How to migrate from Debian to Arch Linux on PogoPlug series 4

I have a Pogoplug Series 4 (POGO-V4-A3-01) and boot from SD card, installed Debian version is :
Linux DebianPlug 3.18.5-kirkwood-tld-1

Now I want to change from Debian to Archlinux and I intend to follow this post:

Qiu's techNOLOGY Blog: Hacking Pogo Series 4 and Mobile

As my current pogo-v4 already installed uBoot, so I think I can start from "Debian/ALARM Installation on SD Card (or USB Hard/Flash Drive)",below are my planned steps:

1. prepare another new SD card

2. Insert this new SD card to a USB card reader and plug this USB card reader in current pogo-v4 (running Debian)

3. SSH connect to Pogo-v4 and input below command:

#stop my.pogoplug.com service (just in case)
killall hbwd

#Partition USB Flash
/sbin/fdisk /dev/sda

p # list current partitions
o # to delete all partitions
n # new partition
p # primary partition
1 (one) # first partition
<enter> # default start block
<enter> # default end block (to use the whole drive)
w # write new partition to disk

#download format utility
cd /tmp
wget http://archlinuxarm.org/os/pogoplug/mke2fs
chmod +x mke2fs

#format USB Flash
/tmp/mke2fs -L rootfs -j /dev/sda1

#create mount point
mkdir /tmp/mnt

#mount USB Flash
mount /dev/sda1 /tmp/mnt

#download Arch Linux ARM
cd /tmp/mnt
wget http://archlinuxarm.org/os/ArchLinuxARM-kirkwood-latest.tar.gz
tar -xzvf ArchLinuxARM-kirkwood-latest.tar.gz
rm ArchLinuxARM-kirkwood-latest.tar.gz

#Sync
sync
cd ..
umount /tmp/mnt

4. shutdown the pogo-v4, then unplug the USB card reader--> inject my old SD card (Debian system) --> insert the new SD Card with Arch Linux--> power on the pogo-v4

Can anybody have a look and give some suggestions if my plan works?

Thanks!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/23/2018 04:12AM by TigerXue.

TigerXue,

> I have a Pogoplug Series 4 (POGO-V4-A3-01) and
> boot from SD card, installed Debian version is :
> Linux DebianPlug 3.18.5-kirkwood-tld-1
>
> Now I want to change from Debian to Archlinux

It depends which u-boot you have installed on this box. If it is one of my u-boot releases, then u-boot envs need to be modified to boot Arch.

> I intend to follow this post:
>
> Qiu's techNOLOGY Blog: Hacking Pogo Series 4 and Mobile

I think that post is too old, so it is not up-to-date.

Do you have serial console and can post a serial bootlog with what you have currently running?

-bodhi
===========================
Forum Wiki
bodhi's corner



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/23/2018 04:46AM by bodhi.

bodhi Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It depends which u-boot you have installed on this
> box. If it is one of my u-boot releases, then
> u-boot envs need to be modified to boot Arch.
>
Unfortunately I do not have serial console and could not post the bootlog, any command that could show installed uBoot version?


>
> I think that post is too old, so it is not
> up-to-date.

Since the post is too old, highly appreciated if you could recommend one for reference.

Thanks!

TigerXue,

> Unfortunately I do not have serial console and
> could not post the bootlog, any command that could
> show installed uBoot version?
>

Log into Debian and,

fw_printenv
grep -a --null-data U-Boot /dev/mtd0ro

Note that the 2nd command will spit out warnings in dmesg. So don't be alarmed when you see a whole bunch those error messages.


> Since the post is too old, highly appreciated if
> you could recommend one for reference.

Without knowing the u-boot version, I can't say where you would get the instruction for the migration (other than I have to write it from scratch).

If your u-boot version is stock u-boot, then you should just use the Arch official instruction. This instruction will install Arch u-boot version for Pogo V4, and also prepare a new Arch rootfs:

https://archlinuxarm.org/platforms/armv5/pogoplug-series-4

-bodhi
===========================
Forum Wiki
bodhi's corner



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/23/2018 08:59PM by bodhi.

bodhi Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Log into Debian and,
> fw_printenv


root@DebianPlug:~# fw_printenv
ipaddr=192.168.0.231
serverip=192.168.0.220
baudrate=115200
bootcmd_mmc=run mmc_init; run set_bootargs_mmc; run mmc_boot
bootcmd_sata=run sata_init; run set_bootargs_sata; run sata_boot;
bootcmd_usb=run usb_init; run set_bootargs_usb; run usb_boot;
bootdelay=10
console=ttyS0,115200
device=0:1
ethact=egiga0
if_netconsole=ping $serverip
led_error=orange blinking
led_exit=green off
led_init=green blinking
mainlineLinux=yes
mmc_boot=mw 0x800000 0 1; run mmc_load_uimage; if run mmc_load_uinitrd; then bootm 0x800000 0x1100000;
else bootm 0x800000; fi
mmc_init=mmc rescan
mmc_load_uimage=ext2load mmc $device 0x800000 /boot/uImage
mmc_load_uinitrd=ext2load mmc $device 0x1100000 /boot/uInitrd
mmc_root=/dev/mmcblk0p1
mtdids=nand0=orion_nand
partition=nand0,2
preboot_nc=run if_netconsole start_netconsole
rootdelay=10
rootfstype=ext3
sata_boot=mw 0x800000 0 1; run sata_load_uimage; if run sata_load_uinitrd; then bootm 0x800000 0x1100000;
else bootm 0x800000; fi
sata_init=ide reset
sata_load_uimage=ext2load ide $device 0x800000 /boot/uImage
sata_load_uinitrd=ext2load ide $device 0x1100000 /boot/uInitrd
sata_root=/dev/sda1
set_bootargs_mmc=setenv bootargs console=$console root=$mmc_root rootdelay=$rootdelay rootfstype=$rootfstype $mtdparts
set_bootargs_sata=setenv bootargs console=$console root=$sata_root rootdelay=$rootdelay rootfstype=$rootfstype $mtdparts
set_bootargs_usb=setenv bootargs console=$console root=$usb_root rootdelay=$rootdelay rootfstype=$rootfstype $mtdparts
start_netconsole=setenv ncip $serverip; setenv bootdelay 10; setenv stdin nc; setenv stdout nc; setenv stderr nc; version;
stderr=serial
stdin=serial
stdout=serial
usb_boot=mw 0x800000 0 1; run usb_load_uimage; if run usb_load_uinitrd; then bootm 0x800000 0x1100000;
else bootm 0x800000; fi
usb_init=usb start
usb_load_uimage=ext2load usb $device 0x800000 /boot/uImage
usb_load_uinitrd=ext2load usb $device 0x1100000 /boot/uInitrd
usb_root=/dev/sda1
ethaddr=00:25:31:04:f8:50
arcNumber=3960
machid=F78
usb_rootfstype=ext3
mtdparts=mtdparts=orion_nand:2M(u-boot),3M(uImage),3M(uImage2),8M(failsafe),112M(root)
bootcmd=run bootcmd_mmc; run bootcmd_pogo; run bootcmd_usb; run bootcmd_sata; reset
bootcmd_pogo=if ubi part root 2048 && ubifsmount ubi:rootfs && ubifsload 0x800000 uboot.mtd0.dockstar.original.kwb ;
then go 0x800200; fi


> grep -a --null-data U-Boot /dev/mtd0ro


root@DebianPlug:~# grep -a --null-data U-Boot /dev/mtd0ro
Warning: U-Boot configured device %s at address %llx,
but the device tree has it address %llx.
U-Boot** Invalid partition type "%.32s" (expect "U-Boot")
U-Boot BUG at %s:%d!
U-Boot 2014.07-tld-1 (Jul 18 2014 - 00:59:45)


Hello， Bodhi, please check the output when I typed 2 commands.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/24/2018 07:26PM by TigerXue.

I just did what I planned last night. The new SD card inserted in USB card reader is listed as "sdb" as I type "fdisk -l", so I just changed to sdb/sdb1, then everything goes smoothly, finally the popoplug v4 successfully booted with Arch. The old version uBoot is great can suppport both Debian and Arch, sometimes it's really no necessary to update to the latest one.

I was using Debian for couple of years. Due to a power surge it crashed. Now i thought of installing arch linux in a new USB on my Pogoplug V4.

Currently i tried loading the archlinux to a USB but its not booting.

I have 2015 Boot Version, Should i need to do any additional changes?.

Regards
Nirmal

Nirmal,

See the Wiki thread:
https://forum.doozan.com/read.php?2,23630

Quote

Booting Other Linux Distros on Pogoplug

How to boot Arch Linux ARM with bodhi's released u-boot
How to boot Void Linux with bodhi's released u-boot

-bodhi
===========================
Forum Wiki
bodhi's corner

Thank you Bodhi. Would like to whether Uboot 2016 version able to boot Debian with EXT4 ?

Nirmal_Kumar Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thank you Bodhi. Would like to whether Uboot 2016
> version able to boot Debian with EXT4 ?

Yes it will boot Ext4.

-bodhi
===========================
Forum Wiki
bodhi's corner