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Debian installer for GuruPlug



I'm looking for testers of the Debian installer for the GuruPlug.  The
"daily images" of the installer now use the 2.6.32-5-kirkwood which has
support for the GuruPlug.  This kernel has not moved to testing yet
(although it should do so soon) but we can simply specify an additional
repository to install the newer kernel.

If you want to test the Debian installer on a GuruPlug (to USB, MMC, eSATA;
*not* to MTD), please follow these instructions and send your feedback.

1) Boot loader

You will need a boot loader that actually works. :)  I don't have a
GuruPlug so I don't know what's going on exactly but I hear that the
standard u-boot that ships with the GuruPlug doesn't load the mainline
kernel.  And I hear that some don't have support for the ext2/3
filesystem or something (*boggle*).

There's a u-boot image at
http://www.plugcomputer.org/index.php/us/resources/downloads?func=select&id=15
but I'm not sure what it can do.

Clint Adams also prepared a u-boot image that apparently works:
http://lists.debian.org/debian-arm/2010/05/msg00077.html

I'd really like to get some feedback on this so I can document which
u-boot binary users should use.

2) Configure your machine

You have to set the right machine ID so the kernel will know that you
have a GuruPlug:

  setenv mainlineLinux yes
  setenv arcNumber 2659
  saveenv
  reset

3) Load the installer

You can follow the instrutions from http://www.cyrius.com/debian/kirkwood/sheevaplug/install.html
on how to load the installer.  But instead of the images linked on that
site, you have to use those from
http://people.debian.org/~joeyh/d-i/armel/images/daily/kirkwood/netboot/marvell/guruplug/

Also, starting the installer is slightly different.  You have to do it
like this:

  setenv bootargs console=ttyS0,115200 base-installer/initramfs-tools/driver-policy=most apt-setup/local0/repository="http://people.debian.org/~tbm/orion lenny main" apt-setup/local0/key=http://people.debian.org/~tbm/orion/68FD549F
 bootm 0x00800000 0x01100000

(Note that the first line is _one_ long line)

This will load the installer and specify the repository with the newer
kernel.

4) Install

Perform the installation.  After user creation, you'll see that it installs
the 2.6.32-5-kirkwood kernel which you need.  You'll then get a message
titled "Configuring linux-base" about changing to UUIDs.  Just say yes
here and continue.

5) Make the machine bootable

Configure u-boot to boot your machine.  In addition to the instructions
on my page, here is how to boot from SATA:

  setenv bootcmd_sata 'ide reset; ext2load ide 0:1 0x01100000 /uInitrd; ext2load ide 0:1 0x00800000 /uImage'
  setenv bootcmd 'setenv bootargs $(bootargs_console); run bootcmd_sata; bootm 0x00800000 0x01100000'

*Note* it appears that SD/MMC is connected through USB on the GuruPlug, so
you should use the usb commands rather than the mmc commands to load from
SD/MMC on a GuruPlug.

6) Feedback

Please let me know if this works or if you run into any problems.  If
it works, I'll update my web page accordingly.


-- 
Martin Michlmayr
http://www.cyrius.com/


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