Zyxel NSA 325 v2 - Debian install

Hello,

I became the proud owner of the device mentioned in the subject, because my father attempted to dump it in the trash and I thought it might still be usefull for something. After some searching I got here on this forum and here I am, asking newby questions and hope that somebody might answer.

So I would like to install Debian on this box. I read trough these two threads:
https://forum.doozan.com/read.php?3,12381
https://forum.doozan.com/read.php?2,12096

If I get it correctly I have to go trough the steps described in these two topic. I started checking steps in the Uboot document and tried the dmesg command which resulted in this:

~ # dmesg | grep -i 'bad'
Scanning device for bad blocks
Bad eraseblock 100 at 0x000000c80000
Bad eraseblock 200 at 0x000001900000
~ # dmesg
reported, assuming 512.
NAND device: Manufacturer ID: 0x92, Chip ID: 0xf1 (Unknown NAND 128MiB 3,3V 8-bit)
Scanning device for bad blocks
Bad eraseblock 100 at 0x000000c80000
Bad eraseblock 200 at 0x000001900000
9 cmdlinepart partitions found on MTD device nand_mtd
Using command line partition definition
Creating 9 MTD partitions on "nand_mtd":
0x000000000000-0x000000100000 : "uboot"
0x000000100000-0x000000180000 : "uboot_env"
0x000000180000-0x000000200000 : "key_store"
 sda:
0x000000200000-0x000000280000 : "info"
0x000000280000-0x000000c80000 : "etc"
0x000000c80000-0x000001680000 : "kernel_1"
0x000001680000-0x000004640000 : "rootfs1"

Here I stopped as I seen bad blocks, but then I realised that my bad blocks are in the "kernel_1" and "rootfs" part?
This is what I am not sure of and seek some guidance on. Please if you have anything to add as a useful information regarding this install, then feel free.

were,

> If I get it correctly I have to go trough the
> steps described in these two topic.

Correct.

> Bad eraseblock 100 at 0x000000c80000
> Bad eraseblock 200 at 0x000001900000


Yes. The bad blocks are far away from uboot (mtd0). So you can install new uboot without problem.

-bodhi
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Thanks a lot for the help and support bodhi!

were,

> Thanks a lot for the help and support bodhi!

My pleasure!

Remember to install both at the same time while inside stock OS. Create the rootfs on USB, and plug in. Then install u-boot. That way when you reboot, it will be booted into the USB rootfs right away.

-bodhi
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Yes, this is what I just realised yesterday evening, when I read trough again everything. That I had to do everything in one run. Especially, because at the moment I do not have other linux machine beside this NAS. So I can only do it with one reboot. So I started checking trough the commands which needs to create the rootfs and unfortunately the mkimage looks not available on my box:

BusyBox v1.17.2 (2017-06-23 10:40:08 CST) built-in shell (ash)
Enter 'help' for a list of built-in commands.

~ # mkimage
-sh: mkimage: not found
~ #

So at the moment I again have to stop, as I am not able to get that u-boot-tools on the stock NAS. I need another linux machine to have this solved.

Another thing which I not entirely understand, that the image we create on the USB but then we will install that on the NAS, or the HDD inside the NAS?

were,

> Yes, this is what I just realised yesterday
> evening, when I read trough again everything. That
> I had to do everything in one run. Especially,
> because at the moment I do not have other linux
> machine beside this NAS. So I can only do it with
> one reboot. So I started checking trough the
> commands which needs to create the rootfs and
> unfortunately the mkimage looks not available on
> my box:

You don't need to use mkimage while creating the Debian rootfs to run with the new u-boot. I think you've misread the instruction. It does not involve mkimage. Basically, you must skip Step 4.


However, If you ever need it , you can use the mkimage command on the rootfs. This is one of the reasons the rootfs should be create first. If the USB drive is mounted at /media/sdb1, then

/media/sdb1/usr/bin/mkimage

> Another thing which I not entirely understand,
> that the image we create on the USB but then we
> will install that on the NAS, or the HDD inside
> the NAS?

It make it easy to install on USB to get it running. The USB is your entire Debian Linux system. Then later if you want to use the HDD as the rootfs, then you can backup and restore the USB rootfs to the HDD.

If this is the only Linux box that you have, then you should install the rootfs on the HDD (instead of USB). You would need to wipe out the HDD with fdisk, create Ext3 partition, ... basically follow the same procedure, but using the HDD.

The drawback with HDD rootfs is if you made mistake during installation then it needs to be taken out to another Linux box to fix. For a USB thumb drive it is easier.

-bodhi
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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/22/2020 03:38AM by bodhi.

My old NSA325v2 had some minor trouble with the RAID, so I decided it was time to buy a new one.

The question is: What can I do with the old one?

I think I would like to install a Linux onto that box. But I'm not so familiar with ubot or creating a boot stick.

Does anyone have an image ready for that box?

I found a tutorial: https://micha.stoecker.me/p/2710 and also an arch linux installer: https://archlinuxarm.org/platforms/armv5/zyxel-nsa325

But I still don't knw how to create that images.

- chris

Christian,

Take a look at this tutorial

https://forum.doozan.com/read.php?3,119919,119924#msg-119924

You can use the latest rootfs: Debian-5.13.6-kirkwood-tld-1-rootfs-bodhi.tar.bz2

And try UART booting first before flashing u-boot (it's mentioned in the u-boot installation instruction).

-bodhi
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/11/2022 04:31PM by bodhi.