Kobo as a Linux tablet - sample image

[allw]

I had the same problem ...
I used the truncate method from http://softwarebakery.com/shrinking-images-on-linux

Unfortunately I coudln't modify the swap with gparted (got an error on all partitions ...)
It allows me to boot, but still having a problem with suspend of the nickel (perhaps dues to this swap issue ....but as other people report it ...)

[Ken Maltby]

Hmm... a 16GB image even zipped down to 6GB, still needs a 16GB or larger uSD card. The image is what matters, it is made for a 16GB card.

Luck;
Ken

[allw]

I think you are mistaken, we are using a 8go SD card with a 8 Go SD card. The number of sectors varies slightly accross card (depending of manufactering acceptance criteria i guess)

[Ken Maltby]

Originally Posted by mastnacek

Done, now i have it
Tomorrow I upload image for Kobo Mini.

I was made 16GB image for kobo MINI, 7Ziped its 6GB. Want this anybody?

So this is not what you are talking about?

Luck;
Ken

[as32]

It's working now.
@Marek: Wow, excellent work.

Originally Posted by as32

Same problem here.
Transcend 8GB class 4.
not enough space on disk: 15652864 sectors , availabale: 15556608 sectors

Too bad.

Sorry about my complain, I was a little disappointed at first.
Thanks for the help and the hints though. I guess there are several tools and several ways to get around this.

I didn't want to buy more SD cards, so I used Win32DiskImager to write the image to an 8GB USB Stick.
Then, using parted, I removed the swap partition, changed units to sectors and recreated partition 3 ending at sector 1555607.
Interestingly, parted offered ext2 as partition type, but after creating the partition, it was linux-swap(v1), just like before. Anyway, I applied mkswap to make sure.
Then I plugged in my Transcend micro SD card via USB adapter and used dd to copy from the USB stick. It worked.
(dd if=/dev/sdb of=/dev/sda bs=512 count=15556608)

I'm new to the eReader world and initially started out buying a Aura HD for the sake of -- what a surprise -- reading.
But I'm also a Linux enthusiast and I was amazed to learn that I got a Linux system therein. After that I found this forum and this thread and I couldn't help but buying an additional Kobo Touch N905C for trying this out.
I just started using it, but I know already that it's just great, from the dual boot to the awesome window manager.
Awesome.

I also created a 2GB image of the debian directory in that image and used chroot with the gloScreen utilities to run awesome on my Aura HD. But all the images seem to be only black&white. Why is this, because of the missing kernel changes or a different image format?

I'd love to help developing, e.g. to make this work on the Aura HD, but I'm probably not up to such a project.
There's always so much knowledge I miss, about toolchains and putting such an installation together.
And still I even don't dare to open up my new Aura HD.
Compared to the Touch, that looks much more difficult.

[as32]

.....

[allw]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

So this is not what you are talking about?

Luck;
Ken

I suppose that as32 did the same as me :
- take SD image for the kobo touch (8go)
- follow the tutorial to use mini hardware (from dancol90 at page 2 of this thread)

Unfortunnatelly, using this approach the mini boots but the resume in the official firmware does not work (see post ws64 on page 4)

@as32 what is this gloscreen ? isn't it normal that the images are B&W, or is it missing the graylevels ?

[as32]

Originally Posted by allw

@as32 what is this gloscreen ? isn't it normal that the images are B&W, or is it missing the graylevels ?

Yes, it's missing the gray levels.
That doesn't look so pretty.
And all the buttons/windows are so small on the Aura HD.

The "gloscreen utilities" as I named it (sorry, no "official name" I guess )...
I was referring to the gloScreen.zip file in another thread

Originally Posted by KevinShort

You're correct, the binaries just need to be updated for the larger screen size. I've attached the source code and binaries below.

I recompiled that fb update utils for the Aura HD resolution.

And there's another thread how to use a chroot environment and it uses another method of updating the framebuffer without kernel changes:
Debian chroot for Kobo
(AFAIK, the image is from Andreas Heider)

I tried to combine both worlds, the Andreas Heider fb_update and Marek's chroot dir running the awesome window manager.
It worked somehow, but not really pretty, because of the black&white issue and the much smaller buttons/windows.

[as32]

Is it normal, that the green LED is constantly blinking?
Does that mean there's SD card access all the time?
I'm a little worried about that.

[rabsmd]

Originally Posted by as32

And there's another thread how to use a chroot environment and it uses another method of updating the framebuffer without kernel changes:
Debian chroot for Kobo
(AFAIK, the image is from Andreas Heider)

I tried to combine both worlds, the Andreas Heider fb_update and Marek's chroot dir running the aweseme window manager.
It worked somehow, but not really pretty, because of the black&white issue and the much smaller buttons/windows.

My notes on the Debian chroot (I didn't try the patched kernel, but following what happens here) :

- The fb_update method is eating quite some CPU resources. I guess it's checking a buffer and updating the display every 10th of second. I don't know how the kernel stuff works, but maybe it's better.

- The matchbox WM (already present in the chroot) is quite good for such device. I also had to tweak a few things here and there (cursor settings, and keyboard layout).

[KevinShort]

Originally Posted by as32

Is it normal, that the green LED is constantly blinking?
Does that mean there's SD card access all the time?
I'm a little worried about that.

The green LED starts blinking when you turn the Kobo on, and will keep blinking until it's turned off. It's not SD card access, so you don't have to worry about that. The commands to turn it off are in the default /etc/init.d/rcS script on the Kobo. Marek must of not added those commands to his rcS file.

[scooter66]

This is extremely cool. I've been interested in something like this. I can't find the N905C model anywhere to buy online (I'm in Israel). Is that the only Touch model it works on? Which Kobo Mini model(s) will this support?

[KevinShort]

Originally Posted by scooter66

This is extremely cool. I've been interested in something like this. I can't find the N905C model anywhere to buy online (I'm in Israel). Is that the only Touch model it works on? Which Kobo Mini model(s) will this support?

I believe this hack will only work on N905C models of the Touch, because other models don't use an internal SD card for memory. However, any model of Mini should work just fine.

[MarekGibek]

@as32: Thanks! I'm really glad that you like it

Yes, it's strange that almost every 8GB SD card has different size Believe me that I was aware of that and I took the smallest one I had and even it was not the smallest one on the market Anyway the last partition is swap so it doesn't matter if it doesn't fit as it can be easily recreated as you've mentioned

I also created a 2GB image of the debian directory in that image and used chroot with the gloScreen utilities to run awesome on my Aura HD. But all the images seem to be only black&white. Why is this, because of the missing kernel changes or a different image format?

Hmm... If you didn't change kernel at all that must be because of gloScreen utitlities. My kernel changes were made for triggering auto-refresh (on change only). If you have source codes for gloScreen utilities you can play with different refresh modes. Make sure it doesn't use EPDC_FLAG_FORCE_MONOCHROME flag on mxcfb_update_data structure data. Something like this should work ok with grayscale (you can try to use other values for WAVEFORM_MODE_AUTO if it doesn't):
https://github.com/marek-g/kobo-kern...ull_update.cpp
Or you can try to merge my eInk driver changes for Aura HD's kernel (only auto-update related ones, without touching waveform modes).

The fb_update method is eating quite some CPU resources. I guess it's checking a buffer and updating the display every 10th of second. I don't know how the kernel stuff works, but maybe it's better.

Yes, but it uses MMU and the check is triggered only when something changed. For example if you are reading something static (like text in full screen) it won't use any CPU power until there is any change in the screen. Just limit the amount of visible changes to zero and you will be good.

I believe this hack will only work on N905C models of the Touch, because other models don't use an internal SD card for memory. However, any model of Mini should work just fine.

So you're saying that not every Touch model has removable internal SD card? That's bad. However there is still possibility to change uboot loader to start from external SD card when inserted. It's possible also to do it that way on models you don't want to open. But I strongly do not recommend it. If something goes wrong you will have to open it! And if you cannot open it and remove internal SD card it will stay bricked (until you can connect to it through J-TAG).

[MarekGibek]

I can see that this thread is still active (and I like it ) so I would like to announce that there are new kernel changes made by me.

I've implemented full refresh (when full screen content changes). It's not good for page scrolling or playing games but at least when you are reading (we want to use it for reading, after all?) there are no "ghosts" behind letters and general contrast is much better because of that. So if you are using debian not for playing games but for reading you may like it.

I did also very simple modifications for Calibre's ebook-viewer:
- auto hide/show controls on full screen mode
- larger side margins for two columns mode
- a fix for turning pages
Two columns mode is very nice to have on horizontal orientation. And I've found calibre's viewer to be the best (in my opinion) for viewing ePub files. You have the easiest access to enlarge font settings and the best content rendering engine.

I have also found that there is a very good dictionary app for Linux - called goldendict. It can be configured to hide to the tray and if you double click on a word in callibre's ebook-viewer - the popup with description pop ups. English is not my native language so I use it very frequently. And it is much easier to find good dictionary for it than for original kobo software. If you have wifi on it will include great definitions from wikipedia (with pictures etc). The two apps play very well together.

Please also take note that I've made mistake with Firefox/Icewasel configuration - by installing AdBlock plugin there. The plugin is very memory hungry. Disabling it gives you enough memory for good browsing experience. If you want to block ads, there is somewhere in the internet a list of ad sites you can redirect to localhost by adding them to /etc/hosts config file.

https://github.com/marek-g/kobo-kernel-2.6.35.3-marek
https://github.com/marek-g/calibre