tell the hardware to boot Debian?


The rootfs you have is like a basic version of windows without any drivers, apps installed etc? Whereas the rootfs for the rPI contains some apps, packages, installed already? If so, where can I find out what is included in your rootfs? And because I'm using your rootfs, I would have to google which packages I need and then I would install them the same way I would with a rPI?

newuser1,

> I'm going to be replacing the stock kernel with th
> e Linux kernel. I want to do this so I can run a s
> pecific distro of Linux, specifically Debian in th
> is case. However in order for the hardware to boot
> into Debian, I need u-boot to tell the hardware to
> boot Debian?

Yes, correct. And your new box has stock u-boot. Which can boot Debian, too, with some changes in u-boot envs. But stock u-boot is limited in functionality, so that's why the new u-boot is preferred.

>
>
> The rootfs you have is like a basic version of win
> dows without any drivers, apps installed etc? Wher
> eas the rootfs for the rPI contains some apps, pac
> kages, installed already?

That's correct.

> If so, where can I find
> out what is included in your rootfs?

It is a basic Debian rootfs created by debootstrap (a standard Debian rootfs creation procedure). And then I installed a few must-have packages to make it easier to start. You can see the description in the rootfs/kernel release thread.

Quote

Updated 02 Nov 2014:

Rootfs Debian-3.17.0-oxnas-tld-1-rootfs-bodhi.tar.bz2 was uploaded. This rootfs is to keep in sync with kernel Linux-3.17.0-oxnas-tld-1.

Basic minimal Debian Oxnas rootfs for Popo Pro/Classic V3 plug:

- tarball size: 83M
- install size: 251M
- a basic wheezy rootfs
- Installed packages: nano, avahi, ntp, busybox-syslogd (log to RAM), htop, dialog, bz2.
- see LED controls in /etc/rc.local, and /etc/rc0.d/K08halt
- see some useful aliases in /root/.profile
- root password: root

> And because I
> 'm using your rootfs, I would have to google which
> packages I need and then I would install them the
> same way I would with a rPI?

Exactly! that was the purpose. This way a Linux beginner person would have the oportunity to learn Linux using Debian distro. Whereas in rPi heavy rootfs, wich is also a Debian rootfs, everything was already installed. One just uses rPi, but has to get hand-on familiarity with Linux to use my released rootfs. You'd say this is an opportunity to become proficient in Linux. It's depending on your goal.

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



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/22/2017 12:23AM by bodhi.

Thank you so much for the info!

I know debian stretch was recently released in June, should I wait until you make a new rootfs? Is there a list of what is included in the wheezy rootfs? I'm assuming the ssh package is already in there so you can ssh into it after installing the kernel and u-boot?

>
> I know debian stretch was recently released in Jun
> e, should I wait until you make a new rootfs?

I don't know yet when I will release the OXNAS plugs stretch rootfs. It could be a while.

> Is t
> here a list of what is included in the wheezy root
> fs?

Once you've installed and booted the new rootfs, you can do this at the first login to list all packages.

dpkg -l

> I'm assuming the ssh package is already in the
> re so you can ssh into it after installing the ker
> nel and u-boot?

Yes. It's installed as default during the debootstrap process.

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

Is rootfs included in the kernel? I don't see anything in the installation guide that points to installing rootfs, only installing the kernel.

I also found this guide which installs u-boot first then the debian rootfs. I know it's outdated and the packages links will have to be tweaked but would this guide work?

http://blog.qnology.com/2015/04/hacking-pogoplug-v3oxnas-proclassic.html


There's another thread which invokes installing directly to the pogoplug. However the os is read only? If I choose this method, I would have to configure everything to write to an external device? I'm not sure of the drawbacks of it being read only versus installing it on an external device


All the other installation methods involves an external storage device?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/23/2017 01:07AM by newuser.

newuser,

> Is rootfs included in the kernel?

Yes. But you got it reversed. The kernel is included in the rootfs. The rootfs is an operating system and the Linux kernel is installed in the rootfs to run the system.


> I don't see anyt
> hing in the installation guide that points to inst
> alling rootfs, only installing the kernel.
>

It's in the rootfs/kernel installation thread: http://forum.doozan.com/read.php?2,16044

Quote

The released tarball Debian-x.xx.x-oxnas-tld-xx-rootfs-bodhi.tar.bz2 is a basic armel rootfs (a completed Debian system with kernel already installed) for Oxnas OX820 boxes ready to be used. It is a basic system where you can build upon by installing packages

Quote

Latest released rootfs: Debian-3.17.0-oxnas-tld-1-rootfs-bodhi.tar.bz2 (02 Nov 2014)

Quote

Updated 02 Nov 2014:

Rootfs Debian-3.17.0-oxnas-tld-1-rootfs-bodhi.tar.bz2 was uploaded. This rootfs is to keep in sync with kernel Linux-3.17.0-oxnas-tld-1.

Basic minimal Debian Oxnas rootfs for Popo Pro/Classic V3 plug:

- tarball size: 83M
- install size: 251M
- a basic wheezy rootfs
- Installed packages: nano, avahi, ntp, busybox-syslogd (log to RAM), htop, dialog, bz2.
- see LED controls in /etc/rc.local, and /etc/rc0.d/K08halt
- see some useful aliases in /root/.profile
- root password: root

> I also found this guide which installs u-boot firs
> t then the debian rootfs. I know it's outdated and
> the packages links will have to be tweaked but wou
> ld this guide work?
>
> http://blog.qnology.com/2015/04/hacking-pogoplug-v
> 3oxnas-proclassic.html
>

I'm not sure, I don't think I've ever read Qui's installation instruction. But it is probably out of date by now.

>
> There's another thread which invokes installing di
> rectly to the pogoplug. However the os is read onl
> y? If I choose this method, I would have to config
> ure everything to write to an external device?
> I'm
> not sure of the drawbacks of it being read only ve
> rsus installing it on an external device
>

We only deal with installing on USB or HDD. The idea is leaving NAND rootfs untouched, only use it for rescue purpose. This box NAND flash is really small so it is not feasible to use it for a full Debian system.

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

These are the steps I'm going to take, I want to make sure the steps and commands I'm using are correct since I'm new to linux. I will get back and read over u-boot again, it's a bit much and a little more confusing than installing the kernel.

Qui's guide looks like it's installing on the usb drive whereas your install is on the dir boot.

Is the dir boot in the stock nand?

#backup current uImage and uInitrd and other kernel files
cd /boot
mkdir backup
mv uInitrd 
mv uImage 
mv initrd.img-xx.xx.xx-xxx 
mv System.map-xx.xx.xx-xxx 
mv vmlinuz-xx.xx.xx-xxx 
mv config-xx.xx.xx-xxx 

#download kernel from bodhi's dropbox
wget --no-check-certificate https://www.dropbox.com/s/2zfi4mcr5e235fn/linux-4.4.38-oxnas-tld-5.bodhi.tar.bz2

#check md5
echo "663df6cee6f8124d829051d0e75c5592 linux-4.4.38-oxnas-tld-5.bodhi.tar.bz2" |md5sum -c


#Extract the kernel in the archive
tar -xjf linux-4.4.38-oxnas-tld-5.bodhi.tar.bz2

#Extract the dts tarball for the dtb files
tar -xf linux-dtb-4.4.38-oxnas-tld-5.tar

#install dpkg -i linux-image-4.4.38-oxnas-tld-5_5_armel.deb
dpkg -i dpkg -i linux-image-4.4.38-oxnas-tld-5_5_armel.deb

#Create uImage and uInitrd manually
mv uImage uImage.bak
mv uInitrd uInitrd.bak
mkimage -A arm -O linux -T kernel -C none -a 0x60008000 -e 0x60008000 -n Linux-4.4.38-oxnas-tld-5 -d vmlinuz-4.4.38-oxnas-tld-5 uImage
mkimage -A arm -O linux -T ramdisk -C gzip -a 0x60000000 -e 0x60000000 -n initramfs-4.4.38-oxnas-tld-5  -d initrd.img-4.4.38-oxnas-tld-5 uInitrd

#clean up
rm linux-4.4.38-oxnas-tld-5.bodhi.tar.bz2
rm *.dtb

#reboot and verify
reboot
uname -a

#Setup U-Boot envs

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/23/2017 10:59AM by newuser.

newuser,

Log into stock OS. and follow the instruction (very closely, the commands have be to exactly the same):

Debian:
http://forum.doozan.com/read.php?2,16044

And then

U-Boot:
http://forum.doozan.com/read.php?3,16017

Before reboot, post the entire log here and I'll doublecheck it.

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