Obuntu M92 preview images

[seaniko7]

Hi all.

As some of users requested, I'll be releasing early, preview Obuntu images for those who are interested in following my work, as well as those, who would like to contribute in terms of testing and development.

Official project page will be launched within few days, so at the moment please use following topic for everything related to Obuntu.

Also please keep in mind that this project is in very early stage, thus I won't focus on easy installers, FAQ, etc.
It is targeted for advanced users only.



Install notes:

• Download kernel installer

• Download latest rootfs

• Copy compressed rootfs and kernel installer on SD card

• Flash Obuntu kernel using installer

• Start bootloader using update procedure (i.e. reboot holding Back button)

• Select "Update Obuntu" from menu

Updater will rarrange internal memory and install Obuntu on newly created partition.

Please be aware that user space partition will be formatted.

Whole process should take between 30 minutes to 1 hour depending on your SD card speed.

After installation is complete (ereader will reboot), you can safely remove SD card and boot into Obuntu.

Default username : user
Default password : password

Enabling USB Host mode (requires powered hub) :

root@lucid-desktop:/home/user# rmmod ehci-hcd
root@lucid-desktop:/home/user# modprobe fsl_otg_arc
root@lucid-desktop:/home/user# modprobe arcotg_udc
root@lucid-desktop:/home/user# modprobe g_ether
root@lucid-desktop:/home/user# modprobe ehci-hcd

For usb storage devices :

root@lucid-desktop:/home/user# modprobe scsi_mod
root@lucid-desktop:/home/user# modprobe usb_storage

17-08-2013

• installer_170813.tar.lzma

Development snapshot:
https://mega.nz/#F!rRcwRDiZ!tPJMPhjTLiWsLIiAJM8v3w

[por]

Great work man!

Maybe some of the more advanced users will be willing to explain how one could install this in a more noob-proof way .

How long does the battery life last within this OS?

What sort of prorgamms can one install within this OS? Some linux scribbling app like Xournal?

[Kirith]

Originally Posted by seaniko7

[*] Format SD and create two ext3 partitions[*] Unpack rootfs on second partition preserving permissions and symbolic links

And what size should be the partitions? Need-a swap?

А какого размера должны быть разделы? Нужен-ли swap?

[seaniko7]

@por, I haven't measured battery life yet. Only basic power management works for now (boot, reboot, shutdown).
You can install all programs from Ubuntu 10.04 repository, including xournal.

@Kirth, first partition can be any size, second should be at least 2G. There's no swap partition atm.
Also I recommend using class 10 SD card. In future, I'll include installer with option for installing Obuntu on internal memory.

[crazydog]

Flash uImage using dd command with following options:

Do I need to flash the uImage or the uImage-initramfs?

[seaniko7]

@crazydog: uImage-initramfs. Thanks for pointing that out.

[crazydog]

@seaniko7: I have to thank you for everything you're doing. Your achievements are really great.

I already thought it should be the uImage-initramfs.

I did all the steps and my boox is booting up and checking for updates for approx. 30min now. Is it installing something or does the first boot up need some more time?
I don't think it hangs.

I extracted the rootfs with usual tar command - that should preserve the symbolic links
(I think, am I right?)

@all: Somehow my boox won't run the dd command through an oar- script as it does with cp and others. I entered the command in betty boox terminal emulator.

[underscore]

I didn't tried yet as i don't have such a big and high quality SD card as suggested.
What is the scope of dd-ing initram-fs ?
Is it preparing some form of dual boot? should we keep a copy of the previous content?

I noticed in the past that dd command didn't worked in a .oar script.
I think it's because you have to be root and if you launch a .oar script you are just "app" user.

[pkbo]

Originally Posted by crazydog

I did all the steps and my boox is booting up and checking for updates for approx. 30min now.

I had no patience to wait 30min although my SD card is probably very slow for this task, I've reset the device earlier. I have impression that M92 don't see second partition I've created .

seaniko7 can you modify init script (does it make sense?) to check if

mount -t ext3 /dev/mmcblk1p2 /newroot

succeeded or not and if it is failed it could boot usual way:

mount -t ext4 /dev/mmcblk0p1 /newroot ...?

[por]

Can someone post here how the command in the flash.oar file (opened with a text editor) should look like?

[crazydog]

@por I did it with dd if=/media/flash/update/uImage-initramfs of=/dev/mmcblk0 bs=512 seek=12288

@pkbo I think M92 sees the partitions on sd card, even you don't see them when opening sd card icon. You can easily check through serial connection. I'm leaving the boox to bootup, maybe it takes some hours

I think I messed something up with the symbolic links or my sd card is really really sloow (I don't know what class it is)

[pkbo]

I did not expect to see SD contents in the file manager . I've checked it using serial connection, it sees only p1, on PC it is two partitions. I will not bother seaniko7 with my problems just will wait when it will be usable by average users.

[crazydog]

@pkbo: I left the device till now and nothing happened. I think you're right with your assumption that boox cannot read the partitions (or just the second) on sd card.

As I don't know how to explore the uImage-initramfs I agree with you waiting for seaniko7.

[crazydog]

waaa I got it

SEANIKO7 is the KING

I formatted the first partition on sd card as fat32 - the second as ext3. I did it with fdisk instead of grub.

Obuntu is working really fast.

[underscore]

Originally Posted by crazydog

waaa I got it

SEANIKO7 is the KING

I formatted the first partition on sd card as fat32 - the second as ext3. I did it with fdisk instead of grub.

Obuntu is working really fast.

The instructions reported above state to go for two ext3 partition and i was planning to use fdisk from being root on the serial console.
Is it right or the first one must be fat32 ?