Some Problems With U-boot + A Newbie Question. [solved]

[Khepri]

Hi all,

I got my SL-C3200 two days ago, and have of course been looking into different ROM varieties.

I figured Debian (Titchy?) is what I want, but I couldn't get networking to work on the default OS so I figured I'd first install pdaXrom because I understood it to be a little more efficient for configuration.

First I tried to flash u-boot, but something went wrong and the system wouldn't start up. I fooled around a little while with the device, reading the forums, and found that hard reset fiked the problem and I could boot back to Sharp ROM (or some derivative, heck if I know). However, I guess u-boot didn't install.

Then I attempted the u-boot install again, and this time I think it went right, but after it confirmed that the install succeeded I pressed and held OK because the instructions said to do this on the next boot, and I thought I should press it sooner because the system was going to boot. I guess it took the OK key as "enter" because the lines scrolled off the screen and whether this has any relevance to my problem I don't know.

The system "booted" with a white screen and nothing happened. I proceeded to do a hard reset but that didn't help. The device just wouldn't start up anymore. The yellow LED wouldn't light up with the AC power connected. It was just dead.

Naturally I panicked a bit wondering if I had bricked my Zaurus, but then found (searching this forum) how to get into the emergency system (Fn+D+M ritual), which was of course a relief to see working.

I downloaded the NAND backup from Trisoft.de and restored it into my Z from an SD card.

Now the problem is that I don't know how to exit the emergency system screen. I read somewhere that a hard reset should make it boot normally again, but that didn't work for me, the ES screen is still there when I press the power button!

Any advice in regards to getting this thing running as intended is greatly appreciated...



EDIT: By "emergency system" I actually meant the Diagnostics menu.

[Khepri]

I finally got it to boot into the OS.

The problem was the boot flag in the Diag. menu being set to "DIAG".

Found the solution here: https://www.oesf.org/forum/index.php?s=&...st&p=113395

Nice community you have here.

 

[Khepri]

OK.

I installed u-boot again, and the same thing happened.

This is where it fails:
...
6. Turn the power on, the Zaurus should boot into the Emergency system.  (pdaXrom install instructions)

It does not. Nothing happens, at all.

[Khepri]

Right, well here's an update.

I did a NAND restore again. Attempted to install u-boot. I take it that the install didn't finish, the screen just went black at some point and again the Z appears dead.

I'm going to have to do NAND restore again.

Frankly, this sucks hard. U-boot's behavior seems to be completely random.

I just want to get the networking to work so I can proceed to install Debian, but Sharp ROM (or whatever the hell it is) doesn't recognize my USB LAN adapter as a network interface. I have first-hand experience on how horrible A-Link products are, but this was the only adapter of the kind available. The chipset should be supported by usbnet's "asix" minidriver (lsusb shows the device as "ASIX Electronics Corp."), but my current OS can't find the module usbnet or usbdnet on modprobe (2.4.20 kernel). Really, I'm just lost with this default ROM, not knowing how to operate it.

Any suggestions?

[Khepri]

*sigh*

Just to confirm, I went through the procedure two more times.

After NAND restore, I succesfully flashed u-boot, but when it asks if I want to install emergency system or pdaXrom and I say "y" and press enter, the system shuts down.

Contrary to what these instructions suggest...

7. You'll be asked whether to proceed to install pdaXrom or the emergency system. Press "y" and then [ENTER].
8. At the bash command prompt ("#"), change to the directory on your CF or SD card where you stored the files in step 2

...I never get the command prompt. Zaurus dies after answering yes to that last question and then I have to go through the whole procedure again.

Any help appreciated.

[scottlfa]

Make sure you removed all the u-boot files from the SD and copied those for the rootfs to the SD.  Again the SD partition should be about 128 MB to 256 MB in size, anything larger seems to "lose" u-boot (at least in my experiences).  All of this won't happen from the CF, even if by chance it sees the files it won't flash from it.  When it finds the files it will askyou "y/n" ... press Y and it should proceed with a lengthy flash (compared to any other flashing's).  Make sure your useing the kernel and rootfs found in the akita-current pdaxrom files.

If all this fails, pull all the power, press ok and hold while putting power back into the Z.  It will boot too the console eventually.  Been through this MANY times   Be patient.

Note remove the CF card during all of this, it also confuses u-boot if both CF and SD card are in the system.  Leave just the SD card in it.

Note its very finicky about flashing from a CF, really should avoid this.

[Khepri]

If all this fails, pull all the power, press ok and hold while putting power back into the Z.  It will boot too the console eventually.

Wow, THAT worked! Many thanks!

I now have pdaXrom running.

Thanks also for the tip regarding usage of CF cards in flashing.

 

[scottlfa]

Yeah took me a bit to learn that, very frustrating at first    Had to buy an SD card with that lesson -lol-.  Anyhows great to hear your up and running.  Hows the wifi card doing?

[scottlfa]

Btw I suggest looking into Debian EABI, after you become comfortable with PdaXrom 198 (Very similar to debian in behavoir).  Its easier to setup EABI from u-boot too .

If you choose to go the debian route, be sure to uncompress, setup and configure the rootfs from pdaxrom (not the emergency menu).  Make sure to do a MAKEDEV in the root of the debian install, it gets rid of the pesky intial console error.  Anyhows best of luck!

[Khepri]

I don't have a CF Wi-Fi card yet. I bought a USB dongle thinking that would do the trick until I get a card (hard to acquire where I live, and I don't have a credit card to shop on eBay), but have since read that the USB port on Z only gives amout 200mA current and that USB Wi-Fi dongles don't get enough power from it.

I also don't know which would be the best card. I see Ambicom being pretty popular, on the other hand I also see a lot of people complaining about performance/other issues with their Ambicom cards.

Low power consumption is important, but so is range I guess... I'll be primarily using bluetooth for connecting though, Wi-Fi would be mostly for home use and random playing around.

Pray tell me, what does EABI stand for? I continuously bump to the acronym in context of Debian for Z, but haven't figured out what it stands for.