Debian and Arch Linux rootfs differences

I created an Arch Linux bootable USB stick for my GoFlexHome unit the other day and it only required the rootfs to be extracted and was bootable. In contrast a number of additional steps are needed before making Debian installation bootable. With Arch Linux /boot only contains uImage and initramfs-linux.img so I'm wondering how it manages to boot...

balanga Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I created an Arch Linux bootable USB stick for my
> GoFlexHome unit the other day and it only required
> the rootfs to be extracted and was bootable. In
> contrast a number of additional steps are needed
> before making Debian installation bootable. With
> Arch Linux /boot only contains uImage and
> initramfs-linux.img so I'm wondering how it
> manages to boot...

Arch rootfs installation (with Arch u-boot) is for a specific box, such as your GoFlex Home. My Debian rootfs is a more generic approach (i.e. it should boot with much older u-boots).

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

I've acquired another GoFlexHome unit which I've been unable to access via a serial connection, but no U-Boot or rootfs changes have been made. Having gone through a steep learning curve over the last six months, even though I am still in the dark about many things, I'd like to know if I can reflash the unit to its original firmware using this guide http://support.goflexhome.hipserv.com/en/reflash/index.html should anything go wrong after updating U-Boot.

Am I correct in thinking that the latest U-Boot can be used to boot either Arch Linux or Debian?

Also is there any way to install midnight commander on a stock unit? There is no pkg manager that I'm aware of and am really lost without mc. I assume that I could copy mc from either an Arch or Debian filesystem, but there are so many dependencies. Is there a simple way to install it?

I can use 'apt-get download mc' and copy the 'deb' to the stock unit, but how to extract?

> I'd like to know if I can
> reflash the unit to its original firmware using
> this guide
> http://support.goflexhome.hipserv.com/en/reflash/index.html
> should anything go wrong after updating U-Boot.

IIRC, this recovery procedure will work with stock u-boot only. Once you've installed new u-boot, you can no longer use the reset button to start this process.


> Am I correct in thinking that the latest U-Boot
> can be used to boot either Arch Linux or Debian?

That's correct.

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

bodhi Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > I'd like to know if I can
> > reflash the unit to its original firmware using
> > this guide
> >
> http://support.goflexhome.hipserv.com/en/reflash/index.html
> > should anything go wrong after updating U-Boot.
>
>
> IIRC, this recovery procedure will work with stock
> u-boot only. Once you've installed new u-boot, you
> can no longer use the reset button to start this
> process.

Is there any way I can save the stock u-boot and then recover it later via a USB stick after updating u-boot if necessary?

balanga,

> Is there any way I can save the stock u-boot and
> then recover it later via a USB stick after
> updating u-boot if necessary?


Here in u-boot installation instruction:

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

3. Be sure to save your current uBoot image in mtd0, or have a backup image saved somewhere as precaution. And save your current u-boot envs with fw_printenv, or just copy/paste the listing into a text file. Note the nanddump command below allows future restoration to the same box you're backing up, and also can be used to restore a differrent box's mtd0 if needed.

Dumping NAND mtd0:
nanddump --noecc --omitoob -l 0x80000 -f mtd0 /dev/mtd0
Save envs:
fw_printenv > current_envs.txt
or
blparam > current_envs.txt

I would suggest you to install my new u-boot, so that I can help you further. Many times the questions that you have been asking showed that you have not even read the instruction. If you read it and don't understand, I will be glad to answer any question while you are doing the installation.

I know it is a steep learning curve, but your approach in learning this is not a good approach.

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

Given that I'm running stock can I simply use this: ?

http://projects.doozan.com/uboot/

It seems pretty straightforward

I have read many posts on this and other forums, but there is a difference between reading and understanding and some of the instructions can be error prone if not fully understood.

Once again I thank you for your help.

balanga Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Given that I'm running stock can I simply use
> this: ?
>
> http://projects.doozan.com/uboot/
>
> It seems pretty straightforward
>

This is an old method and you are better off just installing the newer u-boot and debian rootfs.

> I have read many posts on this and other forums,
> but there is a difference between reading and
> understanding and some of the instructions can be
> error prone if not fully understood.
>
So read the instructions twice or more as needed and then in a text file type all of the commands you would do to actually do the procedure then copy those commands here for review to double check before anything goes wrong.

> Once again I thank you for your help.

All of your little rabbit holes can be investigated after your system is up and running.

balanga,

Do what feas suggested above.

We all have some degree of OCD, or aversions to the unknowns. But in the learning process, sometimes we have to take some small risk in order to get through the next hurdle.

You have to trust us to guide you (otherwise you're wasting your time in this forum). You can take as long as necessary, but start and complete the u-boot installation, and then you will fully understand the steps.

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

feas Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> balanga Wrote:
> -------------------------------------------------------
> > Given that I'm running stock can I simply use
> > this: ?
> >
> > http://projects.doozan.com/uboot/
> >
> > It seems pretty straightforward
> >
>
> This is an old method and you are better off just
> installing the newer u-boot and debian rootfs.

It may be old, but seems fairly simple...However I got some errors when I tried and have now successfully updated to the latest U-Boot.

balanga Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> feas Wrote:
> -------------------------------------------------------
> > balanga Wrote:
> >
> -------------------------------------------------------
> > > Given that I'm running stock can I simply use
> > > this: ?
> > >
> > > http://projects.doozan.com/uboot/
> > >
> > > It seems pretty straightforward
> > >
> >
> > This is an old method and you are better off
> just
> > installing the newer u-boot and debian rootfs.
>
> It may be old, but seems fairly simple...However I
> got some errors when I tried and have now
> successfully updated to the latest U-Boot.

super!!