Re: modifying and verifying debian installer for armhf board (a10-eoma68)
On Sun, May 19, 2013 at 11:41 AM, Arnaud Patard
<arnaud.patard@rtp-net.org> wrote:
> "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)"
ah! thank you! i hadn't noticed that one. ahh, that'd be extremely handy.
>>
>>> (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.
awesome - thanks arnaud.
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