globalscale dreamplug

[Ghatothkach Bhimsen Pandav <ghatothkach@hotmail.com>]

hi guys,

this is how far I have been with the globalscale dreamplug which has recently started shipping.

The content here is  still not "debian" yet, as the guy ships with ubuntu 9.04 preinstalled. I am new
to the plug (though have worked with the NSLU2 for quite a few years).

The factory U-boot

Marvell>> version
U-Boot 2011.06-02334-g8f495d9-dirty (Mar 01 2011 - 06:57:05)
Marvell-DreamPlug
Marvell>>

Cannot figure out what version of u-boot that is, however does not support mmc, or the external (full size) SD card slot for booting the uImage
however it does support  booting from either of the 2 USB ports.


I installed a 8GB stick on one of the  USB ports (actually USB micro-sd reader)
and did  the following partition.

   part 1 => fat32 => contains uImage from the globalscale download site (250MB)
   part 2 => ext3  => untar-gzipped the rootfs from the globalscale download site (2GB)
   part 3 => ext3 => empty but formatted partition (rest of the sd)

I updated the /etc/fstab on part2 to add a line to mount the part 3 using UUID under /home/

Also installed a full size SD card in the external slot (to see what it does)

On the factory-uboot I can see  both the internal-sd (as usb dev 0 ) and the external usb-stick
(as usb dev 1). so I can boot/load the uImage from both the internal-sd or the USB device.

The Factory uImage

The factory uImage, which is the same as the one on the globalscale download side (dated mar 3 2011)
identifies the internal sd card as /dev/sda, the external-SD card as /dev/sdb and the USB stick as /dev/sdc

It also identifies the /home partition by the UUID and mounts it correctly under /home/


How to boot from External USB stick (both uImage, rootfs)

I am using a Jtag with the device, so note that, I have not experimented without it.

on the u-boot prompt

setenv x_bootcmd_kernel fatload usb 1 0x6400000 uImage
setenv x_bootargs_root root=/dev/sdc2 rootdelay=10

then run the default boot command

run bootcmd

[Note: the printenv before I run the bootcmd looks like...

Marvell>> printenv
bootcmd=setenv ethact egiga0; ${x_bootcmd_ethernet}; setenv ethact egiga1; ${x_bootcmd_ethernet}; ${x_bootcmd_usb}; ${x_bootcmd_kernel}; setenv bootargs ${x_bootargs} ${x_bootargs_root}; bootm 0x6400000;
bootdelay=3
baudrate=115200
x_bootcmd_ethernet=ping 192.168.2.1
x_bootcmd_usb=usb start
x_bootargs=console=ttyS0,115200
ethact=egiga0
ethaddr=F0:AD:4E:00:73:CE
eth1addr=F0:AD:4E:00:73:CF
stdin=serial
stdout=serial
stderr=serial
x_bootcmd_kernel=fatload usb 1 0x6400000 uImage
x_bootargs_root=root=/dev/sdc2 rootdelay=10

Environment size: 524/4092 bytes
Marvell>> 

Notice that the uImage is loaded into 0x6400000 (the factory setting) 

Thats all, the system boots correctly..  as expected... 

Given that the default uImage identifies the external-sd card as /dev/sdb, I guess we can install a ext3 formatted card in the sd slot, and also load the rootfs from there... I have not personally tested this (I don't have any spare card with me),  one would then have to use  /dev/sdb1 in x_bootargs_root  then...


TO-DO Installing debian

Here is where I have all the questions, for you folks...
0. No installers available from debian for "dreamplug"
1. What is the arcNumber to be used with this device ?

Hint:
Marvell>> bdinfo
arch_number = 0x00000A63
env_t       = 0x00000000
boot_params = 0x00000100
DRAM bank   = 0x00000000
-> start    = 0x00000000
-> size     = 0x10000000
DRAM bank   = 0x00000001
-> start    = 0x10000000
-> size     = 0x10000000
DRAM bank   = 0x00000002
-> start    = 0x00000000
-> size     = 0x00000000
DRAM bank   = 0x00000003
-> start    = 0x00000000
-> size     = 0x00000000
ethaddr     = F0:AD:4E:00:73:CE
ip_addr     = 0.0.0.0
baudrate    = 115200 bps
Marvell>>

So is it 2659 ? (decimal of arch_number)

3. I am planning on trying the available installers, however notice that the uImage is loaded into

0x6400000

  unlike the sheevaplug, so I am not sure what location I should install the uInitrd to


Any hints/ suggestions, let me know...

If it helps, here is the boot message when the system starts up...

U-Boot 2011.06-02334-g8f495d9-dirty (Mar 01 2011 - 06:57:05)
Marvell-DreamPlug

SoC:   Kirkwood 88F6281_A0
DRAM:  512 MiB
SF: Detected MX25L1606 with page size 256, total 1 MiB
In:    serial
Out:   serial
Err:   serial
Net:   egiga0, egiga1
88E1121 Initialized on egiga0
88E1121 Initialized on egiga1
Hit any key to stop autoboot:  0
Marvell>>

G