recovering a pogoplug from a failed (quasi-bricked) linux installation attempt

printenv

baudrate=115200
bootcmd=usb=start
bootdelay=3
console=ttyS0,115200
ethact=egiga0
ethaddr=00:25:31:00:6D:C9
force_rescue=0
force_rescue_bootcmd=if test $force_rescue -eq 1 || ext2load usb 0:1 0x1700000 /rescueme 1 || fatload usb 0:1 0x1700000 /rescueme.txt 1; then run rescue_bootcmd; fi
led_error=orange blinking
led_exit=green off
led_init=green blinking
mainlineLinux=yes
mtdids=nand0=orion_nand
mtdparts=mtdparts=orion_nand:1M(u-boot),4M(uImage),32M(rootfs),-(data)
partition=nand0,2
pogo_bootcmd=if fsload uboot-original-mtd0.kwb; then go 0x800200; fi
rescue_bootcmd=if test $rescue_installed -eq 1; then run rescue_set_bootargs; nand read.e 0x800000 0x100000 0x400000; bootm 0x800000; else run pogo_bootcmd; fi
rescue_installed=0
rescue_set_bootargs=setenv bootargs console=$console ubi.mtd=2 root=ubi0:rootfs ro rootfstype=ubifs $mtdparts $rescue_custom_params
stderr=serial
stdin=serial
stdout=serial
ubifs_bootcmd=run ubifs_set_bootargs; if ubi part data && ubifsmount rootfs && ubifsload 0x800000 /boot/uImage && ubifsload 0x1100000 /boot/uInitrd; then bootm 0x800000 0x1100000; fi
ubifs_mtd=3
ubifs_set_bootargs=setenv bootargs console=$console ubi.mtd=$ubifs_mtd root=ubi0:rootfs rootfstype=ubifs $mtdparts $ubifs_custom_params
usb_boot=mw 0x800000 0 1; ext2load usb $usb_device 0x800000 /boot/uImage; if ext2load usb $usb_device 0x1100000 /boot/uInitrd; then bootm 0x800000 0x1100000; else bootm 0x800000; fi
usb_bootcmd=run usb_init; run usb_set_bootargs; run usb_boot
usb_device=0:1
usb_init=run usb_scan
usb_root=/dev/sda1
usb_rootdelay=10
usb_rootfstype=ext2
usb_scan=usb_scan_done=0;for scan in $usb_scan_list; do run usb_scan_$scan; if test $usb_scan_done -eq 0 && ext2load usb $usb 0x800000 /boot/uImage 1; then usb_scan_done=1; echo "Found bootable drive on usb $usb"; setenv usb_device $usb; setenv usb_root /dev/$dev; fi; done
usb_scan_1=usb=0:1 dev=sda1
usb_scan_2=usb=1:1 dev=sdb1
usb_scan_3=usb=2:1 dev=sdc1
usb_scan_4=usb=3:1 dev=sdd1
usb_scan_list=1 2 3 4
usb_set_bootargs=setenv bootargs console=$console root=$usb_root rootdelay=$usb_rootdelay rootfstype=$usb_rootfstype $mtdparts $usb_custom_params

Quote

Updated 20 Feb 2016:

This Debian-4.4.0-kirkwood-tld-1-rootfs-bodhi.tar.bz2 is to keep in sync with kernel Linux-4.4.0-kirkwood-tld-1.

Basic minimal Debian Kirkwood rootfs for most Kirwood plugs:

Quote

4. Create uImage with embedded DTB for booting with older u-boots (2012 or earlier). Skip this step if you have installed the latest U-Boot for Kirkwood (or are installing this u-boot at the same time).

Please replace kirkwood-goflexnet.dtb below with the correct DTB name for your box (see the folder /media/sdb1/boot/dts).

Generate the uImage with DTB embedded inside:
cd /media/sdb1/boot
cp -a zImage-4.4.0-kirkwood-tld-1 zImage.fdt
cat dts/kirkwood-goflexnet.dtb >> zImage.fdt
mv uImage uImage.orig
mkimage -A arm -O linux -T kernel -C none -a 0x00008000 -e 0x00008000 -n Linux-4.4.0-kirkwood-tld-1 -d zImage.fdt uImage
sync

Note: if your Linux box does not have mkimage, then install it

apt-get install u-boot-tools

Quote

Updated 20 Feb 2016:

This Debian-4.4.0-kirkwood-tld-1-rootfs-bodhi.tar.bz2 is to keep in sync with kernel Linux-4.4.0-kirkwood-tld-1.

Basic minimal Debian Kirkwood rootfs for most Kirwood plugs:

Quote

Latest kernel:linux-4.8.3-kirkwood-tld-1-bodhi.tar.bz2 (24 Oct 2016)
Latest rootfs: Debian-4.4.0-kirkwood-tld-1-rootfs-bodhi.tar.bz2 (20 Feb 2016)

Quote

Updated 20 Feb 2016:

This Debian-4.4.0-kirkwood-tld-1-rootfs-bodhi.tar.bz2 is to keep in sync with kernel Linux-4.4.0-kirkwood-tld-1.

Basic minimal Debian Kirkwood rootfs for most Kirwood plugs:

- tarball size: 137M
- install size: 398M
- a basic jessie rootfs.
- The init system used in this rootfs is sysvinit . To boot with systemd, see note 2 below.
- Installed packages: nano, avahi, ntp, busybox-syslogd (log to RAM), htop, isc-dhcp-client, dialog, bzip2, nfs server/client, iperf, ethtool, sysvinit-core, sysvinit, and sysvinit-utils.
- see LED controls in /etc/rc.local, and /etc/init.d/halt
- see some useful aliases in /root/.profile
- root password: root

Download at Dropbox:

Debian-4.4.0-kirkwood-tld-1-rootfs-bodhi.tar.bz2
md5:
9f957e1dc5a36f90a285ab4615cb02fd
sha256:
d33349118e34bd078ca635cd2d6776f3e312accfc77d29da5870b9980add5c36

And remember to check the hash of what you download, as always.

Installation:

Installation can be done on any Linux box, with a fresh USB drive (SD card or HDD would work fine too).

Note: all steps below must be done while logging in as root user (not sudo). If you are not the root user then don't continue, because the rootfs will not work.

1. Format a new USB drive with a single Ext3 partition, and label it rootfs.

2. Mount the drive on a Linux box. cd to top level directory and extract it. It is assuming the USB drive is mounted at /media/sdb1
cd /media/sdb1
tar -xjf Debian-4.4.0-kirkwood-tld-1-rootfs-bodhi.tar.bz2

3. Adjust fstab. Skip this step if you have installed the latest U-Boot for Kirkwood (or are installing this u-boot at the same time).

Edit /media/sdb1/etc/fstab entry for /dev/root to match the rootfstype of your usb_rootfstype. However, you can keep it as is without problem in booting since the u-boot env bootargs takes precedent.
/dev/root / ext3 noatime,errors=remount-ro 0 1

4. Create uImage with embedded DTB for booting with older u-boots (2012 or earlier). Skip this step if you have installed the latest U-Boot for Kirkwood (or are installing this u-boot at the same time).

Please replace kirkwood-goflexnet.dtb below with the correct DTB name for your box (see the folder /media/sdb1/boot/dts).

Generate the uImage with DTB embedded inside:
cd /media/sdb1/boot
cp -a zImage-4.4.0-kirkwood-tld-1 zImage.fdt
cat dts/kirkwood-goflexnet.dtb >> zImage.fdt
mv uImage uImage.orig
mkimage -A arm -O linux -T kernel -C none -a 0x00008000 -e 0x00008000 -n Linux-4.4.0-kirkwood-tld-1 -d zImage.fdt uImage
sync

Note: if your Linux box does not have mkimage, then install it

apt-get install u-boot-tools

5. Done. Take this USB rootfs to your plug and cold start. After booted into Debian, see Note1 and Note2 below. It is very important that you do Note1 steps to secure your box.

Note1:

After logging in this rootf the first time, remember to generate new SSH key to make it your own unique rootfs. And also update your rootfs to get the latest Debian package security updates:
rm /etc/ssh/ssh_host*
ssh-keygen -A

apt-get update
apt-get upgrade

Note2:

To boot with systemd, add this parameter to your u-boot env bootargs. If you are booting with my latest u-boot images then use the uEnv.txt capability to do this. See the instruction about uEnvt.txt in that thread.
init=/bin/systemd
For example,
fw_setenv usb_set_bootargs 'setenv bootargs console=$console root=$usb_root rootdelay=$usb_rootdelay rootfstype=$usb_rootfstype $mtdparts init=/bin/systemd'

If that's still not possible to run systemd, you might want to install it again:
apt-get install systemd