Re: Debian kernel package for linkstation pro
* Tim Small <tim@buttersideup.com> [2008-08-07 22:25]:
> Initially, I didn't think this was possible to do on the lspro,
> without using a serial cable (since there is no method on the lspro
> V2s which I have to force a tftpboot, without a serial cable, but
> some earlier hw/fw versions apparently have a feature to do this by
> holding down the reset key during power-on).
Oh, I thought you said the current firmware version had the "press
reset, do TFTP" feature. Bugger.
> ii. Take the front-panel off the Linkstation, and disconnect/remove
> the hard drive - the Buffalo uboot will then fall-back to booting
> from tftp, and the new firmware could then be flashed via this way.
I think that's the best approach since it works in all situations
(i.e. no matter whether Debian or the Linkstation firmware or nothing
is installed on the disk). i.e. we can tell people to use the same
approach to a) install Debian b) load a rescue or backup image if
Debian on disk is busted, etc
> Whichever firmware is being used, you'll need to delete the faulty
> initrd=... boot parameter from the uboot "nvram" variables (which
> are actually also stored in flash - not nvram - in the
Yep.
So for the first installation of Debian the instructions would be:
- Run a script supplied by Debian that will use nvram to change
bootargs_root=root=/dev/sda2 rw initrd=0x00800040,15M panic=5
to
bootargs_root=root=/dev/sda2 rw initrd=0x00800040 panic=5
And then we tell users to install Debian by removing the disk and
installing some files on a TFTP server.
What we will need:
1) debian-installer images for TFTP. We need an uImage.buffalo and
initrd.buffalo file of debian-installer. This is easy.
2) flash-kernel support: flash-kernel (despite the name) now supports
both flash and disk based devices. It has to make a bootable image on
disk. I think the support we have for Kurobox should work out of the
box. We just need to recognize the LS Pro. I'll send a patch soon.
3) oldsys-preseed support: this script looks at flash or the disk for
an existing network configuration which will then be used in
debian-installer. I don't know what the firmware looks like. Where
is the network config stored? On the Kurobox Pro, there's some stuff
in /etc/netinfo as well as /etc/host.info Is this the same on the LS?
If not, Tim, can you take a look at oldsys-preseed and implement LS
support:
svn://svn.d-i.alioth.debian.org/svn/d-i/trunk/packages/oldsys-preseed
If you don't have the time, please put a tar ball of /etc from a LS
somewhere and I'll take a look.
And that's basically it.
Anything I forgot?
--
Martin Michlmayr
http://www.cyrius.com/
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