Re: modifying and verifying debian installer for armhf board (a10-eoma68)
"luke.leighton" <luke.leighton@gmail.com> writes:
Hi,
> On Sun, May 19, 2013 at 7:49 AM, Ian Campbell <ijc@hellion.org.uk> wrote:
>> On Sat, 2013-05-18 at 12:18 +0100, luke.leighton wrote:
>>> * create a modified netinst-initrd that uses usb0 ethernet gadget
>>> *blind* (no console!!) which gets far enough on its own to do DHCP
>>> client
>>>
>>> * also pre-install some sort of service (ssh? busybox telnet? other?)
>>> which allows an interactive login
>> [...]
>>> * log in (somehow) to the board over usbnet
>>
>> Sounds like you want a network-console flavour image, like the ones used
>> for kirkwood, http://www.cyrius.com/debian/kirkwood/qnap/ts-41x/install/
>
> it does, doesn't it? i've been thinking that through (and also
> looking at the source of debian-installer). the only thing that
> doesn't make sense is: it's all set up to require a password. why
> would you need a password for connecting to something that - pretty
> much without fail - is going to be sitting 1/2 a metre away on the end
> of a usb cable and nothing else?
>
> i.e. there's no guarantee on these devices especially things like the
> MK802 that there will be ethernet. there's almost certainly no
> tablets using allwinner a10 processors that have ethernet (not even
> the flying squirrel).
>
> so i'm tempted to just do an experiment - just because i can - to use
> busybox-telnetd - because the route of using openssh _has_ been solved
> already but isn't quiiite appropriate, and i think
> telnetd-over-g_ether will turn out to be a very useful combination.
>
> i'd do g_serial and it would be done already but i need the damn
> micro-usb port for a network! :)
what about using cdc composite gadget driver ? :
>From drivers/usb/gadget/Kconfig:
config USB_CDC_COMPOSITE
tristate "CDC Composite Device (Ethernet and ACM)"
>
>> (obviously the bit about using the factory image to flash the firmware
>> you can ignore in favour of fel boot).
>
> yes. once running, still need to resolve what kernel to install (if
> any). is that possible with debian-installer? the procedures for
> installing a kernel (which are normally required to be in the 1st
> partition, fat-formatted) and even just _obtaining_ a kernel are
> tricky: absolutely everyone right now either custom-builds or uses
> stock ones.
>
> how do you tell debian-installer "i don't want a kernel installed
> thanks for offering"?
>
it may have changed but I think that d-i will tell you that it didn't
find any kernel and ask you if you want to proceed without one. If you
accept, it'll go on finishing installing things.
Arnaud
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