Linux Kernel 4.4.0, Experimental Kernel Build for Sharp Zaurus C3x00 Options

[greguu]

Hi Mark,

Linux kernel 4.8 was released on kernel.org on 3rd of October 2016.

I am working on a new kernel veriosn 4.8.1 for Sharp Zaurus C3x00 series at the moment.

There have been quite a few changes since 4.4.0 and as expected there are some issues.

Show stoppers at the moment are :

- fbdev legacy support not working (kernel boots, but blanks white on LCD screen)

Once I got a working release, a new thread will be opened and the release posted on github.

Cheers !

Hi again,

Where is your new Kernel 4.8 located?

Thanks.

[ArchiMark]

OK, I get it now, Greg.....

Thanks for clarifying.....

[ArchiMark]

Is it safe to do:

CODE

# pacman -Syu

and upgrade system?


I didn't actually do an upgrade, but when I started process, I got message:

CODE

Replace libdbus with core/dbus?

Don't want to do anything until I have an idea of whether it's safe to do so.


Thanks.

Mark

This post has been edited by ArchiMark: Oct 17 2016, 02:57 PM

Reason for edit: Added more info

[greguu]

Is it safe to do:

CODE

# pacman -Syu

and upgrade system?


I didn't actually do an upgrade, but when I started process, I got message:

CODE

Replace libdbus with core/dbus?

Don't want to do anything until I have an idea of whether it's safe to do so.


Thanks.

Mark

Hi Mark,

I have not done a recent pacman -Syu but will check later.

I doubt there are any issues. Keep in mind Arch is a rolling distribution and you will need to stay up to date.

If you are not sure, backup (tar) your rootfs to an SD card first.

Cheers!

[ArchiMark]

Is it safe to do:

CODE

# pacman -Syu

and upgrade system?


I didn't actually do an upgrade, but when I started process, I got message:

CODE

Replace libdbus with core/dbus?

Don't want to do anything until I have an idea of whether it's safe to do so.


Thanks.

Mark

Hi Mark,

I have not done a recent pacman -Syu but will check later.

I doubt there are any issues. Keep in mind Arch is a rolling distribution and you will need to stay up to date.

If you are not sure, backup (tar) your rootfs to an SD card first.

Cheers!

Hi Greg,

To backup rootfs, should I do:

CODE

# tar cpjf /rootfs.tar.bz2 -C /mnt/card .

Thanks.

[greguu]

Is it safe to do:

CODE

# pacman -Syu

and upgrade system?


I didn't actually do an upgrade, but when I started process, I got message:

CODE

Replace libdbus with core/dbus?

Don't want to do anything until I have an idea of whether it's safe to do so.


Thanks.

Mark

Hi Mark,

I have not done a recent pacman -Syu but will check later.

I doubt there are any issues. Keep in mind Arch is a rolling distribution and you will need to stay up to date.

If you are not sure, backup (tar) your rootfs to an SD card first.

Cheers!

Hi Greg,

To backup rootfs, should I do:

CODE

# tar cpjf /rootfs.tar.bz2 -C /mnt/card .

Thanks.

Looks about right. I would just tar it and not compress with bz2 as this will take ages.

[ArchiMark]

Is it safe to do:

CODE

# pacman -Syu

and upgrade system?


I didn't actually do an upgrade, but when I started process, I got message:

CODE

Replace libdbus with core/dbus?

Don't want to do anything until I have an idea of whether it's safe to do so.


Thanks.

Mark

Hi Mark,

I have not done a recent pacman -Syu but will check later.

I doubt there are any issues. Keep in mind Arch is a rolling distribution and you will need to stay up to date.

If you are not sure, backup (tar) your rootfs to an SD card first.

Cheers!

Hi Greg,

To backup rootfs, should I do:

CODE

# tar cpjf /rootfs.tar.bz2 -C /mnt/card .

Thanks.

Looks about right. I would just tar it and not compress with bz2 as this will take ages.

Thanks for the suggestion..........

[greguu]

Just as to give some feedback, my ALARM installation upgraded fine doing a pacman -Syu a few days ago and rebooted fine and all things run as they should using kernel 4.4.0.

After a successful pacman -Syu and confirming everything works after a reboot, just tar your root partition, to do a backup. This at least can give you back a working system if a pacman -Syu goes wrong.

I always have a backup system on a SD card and boot to that if needed. Currently 4.4.0 is working still fine under ArchLinuxARM, a new release will take some time as there are several changes in 4.8 that require some work.

[greguu]

Hi all,

just to let you know there has been an update for the 4.4.0 kernel release today.

See the opening post or go directly here: https://github.com/greguu/linux-4.4-cxx00/releases/tag/v0.7

This release fixed systemd startup errors because of missing seccomp support in the previous 4.4.0 release.

INSTRUCTIONS :

1. download https://github.com/greguu/linux-4.4-cxx00/r...x00-v0.7.tar.xz

2. extract and replace your current 4.4.0 kernel under /boot and replace all 4.4.0 modules under /lib/modules/

3. reboot

NOTE : the current roofs is outdated and does not contain this update. A new roofs tar ball will be released alongside a new kernel version later this year, hopefully.

If not sure how to upgrade just ask.

Cheers!

[ArchiMark]

Thanks, Greg.....

Downloaded new kernel and copied over to my SD card.

Copied the .tar.xz file over to home/marks/Documents/kernel directory on Zaurus.

Extracted files into this directory and see:

CODE

$ ls -al
.config
4.4.0-cxx00
boot.cfg
firmware
zImage-4.4.0-cxx00

So, which files do I copy to where?

Thanks.

[greguu]

Thanks, Greg.....

Downloaded new kernel and copied over to my SD card.

Copied the .tar.xz file over to home/marks/Documents/kernel directory on Zaurus.

Extracted files into this directory and see:

CODE

$ ls -al
.config
4.4.0-cxx00
boot.cfg
firmware
zImage-4.4.0-cxx00

So, which files do I copy to where?

Thanks.

file zImage-4.4.0-cxx00 replaces file /boot/zImage-4.4.0-cxx00

folder 4.4.0-cxx00 replaces folder /lib/modules/4.4.0-cxx00

[ArchiMark]

Thanks....

Copied files over as instructed....

Now Zaurus freezes at the kexecboot screen.......

Does not matter which option I select....nothing happens.....

Oh well.................

[greguu]

Thanks....

Copied files over as instructed....

Now Zaurus freezes at the kexecboot screen.......

Does not matter which option I select....nothing happens.....

Oh well.................

Hm, something must went wrong.

You still have the SD card you installed ArchLinuxARM from ?

Enter the SD card, turn on the Z, choose the kernel from the SD card in Kexecboot (mmcblk0p1)

Boot up. Mount your CF drive and double check your /boot folder contains the right files.

You can join #alarmz on freenode. Happy to help.

Cheers!

[greguu]

Did you alter the boot.cfg file under /boot in any way ?

Do you have any other cards inserted ? SD card or CF card while booting to kexecboot ? Remove all and clean boot.

[ArchiMark]

Thanks....

Copied files over as instructed....

Now Zaurus freezes at the kexecboot screen.......

Does not matter which option I select....nothing happens.....

Oh well.................

Hm, something must went wrong.

You still have the SD card you installed ArchLinuxARM from ?

Enter the SD card, turn on the Z, choose the kernel from the SD card in Kexecboot (mmcblk0p1)

Boot up. Mount your CF drive and double check your /boot folder contains the right files.

You can join #alarmz on freenode. Happy to help.

Cheers!

OK, will try.....thanks for the help...

Did you alter the boot.cfg file under /boot in any way ?

Do you have any other cards inserted ? SD card or CF card while booting to kexecboot ? Remove all and clean boot.

No, did not alter boot.cfg file, just copied it over....

Yes, have another SD card in slot....plus ethernet CF card....

Will try without....

Reason for edit: added info