Re: Armel: Debian installer freeezes (GuruPlug Server plus)

[Kari Tanninen <otmen@elisanet.fi>]

"In Debian installer, for the various plug devices, we append to
the DTB at the end of the kernel rather than loading it separately."


Is that possible/reasonable?

U-boot have to link all files on boot and it is impossibe to append 
command line parametres to fdt-blob
without resize fdt-blob at U-boot. U-boot is using physical addressing 
only(?) and I think kernel cannot
resize itself before boot without relocation problems -> bootm_size 
variable issue.

If fdt is used, kernel should discard ATAG-variables by default, I 
think.

I suppose fdt-mechanism is meant to set HW-structure to both bootloader 
and kernel and U-boot is
allowed to modify "choosen" field for appending command line parametres 
before kernel boot.




Martin Michlmayr kirjoitti 1.3.2018 15:11:
> (Adding Ian Campbell.)
>
> Ok, I didn't notice the version of u-boot from the log you posted and
> went on what you wrote.
>
> However, looking at the log file again, I notice you're loading the
> DTB file separately.
>
> You say you follow my installation instructions but clearly you're
> not.  In Debian installer, for the various plug devices, we append to
> the DTB at the end of the kernel rather than loading it separately.
>
> Can you please follow the instructions at
> https://www.cyrius.com/debian/kirkwood/sheevaplug/install/ and post
> the output of that?
>
>
>
> * Kari Tanninen <otmen@elisanet.fi> [2018-03-01 15:01]:
> > I'm using Debian stretch U-boot version (U-boot version number is 
> > visible on
> > the log-file). I have tried Debian "buster" U-boot version too, but it
> > freezes at "Setting egiga0" point. There is warning on "Debian Armel
> > installation guide", that U-boot does update kernel variables only on 
> > fresh
> > installation, if first U-boot version is older than 2014, there will 
> > be
> > problems becouse of "bootm_size" variable is missing and default value
> > cannot be set.
> >
> > Flattened device tree -mechanism is not using those "ATAG" global
> > kernel/U-boot -variables, but problem is missing U-boot "boot_args"
> > -variable, too.
> >
> > Fdt-file includes that "Chosen" -field for command line parameters and
> > U-boot has a commands to resize fdt -file and append command line 
> > parameters
> > to it before actual boot.
> >
> > U-boot sets and can read correctly that fdt-file "chosen" part. U-boot
> > kprint line for that "chosen" value is visible on log-file.
> >
> > Martin Michlmayr kirjoitti 1.3.2018 14:02:
> > > * Kari Tanninen <otmen@elisanet.fi> [2018-03-01 11:26]:
> > > > HW: Guruplug Server plus with JTAG-box (ARMv5-family)
> > > > original U-boot pre-2014
> > > ...
> > > > Is there any fix-up/work-aroud trick available or is new kernel
> > > > compiling
> > > > only option?
> > >
> > > I've never had a GuruPlug so I cannot really comment but why are you
> > > using the pre-2014 u-boot version?  I cannot remember all the
> > > differences of the u-boot versions of the installation page says you
> > > should upgrade your u-boot before installing Debian.  Maybe you can
> > > give this a try.
> > >
> > > Based on the logs you posted, it seems to me that the kernel and
> > > ramdisk are loaded but the kernel doesn't see the ramdisk, leading to
> > > the "no root" issue.