Re: Ubiquity Routerstation Pro?

[Tim Nelson <tnelson@fudnet.net>]

----- Original Message -----
> Why not just use the kernel that comes with the OpenWRT image that
> runs
> on the nanostation? As long as it has FPU emulation compiled in, it
> shouldn't be difficult to make it boot the Debian rootfs that you
> created using debootstrap. You would have to touch the bootloader
> config (i.e. the kernel command line) to achieve that.
> 
> If you can't configure the bootloade, maybe you can replace the
> /sbin/init (or /etc/preinit?) in the OpenWRT filesystem with a shell
> script that does
> 
> exec chroot /path/to/sd/card /bin/init
> 
> Make sure you use 'exec' so you inherit the PID of the original init
> process.
> 
> Of course for full hardware support you should also compile the
> /lib/modules directory of the OpenWRT rootfs to the debian rootfs.
> 
> For the Qi Nanonote booting Debian on an OpenWRT kernel works. I also
> used similar hacks on other hardware.
> 

Thank you for the great ideas. I'm running into an issue with the Redboot boot loader not accepting the kernel command line parameters I'm trying to pass. Apparently, it is an issue with the OpenWRT kernel. Additional details here [1].

I'm happy to try the option you mentioned about replacing /etc/preinit with something that performs a chroot or similar function but I'm a bit leary of doing so. If the script does not work, I'm unable to boot the old OpenWRT system or the potential debootstrapped system. Restoring proper boot to the board could be tricky. Do you have an example of how you'd do the /etc/preinit replacement? Maybe one could have a selection of booting OpenWRT or the chroot'ed environment?

Thank you again for your helpful thoughts!

--Tim