>>Hi Ken,
>>I am the author of Ramdisk Rescue:
>> http://www.handhelds.org/moin/moin.cgi/RamdiskRescue
Nice prog. Haven't tried it but looks very good. Well, you appear to know a
lot about the Ipaq and how they boot, etc.
I think you are just the person I can bounce ideas off and know what will work on the Ipaqs.
I did a little work on Linux on the Palm LifeDrive..but we couldn't get
WiFi going and my LD finally bit the dust...and the project slowly died.
--(cross-compiling) Kernels are not my strongest area but I'm learning.
-- I'd love a make menu-config on the ipaq, wouldn't have to
cross-compile then, but getting all the libs and gcc on the ipaq could be a
problem.
My simple goal of getting the project moving keeps getting bigger.
-- From what I've seen the 2200/2400/4700 branch is both one device yet three different configs.
The issue I've run in to in my personal project is that the zImage I use doesn't recognize all the various media that holds the VFAT and EXT2.
-- The software will work, but only if you are using a supported brand of CF.
BTW: yes I do format all my CF cards as EXT2, it's just habit that I refer
to it as EXT3..[which is what I work with during the day on i686 servers]
(but EXT2 kernels can still read EXT3 volumes and just ignore the journal).
Anyways after looking at your work... you have already achieved a lot of what
I want to do... recognize the media.
I will dig through your sources and look for clues on how to make a
mini-kernel (1st stage).
My goal was to make a zImage that would work on all the various Ipaq in the common hardware 2400/4700.
You mentioned the 2200, are they on a simular platform as the hx2495?
If not, is there a way to make a mini kernel that would run on almost any ipaq hardware?
-- I have a feeling I'd have to make 20 different 1st stage zImages.
-- I'm guessing/hoping you solved this issue already with your ramdisk boot.
I think what I'm reinventing is GRUB in a way. Get a boot menu displayed
showing what media is bootable and proceed to mount it and hand control over
to a smarter kernel on that media.
-- if only one EXT2 is found, automaticly attempt to boot it.
At least in convential linux setups, there is a /boot/ folder that has the
'smart' kernel for that device.
Would something like this work?
HaRET ->
1st-zImage(s) (load, detect all media, find all ext2 partitions:
Then display a boot menu of all valid EXT2 partitions)
User selects which one to boot if more than one is located.
--this could be a pain because now you have to add TouchScreen or Button support in the mini-kernel.
--at this point I just need it to find ANY EXT2 and boot.
Then the next step would be the big kernal (on the EXT2) which could discard all the info from the mini-kernel --maybe retain the media mount driver.
This would be the one that everyone would be interested in, add as many
moduals/drivers for all the ipaqs, etc. It would be nice to have a
modular 'detecting hardware' system simular to desktop boots.
Just rolling ideas, (and all I originally wanted was wifi, lol)
decided to help everyone else that was having trouble just booting.
I don't know if this is a step backwards by making a universal zImage that will attempt to be ipaq/media friendly.
I just can't stand that there are so many zImages floating around and you have to find the one that works for each situation.
Thank you,
Ken
Hi Ken,
I am the author of Ramdisk Rescue:
http://www.handhelds.org/moin/moin.cgi/RamdiskRescue
I have access to a hx2110 (if I can prise it out of g/f's hands;) which
I would like to include as a supported machine. If I can do that, I think
you'll find a vast increase in willing testers/users.
For suggestions, have a browse through the RR source on sf.net:
http://ramdisk-rescue.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/ramdisk-rescue/
I've commented most of the source.
Additional suggestions:
- use ext2 instead of ext3 filesystems on cards.
- jffs2 is only used for flash, not cards.
- use bitbake to build
(see http://www.openembedded.org/wiki/GettingStarted)
Regards,
Marcus.
Ken Lyons - SplinterFL wrote:
>
> Well, after talking to several user it appears my zImage doesn't work
> for everyone. So I went on a testing spree and
> found that the zImage I use works great if you have a
> SanDisk/compatible CF card. My EXT3 files appear to be fine,
> trouble is just getting linux to boot and pivot the root to the EXT3.
> I downloaded GIT in preperation to start compiling a new kernal --with
> every driver known.
> I've compiled kernels for MIPS and x86, but this will be my first ARM
> project (a little new to this arch). I'm looking for
> someone to actively assist in helping to create a new kernel or enhance
> the existing ones.
> --- I see great potential, just the project seems stalled.
>
>
>
> I have tested several other zImages and couldn't get my extra 1GB flash
> to be recognized... failed when it can't pivot.
> -- the two others I tested had a corrupt EXT2 Ramdisk built in which
> would fail to initialize.
>
> If anyone on the list has compiled kernels for this series I'm
> interested in your setup/files/sources and could use some pointers on
> anything you've learned.
>
> * * * If you are interested in helping, I'm willing to test more
> zImages and post working combinations.
> Just email me your zImage & default.txt to my private email (max
> 5MB/ea) gz/zip.
> If anyone has any ideas on the best approach for this super boot
> kernel, I'm all ears.
> I know partitioning CF / SD cards is a pain, but I don't see a more
> effiecent way to give linux a dedicated space without
> doing a FS inside a file, on the VFAT . (essentially using a ZIP
> file to be the rootfs ).
> After spliting several cards last night, I've learned the fastest way
> which seems to work for me. I'll post my results later on my site.
> http://www.bees-garden.com/linux/
>
>
>
>
>
> FYI: CF cards act like ide hard-drives, can be partitioned as such and
> have wear-leveling built-in to the card. (no os involvment).
>
> So I guess my first goal (constantly shifting TO-DO list ).
>
> 1. Make a simple HaRZET, default.txt, zImage combination that
> has the most drivers for booting on
> ANY of the series devices using ALMOST ANY CF / SD card.
>
> Ken
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