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Old 08-26-2010, 12:16 PM   #1
supert
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Debian on kindle: howto

This post tells you how to put debian on your kindle. I have a DX Graphite running 2.5.5.

I'll update these and tidy them up in the near future, hopefully. Please post improvements, comments etc.

You should learn about chroot if you don't already know, to understand what you are doing.

First, Jailbreak.

Then, USBnetworking:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...t=49350&page=8
for the usb networking howto

On your kindle root shell:
Code:
# to avoid networking dying try this
/mnt/us/usbnet/bin/usbnet-enable
# not sure if this is necessary:
/etc/init.d.framework stop
mntroot rw
# then add a sensible dns server like 4.2.2.1
vi /etc/resolv.conf
# for some reason this last step seems to undo itself periodically?
route add default gw 192.168.2.1
# to check the routing was added, use
route -n
# some say you need this, I'm not sure
/etc/init.d/netwatchd stop
Sometimes the resolv.conf and the default gateway reset themselves and have to be changed again. I don't know why.

I have another armel machine, a sheevaplug. It's my 'donor' machine. Actually you can use debootstrap from any linux machine, specifying armel architecture.

On the donor machine:
Code:
# make an ext3 disk image and mount it on sheeva (the donor machine)
# this one is quite a large image... you may want less...
# DO NOT use ext2 -- it won't work
dd if=/dev/zero of=/tmp/debian.ext3 bs=1M count=1280
mkfs.ext3 /tmp/debian.ext3
tune2fs -i 0 -c 0 /tmp/debian.ext3

mount -o loop -t ext3 /tmp/debian.ext3 /mnt/debian

# debootstrap a basic debian on to your image
debootstrap --arch=armel testing /mnt/debian http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian
# copy over the prepared debootstrap image, perhaps using the USB flash drive functionality
/srv/Kindle.ext3 --> /mnt/us/debian.ext3



Now on the Kindle, using the root ssh access you got earlier:

Code:
# mount it on kindle
# I put all this in an init script called /etc/init.t/debian start
mount -o loop -t ext3 /mnt/us/debian.ext3 /mnt/debian
# or in fstab later on the Kindle -- not sure if this works?
#/mnt/us/debian.ext3 /mnt/debian ext3 loop,sync,noatime 0 0

# prepare filesystem for chroot
mount -o bind /dev /mnt/debian/dev
mount -o bind /proc /mnt/debian/proc
mount -o bind /sys /mnt/debian/sys

# or, if you were using a different kernel
#mount proc /mnt/debian/proc -t proc
#mount sysfs /mnt/debian/sys -t sysfs
#mount devfs /mnt/debian/dev -t dev

cp /etc/hosts /mnt/debian/etc/hosts
cp /etc/resolv.conf /mnt/debian/etc/resolv.conf

# get a shell on your new system
chroot /mnt/debian /bin/bash
You might like to
Code:
vi /etc/fstab
vi /etc/network/interfaces
apt-get install ssh udev nano openssh-server rsync
Code:
now to ssh straight into your chroot debian system.
# change your debian system to listen for ssh on port (eg) 2222
nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config
# make sure /proc is mounted
service ssh start
# add a user other than root, ideally
to ssh into your kindle:
Code:
ssh root@192.168.2.2 -p 2222


Loose ends:

I've been trying to get X11 working, haven't had too much luck yet. This is what I've tried as per Jesse.
on the donor machine:
Code:
# set up X11 to use /dev/fb:
apt-get build-dep xorg-server
apt-get source xorg-server
# apply the patch as per http://code.google.com/p/savory/source/browse/trunk/x11-on-kindle/?r=12
./autogen.sh --prefix=/mnt/debian
make && make install
umount /mnt/debian
... but it still looks for a VT / tty.

I have unsuccessfully tried hacking /etc/inittab to provide a fake tty, of course this doesn't work


# can we use directfb? fbterm?


Probably I will need to flash the kernel as per yifanlu, recompiling it with with VT support. I think the options need to be (but I am not sure):

CONFIG_NO_USER_SPACE_SCREEN_ACCESS_CONTROL=y
# CONFIG_FB_EARLYSUSPEND is not set
CONFIG_VT=y
CONFIG_CONSOLE_TRANSLATIONS=y
CONFIG_VT_CONSOLE=y
CONFIG_HW_CONSOLE=y
CONFIG_DUMMY_CONSOLE=y
CONFIG_FRAMEBUFFER_CONSOLE=y
CONFIG_FRAMEBUFFER_CONSOLE_DETECT_PRIMARY=y
CONFIG_FRAMEBUFFER_CONSOLE_ROTATION=y
# CONFIG_FB_MSM_LOGO is not set

Given VT support in the kernel, it may make more sense to run something like fbterm rather than X11.

-supert
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Old 08-26-2010, 04:52 PM   #2
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I will just add that this also works for Ubuntu ARM 9.04. The 9.04 version is important. I chroot into Ubuntu from time to time in order to compile code or use the full array of Linux tools beyond the few included on the Kindle. I didn't try to get X running at all, though. But some have been somewhat successful:
http://hackaday.com/2009/09/03/ubuntu-9-04-on-kindle-2/
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Old 08-27-2010, 09:35 PM   #3
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It turns out that it's easier to fix X than it is to rebuild the Kindle's kernel to add a controlling tty.

http://code.google.com/p/savory/sour...xorg-1.6.patch

Was what I hacked up last smmer. It should do what you need or at least get you started.
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Old 08-30-2010, 09:01 AM   #4
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I install a chroot ftpd server on my DX, so I can transfer books while reading,it's funny of the chroot debian
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Old 08-30-2010, 05:27 PM   #5
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Jesse,

I tried your patch (I reference it above), compiled & installed but it did not work for me. X still looked for a vt.
Perhaps the problem is debian vs. ubuntu? though I can't believe the package would be significantly different. The patch was applied to the source code supplied by xorg-server which if I recall does not supply Xfbdev.

Not sure what else to try.
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Old 01-02-2011, 02:16 PM   #6
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is there any way to install debian on my kindle if the original linux filesystem is messed up so i cannot even boot normally at all?
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Old 03-25-2011, 07:00 AM   #7
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Anyone made any progress with this? Seems like a pretty attractive deal. It would provide access to so many awesome apps.
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Old 03-30-2011, 05:00 AM   #8
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I'll soon write quite similiar tutorial with ready made ubuntu image (ext2). ATM I'm struggling with x11 patch, because I don't know how to apply it.
BTW it's fun to play with some nice linux apps on kindle.
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Old 04-06-2011, 07:06 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by troyme View Post
I install a chroot ftpd server on my DX, so I can transfer books while reading,it's funny of the chroot debian
Wonder if someone could explain this one ? I don't understand it, - if you have an ftp server on it, how do you put any file to it ? hmm....

You do it over usbnetwork ? .. most probably.. hmm... such a stupid device ( my view ) as it lacks wifi. Would it be possible to make a connection over - is it GPRS ?
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Old 04-08-2011, 09:02 AM   #10
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Originally Posted by Tanga View Post
Anyone made any progress with this? Seems like a pretty attractive deal. It would provide access to so many awesome apps.
More ARM compiled Linux binaries can run already. If you're talking about GUI ubuntu programs, then it's highly unlikely.
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Old 04-12-2011, 12:02 AM   #11
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Is this for getting rid of Amazon's footprint on the Kindle? Do epubs still look good?
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Old 05-19-2011, 12:46 AM   #12
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What is ./configure option for xorg to make Xfbdev-4bpp? Its on your mystartx
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Old 06-02-2011, 04:34 AM   #13
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Hello,
I tried following your guide and created an image, it mounts and i can chroot into it on my kindle without any problems, but but besides that nothing works. as soon as i login i get this:
Code:
bash: warning: setlocale: LC_ALL: cannot change locale (en_US.UTF-8)
I have no name!@kindle:/#
whoami gives an error that it cant find a user, also apt-get does not exist and dpkg gives me this
Code:
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


how can i add more packages to the image or setup a working build?

EDIT: tough i used the squeeze version instead of testing

Last edited by tomashg; 06-02-2011 at 04:40 AM.
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Old 10-31-2012, 07:20 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by supert View Post
Snip...


Loose ends:

I've been trying to get X11 working, haven't had too much luck yet. This is what I've tried as per Jesse.
on the donor machine:
Code:
# set up X11 to use /dev/fb:
apt-get build-dep xorg-server
apt-get source xorg-server
# apply the patch as per http://code.google.com/p/savory/source/browse/trunk/x11-on-kindle/?r=12
./autogen.sh --prefix=/mnt/debian
make && make install
umount /mnt/debian
... but it still looks for a VT / tty.

I have unsuccessfully tried hacking /etc/inittab to provide a fake tty, of course this doesn't work

# can we use directfb? fbterm?

Probably I will need to flash the kernel as per yifanlu, recompiling it with with VT support. I think the options need to be (but I am not sure):

CONFIG_NO_USER_SPACE_SCREEN_ACCESS_CONTROL=y
# CONFIG_FB_EARLYSUSPEND is not set
CONFIG_VT=y
CONFIG_CONSOLE_TRANSLATIONS=y
CONFIG_VT_CONSOLE=y
CONFIG_HW_CONSOLE=y
CONFIG_DUMMY_CONSOLE=y
CONFIG_FRAMEBUFFER_CONSOLE=y
CONFIG_FRAMEBUFFER_CONSOLE_DETECT_PRIMARY=y
CONFIG_FRAMEBUFFER_CONSOLE_ROTATION=y
# CONFIG_FB_MSM_LOGO is not set

Given VT support in the kernel, it may make more sense to run something like fbterm rather than X11.

-supert
There is a version of X now working in a basic fashion... FYI.

patch for the VT issue (to get X to boot at least) is here: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...8&postcount=28

cheers.
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Old 11-01-2012, 12:13 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tomashg View Post
nothing works.
The recipe in the opening post did not work for me either. But it was a good guide, anyway.

First, you set up the image on an ARM machine? If not:
Spoiler:
Code:
debootstrap --arch=armel testing --foreign /mnt/debian http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian
And then after chrooting into it on your Kindle:
Code:
debootstrap --second-stage


Here is the initscript I am using on the Kindle. To setup the chroot environment.
Maybe you have to create some mount points manually at the first run after mounting /mnt/debian.

Spoiler:
Code:
mount -o loop -t ext3 /mnt/base-us/k5debian.ext3 /mnt/debian
mount -o bind /dev /mnt/debian/dev
mount -o bind /dev/pts /mnt/debian/dev/pts
mount -o bind /proc /mnt/debian/proc
mount -o bind /sys /mnt/debian/sys
mount -o bind /mnt/us /mnt/debian/mnt/us
cp /etc/hosts /mnt/debian/etc/hosts
echo "Debian init complete"


k5debian.ext3 is accessed via /mnt/base-us and not via /mnt/us because of apt-get problems otherwise. It seems to work, but is dangerous, when /mnt/us is mounted via usb on the host PC.


I think it is high time to update https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Debi...n_Kindle_Touch

Last edited by EternalCyclist; 11-01-2012 at 12:20 AM. Reason: Note about using /mnt/base-us
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