Related
Debian for Desire.
If you are able to try this on another android device, please do as I will be very interested in the results.
Download
http://www.multiupload.com/79TSI1AAF9
You will need.
-Root access.
-Busybox (included in most custom roms)
-1.4gig free on SDCARD
-VNC Client (ie. AndroidVNC)
-Terminal Emulator (ie. ConnectBot)
-7zip
Instructions
-Extract the file deSIREbian.7z on your PC using 7zip.
-Copy the contents (debian.img and deboot) to root directory of SDCARD.
-On your phone in terminal emulator type
su
sh /sdcard/deboot
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You should get a blank screen showing "localhost:/#" after a couple of seconds.
-On your phone in your VNC client log in using these details
Password - password
Port - 5901
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nickname and Address are not needed, call it what you want though.
Changing the colour to 24bit and enabling local mouse pointer and full screen bit map are not neccesary but reccomended.
-Thats it.
Notes.
-You can log in via ssh, (gives a much better terminal, ie works properly with aptitude). Use [email protected] and password "toor"
-The version of Debian is Armel Lenny, installed using debootstrap.
-It is just the base package with LXDE on top, you only get a desktop, a file browser, an internet browser, and a pic viewer.
-If you want more packages there's tonnes of room on the image. eg apt-get install openoffice.org or apt-get install abiword or apt-get install any flipping thing u want
-You can access the SDCARD from Debian at "root/sdcard" (read-write)
-You can access Debian filesystem from Android (When Debian is running) at "sdcard/debian" (read only)
-debian.img is mounted at "sdcard/debian" using "dev/block/loop5"
-So far the only rom i have come accross that this dont work with is one of the cyanogen nightlies from last week. apart from that, working on opendesire, cyanogen, defrost, leedroid, official 2.2 with busybox...
Issues.
Debian cannot be shut down. You need to reboot the phone to do this. (You can kill the VNC server with "vncserver -kill :1" there is an icon on the festoons to do this.)
Update log.
deSIREbain.
-First release.
deSIREbain2
Fixed
-Loading a second terminal no longer breaks vnc.
-You no longer need to create the folder debian on sdcard.
Added
-ssh server (login with root and toor)
Removed.
-The image has been downsized from 2 gig to 1.4
Hey,
thank you for your work, i will test it so far and will tell you the results
got this error:
Code:
# su
su
# sh /sdcard/deboot
sh /sdcard/deboot
mount: No such file or directory
mount: No such file or directory
mount: No such file or directory
mount: No such file or directory
mount: mounting /sdcard on /sdcard/debian/root/sdcard failed: No such file or di
rectory
net.ipv4.ip_forward = 1
chroot: can't change root directory to /sdcard/debian: No such file or directory
#
If you have the same problems try out
su
mkdir /sdcard/debian
losetup /dev/block/loop3 /sdcard/debian.img
mount -t ext2 /dev/block/loop3 /sdcard/debian
ls /sdcard/debian
thx to mercianary for help
greetings
I found this guide quite helpful at getting a bootstrapped Debian setup running.
http://www.saurik.com/id/10
I didn't need to insert the ext2 module as it's already loaded for me, I guess G1s didn't have that convenience back then.
blackstoneuser5 said:
I found this guide quite helpful at getting a bootstrapped Debian setup running.
www . saurik.com/id/10
I didn't need to insert the ext2 module as it's already loaded for me, I guess G1s didn't have that convenience back then.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I used parts of this for reference too. Its a great guide, explains things really well.
i've just updated this. link is in the first post.
Fixed
-Loading a second terminal no longer breaks vnc.
-You no longer need to create the folder debian on sdcard.
Added
-ssh server (login with root and toor)
Removed.
-The image has been downsized from 2 gig to 1.4
debian for desire--help please
hi
I spent much time for searching debian or ubuntu for desire, but nothin worked
know i found this and i have download everything and start to install over the terminal
but the " sh /sdcard/deboot" is not workin to
there's only this answer:
# su
su
# sh /sdcard/deboot
sh /sdcard/deboot
[: not found
losetup: not found
mount: No such file or directory
mount: No such file or directory
mount: No such file or directory
mount: No such file or directory
busybox: not found
sysctl: not found
chroot: not found
may somebody help me?
i really want to have it on the desire
thanks
It looks like you had not installed busybox
Which ROM do you use ?
oh i'm sorry
i'm a newbie and don't really know what a rom is
but i had problems with busybox and there was a somebody who said i can get the app titanium and let it install the busybox
could you please show me a tut how to install busybox
maybe a german tut
thanks
Getting error at: sh /sdcard/deboot
line 5: syntax error near unexpected token `else'
Rosi1337 said:
Getting error at: sh /sdcard/deboot
line 5: syntax error near unexpected token `else'
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
dont know why that happened.. works on mine. syntax looks ok to me.
try with this one (attatched), it's the same but without the bit that's not working for you.
what rom are you using, i shall try to replicate the error so I can try to fix properly.
thepuechen said:
could you please show me a tut how to install busybox
maybe a german tut
thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There should be a guide on installing busybox somewhere if you want to search for it, i know i remember seeing one a while ago.
Too be honest, your better off just flashing a rom that includes busybox, it would be MUCH easier.
have a look here and see what takes your fancy, I would recomend defrost, because it is stable and easy to overclock.
Thanks mercianary,
It works fine!,
I use customised DeFroST_0.9b_uvonly with USB-host patch.
By the way I would like to add more options to kernel line.
Where can I find like a menu.lst file ? or How to add it to kernel line.
There is no /dev/graphics/* in running Debian console.
I would like to use FrameBuffer on running Debian.
thanks,
Android VNC won't connect Trying to get a handshake, but then says that VNC connection failed
please paste at that time log
jacobtc said:
Android VNC won't connect Trying to get a handshake, but then says that VNC connection failed
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please paste at that time log.
Maybe vnc server does not running.
tknv said:
Thanks mercianary,
It works fine!,
I use customised DeFroST_0.9b_uvonly with USB-host patch.
By the way I would like to add more options to kernel line.
Where can I find like a menu.lst file ? or How to add it to kernel line.
There is no /dev/graphics/* in running Debian console.
I would like to use FrameBuffer on running Debian.
thanks,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You should understand that this is not a really booted native linux. Instead you are working in a chroot environment. So there is no kernel running that can get parameters. Only the the stock kernel of your DeFroST. Also there is no FrameBuffer as the graphic hardware ist not accessible. Instead this approach uses a vnc-server to which you can connect via a local viewer.
The advantage of this approach is clear:
- run almost any linux package available in the debian repository
- use your phone as before with the nice android
The disadvantage:
- no graphic output, so no 3D-games (which are rare under linux on the arm platform ;-)
- you can crash your android by eating up to much ram (not such a problem - it restarts on its own and if not you just have to reboot)
Thread is dead?
It seems this thread is dead. The problems many users seem to have come from a dirty setup. The image is broken in many terms:
- wrong file permissions on important binaries, like su
- wrong file permissions on many device files under /dev, so the ttys are only accessible by root
- wrong permissions on other places so there are always errors when installing additonal software (e.g. with the man pages)
- wrong setup that uses the root user for the desktop - instead an unprivileged user should be used
- missing packages for timezones and locales so the time is only right, if you are in a UTC region and console programs having trouble displaying anything else then plain english
I can not recommend using this setup image. It is better to use one of the instructions available online to get a clean setup.
Su doesn't work because your allready root.
Getting anything but root to work would be a real pain.
As you said its a chroot environment, its never going to be perfect.
The image was made using debootstrap just like all the other 'clean' ones.
Yep, it is broken as hell, but it works for what most people would need it for...make,gcc,python,a proper web browser,torrents, and some emergency word processing on the train to work.
The problem most people have is not being able to mount the image, this is due to fro-yo a2sd taking up all the loop devices.
Just thought I'd add my 2 cents.
I tried this on a MIUI rom and the scripy didnt do anything - ie i ran it using:
"# sh /sdcard/deboot"
.....and all it said was:
"#"
I entered all the lines in the shell script but the last one said it failed to launch VLC and no commands registered property (not even ls)
So i tried it on Defrost 5.1, and the script still didn't work.
But when i entered everything manually, it did work. Not too sure about the green theme though.
But thanks alot! Saves me spending a few hours trying to coax a working debootstrap out of my computer.
Thanks!
Josh.
mercianary said:
Su doesn't work because your allready root.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope. Actually su works only for root. It's missing the setuid root flag like all other binaries that should have it set.
mercianary said:
Getting anything but root to work would be a real pain.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope. I am always working as a normal, unprivileged user in my chroot. You just have to be in the proper groups. No need to work as root. Android works also with an unprivileged user.
mercianary said:
As you said its a chroot environment, its never going to be perfect.
The image was made using debootstrap just like all the other 'clean' ones.
Yep, it is broken as hell, but it works for what most people would need it for...make,gcc,python,a proper web browser,torrents, and some emergency word processing on the train to work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is what I do not understand. There is no need that it is broken, as mine works without any errors. So I think something went wrong in creating yours. For sure a chroot is no running OS but you can server almost any service with it and run anything you want (if your ram does not get exhausted ;-).
mercianary said:
The problem most people have is not being able to mount the image, this is due to fro-yo a2sd taking up all the loop devices.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes. Everyone with a good rom should have a2sd+ (aka the old a2sd) which saves more space than the froyo one and leaves your loop devices for you.
jo
I've done the webtop2sd, webtopfix, and installed xfce4 via synaptic. Today I tried to install openoffice from synaptic (along with it's recommended dependencies and extras). I got the following error, which now happens on every package install:
Code:
Setting up openoffice.org-emailmerge (1:3.0.1-9ubuntu3.3) ...
Adding extension /usr/lib/openoffice/basis3.0/program/mailmerge.py...BusyBox v1.10.2 (2010-10-25 17:12:51 PDT) multi-call binary
Usage: mktemp [-dt] [-p DIR] TEMPLATE
Create a temporary file with its name based on TEMPLATE.
TEMPLATE is any name with six 'Xs' (i.e., /tmp/temp.XXXXXX).
Options:
-d Make a directory instead of a file
-t Generate a path rooted in temporary directory
-p DIR Use DIR as a temporary directory (implies -t)
For -t or -p, directory is chosen as follows:
$TMPDIR if set, else -p DIR, else /tmp
dpkg: error processing openoffice.org-emailmerge (--configure):
subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1
Setting up openoffice.org-writer2latex (0.5-8ubuntu1) ...
Adding extension /usr/lib/openoffice/share/extension/install/writer2latex.uno.pkg...BusyBox v1.10.2 (2010-10-25 17:12:51 PDT) multi-call binary
Usage: mktemp [-dt] [-p DIR] TEMPLATE
Create a temporary file with its name based on TEMPLATE.
TEMPLATE is any name with six 'Xs' (i.e., /tmp/temp.XXXXXX).
Options:
-d Make a directory instead of a file
-t Generate a path rooted in temporary directory
-p DIR Use DIR as a temporary directory (implies -t)
For -t or -p, directory is chosen as follows:
$TMPDIR if set, else -p DIR, else /tmp
dpkg: error processing openoffice.org-writer2latex (--configure):
subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of openoffice.org:
openoffice.org depends on openoffice.org-writer2latex; however:
Package openoffice.org-writer2latex is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing openoffice.org (--configure):
dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Setting up gawk (1:3.1.6.dfsg-0ubuntu1) ...
No apport report written because the error message indicates its a followup error from a previous failure.
I don't know if I really need these packages, and even though I'm an old-timer with Ubuntu (been running since before Jaunty), I'm not as comfortable with dinking around with dpkg and would rather dpkg stop trying to install these every time. Any help would be appreciated.
its a known issuse i dont think it does work n xfce4 i rries it too and it didnr work eather the other type of cusrom webtop it might woek the debian one
i did get gimp to work well
chuck norris aint got **** on this atrix!
That's strange... I have the same setup (Webtop2SD, XFCE4, OpenOffice, and many others) and all is good and dandy...
By webtopfix you mean to fix dependencies?
How big is your EXT partition you installed the Webtop copy through Webtop2SD app?
I created a 4 GB EXT partition to avoid running out of space. I'm not saying that the error you are seeing is because you are running out of space, but could that be the reason?
Also, are you using the latest Busybox release?
Cheers!
Rayan
I created a 4GB partition. Openoffice seems to be working, I've run a few of the apps. I think these are addins that are failing, and it seems to be a busybox issue at that (or perhaps the deb but I doubt it)... And right now I don't know the busybox release.
I also did the chromium install after that and no issue.
I read somewhere that emailmerge doesn't work with webtop, and that's why it keeps doing that. You'll have to remove it somehow... I'm not smart enough to tell you how though.
Kinda doubt this will work:
sudo apt-get purge openoffice.org-emailmerge
Edit: I read your full log. Run webtopscripts again.
Ok, I'll run it again, but I hope this isn't normal to have to run it multiple times after installing things.
Edit: Wow! Either it missed a lot the first time I ran this script, something undid its changes, or it's just reinstalling packages for fun (actually, the first part of the script had a whole bunch of "already installed" messages, so it probably isn't just re-installing).
I've had to run it three or four times as other packages force upgrades. Fixes most issues. Had some packed named ed that can't install or uninstall, removed it by editing its file in /var... something.
Trolling from my ATRIX 4G's XDA premium app, still on the gold medal winner of worst customer satisfaction for the second year in a row! Congrats!
If you can see an app or component inside Sytaptic Manager, you can remove it the same way you installed it. Just select the option to uninstall.
Cheers!
Rayan
On my last rom (Alien v4, Faux 0.22 1.2GHz Kernel, webtop2sd, Webtop v2.3.4, webtopscripts v1.4) I was able to download and install OpenOffice without an issue; but everytime I launched it the webtop-panel would crash. OpenOffice appeared to work fine though. I'll probably install it again here shortly on this FruitCake 2.3.6 setup, installing xfce4 at the moment.
I think the tzdata issue was biting me. I went in and made the recommended change and it finished installing.
viroid said:
On my last rom (Alien v4, Faux 0.22 1.2GHz Kernel, webtop2sd, Webtop v2.3.4, webtopscripts v1.4) I was able to download and install OpenOffice without an issue; but everytime I launched it the webtop-panel would crash. OpenOffice appeared to work fine though. I'll probably install it again here shortly on this FruitCake 2.3.6 setup, installing xfce4 at the moment.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It crashes it in debian chroot, but in a normal environment it worked for me.
Trolling from my ATRIX 4G's XDA premium app, still on the gold medal winner of worst customer satisfaction for the second year in a row! Congrats!
Hi,
I start this thread to speak about natively running Debian Squeeze on LG Optimus GT540.
I have put somme script to bootstrap complete installation on sdcard on :
poivron.org/~jimpulse/swift
Please read README first.
Kernel is 2.6.29 from lge source with minors modifications :
* lge source don't compile properly ( this is not what is distribute as binnary ?GPL violation? ).
* Framebuffer console on startup.
* Software refreshing enable.
* Race condition on mddi register function when using software refresher
* Inkernel command line.
* ext3fs
Kernel debian packages are in swift/kernel
the boot image is in swift/boot and is reconstruct at end of bootstrap.
Lxde environement with matchbox-window-manager and matchbox-keyboard is working fine for me.
Slim is used as display manager in autologin mode.
Freesmartphone is installed but not configured (TODO)
Wifi (4325) is working but module is not loaded on startup. The firmware is from lge source distribution but is the same as on binary distribution.
Bluetooth (?4325?) is not working. (blueman need dpkg --configure at first startup). (TODO)
Enjoy.
--
jim
i got: You don't have permission to access /~jimpulse/swift/README on this server.
You don't have permission to access /~jimpulse/swift/README on this server.
Says when i try to open README file
Sory, I"m noob !
Now, It's working.
I didnt understand how it's booting. What should i do. Just flash boot.img to recovery then boot from it? Is it enough or what should i do can you write it step by step?
Hi,
You must install debian on first partition of your sdcard.
The partition must be ext2 or ext3 formated (preferably ext3).
The script 'bootstrap.sh' is make for that, you have to be root to use it.
the card must be mounted with suid,dev,exec .
you must have installed somme packages on your host, read README file.
--
jim
hi there,
so its something like a dual boot ?
something like this http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1408824.
Hi,
It is not dualboot by itself.
It is just a scritp to install Debian Squeeze armel on sdcard and build a boot image.
More explanation :
!!! Please, dont run the script if your dont understand what it do !!!
You have to edit the script to match your preference :
ROOT=<the target directory where to install to>
ROOTDEV=<Name of the device were your phone will look to find root filesystem>
This script is tested only on Ubuntu oneiric but should work on other debian-like distros.
You can format your sdcard like this : sudo mkfs.ext3 -L swift /dev/XXX
where XXX is the device file corresponding to the partition you want to format. You can figure out that by looking at kernel message after inserting the sdcard : dmesg
Eject and reinsert the card to mount the new filesystem.
Remount the filesystem with apropriate options : sudo mount -o remount,exec,suid,dev /media/swift (or wherether your filesystem is mounted).
So, change ROOT= variable as ROOT=/media/swift (or whatether ...)
and ROOTDEV=/dev/mmcblk0p1 (for the first partition of the sdcard)
Then run in the swift/ directory : sudo ./bootstrap.sh
If all is right, it take aprox 4 hours on my [email protected] to download and install everything.
After installation, you have choice to flash the boot rom (eg : sudo fastboot flash recovery /media/swift/boot/boot.img-2.6.29-swift) or to use it as chroot environnement from android.
jimpulse said:
Hi,
It is not dualboot by itself.
It is just a scritp to install Debian Squeeze armel on sdcard and build a boot image.
More explanation :
!!! Please, dont run the script if your dont understand what it do !!!
You have to edit the script to match your preference :
ROOT=<the target directory where to install to>
ROOTDEV=<Name of the device were your phone will look to find root filesystem>
This script is tested only on Ubuntu oneiric but should work on other debian-like distros.
You can format your sdcard like this : sudo mkfs.ext3 -L swift /dev/XXX
where XXX is the device file corresponding to the partition you want to format. You can figure out that by looking at kernel message after inserting the sdcard : dmesg
Eject and reinsert the card to mount the new filesystem.
Remount the filesystem with apropriate options : sudo mount -o remount,exec,suid,dev /media/swift (or wherether your filesystem is mounted).
So, change ROOT= variable as ROOT=/media/swift (or whatether ...)
and ROOTDEV=/dev/mmcblk0p1 (for the first partition of the sdcard)
Then run in the swift/ directory : sudo ./bootstrap.sh
If all is right, it take aprox 4 hours on my [email protected] to download and install everything.
After installation, you have choice to flash the boot rom (eg : sudo fastboot flash recovery /media/swift/boot/boot.img-2.6.29-swift) or to use it as chroot environnement from android.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have done it for one time but it didn't boot So im gonna do it again tomorrow. I dont have time today
I'm always having problem with the script. Now im starting again. I hope it will done this time... And can you use a .35 kernel for this?
Hi,
I'm planning to include .35 kernel, but I dont know which one to use. I've start a thread to ask people there preferences. Kernel need minor modification to have frame buffer console working.
If you have probleme with the script, post last few line of output and I will try to help.
--
jim
I have the mismatch size problem with the one of xorg-bla-bla packages By the way Mikegapinski's kernel is good to work i think.
Edit:
And does this make a problem?
pre-installing dpkg
warning, in file '/var/lib/dpkg/status' near line 3 package 'dpkg':
missing description
warning, in file '/var/lib/dpkg/status' near line 3 package 'dpkg':
missing maintainer
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
These two warning are not a problem, these are only because dpkg/status is not complete before installing dpkg. It's a bootstrap edge effect (dpkg need dpkg to be installed).
If the script don't run until the end, you should have a phase number given at end of output. You can skip already ran phase by passing a phase number as parameter to the script.
The xserver-xorg-core problem is about dependencies against all video driver. So I mangle the control file to remove these dependencies. Perhaps this can fail if debian repo version has changed.
jimpulse said:
These two warning are not a problem, these are only because dpkg/status is not complete before installing dpkg. It's a bootstrap edge effect (dpkg need dpkg to be installed).
If the script don't run until the end, you should have a phase number given at end of output. You can skip already ran phase by passing a phase number as parameter to the script.
The xserver-xorg-core problem is about dependencies against all video driver. So I mangle the control file to remove these dependencies. Perhaps this can fail if debian repo version has changed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now i have bootedup but how can iload the wifi module now?
Hi,
The default password for root is root .
There is no sudo preinstalled so use su.
Firmware and nvram settings are in /etc/wl as for android names rte.bin and nvram.txt .
You have to pass parameters at load time :
modprobe wireless firmware_path=/etc/wl/rtecdc.bin nvram_path=/etc/wl/nvram.txt
or put this in /etc/modprobe.d/wireless.conf :
alias wlan0 wireless
options wireless firmware_path=/etc/wl/rtecdc.bin nvram_path=/etc/wl/nvram.txt
Wicd is not working correctly so you have to configure by hand
(iwconfig and ifconfig) or edit /etc/network/interfaces. (view debian administration guide for that).
I will update the script tomorrow to add a configuration file for modprobe and an alias to wlan0.
--
Jim
jimpulse said:
Hi,
The default password for root is root .
There is no sudo preinstalled so use su.
Firmware and nvram settings are in /etc/wl as for android names rte.bin and nvram.txt .
You have to pass parameters at load time :
modprobe wireless firmware_path=/etc/wl/rtecdc.bin nvram_path=/etc/wl/nvram.txt
or put this in /etc/modprobe.d/wireless.conf :
alias wlan0 wireless
options wireless firmware_path=/etc/wl/rtecdc.bin nvram_path=/etc/wl/nvram.txt
Wicd is not working correctly so you have to configure by hand
(iwconfig and ifconfig) or edit /etc/network/interfaces. (view debian administration guide for that).
I will update the script tomorrow to add a configuration file for modprobe and an alias to wlan0.
--
Jim
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for these and how can i access the command line from my computer?
Hi,
Sorry, but I've forget to put openssh on package list. I'he also froget to add debian repo to sources.list .
Edit /etc/apt/sources.list with nano or vi and add a line with :
deb http://ftp.debian.org/debian/ squeeze main
then run apt-get update
You have to use the lxde terminal to configure wireless and install openssh-server (apt-get install openssh-server).
After that, you will be able to connect with ssh (ssh [email protected]<IP ADDRESS>) from your computer.
adbd is not working and need some tweak to work with debian.
--
Jim
Hi,
I've update bootstrap.sh :
* openssh-server and openssh-client are installed per default
* sources.list is now created durring bootstrap with same repo that the bootstrap process used.
* modprobe is configured to pass correct parameters to wireless module. There is also ans alias wlan0 ponting to wireless.
* network/interfaces is update to have the loopback interface configured at boottime. The configuration for wlan0 must be tweak for your network (essid, dhcp or static ...) .
Now, I'm working on 2.6.35 from wingrime and hope to publish it next week.
--
Jim
So, how is it going?
Sent from my GT540 using Tapatalk
jasper580 said:
So, how is it going?
Sent from my GT540 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah i wonder it too. I is so good to have debian on my phone. It'll be more usable with a touchscreen gui. It doesn't lag more. I think you should change the keyboard to a bigger. And we should can rotate screen. At least with running a sh file from terminal By the way you're great! I think this is gonna be awesome for our phones...
[size=+1]Introduction[/size]
What is GenTop2?
GenTop2 is a full-fledged Gentoo Linux able to replace the original Motorola Webtop. It is faster, fully-customizable and gives you the power of a complete Linux system on a mobile phone. It is a peek into the future of mobile computing!
Thanks goes to kholk, who did the original GenTop, otherwise I would have long given up.
Why use Gentoo Linux as WebTop?
Programs are fully optimized for the ARMv7a CPU contained in the Atrix.
Thus the whole system is faster and more responsive.
No shackles put around the WebTop by Motorola.
You can install any program (which compiles on ARM).
All software (except X11) is fully up-to-date.
You remember old times with desktop computers having far slower CPUs and less RAM than your phone and you wonder what you can do with this pocket computer.
Why NOT use Gentoo Linux as WebTop?
Gentoo is huge because it must install all development files.
The system and all programs must be compiled on the phone. How crazy is that?
Firefox could not be built. But, there is a smaller replacement.
Why bother using a phone, when you already have a notebook?
Working and Installed Applications
X11 via WebTop or HDMI (with hdmi-hack)
Xfce4 with thunar file manager
midori web browser with Flash player
claws-mail client
audacious
evince (pdf viewer)
ssh daemon
rxvt terminal
aiw Android In-A-Window!
Sound output via Android media system.
All are very light-weight Linux applications perfect for a small system.
Not Working:
webtop-panel (system status bar on top)
non-flash video playback ?
Installable as binary packages:
firefox (renamed to Aurora due to trademark stuff), approx 30 MB.
thunderbird (renamed to Earlybird due to trademark stuff), approx 44 MB.
libreoffice, approx 250 MB.
abiword, pidgin, emacs, texlive,
and many more, drop a note for more wishes here. However KDE is just too large.
[size=+1]Installation Instructions[/size]
Prerequisites:
Motorola Atrix
[size=+2][highlight]BACKUP.[/highlight] This will break your device![/size]
Okay hopefully it won't. A full restore will of course overwrite the webtop.
root privileges.
unlocking is not necessary.
adb and Linux knowledge.
webtop2sd is not supported (!)
CM7 is NOT supported
GenTop2 Space Requirements, Disk Speeds and a Note About WebTop2SD
Gentoo is very large because packages contain all development files. This cannot easily be changed, therefore one must work around the space limitation of the /osh partition in some way.
I did some "disk" performance measurements using bonnie++ (see [1] for full info). Here the through-put results in short: /data (ext3) 20,800 KB/s read and 6,200 KB/s write, /sdcard (fat32) 21,500 KB/s read and 8,000 KB/s write, /sdcard-ext (ext3) 12,300 KB/s read and 4,200 KB/s write, /sdcard/loopback.img (ext3) 16,150 KB/s read and 4,400 KB/s write.
One way to go would be to require webtop2sd, however, GenTop2 does not support webtop2sd because the read/write speed of the internal sdcard is much faster than on the external sdcard. Thus I tried to install as much on the /osh partition as possible and move directories onto other partitions as necessary, leaving symlinks behind. WebTop2SD also requires dpkg for some reason, which Gentoo does not have.
Therefore, it's pretty unavoidable that you do some space management yourself.
I have decided to utilize the /preinstall partition for /var. I'm not fully sure that this partition is unused on every Atrix released, but I guess in most cases it contains only provider specific bloatware that people don't want anyhow. On my Atrix it contained some car racing game, which I find hilarious to play on a mobile phone.
Anyway, the /preinstall partition is 300 MB and perfect for /var if reformatted to support many small files. The /var/db/pkg/ directory contains lots and lots of small files describing the installed packages. See the installation instruction for the mkfs line.
I also decided to require some extra ext3 partition for further program, data and portage files. It is needed anyhow to install further programs, which is what most people want to do. The /data partition would be the obvious choice and for that reason the first GenTop2 put files in /data/osh/. However, /home/ is also on /data by default and it gets pretty annoying when your home directory is full.
The only alternative to /data is either a partition on an external sd-card or a loopback mounted file-partition on /sdcard/, both are not as fast as /data (/cache cannot be used as it must be wipeable). So there really isn't much choice left except for external storage.
The main GenTop2 tarball puts 630 MB in /osh (leaving 145 MB free) and 178 MB in /preinstall (with 150 MB free), which must be mkfs formatted.
The portage GenTop2 tarball puts 1460 MB into /mnt/gentoo/ of which 475 MB are data files from /osh/usr/ and 810 MB are the portage tree.
[size=+1]Steps to install GenTop2:[/size]
There are some complications involved when using faux123's kernel, because it only contains ext4 filesystem modules and explicit mounting of ext3 will fail. The ext4 module will however mount ext3 filesystem without problems.
use adb shell and get root:
Code:
$ su
# cd /osh
# mv etc etcx
# reboot
Reboot. The above will disable the webtop.
Download http://kristallsturm.de/GenTop2/GenTop2-20120509.tar.gz (275MB) and put it onto /sdcard via USB or adb push.
use adb shell to overwrite the existing WebTop:
Code:
(first we delete /osh)
# cd /
# ls bin
bin: No such file or directory
(this tests whether the old webtop is disabled)
# rm -r osh/*
# ls osh
(should be empty)
(next we disable and reformat /preinstall)
# mount -o remount,rw /dev/block/mmcblk0p12 /system
# mv /system/bin/load_pia.sh /system/bin/load_pia.sh.disabled
# umount /preinstall
(depending on your ROM this might fail. ignore this problem if the following format works)
# mke2fs -m 0 -i 2048 -j /dev/block/mmcblk0p17
# mount -t ext3 /dev/block/mmcblk0p17 /preinstall
(for faux kernel: replace ext3 -> ext4 in above line)
(now we unpack the main tarball)
# df
(/osh and /preinstall should be almost empty)
# cd /
# tar xvzf /sdcard/GenTop2-20120509.tar.gz
# sync
(begin extra for faux kernel: we change ext3 -> ext4)
# sed -i s/ext3/ext4/ /osh/ubuntu.sh
(end extra for faux kernel)
# sync
# reboot
Once rebooted you will get an X11 login on the HDMI connection or you can access the phone via ssh.
Account Passwords:
root / atrix
adas / atrix
To make GenTop2 more useful and to compile/install further packages you currently must have an external sd-card (or someone must devise a method to use a loopback device).
I have partitioned my external sdcard using a desktop computer into the following two partitions:
/dev/block/mmcblk1p1 (remainder)
/dev/block/mmcblk1p2 (4.0 GB, formatted ext3)
Advanced: (Actually most of this stuff is advanced.) You can also use the new GenTop to partition the external sd-card. Open a terminal, and use something along the lines of:
Code:
# fdisk /dev/block/mmcblk1
(partition it, see further description of fdisk on the net)
# mkfs.ext3 -m0 /dev/block/mmcblk1p2
The boot-up script /osh/ubuntu.sh will mount /dev/block/mmcblk1p2 to /mnt/gentoo. This place is referenced by /usr/portage, /var/tmp and /preinstall/usr and will enable emerge if you install the second GenTop2-portage-20120509.tar.bz2 tarball.
Download http://kristallsturm.de/GenTop2/GenTop2-20120509-portage.tar.bz2 (124MB) to /sdcard/ using any method.
Use adb shell or a terminal on the desktop
Code:
$ su
# cd /
# tar xvjf /sdcard/GenTop2-20120509-portage.tar.bz2
Note: If you trust your network connection, you can also download and unpack simultaneously (without saving) it using:
Code:
$ su
# cd /
# wget -O - http://kristallsturm.de/GenTop2/GenTop2-20120509-portage.tar.bz2 | tar xvj
[size=+1]Installing further software[/size]
How do I install applications in Gentoo?
- Read http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/handbook/handbook-x86.xml?part=2&chap=1
- Read http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/handbook/handbook-x86.xml?part=3
I have set up a portage overlay "atrix-overlay" which unmasks many packages and includes some custom patches required for compilation on arm. It is included in the main tarball and automatically synced alongside "emerge --sync". Most updates will now be performed via this overlay.
See https://github.com/gendol/atrix-overlay for details.
Furthermore, for large binary packages like firefox, thunderbird and libreoffice I have set up a binary package repository with the same USE flags as the atrix-overlay. These are built using cross-compilation on my desktop computer.
See http://kristallsturm.de/GenTop2/packages/
To force installation from binary packages use emerge -G <package>. See the list of "Installable as binary packages" above.
[size=+1]Miscellaneous Questions[/size]
Why no thumb instructions?
- I did a speed test of cryptography functions and thumb instructions were approximately 10% slower than usual ARM code.
Where was GenTop2 compiled?
- Most of the system was fully compiled on my own Atrix. Larger binary packages are compiled on my desktop using cross-compiling.
Why is X11 not up-to-date?
- The only xorg driver I could get working is the one on the original Webtop, and that requires an older version of X11.
Why is udevd not running?
- If you look at logcat there are lots of the following messages, some of which are due to udevd. Disabling udevd reduces (but does not eliminate) these messages and probably also some unnecessary background process that draws battery.
NetlinkEvent: NetlinkEvent::FindParam(): Parameter 'UDEV_LOG' not found
NetlinkListener: ignoring non-kernel netlink multicast message
NetlinkListener: ignoring non-kernel netlink multicast message
[size=+1]Reinstalling the old WebTop[/size]
Some people on the forums struggled to reinstall the old webtop for some reason. It shouldn't be that difficult and I created a tarball of the original Webtop WT-1.2.0-133_38. These instructions were not tested by me:
Download http://kristallsturm.de/GenTop2/WT-1.2.0-133_38.tar.gz to /sdcard/ using any method.
Use adb shell or a terminal to disable mounting of webtop:
Code:
$ su
# cd /osh
# mv etc etcx
# reboot
Use adb shell to unpack original tarball into /osh:
Code:
# cd /
# ls bin
bin: No such file or directory
(this tests whether the webtop is disabled)
# rm -r osh/*
# ls osh
(empty)
# cd /
# /sdcard/WT-1.2.0-133_38.tar.gz
# sync
# reboot
[size=+1]Downloads[/size]
http://kristallsturm.de/GenTop2/GenTop2-20120509.tar.gz (275MB main tarball)
http://kristallsturm.de/GenTop2/GenTop2-20120509-filelist.txt (Filelist of tarball for your reference)
http://kristallsturm.de/GenTop2/GenTop2-20120509-portage.tar.bz2 (124MB portage tree for /mnt/gentoo/, see above)
http://kristallsturm.de/GenTop2/GenTop2-20120509-portage-filelist.txt (Filelist of tarball for your reference)
Old Downloads
http://kristallsturm.de/GenTop2/GenTop2-20120428.tar.gz (369MB main tarball)
http://kristallsturm.de/GenTop2/GenTop2-20120428-filelist.txt (Filelist of tarball for your reference)
http://kristallsturm.de/GenTop2/GenTop2-20120428-portage.tar.bz2 (44MB portage tree for /mnt/gentoo/, see above)
http://kristallsturm.de/GenTop2/GenTop2-20120424.tar.gz (364MB main tarball)
http://kristallsturm.de/GenTop2/GenTop2-20120424-filelist.txt (Filelist of tarball for your reference)
http://kristallsturm.de/GenTop2/GenTop2-20120424-portage.tar.bz2 (44MB portage tree for /mnt/gentoo/, see above)
Changelog
From 20120428 to 20120509:
Added atrix-overlay for pulling in updates using layman.
Reorganized /etc/portage/ to symlink into atrix-overlay files.
Removed mplayer from default install.
Added xarchiver, leafpad and some customization for the terminal.
Reorganized directory structure to use /preinstall.
From 20120424 to 20120428:
Readded resolutions to xorg.conf like in original webtop. Nevertheless you can switch using Xfce's settings dialogs.
Installed Flash: copied libflashplayer.so and emerges nss nspr.
Readded lots of the original .desktop files and corresponding icons. These launch Android apps.
[1] http://kristallsturm.de/GenTop2/docs/atrix-bonnie.html
It is a good job. I try this. Thank you.
This is a very agressive aproach. /osh dose have some Moto magic sauce in it. How well can you drive the screnn with a stock X system? Most of the cutesy features from WT I can live w/o, but the "phone"app really is usefull. Seams like this would be worth the effort to figure out.
If I was using a less "pure" setup (spinning up X and the phone app in Motos osh) then bringimng up the desktop in Gentoo, how would that compare to oither the same concept with other distros?
Please post on. I think this is the first time somebidy has run a non /osh X. Would love to see if it really can be done.
exwannabe said:
This is a very agressive aproach. /osh dose have some Moto magic sauce in it. How well can you drive the screnn with a stock X system? Most of the cutesy features from WT I can live w/o, but the "phone"app really is usefull. Seams like this would be worth the effort to figure out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for pointing that out. Yes, the approach is radical, but not as aggressive as you may think. All the "magic sauce" in /osh lives in /osr/usr/local/ and all of that is retained. The only problem is that some dynamic link libraries are missing, but most of these problems can be fixed.
They actually had to be fixed because the GenTop2 does need to send some magic signals to Moto's PortalApp/DockService to work correctly. This is done using the /usr/local/bin/rmtest tool via the "fbcp" instance of dbus.
Other than /osh/usr/local/, /osh is really just Debian.
With the phone app, you mean the green phone button? I just tested that, it can be added. The phone button is nothing but a .desktop mime file, which calls one of the magic apps /usr/local/bin/androidlauncher. And it popups up in the aiw display.
I even tested the HD Media Center laucher and that too worked without problems. That really should be included in the next GenTop2 tarball.
exwannabe said:
If I was using a less "pure" setup (spinning up X and the phone app in Motos osh) then bringimng up the desktop in Gentoo, how would that compare to oither the same concept with other distros?
Please post on. I think this is the first time somebidy has run a non /osh X. Would love to see if it really can be done.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess I don't understand what you mean with a non /osh X. GenTop2 does run X11 and you really need to replace the system libaries to get a well-working Gentoo.
Greetings,
Gendol
Great job! Does this work with cm rom's aswell or only with blur based ones? As another fact, we could use distcc or crosscompile distcc to compile most of the stuff, actually even a crosscompile binhost would be doable for several packages. One more thing, we could probably use an .img file on the internal sdcard partition, that would be ext3/4 formatted instead of using the external sdcard (but probably its better and safer to sue the external card, due to the flash wear)
edit: so i tried it on my atrix with nottachtrix rom installed, it starts fine and seems to work rather well, i only saw two to me rather annoying bugs:
1. somehow the X server thinks that my tv (1080p lg) has a virtual size of 1366x768 and will not allow to use the 1920x1080 resolutions that are in the TV's EDID and that the system puts into the xorg.conf file aswell as it shows in the Xorg.0.log
2. the atrix's screen stays on all the time in the "normal mode" and if one uses the mouse on the gentop its moving and functioning on the atrix's screen aswell (ie you can launch apps by accident with the mouse in android)
I do not know if these are issues with nottachtrix or something else, but for me on the "normal webtop" 1080p worked on this same TV.
here the xorg log: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/24268926/Xorg.0.log
Really nice, installing it right now!
Does flash work on Midori?
I don't know about CM7, you'll have to try to replace the Linux system like moto does it.
The X11 screen size defaults to WebTop resolution 1366x768, but you can change that to 1920x1080 by editing /etc/X11/xorg.conf. The first thing to try is to comment out all Modelines and let EDID detection do the work. But for that a monitor must be present, so you need to Zap (Ctrl+Alt+Bckspace) your X, and that brings up the dual input problem.
I also use nottach's ROM. The dual input problem happens when something in motorola's magic communication goes wrong. I have not been able to figure out how in particular moto disables input on the touchscreen. For me it works most of the time. I also have all the Modelines in xorg.conf enabled, because they fit my monitor.
I didnt really focus on Flash, yet. But as it works on the original Webtop, you should just be able to copy the plugin files.
Gendol
Can't get Midori working .. Got network (via ping), but no web browsing
EDIT: Solved by disabling proxy settings inside Midori
i haven't run gentoo in over 10 years but this is tempting!!!!!
Hello! I am a bit newbie in linux and i have 2 questions
1) Could someon please tell me how to install GenTop2-portage-20120424.tar.bz2 tarball?
2) Is there any way to install synaptic so i can install other linux apps?
snik38 said:
Hello! I am a bit newbie in linux and i have 2 questions
1) Could someon please tell me how to install GenTop2-portage-20120424.tar.bz2 tarball?
2) Is there any way to install synaptic so i can install other linux apps?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1) use ADB and first post
2) Gentoo Portage - it's command line but very easy
Hmm, anyone using this with webtop over HDMI? I get the login screen, but the webtop touchpad thingie doesn't come up so it's impossible for me to log in.
nalorite said:
Hmm, anyone using this with webtop over HDMI? I get the login screen, but the webtop touchpad thingie doesn't come up so it's impossible for me to log in.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you need to use a hd dock, lapdock or a modded powered usb hub with mouse + kb
Vazay said:
1) use ADB and first post
2) Gentoo Portage - it's command line but very easy
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1) After the reboot i used
adb shell
# tar xvzf /sdcard/GenTop2-portage-20120424.tar.bz2
but it gave me an error, am i using the correct command or i should use something else?
Yes. The touchpad thingy is also an open end. I have no idea why it doesnt come up. The GenTop2 tries to do everything in the same way as the original one, but for some reason that doesnt appear.
I guess the touchpad is some Android program part of DockService or PortalApp, which drive the Webtop switch. But I havent debugged how to activate it.
@snik38
To extract a .tar.bz2 you use tar xvjf ...
Gendol
three items one that caused some grief, but other than that this has lots of cool potential!
I have a stock rom with root.
1. resolution was pretty screwed up. I did try to adjust the resolution, but it was locked into one setting.
2. flash isnt installed on the browser so many websites where disabled.
3. I could not get AIW to start.
I see you answered #1 in a previous post. But I think all three of those items are minimum requirements to replace webtop. BTW great job again! Its seemed much faster than the webtop app.
2. Try to copy the flashplugin from original webtop(not sure if it works with midori)
3. aiw works fine try to reboot the phone
Took me a while to get this all running, but it's great now it is. Have this over Nottachtrix 1.3.1. Everything installed and works fine!
Cheers!
When my phone turns on and gets to the preparing sd, it takes forever. Does this happen to anyone else?
anyone tried to emerge chrome/chromium?
So following a couple of tuts that I've found on the forums I've been able to install debian linux wheezy armhf build on my tablet in a dual boot configuration with it booting off of a second ext4 partition on the microsd card along with getting the drivers/codecs from Linux4Tegra to be installed and somewhat used on debian linux.
What works:
-Wifi
-USB
-Display (doesnt use tegra drivers)
-Buttons (power, vol, rot switch [acts as wifi switch])
-Touchscreen
What doesnt work:
-Bluetooth (Untested but apparently it finds it and sets it up.)
-Audio (Detects it in the kde info center. System Settings program only says that there's a dummy output. Playing any form of audio crashes the program.)
-HDMI (with the Tegra gfx drivers it finds it but says it's disconnected even when connected.)
-Cameras
-GPS
-Motion Sensing
-Light Sensor
With the display, whenever the tegra drivers are used, it finds HDMI (as HDMI-1) and the LCD screen (as LVDS-1) but says that there is no device on the lcd screen. With that being said, it is using the fbdev driver instead which shows pink and/or inverted colors in some instances but at least it shows a gui.
Guides used:
{HOW TO} Native Debian on A500 and building your own rootfs
[BOOTLOADER][DUALBOOT + RECOVERY][BOOTMENU] Patched ICS bootloader V8 (07/06/2012)
[Dev] Native linux on Iconia
Requirements:
-an A500.
-a 16+GB microsd.
-Linux OS (Debian, Ubuntu, etc.)
-Linux 4 Tegra: Download the Ventana files under "Additional Information" and "Driver Packages"/"Codec Packages".
Ok, so here's how I've done it.
1) Make sure you have a multiboot loader and have flashed the appropriate bootloader image to the second boot partition. get the boot image from the 3rd guide under "precompiled kernel image" and flash that to the second boot partition. (be sure to check the dualboot guide above on flashing the image if you are using the bootloader that is in the guide.)
2) Have a microsd card partitioned with two partitions, one for normal data (can be any format) and a second one that is in ext4. you can do 3 partitions by adding a swap partition but the ext4 partition must be the second partition.
3) Install qemu on the host system.
Code:
For Ubuntu - sudo apt-get install qemu-user-static
4) Mount the microsd's ext4 partition.
Code:
sudo mount -t ext4 /dev/<microsd 2nd partition> /mnt/Linux
5) Run:
Code:
sudo qemu-debootstrap --arch armhf wheezy /mnt/Linux
6) Chroot into the installed environment.
Code:
chroot /mnt/Linux /bin/bash
7) Add sources to /mnt/Linux/etc/apt/sources.list. you can get debian sources from http://debgen.simplylinux.ch/. Be sure to choose "Testing (wheezy)" and all the sources check boxes along with where you live to find the nearest repository.
8) Install the wifi drivers pt1.
Code:
apt-get update ; apt-get install broadcom-sta-common broadcom-sta-source firmware-b43-installer firmware-b43legacy-installer b43-fwcutter
9) Install the wifi drivers p2. In the "{HOW TO} Native Debian on A500 and building your own rootfs" guide, there is a download from mediafire for the firmware files for the drivers. Extract that and put it into /lib/firmware. I dont know if the individual files in the brcm should be in the /lib/firmware or not so i just copied the folder into it and the files within it into /lib/firmware.
10) Install the GUI:
Code:
apt-get install <gui>
List of GUI's (that i know of):
Code:
KDE (takes a long time to install): kde-full
XFCE: xfce4
11) extract the ventana_Tegra-Linux-R16.1.0_armhf.tbz2 file and the ventana_Tegra-Linux-codecs-R16.1.0_armhf.tbz2. you should get a folder called "Linux_For_Tegra" and a file called "restricted_codecs.tbz2". go into the "Linux_For_Tegra/nv_tegra" folders and extract the nvidia_drivers.tbz2 file. from there you should get 3 folders: etc, lib, usr. copy those to "/mnt/Linux" (you are going to have to do this as root). back out of those folders and extract the restricted_codecs.tbz2. you should get a folder called "lib" copy that to "/mnt/Linux". after that, it's time to make a hard link so that the X11 can find the tegra driver:
Code:
ln /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/tegra_drv.abi12.so /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/tegra_drv.so
Note: without using an xorg.conf file, by default it will use fbdrv instead of the tegra driver.
12) set the root password:
Code:
passwd root
13) add a normal user:
Code:
adduser <username>
14) exit chroot by typing "exit" and unmount /mnt/Linux:
Code:
sudo umount /mnt/Linux
15) pop that sucker into the the tablet and boot into it by holding power and vol down to get into the boot menu. select "boot into second partiton".
If everything went ok, you should be presented with a gui, if not and you are at a command line, log into root and type "startx". if that doesnt work then something wrong must have happened.
Untested easy script:
Code:
#! /bin/sh
set -e
#if there is a tegra_install.deb file.
hasTegraDeb=0
tegraDeb=acer-iconia-tab-a500+tegra+brcm+wheezy_1.0-1_armhf.deb
#change these if you do not like default install of kde.
arch=armhf
build=wheezy
rootDir=/mnt/Linux
guiEnv=kde-full
newUser=User
#setup the basics of debian linux using armhf and wheezy build.
qemu-debootstrap --arch $arch $build $rootDir
#copy the tegra_install.deb file for the tegra specific drivers.
if ["$hasTegraDeb" = "1"] then
cp $tegraDeb $rootDir/$tegraDeb
fi
#setup sources.list for apt-get.
echo "deb http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian testing main contrib non-free" >> $rootDir/etc/apt/sources.list
echo "deb http://ftp.debian.org/debian/ wheezy-updates main contrib non-free" >> $rootDir/etc/apt/sources.list
echo "deb http://security.debian.org/ wheezy/updates main contrib non-free" >> $rootDir/etc/apt/sources.list
#create the chroot_install.sh script and set it up.
echo "#! /bin/sh" > $rootDir/chroot_install.sh
echo "set -e" >> $rootDir/chroot_install.sh
#update apt-get inside the chroot.
echo "apt-get update" >> $rootDir/chroot_install.sh
#install the wireless card drivers inside the chroot.
echo "apt-get install broadcom-sta-common broadcom-sta-source firmware-b43-installer firmware-b43legacy-installer b43-fwcutter" >> $rootDir/chroot_install.sh
#install the desktop in the chroot. (note: this will take a long time)
echo "apt-get install $guiEnv" >> $rootDir/chroot_install.sh
#install the tegra specific drivers inside the chroot
if ["$hasTegraDeb" = "1"] then
#install the tegra drivers.
echo "dpkg -i $tegraDeb" >> $rootDir/chroot_install.sh
#hard link the tegra_drv.abi12.so as tegra_drv.so in /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/ to enable X11 to find the display driver.
echo "ln /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/tegra_drv.abi12.so /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/tegra_drv.so" >> $rootDir/chroot_install.sh
fi
#set the root password in the chroot.
echo "passwd root" >> $rootDir/chroot_install.sh
#add normal user in the chroot.
echo "adduser $newUser" >> $rootDir/chroot_install.sh
#execute the final stage of the install.
chroot $rootDir /chroot_install.sh
#cleanup
rm $rootDir/chroot_install.sh
if ["$hasTegraDeb" = "1"] then
rm $rootDir/$tegraDeb
fi
Script sets up everything along with installing kde window manager. Please note that the tegra_install.deb file does not exist, it is something that i am thinking of making in the future that has all the drivers and what not needed that is from the Linux 4 Tegra site. you are still going to have to manually install the tegra drivers in step 11.
Edit: Experimental copies of the deb files that has all the files needed from Linux 4 Tegra and the wifi drivers can be found at the bottom of the post.
xorg.conf to enable tegra driver (found in the Linux_for_Tegra/nv_tegra/config.tbz2/etc/X11 folder):
Code:
# This is the minimal configuration necessary to use the Tegra driver.
# Please refer to the xorg.conf man page for more configuration
# options provided by the X server, including display-related options
# provided by RandR 1.2 and higher.
# Disable extensions not useful on Tegra.
Section "Module"
Disable "dri"
Disable "dri2"
Disable "glx"
SubSection "extmod"
Option "omit xfree86-dga"
EndSubSection
EndSection
Section "Device"
Identifier "Tegra"
Driver "tegra"
# OverlayDepth is a 32-bit integer which is used to control overlay
# stacking order. The overlay with the lowest depth is in front of
# all others. This value has meaning only when multiple overlays are
# present on a display.
# Option "OverlayDepth" "255"
# ARGBHWCursor controls whether the X driver uses an overlay to
# display 32-bit "true-color" cursors, or whether such cursors are
# emulated in software. Valid values are "true" to enable hardware
# cursors, and "false" (default) to disable them.
# Option "ARGBHWCursor"
EndSection
At the moment, I have looked through the config.tbz2 file and may have to stick the stuff in there into the tablet's linux filesystem. will test this later.
NOTE:
I am not a linux developer, I have no idea how to create linux drivers. All I can do is mash things together and hope things work out.
In theory, this should work for all tegra2 and tegra3 (using cardhu drivers instead of ventana) devices with some minor differences.
Edit:
Apparently it is using kernel version 2.6.38. I'm going to see if I can update the kernel to 3.2.23-1 which is the latest version for armhf in the debian package list (http://packages.debian.org/wheezy/kernel/linux-headers-3.2.0-3-all-armhf).
Edit2:
Looks like updating the kernel from apt-get doesn't necessarily enable the kernel to load as it seems that the boot loader loads a prepackaged kernel that has been flashed into mmcblk0p7. Tried out kexec and the kernel doesn't support it so adding it to the /dev/inittab script is useless for loading up new kernels. I tried making the new kernel into a flashable image using mkbootimg that is found within the Linux 4 Tegra folder but it doesn't do anything and the image apparently isn't valid when i tried booting it from fastboot (black screen). along with that, apparently it changed my password on my encrypted /data partition's password (when i flashed it within linux using dd) so a word of caution with that. If anyone can help me out, i would like to try to create something similar to grub (or even port it) where it loads up new kernels from the microsd or a specified place based on a boot list.
deb Files (Install using "dpkg -i acer-iconia-tab-a500+tegra+brcm+wheezy_<version>_armhf.deb" within the linux environment of the tablet.):
1.0-1: acer-iconia-tab-a500+tegra+brcm+wheezy_1.0-1_armhf.deb
--takes care of steps 9 and 11 sans hard linking the X11 tegra drivers.
1.0-2: acer-iconia-tab-a500+tegra+brcm+wheezy_1.0-2_armhf.deb
--has pre-depends for the first part of the wifi driver installation so this should, in theory, install both part 1 and 2 of the wifi drivers.
--takes care of steps 8, 9, and 11 sans hard linking the X11 tegra drivers.
Update log:
10/17/2012: added updated version of the deb package.
10/16/2012: first version.
Ok, so since I cant post anything including into ongoing threads in the android development forum due to the 10 post required thing i'll just have to ask development questions here till i reach the 10 post requirement.
Can anyone point me into the direction for how the second boot image that you flash for the dual boot bootloader is created? Trying to figure out how to create an image so that it boots everything off the microsd card including the kernel. It seems that the kernel used in the guide is locked to 2.6.38 and if you update the kernel within the tablet's linux environment it doesnt load it up. so i need to figure out how to create a boot image so that it loads it up or create a boot image that has grub (or other bootloaders) installed on it to boot different linux images.
alatnet said:
Ok, so since I cant post anything including into ongoing threads in the android development forum due to the 10 post required thing i'll just have to ask development questions here till i reach the 10 post requirement.
Can anyone point me into the direction for how the second boot image that you flash for the dual boot bootloader is created? Trying to figure out how to create an image so that it boots everything off the microsd card including the kernel. It seems that the kernel used in the guide is locked to 2.6.38 and if you update the kernel within the tablet's linux environment it doesnt load it up. so i need to figure out how to create a boot image so that it loads it up or create a boot image that has grub (or other bootloaders) installed on it to boot different linux images.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are on the right track with mkbootimg. I have not figured it all out myself yet.
You have to compile your arm linux kernel then make a bootable image with mkboot
I don't know if you have seen this or if. this will help---Nethams kernel compile commands are;
make ARCH=arm menuconfig
make ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=arm-linux-gnueable--j16
./mkbootimg --ramdisk dev/zero --kernel arch/arm/zimage -o ../recovery.img
I believe these are the commands he uses to compile his recovery image (boot.img)
It is my understanding that mkboot combines the kernel with a ram disk to make an image file that will boot the system
That image file can be placed in several places 1-primary boot position 2 recovery position 3 and if you have Skrilax dual boot secboot position
So it depends on what mkboot compiled as to what happens when that boot point is activated.
I am still trying to work out how Spdev and Netham combine or configure the kernel + initramfs+ ramdisk to create their bootable images.
I know these images boot and point to the file system which can be stored on internal or external sd card or even usb drive it all depends on how the boot image is configured.
Still learning myself
Here is a link I found explanes about Linux ram disk and initram
http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/linux/library/l-initrd/index.html
And more info here downloads a PDF presentation on how to.
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...poCoAw&usg=AFQjCNHLTHE3DaroC71FAjOjQWU2A61qEQ
All about that mkbooting after you get your kernel
http://android-dls.com/wiki/index.php?title=HOWTO:_Unpack,_Edit,_and_Re-Pack_Boot_Images
themechaniac said:
snip (freaking 10 post limit...)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea, i did find some stuff with mkbootimg including the last link that you posted.
The kernel was already compiled when i downloaded it using apt-get and it is placed in /boot folder.
I did make a boot.img from that kernel using mkbootimg and looking at "/proc/cmdline" at the arguments that were passed to the kernel in the other kernel image and it made it, flashed it to secboot and it didnt do anything except use the same kernal as before, though i did flash the image via dd in linux. Apparently this sorta screwed up my /data partition or something in where it wouldnt recognize my password for de-encryption to mount it. (fixing it by just erasing "/data" [bye bye data... TT.TT]) So i tried booting it using "fastboot boot <kernel>" and it didnt boot, only showing a black screen, but using the other boot.img it would boot linux up.
So I'm thinking of somehow creating a kernel image that can use kexec to make a grub like bootloader kernel that you flash onto the secboot partition that has something similer to grub.cfg in which you can easily select which kernel to load.
As for looking for a grub.cfg file, it would look in a few different places:
-in internal storage (probably recovery partition or the "/system" partition as the "/data" partition can potentially be encrypted and not mountable.)
-sd card (has to be in first partition and in fat32 format)
-usb drive (same as sd card)
from these places it will load each grub.cfg. that way it'll make the grub like bootloader kernel extendable in which kernel to load (i.e. have a linux system on usb that you want to boot from.)
I may be wrong but it is my understanding that the compiled kernel is in the boot image packed by mkbootimg.
The kernel is compiled to look for the compatible root file system in a particular place.
So when you change or use a boot image you change the kernel you are using.
So we have a system that;
Has a modified Linux kernel that selects the Android file system from internal memory installed in the first boot position.
We can put a Linux kernel compiled to find a compatible root file system say on external sd card in the second boot position.
We can replace the recovery image with a Linux kernel that finds a compatible root file system on the internal sd card.
That gives us a hardware selective three different systems (triple boot)
With fastboot on the PC we can quickly change any of the Three boot images, replace the recovery image or repair system.
I think all we need is a 3.2.23 kernel compiled thee separate ways and packaged with mkbootimg.
1st find root file system internel, 2nd find file system externel 3rd find file system usb
We already have two 2.6.38 kernels. One from Spdev (external root file system)and One from Netham {internal file system)
They are different kernels as Nethams has added modules.
I believe the were both compiled from the same Git.
I have tried switching the two boot images in second boot position with both root file systems installed and when you boot the second position
it switches to it's own file system.
I haven't tried swapping the root file positions yet.
themechaniac said:
I may be wrong but it is my understanding that the compiled kernel is in the boot image packed by mkbootimg.
The kernel is compiled to look for the compatible root file system in a particular place.
So when you change or use a boot image you change the kernel you are using.
So we have a system that;
Has a modified Linux kernel that selects the Android file system from internal memory installed in the first boot position.
We can put a Linux kernel compiled to find a compatible root file system say on external sd card in the second boot position.
We can replace the recovery image with a Linux kernel that finds a compatible root file system on the internal sd card.
That gives us a hardware selective three different systems (triple boot)
With fastboot on the PC we can quickly change any of the Three boot images, replace the recovery image or repair system.
I think all we need is a 3.2.23 kernel compiled thee separate ways and packaged with mkbootimg.
1st find root file system internel, 2nd find file system externel 3rd find file system usb
We already have two 2.6.38 kernels. One from Spdev (external root file system)and One from Netham {internal file system)
They are different kernels as Nethams has added modules.
I believe the were both compiled from the same Git.
I have tried switching the two boot images in second boot position with both root file systems installed and when you boot the second position
it switches to it's own file system.
I haven't tried swapping the root file positions yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting. Though i think it needs to be a specific type of kernel (i.e bzImage or uImage instead of vmlinuz) to actually run. also, the precompiled kernel in the guide that i had used in the opening post had a command line where one option was "root=/dev/mmcblk1p2" which pretty much says for the kernel to look for the linux file system in the second partition on the sd card.
Yes with the way the system is formatted you cannot change out the kernel on the fly. It is basically hard coded in the boot image. Skrilax has given us a way to change boot positions so we don't have to sacrifice recovery position to boot second kernel. I have not seen any pre configured 3.2.23 kernels yet. The one that Netham posted boots from internal SD but causes problems for some people as not all a500 have their internal SD card formatted in the same memory block. It works great for me I prefer to have my root file system on a fast external SD so would like to modify or compile a kernel like Netham's. I find I run out of space when I have it internal. Netham's kernel has USB sound and seems to boot differt than Spdev's.
themechaniac said:
Yes with the way the system is formatted you cannot change out the kernel on the fly. It is basically hard coded in the boot image. Skrilax has given us a way to change boot positions so we don't have to sacrifice recovery position to boot second kernel. I have not seen any pre configured 3.2.23 kernels yet. The one that Netham posted boots from internal SD but causes problems for some people as not all a500 have their internal SD card formatted in the same memory block. It works great for me I prefer to have my root file system on a fast external SD so would like to modify or compile a kernel like Netham's. I find I run out of space when I have it internal. Netham's kernel has USB sound and seems to boot differt than Spdev's.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Right, but this is how the linux boot loader is going to go with, instead of loading the linux system (sans kernel and initrd) from the sd card, we create a boot.img that has a linux system built in that has a sole purpose of loading other linux systems using kexec.
Edit:
Here's how the path is going to go:
Startup-->Bootloader-->Linux Bootloader (loads linux on external drives)-->Linux (on external drives)
Well I am happy with Ubuntu on my external SD card, I even ran a kernel compile on it and it ran pretty fast. I am stuck on the mkbootimg part. It can't be done on the tablet, has to be a PC. I tried unpacking the Two ready made boot images to see how they are configured but they don't seem to have a ram disk. Still working on that. It is learning how the system is put together that is half the fun, Getting it to work the way you want is the goal. When it is all squared away it will be time to move on to the next puzzle. I have enough computers that I could just put a system on each one and be done with it. Where's the fun in that. Most of them are dual booted already.
themechaniac said:
Well I am happy with Ubuntu on my external SD card, I even ran a kernel compile on it and it ran pretty fast. I am stuck on the mkbootimg part. It can't be done on the tablet, has to be a PC. I tried unpacking the Two ready made boot images to see how they are configured but they don't seem to have a ram disk. Still working on that. It is learning how the system is put together that is half the fun, Getting it to work the way you want is the goal. When it is all squared away it will be time to move on to the next puzzle. I have enough computers that I could just put a system on each one and be done with it. Where's the fun in that. Most of them are dual booted already.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, even though mkbootimg is suppose to be run on linux, i don't think it was compiled for arm so you are going to have to use a pc for that program. as for the initrd, i did find a website that may help in creating an A.L.B.L. (Android Linux Boot Loader): http://www.thewireframecommunity.com/node/14
Essentially what is needed to create the A.L.B.L. is to create a kernel with kexec in it and an initrd that mounts the external drives along with an easy to use interface to be loaded before loading any kernels to allow for selecting kernels. with that said, how do you figure out how to use the volume buttons and the power button within linux using a c\c++ program?
BUMP!
any progress?
also
-Audio (Detects it in the kde info center. System Settings program only says that there's a dummy output. Playing any form of audio crashes the program.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But
Code:
cat /any/file/for/ex/bin/bash > /dev/dsp
works properly
Unfortunetly no.
Been to busy with other stuff to work on this.
tegra driver
I have ubuntu 12.10 armf runing on my a500 thanks to the "Linux on A500: The Future" thread. I am using the ferrariforzaleo mod of rogro82's kernel.
The problem I had was getting the xorg tegra module to load. I fixed this by getting the "https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/quantal/armhf/nvidia-tegra/16.0-0ubuntu1"]https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/quantal/armhf/nvidia-tegra/16.0-0ubuntu1 and installing with
sudo dpkg -i
after I rebooted it started using the tegra video driver.
Cheers
HardlyAbelson said:
I have ubuntu 12.10 armf runing on my a500 thanks to the "Linux on A500: The Future" thread. I am using the ferrariforzaleo mod of rogro82's kernel.
The problem I had was getting the xorg tegra module to load. I fixed this by getting the "https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/quantal/armhf/nvidia-tegra/16.0-0ubuntu1"]https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/quantal/armhf/nvidia-tegra/16.0-0ubuntu1 and installing with
sudo dpkg -i
after I rebooted it started using the tegra video driver.
Cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
can you explain me the steps you done ? I also want ubuntu 12.10 running but I can't install any desktop on it ( show error and other error )
ubuntu 12.10
Forzaferrarileo said:
can you explain me the steps you done ? I also want ubuntu 12.10 running but I can't install any desktop on it ( show error and other error )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, I used the debootstrap and and qemu / chroot to setup my rootfs. i found post #61 in the "Linux on A500: future" very helpful.
Also, make sure you have a usb keyboard handy. After you run "apt-get install -d ubuntu-desktop" (assuming you have a pc running ubuntu to use) in a qemu chroot, you can move to the a500 and boot up and login as root and run "apt-get install ubuntu-destop". since the stuff is cached. I found this faster than installing the desktop while in the chroot. After that finishes, you should boot up with a desktop available. If something is wrong and you can't login, try doing "ctrl-alt-f1" to get to the getty command line login and look at the /var/log/ folder for clues in the logs.
How to compile the kernel?
I succesfully got debian running on my iconia a500 :laugh:
Building my own rootfs and getting the wifi to work were not that hard, but I still don't know how to compile the Linux kernel for the a500 from source.
I already found the git repository of rogru82 (https://github.com/rogro82/picasso-kernel) and I downloaded the source to my pc (running ubuntu 13.04). Can someone point me to a tutorial explaining how to compile this source?
Also, can someone explain what sort of partition table the internal memory uses? I am running the 3.0 kernel and I can see a block memory device in the /dev folder but there are no partitions. How can I mount the internal memory?