Running Zubuntu From Internal Memory, .. with cacko discussion Options

[Jon_J]

ppyo,
Let us know if you get this working. It appears that you at least get "Cacko" on the bootmenu if you can get to the blue splash screen.
Here's what I have on my SL-C3100:
I installed a fresh Cacko 1.23 full, and added some of meanie's packages to it.
Then I flashed Eviljazz's kernel, (kernel-fastfpe-cachedfb) which contains the new audio driver, latest tetsu kernel, and newer SD card driver for cards above 1GB.
Then I installed Angstrom opie to my hard drive, with kexec-tools. Using this page, I enabled Cacko to be kexec'ed from within Angstrom:
http://www.linuxtogo.org/gowiki/AngstromAndCacko
Then later, I installed zubuntu to an SD card and flashed the new multiboot kernel.
I have been trying to get Cacko to show up on this menu, but have had no luck.
I can boot Angstrom or zubuntu from the menu.

I read your post above, and decided to try the cmdline that you posted. It doesn't work on my C3100
When I look in /proc/cmdline, all I see is:
console=ttyS0 root=/dev/mtdblock2
This line is the same in /var/log/dmesg
I'm thinking the reason I don't have any numbers or the "other" strings in this line, is because I flashed Eviljazz's kernel to my Cacko.
Maybe, just the latest tetsu kernel would be better for this. I really need the (> 1GB SD driver)

Anyway, if I really want to boot Cacko, I can boot it through Angstrom.
If I ever get Cacko 1.23 to appear on the multiboot menu, I'm going to take a picture of it, since it seems very difficult to achieve...

[ppyo]

ppyo,
Let us know if you get this working. It appears that you at least get "Cacko" on the bootmenu if you can get to the blue splash screen.
Here's what I have on my SL-C3100:
I installed a fresh Cacko 1.23 full, and added some of meanie's packages to it.
Then I flashed Eviljazz's kernel, (kernel-fastfpe-cachedfb) which contains the new audio driver, latest tetsu kernel, and newer SD card driver for cards above 1GB.
Then I installed Angstrom opie to my hard drive, with kexec-tools. Using this page, I enabled Cacko to be kexec'ed from within Angstrom:
http://www.linuxtogo.org/gowiki/AngstromAndCacko
Then later, I installes zubuntu to an SD card and flashed the new multiboot kernel.
I have been trying to get Cacko to show up on this menu, but have had no luck.
I can boot Angstrom or zubuntu from the menu.

I read your post above, and decided to try the cmdline that you posted. It doesn't work on my C3100
When I look in /proc/cmdline, all I see is:
console=ttyS0 root=/dev/mtdblock2
This line is the same in /var/log/dmesg
I'm thinking the reason I don't have any numbers or the "other" strings in this line, is because I flashed Eviljazz's kernel to my Cacko.
Maybe, just the latest tetsu kernel would be better for this. I really need the (> 1GB SD driver)

Anyway, if I really want to boot Cacko, I can boot it through Angstrom.
If I ever get Cacko 1.23 to appear on the multiboot menu, I'm going to take a picture of it, since it seems very difficult to achieve...

Jon, I have the same kernel, but my Z is an Akita. There might be a difference between Akita and Borzoi re Cacko boot.
My setup:
2GB sd card, three ext2 partitions:
Zubuntu (1GB)
Cacko (450MB)
Pdaxrom (400MB)
I installed Zubuntu, then on the Cacko partition I created the boot directory containing Eviljazz' kernel, the kernel-cmdline in my previous post, and the .nfo file (a plain text file with the description of the distro for the boot menu). Nothing on the Pdaxrom partition yet.
My Akita still has Cacko 1.23 in NAND.
I flash Cortez' kernel & updater.
Zubuntu & Cacko show in the menu. Zubuntu runs perfectly, Cackto starts booting, gets to the blue splash screen, then nothing...
I will try with a fresh install of Cacko, and then I'll try to upgrade to Eviljazz' kernel.
I'll keep you guys posted.

[cortez]

@ppyo: So it is hereby confirmed that the Akita bootkernel shows a kernel image in NAND, am I correct?
@Jon_J: On my SL-C3100 the kernel image in NAND also shows up in the bootmenu. Since you report that in your case cacko (in NAND) isn't shown, I wonder if your using the latest kernel (MD5: 7bf1d0f9c119892cb4cfd4526a880f5e). Could you check that?

If someone could confirm this for C7x0 also, this would be great. I just want to make sure that the different kernels are now all working fine. I tend to lose track sometimes

Cheers,
cortez

[tanjian2]

Regarding C3000 and dual booting Zubuntu and pdaXii13 - I have revert to my pdaxrom and extracted the cmdline from /proc/cmdline.
However, when I go back to using the zubuntu bootloader it still fails boot pdaxrom.
As I understand pdaxrom for the c3000 boots from NAND then mounts the microdrive and continues booting from there. I had hoped to simply skip the NAND bit and have the zubuntu loader boot straight from the microdrive - but I can't get any of these to successfully boot pdaxrom. Has anyone got a C3000 to dual boot with pdaxrom? Can anyone offer any further help or direction?

Thanks

[Jon_J]

@ppyo: So it is hereby confirmed that the Akita bootkernel shows a kernel image in NAND, am I correct?
@Jon_J: On my SL-C3100 the kernel image in NAND also shows up in the bootmenu. Since you report that in your case cacko (in NAND) isn't shown, I wonder if your using the latest kernel (MD5: 7bf1d0f9c119892cb4cfd4526a880f5e). Could you check that?

If someone could confirm this for C7x0 also, this would be great. I just want to make sure that the different kernels are now all working fine. I tend to lose track sometimes

Cheers,
cortez

Yes, the MD5 matches.

Edit:
Do you also have "usr.bin" in your /boot directory? I'm just curious if this is interfering.
Also, the "zImage" file that I'm using is from Eviljazz's kernel, not the original Cacko kernel.
(you'll notice the filesizes are different in these two kernels)

This post has been edited by Jon_J: Jan 9 2009, 07:57 AM

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[klaxon]

If someone could confirm this for C7x0 also, this would be great. I just want to make sure that the different kernels are now all working fine. I tend to lose track sometimes

No, It doesn't work on my C860. I can see Cacko in the bootmenu but it can't boot.

[jfv]

@ppyo: So it is hereby confirmed that the Akita bootkernel shows a kernel image in NAND, am I correct?
@Jon_J: On my SL-C3100 the kernel image in NAND also shows up in the bootmenu. Since you report that in your case cacko (in NAND) isn't shown, I wonder if your using the latest kernel (MD5: 7bf1d0f9c119892cb4cfd4526a880f5e). Could you check that?

If someone could confirm this for C7x0 also, this would be great. I just want to make sure that the different kernels are now all working fine. I tend to lose track sometimes

Cheers,
cortez

I tried to multiboot the Sharp ROM on my C860 both in NAND and on an SD card. In both setups, it shows up on the Omegamoon splash screen list and, when I choose it, I get the usual splash screen with "Sharp" and some japanese text, but then the boot fails with some init errors (reported elsewhere on this thread). Zubuntu boots fine BTW.

Cortez, I really appreciate your work and Zubuntu is quite likely the way forward, but it's not there yet. Multiboot is a wondeful idea and gives those of us who still need older ROMs a bridge. Please don't disregard this issue. Thanks.

[felipe]

Hi,
I have a very similar question as the one from tanjian2. Until now no answers yet and perhaps I can join my voice to him on trying to find an answer to this: how do you use pdaxrom with kexecboot (multibooting kernel)? It would be nice if I can run it entirely from the microdrive (I have a Z sl c-3200). Sorry if this is a bit offtopic.
Regards,

Felipe.

[speculatrix]

could the reason for being unable to boot cacko be down to the OS being in two parts, a core squashfs install (only ever read-only, with files/dirs called xyz.rom) and then a cramfs part (read-write if remounted such), so that the multiboot kernel wotsit can't actually see cacko's file systems?

does this mean to get cacko to boot you'd want to boot it normally (i.e. flash a cacko-compatible kernel), then copy off it's file systems, add the kernel image and nfo file (as required by multiboot), repack into an ext2 of the right size to fit in the flash partition. then reflash the multiboot kernel. then copy the ext2 file system into flash?

I did once, BTW, ask about getting unionfs into sharp/cacko kernel so that the nasty symlinking from cramfs to squashfs could be avoided, I don't think it went anywhere?

[same]

I was thinking in using the nand partition to store a /swapfile and not the OS.
Anyone tried it? or at least tested the nand speed with hdparm (if it's possible)?

[speculatrix]

I was thinking in using the nand partition to store a /swapfile and not the OS.
Anyone tried it? or at least tested the nand speed with hdparm (if it's possible)?

I'd DEFINITELY not use the internal flash for a swapfile - it's a raw flash device so there's NO wear levelling whatsover and you'll kill your internal flash and permanently brick your device. Use an SD card instead and if it dies, it's a US$10 item to replace.

Although onboard flash should be good for 1000's or even 10's of 1000's of erase/write, swap will use that up pretty quickly especially since it won't spread the writes. Flashing a new kernel, unless you did it every day for three years, won't hurt.

For onboard flash, you really need to be using a suitable file system!

[same]

speculatrix: tx for your opinion, I expected that but needed confirmation as the need for more ram makes me think silly quiestions jeje

[Jon_J]

speculatrix,
How is booting Cacko from the multiboot menu so different than the method using kexec-tools in Angstrom to boot Cacko?
I was going to try this method in zubuntu:
http://www.linuxtogo.org/gowiki/AngstromAndCacko
But kexec-tools in not available for zubuntu in the repositories.
Here's what I get when I try to install "kexec-tools" with "apt-get install"

CODE

Package kexec-tools is not available, but is referred to by another package.
This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or is only available from another source
E: Package kexec-tools has no installation candidate

[speculatrix]

speculatrix,
How is booting Cacko from the multiboot menu so different than the method using kexec-tools in Angstrom to boot Cacko?

the multiboot kernel would need to have squashfs or cramfs installed. I'm a little hazy as I havent' run cacko in yonks;

although I have cacko in flash and zubuntu on microdrive, and have put the cacko kernel into /boot so I can kexec it to try and boot cacko, it segfaulted part way in, so the only way I can boot cacko is to flash its kernel. It's a matter of finding the time to have a decent play with it.

[tanjian2]

speculatrix,
How is booting Cacko from the multiboot menu so different than the method using kexec-tools in Angstrom to boot Cacko?

the multiboot kernel would need to have squashfs or cramfs installed. I'm a little hazy as I havent' run cacko in yonks;

although I have cacko in flash and zubuntu on microdrive, and have put the cacko kernel into /boot so I can kexec it to try and boot cacko, it segfaulted part way in, so the only way I can boot cacko is to flash its kernel. It's a matter of finding the time to have a decent play with it.

Is this true for PdaXrom ? As I understood it Meanies pdaxrom for the C3000 boots of the Nand, mounts the microdrive and then runs up from the microdrive.
Seems simple to add this to the Zubuntu multi boot - I have a /boot directory and the requiste kernel and commandline - however, it just keeps spitting out errors about the file system when it boots.

Sorry for hijacking this thread - should I start another?