Debian on Dell Kace M300

bodhi's note:

Please see this post for Installation Instruction:

https://forum.doozan.com/read.php?2,61344,90019#msg-90019

====================

JDS420's original post:

I have a few Dell Kace M300 appliances that I'd love to update/upgrade, but I have no idea where to start or what to do. uboot claims the board is a "DB-88F6282A-BP LE". I have yet to find anyone attempting to flash this device and I have spent a ridiculous amount of time weeding through pictures trying to identify the board's manufacturer or any other information I can, but haven't found a single match.

Any help or nudge onto the right path would be appreciated.



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 09/15/2019 06:45PM by bodhi.

JDS420,


> I have a few Dell Kace M300 appliances that I'd
> love to update/upgrade, but I have no idea where
> to start or what to do. uboot claims the board is
> a "DB-88F6282A-BP LE". I have yet to find anyone
> attempting to flash this device and I have spent a
> ridiculous amount of time weeding through pictures
> trying to identify the board's manufacturer or any
> other information I can, but haven't found a
> single match.
>
> Any help or nudge onto the right path would be
> appreciated.

88F6282 indicated that it is a Marvell Armada 300 SoC (this is actually clone of Kirkwood Soc, not a real Armada ). Having looked in your serial boot log, I can see it is indeed the Marvell SoC.

Quote

** MARVELL BOARD: DB-88F6282A-BP LE

U-Boot 1.1.4 (Jun 20 2011 - 13:16:26) Marvell version: 3.4.27
USISH-SMB Ver: kacemini-1.5

U-Boot code: 00600000 -> 0067FFF0 BSS: -> 006CDBC0

Soc: MV88F1155 Rev 1 (DDR3)
CPU running @ 2000Mhz L2 running @ 500Mhz
SysClock = 500Mhz , TClock = 200Mhz

----

I have released u-boot and kernel for a simlar box: NSA325 which is a 88F6282 A1.

Quote

** MARVELL BOARD: DB-88F6282A-BP LE

U-Boot 1.1.4 (Jul 18 2013 - 10:47:29) Marvell version: 3.5.9

U-Boot code: 00600000 -> 0067FFF0 BSS: -> 006CFB00

Soc: 88F6282 A1CPU running @ 1600Mhz L2 running @ 533Mhz
SysClock = 533Mhz , TClock = 200Mhz

DRAM (DDR3) CAS Latency = 7 tRP = 8 tRAS = 24 tRCD=8
DRAM CS[0] base 0x00000000 size 512MB
DRAM Total size 512MB 16bit width
Addresses 10M - 0M are saved for the U-Boot usage.
Mem malloc Initialization (10M - 7M): Done
NAND:128 MB
Flash: 0 kB

So I would look in to try to kwboot this Dell Kace M300 board throught serial console using this u-boot: uboot.2017.07-tld-1.nsa325.bodhi.tar. See my released thead for download link and instruction:

https://forum.doozan.com/read.php?3,12381

Specifically the UART booting:

Quote

UART Booting: If possible, try to test this boot image with UART booting before flashing to NAND. See davygravy's UART booting using kwboot instruction here in this thread. The latest u-boot image released here should be used for UART booting, if your box is the type that supports it (these do not: Dockstar, Pogo E02, iConnect).

-bodhi
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/07/2018 12:46AM by bodhi.

Nice find. 2GB RAM on a 2GHz 88F6282 w/ 1 Ethernet and two USB 2. And from the looks of the log file a 2.5" 16GB MLC Transcend SSD with 90MB/s write speed.

Just bought one from ebay for $24.95. See Dell Kace M300

Ray

These lines from u-boot:

U-Boot 1.1.4 (Jun 20 2011 - 13:16:26) Marvell version: 3.4.27
USISH-SMB Ver: kacemini-1.5

Are similar to those from the TonidoPlug 2 and Verbatim MediaShare Mini which were both manufactured by Universal Scientific Industrial (Shanghai).

Ray

I indeed picked them up on eBay for about 20 a piece. They're beautiful devices made out of machined aluminum over a steel frame so they have some heft to them. I figured if all else failed that I'd get a nice chunk of aluminum, an SSD, cat5 cable, and a power adapter.

Man, I knew I was on the right track when I found a picture of the Verbatim Mediashare, but I instead gave up after getting nowhere on USISH's site.

According to davygravy's post, the board is version 1.21. My output:

Marvell>> md ff00003c
ff00003c: 00000121 e3a00000 e59f222c e5921000    !.......,"......
ff00004c: e2013008 e3530000 1a000002 e3811008    .0....S.........
ff00005c: e5821000 e5921000 e3a03000 ee2f3f1b    .........0...?/.
ff00006c: e59f2208 e5921000 e3c11cff e3c110ff    ."..............
ff00007c: e3710801 1a000003 e5921000 e3c114ff    ..q.............
ff00008c: e3c118ff e5821000 e59f21e0 e5922000    .........!... ..
ff00009c: e3a01902 e0112002 0a00000b e59f21d0    ..... .......!..
ff0000ac: e5921000 e3c11080 e5821000 e59f21c4    .............!..
ff0000bc: e5921000 e3c11080 e5821000 e59f21b8    .............!..
ff0000cc: e5921000 e3c1120f e5821000 e10f5000    .............P..
ff0000dc: e3c5501f e38550d3 e121f005 e3a05000    .P...P....!..P..
ff0000ec: ee075f17 ee075f16 ee075f15 ee085f17    ._..._..._..._..
ff0000fc: e59f2174 e3a03010 e5924000 e1c44003    t!...0...@...@..
ff00010c: e5824000 ee3f1f11 e3811505 ee2f1f11    .@....?......./.
ff00011c: e3a04003 ee034f10 e59f4160 ee024f10    .@...O..`A...O..
ff00012c: e3a03601 e3a02000 e3a01d06 e59f0150    .6... ......P...

I tried the UART method, however, this device lacks a power switch/button. So I ran:

sudo ./kwboot -t -B 115200 /dev/ttyUSB0 -b uboot.2017.07-tld-1.nsa325.mtd0.kwb

before plugging the adapter in, but that instantly fails with:

Sending boot image...
  0 % [+xmodem: Protocol error

Here's some pictures of the CPU side of the board. Sorry about the quality...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/07/2018 02:26AM by JDS420.

I've seen enough of Marvell boards, the bootROM version is really not a reliable indicator anymore. That was in the old days when we did not know enough.

Sending boot image...
  0 % [+xmodem: Protocol error

That's actually a good sign.

Now after you've powered up, Control-C (if necessary) and recall the kwboot command, execute again. Try this repeatedly until it handshakes with the board (leave the power plugged in).

-bodhi
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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/07/2018 02:50AM by bodhi.

......why are all the good toys at the right price on the other side of the pond......

JDS420 Wrote:
--------------------------------------------------->
> Here's some pictures of the CPU side of the board.
> Sorry about the quality...


I don't suppose you can snap a pic of the topside.......

Gravelrash Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ......why are all the good toys at the right price
> on the other side of the pond......

Sorry Gravelrash! the shipping cost to your side the pond would make this less attractive. I think they probably started dumping this device inventory when it became apparent that nobody would buy it for the software price they intended to sell.

-bodhi
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JDS420 since you've obviously already determined the pin-out for the serial could you please post it?

Thanks,
Ray

Received the unit I purchased on ebay today. It's a brand new unit and in my opinion in violation of the GPL as none of the documents included tell me how to get the source code. A search of Dell's website isn't helpful as it appears they have spun the Kace unit off to Quest KACE which appears to be oriented toward the software and have no mention of the M300 unit. I have done a tear-down of the unit to create the WikiDevi page and discovered that it has Debian 6.0.1 installed.

Ray

Hi Ray,

You've created the Wikidev page that stated that the Ethernet chip is 88E1318. Is that on the chip marking?

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bodhi Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hi Ray,
>
> You've created the Wikidev page that stated that the Ethernet chip is 88E1318. Is that on the chip marking?

Yes, the chip is marked as 88E1318.

Ray

I just got one of these myself to play with (even though I really have no time :-) ). I didn't get anywhere with kwboot. The "reset button" doesn't seem to reset anything. The only effect I saw that it has is that if you hold it in while you apply power the LED stays on steady white until you release it (then it starts flashing). I took the 16GB SATA flash drive out and mounted it in a USB3 enclosure and connected it to my Dockstar. It has 4 partitions:

Disk /dev/sdc: 14.9 GiB, 16013852672 bytes, 31277056 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 33553920 bytes
Disklabel type: dos
Disk identifier: 0x624914e9

Device     Boot    Start      End  Sectors  Size Id Type
/dev/sdc1  *          32   524287   524256  256M 83 Linux
/dev/sdc2         524288 30869503 30345216 14.5G 83 Linux
/dev/sdc3       30869504 31277055   407552  199M  5 Extended
/dev/sdc5       30869536 31277055   407520  199M 82 Linux swap / Solaris

The first partition contains the boot files:

-rw-r--r--  1 root root   84227 Apr 11  2011 config-2.6.32-5-kirkwood
lrwxrwxrwx  1 root root      28 Jun 28  2011 initrd.img -> initrd.img-2.6.32-5-kirkwood
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 2402591 May  5  2011 initrd.img-2.6.32-5-kirkwood
drwxr-xr-x  2 root root   12288 May  5  2011 lost+found
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 1006150 Apr 11  2011 System.map-2.6.32-5-kirkwood
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 2415724 May  5  2011 uImage
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 1437216 May  5  2011 uImage.kbox_backup
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 2401050 May  5  2011 uInitrd
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 2402655 May  5  2011 uInitrd.kbox_backup
lrwxrwxrwx  1 root root      25 Jun 28  2011 vmlinuz -> vmlinuz-2.6.32-5-kirkwood
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 1437152 Apr 11  2011 vmlinuz-2.6.32-5-kirkwood

The second partition looks like Debian v6.0.1 as was already mentioned:

root@debian:/tmp/f2/etc# cat debian_version
6.0.1

I couldn't figure out how to mount the 3rd, Extended, partition.

It would be nice to get this thing to do something useful. Assuming kwboot won't work, would the easiest approach just be to update the files in the boot partition?

-JT

renojim Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I just got one of these myself to play with (even
> though I really have no time :-) ). I didn't get
> anywhere with kwboot. The "reset button" doesn't
> seem to reset anything. The only effect I saw
> that it has is that if you hold it in while you
> apply power the LED stays on steady white until
> you release it (then it starts flashing). I took
> the 16GB SATA flash drive out and mounted it in a
> USB3 enclosure and connected it to my Dockstar.
> It has 4 partitions:

Disk /dev/sdc: 14.9 GiB,
> 16013852672 bytes, 31277056 sectors
> Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
> Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512
> bytes
> I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 33553920
> bytes
> Disklabel type: dos
> Disk identifier: 0x624914e9
> 
> Device     Boot    Start      End  Sectors  Size
> Id Type
> /dev/sdc1  *          32   524287   524256  256M
> 83 Linux
> /dev/sdc2         524288 30869503 30345216 14.5G
> 83 Linux
> /dev/sdc3       30869504 31277055   407552  199M 
> 5 Extended
> /dev/sdc5       30869536 31277055   407520  199M
> 82 Linux swap / Solaris

>
> The first partition contains the boot
> files:

-rw-r--r--  1 root root   84227 Apr 11
>  2011 config-2.6.32-5-kirkwood
> lrwxrwxrwx  1 root root      28 Jun 28  2011
> initrd.img -> initrd.img-2.6.32-5-kirkwood
> -rw-r--r--  1 root root 2402591 May  5  2011
> initrd.img-2.6.32-5-kirkwood
> drwxr-xr-x  2 root root   12288 May  5  2011
> lost+found
> -rw-r--r--  1 root root 1006150 Apr 11  2011
> System.map-2.6.32-5-kirkwood
> -rw-r--r--  1 root root 2415724 May  5  2011
> uImage
> -rw-r--r--  1 root root 1437216 May  5  2011
> uImage.kbox_backup
> -rw-r--r--  1 root root 2401050 May  5  2011
> uInitrd
> -rw-r--r--  1 root root 2402655 May  5  2011
> uInitrd.kbox_backup
> lrwxrwxrwx  1 root root      25 Jun 28  2011
> vmlinuz -> vmlinuz-2.6.32-5-kirkwood
> -rw-r--r--  1 root root 1437152 Apr 11  2011
> vmlinuz-2.6.32-5-kirkwood

>
> The second partition looks like Debian v6.0.1 as
> was already
> mentioned:

root@debian:/tmp/f2/etc# cat
> debian_version
> 6.0.1

>
> I couldn't figure out how to mount the 3rd,
> Extended, partition.
>
> It would be nice to get this thing to do something
> useful. Assuming kwboot won't work, would the
> easiest approach just be to update the files in
> the boot partition?
>
> -JT

JT,

Did you see xmodem error like JDS did while kwbooting? See my post right below that.

This uboot is old. But should be able to boot the latest Debian rootfs. I will need to take a closer look.

-bodhi
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/12/2018 10:04PM by bodhi.

LeggoMyEggo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> JDS420 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------->
>
> > Here's some pictures of the CPU side of the
> board.
> > Sorry about the quality...
>
>
> I don't suppose you can snap a pic of the
> topside.......

I can. give me a minute

For anyone who wants to know, the serial pinout is written right above the header in my picture.

[USB] [B-W G-R] [ETH]

Edit: the 3rd part is a swap partition



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/13/2018 12:30AM by JDS420.

@renojim There is a script that's available from the intended OS that watches the reset switch. It doesn't do anything unless the device is set up through the web interface. And when pressed, it just rewrites all the .kbox_backup files over the original. For example: It replaces uImage with uImage.kbox_backup and uInitrd with uInitrd.kbox_backup

#!/kbox/bin/daemonwrapper /usr/bin/env php
<?php // -*- php -*-
require_once('/kbox/lib/kace/util/symfony_setup.inc.php');
$daemon = new ButtonWatcher();
$daemon->run();

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/13/2018 12:29AM by JDS420.

JDS420 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> For anyone who wants to know, the serial pinout is
> written right above the header in my picture.
>
> [USB] [B-W G-R] [ETH]
>
> Edit: the 3rd part is a swap partition


What does [B-W G-R] stands for? TXD, RXD, GND? ...

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Black White Green Red

bodhi Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What does [B-W G-R] stands for? TXD, RXD, GND? ...
Black, White, Green, Red which are the colors of the wires on my USB-RS232 adapter. I don't know if that's universal, but Black is GND, White is the output from the board or TxD (input to the adapter, RxD), and Green is input to the board or RxD (output from the adapter, TxD). Red is +3.3V and probably shouldn't be connected to anything. Pin 1 is the +3.3V and pin 4 is GND. Pin 1 is marked on the board with a white mark.

-JT

bodhi Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Did you see xmodem error like JDS did while
> kwbooting? See my post right below that.
>
> This uboot is old. But should be able to boot the
> latest Debian rootfs. I will need to take a
> closer look.
I believe I saw three different errors (I wish I had saved the session(s)). Most of the time it was exactly what JDS reported (Protocol error). I can't remember exactly what the other error messages said. Sometimes I got a dozen or so "+" signs before the error, but I never saw anything more than 0%. I tried many, many times before I decided it wasn't going to happen. I feel like I need to hook up a second serial port to monitor the responses from the board to see if it's really even trying.

-JT

Thank JDS420 and JT!

Pin 1 is marked on the board with a thick white mark. Next to the Ethernet port.

Ouside the box  facing in - left-to-right
1. 3.3V
2. RXD	
3. TXD	
4. GND

Only TXD, RXD, and GND should be connected.

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Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 09/02/2019 02:05AM by bodhi.

JT,

> I believe I saw three different errors (I wish I
> had saved the session(s)). Most of the time it
> was exactly what JDS reported (Protocol error). I
> can't remember exactly what the other error
> messages said. Sometimes I got a dozen or so "+"
> signs before the error, but I never saw anything
> more than 0%.

Interesting! Usually if it is not supported, we will get nothing in response. OTOH, xmodem protocol error ususally means that it tried to handshake, but could not sync up. The Pogo V4 frequently has this error.

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I tried maybe 300+ times until I got frustrated and walked away

JDS420 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I tried maybe 300+ times until I got frustrated
> and walked away

Then I think UART booting might not be supported.

Did the xmodem error occur each time?

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/13/2018 02:15PM by bodhi.

No, most of the time the commands being sent interrupted the normal boot and left it at the uboot prompt

JDS420 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> No, most of the time the commands being sent
> interrupted the normal boot and left it at the
> uboot prompt

This told me that the kwboot command was too late or completly ignored. No handshake attempt has occured.

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I'll give it another try with different timings. Is there a way to delay uboot from starting right away; like a delayed boot envar?

JDS420 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'll give it another try with different timings.
> Is there a way to delay uboot from starting right
> away; like a delayed boot envar?


Not possible to delay u-boot from starting. If nothing telling the bootROM to load u-boot from UART, it will load u-boot from flash and start it.

-bodhi
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