subject:"\"Re\\\: \\\[E3\\\-hacking\\\] Config \\\/ content filesystem\""

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-29 Thread Nick Griffin

No still don’t load any well. Maybe Jonathan could help…? I don’t have a 
clue.

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Nick Griffin
Sent: ‎Wednesday‎, ‎24‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎19‎:‎39
To: Nick Griffin

I try again with the images with the oob in them and see if that works.

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Nick Griffin
Sent: ‎Wednesday‎, ‎24‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎19‎:‎37
To: Nick Griffin

Yes we need Jonathan I think, he understands this more.. I think he gave 
the code to remove it so you could look at the data in the files better by hex.

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Nick Griffin
Sent: ‎Wednesday‎, ‎24‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎19‎:‎23
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

I  think it needs the OOB data in the image.
Just looked on the net about ,it say…

How does this combination of nandsim, nandwrite and nandddump decide which ECC 
scheme to use? The flash is from a TI AM335 system, and as far as I know, the 
ECC scheme is decided by a combination of the processor and OS. How do these 
utilities know what to do?

First of all the ECC scheme used does not necessarily have to be for all the 
flash erase blocks. There are ususally 3 different types of flash partitions 
used and for every type the method to specify the used ECC code differs:

  1.  The one that are accessed by the ROM bootcode
  2.  The ones that are accessed by the bootloader (usually u-boot)
  3.  The ones that are accessed by the operating system (assuming you are 
using Linux)

In general the use of a specific ECC method is limited by the OOB size of the 
flash. The AM335x_U-Boot_User's_Guide (cannot post link here because of 
reputation) explains it in sections BCH Flash OOB Layout and the example 
matches to the flash chip you are using. The 64 bytes per 2k page effectively 
limit the usable ECC algorithms to BCH8, BCH4 or HAMMING codes.

BCH Flash OOB Layout

For any ECC scheme we need to add some extra data while writing so as to detect 
and correct (if possible) the errors introduced by the NAND part. In case of 
BCH scheme some bytes are needed to store the ECC related info.

The section of NAND memory where addition info like ECC data is stored is 
referred to as Out Of Band or OOB section.

The first 2 bytes are used for Bad block marker – 0x => Good block

The next ‘N’ bytes is used for BCH bytes

N = B * Number of 512-byte sectors in a page

B = 8 bytes per 512 byte sector in BCH4 B = 14 bytes per 512 byte sector in 
BCH8 B = 26 bytes per 512 byte sector in BCH16

So for a 2k page-size NAND flash with 64-byte OOB size, we will use BCH8. This 
will consume 2 + (14*4) = 58 bytes out of 64 bytes available.

ECC used by ROM bootcode

The AM335x processor's ROM bootcode decides which ECC scheme to use for NAND 
flash depending on the mechanism expalined in the AM335x technical reference 
manual chapter 26.1.7.4 NAND

ECC Correction The default ECC correction applied is BCH 8b/sector using the 
GPMC and ELM hardware. For device ID codes D3h, C3h, D5h, C5h, D7h, C7h, DEh, 
CEh when manufacturer code (first ID byte) is 98h the Cell type information is 
checked in the 4th byte of ID data. If it is equal to 10b then the ECC 
correction applied is BCH 16b/sector. In addition ECC computation done by the 
ROM can be turned off completely by using SYSBOOT[9]. This is particularly 
useful when interfacing with NAND devices that have built in ECC engines.

Other ways to control the ECC behavior are ONFI or and I2C EEPROM but the 
H27U1G8F2BTR datasheet does not mention ONFI so I guess it is not supported by 
the flash chip.

So basically BCH8 or BCH16 or no ECC mechanism is used for the first 128K the 
ROM bootloader reads from NAND flash.

ECC used by the bootloader

The bootloader decides this on his own. For example for U-boot this information 
is compiled into u-boot and the first level bootloader (SPL/MLO) as well. The 
information is controlled by U-Boot configuration settings set at compile time. 
Recent versions of U-boot can switch the ecc at runtime using the nandecc 
command.

ECC used by the OS

The selection is completely OS specific. For Linux embedded systems using 
AM335x processors I know that this information is passed into the kernel using 
the device tree.

Which ECC method does nandsim use

There is a parameter called bch which can be passed to the nandsim module to 
select an ecc code. From the code I guess It is initialized to zero so it won't 
use any ECC code. So it seems that nandsim can use BCH8 and BCH16 but only one 
for the whole flash that is simulated.

modprobe nandsim bch=8 first_id_byte=0xad second_id_byte=0xf1 
third_id_byte=0x00 fourth_id_byte=0x1d

Which ECC method does nanddump/nandwrite use

Again, this depends on the OS/Linux you used to dump the flash

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-29 Thread Nick Griffin

I  think it needs the OOB data in the image.
Just looked on the net about ,it say…

How does this combination of nandsim, nandwrite and nandddump decide which ECC 
scheme to use? The flash is from a TI AM335 system, and as far as I know, the 
ECC scheme is decided by a combination of the processor and OS. How do these 
utilities know what to do?


First of all the ECC scheme used does not necessarily have to be for all the 
flash erase blocks. There are ususally 3 different types of flash partitions 
used and for every type the method to specify the used ECC code differs:

  1.  The one that are accessed by the ROM bootcode
  2.  The ones that are accessed by the bootloader (usually u-boot)
  3.  The ones that are accessed by the operating system (assuming you are 
using Linux)

In general the use of a specific ECC method is limited by the OOB size of the 
flash. The AM335x_U-Boot_User's_Guide (cannot post link here because of 
reputation) explains it in sections BCH Flash OOB Layout and the example 
matches to the flash chip you are using. The 64 bytes per 2k page effectively 
limit the usable ECC algorithms to BCH8, BCH4 or HAMMING codes.

BCH Flash OOB Layout

For any ECC scheme we need to add some extra data while writing so as to detect 
and correct (if possible) the errors introduced by the NAND part. In case of 
BCH scheme some bytes are needed to store the ECC related info.

The section of NAND memory where addition info like ECC data is stored is 
referred to as Out Of Band or OOB section.

The first 2 bytes are used for Bad block marker – 0x => Good block

The next ‘N’ bytes is used for BCH bytes

N = B * Number of 512-byte sectors in a page

B = 8 bytes per 512 byte sector in BCH4 B = 14 bytes per 512 byte sector in 
BCH8 B = 26 bytes per 512 byte sector in BCH16

So for a 2k page-size NAND flash with 64-byte OOB size, we will use BCH8. This 
will consume 2 + (14*4) = 58 bytes out of 64 bytes available.

ECC used by ROM bootcode

The AM335x processor's ROM bootcode decides which ECC scheme to use for NAND 
flash depending on the mechanism expalined in the AM335x technical reference 
manual chapter 26.1.7.4 NAND

ECC Correction The default ECC correction applied is BCH 8b/sector using the 
GPMC and ELM hardware. For device ID codes D3h, C3h, D5h, C5h, D7h, C7h, DEh, 
CEh when manufacturer code (first ID byte) is 98h the Cell type information is 
checked in the 4th byte of ID data. If it is equal to 10b then the ECC 
correction applied is BCH 16b/sector. In addition ECC computation done by the 
ROM can be turned off completely by using SYSBOOT[9]. This is particularly 
useful when interfacing with NAND devices that have built in ECC engines.

Other ways to control the ECC behavior are ONFI or and I2C EEPROM but the 
H27U1G8F2BTR datasheet does not mention ONFI so I guess it is not supported by 
the flash chip.

So basically BCH8 or BCH16 or no ECC mechanism is used for the first 128K the 
ROM bootloader reads from NAND flash.

ECC used by the bootloader

The bootloader decides this on his own. For example for U-boot this information 
is compiled into u-boot and the first level bootloader (SPL/MLO) as well. The 
information is controlled by U-Boot configuration settings set at compile time. 
Recent versions of U-boot can switch the ecc at runtime using the nandecc 
command.

ECC used by the OS

The selection is completely OS specific. For Linux embedded systems using 
AM335x processors I know that this information is passed into the kernel using 
the device tree.

Which ECC method does nandsim use

There is a parameter called bch which can be passed to the nandsim module to 
select an ecc code. From the code I guess It is initialized to zero so it won't 
use any ECC code. So it seems that nandsim can use BCH8 and BCH16 but only one 
for the whole flash that is simulated.

modprobe nandsim bch=8 first_id_byte=0xad second_id_byte=0xf1 
third_id_byte=0x00 fourth_id_byte=0x1d

Which ECC method does nanddump/nandwrite use

Again, this depends on the OS/Linux you used to dump the flash. Similar to the 
nandsim module real mtd drivers have ways to specify the used ECC scheme 
(kernel parameters, device tree). But you can instruct nanddump to ignore the 
ECC information, too.

References

  *   AM335x technical reference manual http://www.ti.com/lit/gpn/am3359
  *   bch Linux Kernel parameter for nandsim 
http://lxr.free-electrons.com/source/drivers/mtd/nand/nandsim.c#L175
  *   The AM335x_U-Boot_User's_Guide





Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Ralph Corderoy
Sent: ‎Wednesday‎, ‎24‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎18‎:‎30
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

Hi Nick,

> I copied it twice not

What's the output of copying it once?

> Amstrad Delta - PBL V4.9 Build:1311 Assert Debug ICE
> PBL 32MB NAND
> 0MB.-->MEMv01.00.002,CopyLim=0022h,CodeEnd=0140h-->PBL..1MB...2MB*

What if you try reading ou

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-28 Thread Nick Griffin

Ok so PBL boots from mtd3 partition first then so maybe its not flashing mtd3 
properly…??

If you can see the data from the images I made then the data is there so what 
the hell it going on, why will it not boot up, just a black screen..??

Just found a site on info about NAND .. might be interesting reading.. 

NAND data - Memory Technology Device (MTD) Subsystem for Linux


Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Ralph Corderoy
Sent: ‎Sunday‎, ‎28‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎13‎:‎44
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

Hi Nick,

> Does anyone know what mtd partition this line is from…
> System module loader - LDR V1.5 Build:0008 Assert

$ LC_ALL=C grep -boa 'LDR V1.5 Build:0008 Assert' e3-nand-backup.?
e3-nand-backup.3:18472:LDR V1.5 Build:0008 Assert
$

18472 is the zero-based byte offset.

That's the same file with the Q;Q; for LDR.

$ qq() {
> LC_ALL=C perl -0777ne 'print $& while /Q;Q;.{0,32}/gs' "$@" |
> hexdump -ve '36/1 "%_p" "\n"';
> }
$
$ for f in e3-nand-backup.?; do
> qq $f | grep LDR | sed "s/^/$f /"
> done
e3-nand-backup.3 Q;Q;Hf..LDR.
$

--
Cheers, Ralph.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.earth.li%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Fe3-hacking&data=02%7C01%7C%7Cb24f4cea327848637d7808d6cbd73f7d%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435%7C1%7C0%7C636920522676824619&sdata=jJS55M0P5wsB1z%2B7Uz0qZzV34nQlLPPwYD6xdpvi9rw%3D&reserved=0
___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-28 Thread Ralph Corderoy

Hi Nick,

> Does anyone know what mtd partition this line is from…
> System module loader - LDR V1.5 Build:0008 Assert

$ LC_ALL=C grep -boa 'LDR V1.5 Build:0008 Assert' e3-nand-backup.?
e3-nand-backup.3:18472:LDR V1.5 Build:0008 Assert
$ 

18472 is the zero-based byte offset.

That's the same file with the Q;Q; for LDR.

$ qq() {
> LC_ALL=C perl -0777ne 'print $& while /Q;Q;.{0,32}/gs' "$@" |
> hexdump -ve '36/1 "%_p" "\n"';
> }
$
$ for f in e3-nand-backup.?; do
> qq $f | grep LDR | sed "s/^/$f /"
> done
e3-nand-backup.3 Q;Q;Hf..LDR.
$

-- 
Cheers, Ralph.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-28 Thread Nick Griffin

Does anyone know what mtd partition this line is from…

System module loader - LDR V1.5 Build:0008 Assert

Its the first line that comes up in the boot log after Amstrad Delta - PBL V4.9 
… , after I flash the mtdx it only comes up with Amstrad Delta - PBL V4.9 … 
than stops at 2MB* and no splash screen, just a black screen..?

Amstrad Delta - PBL V4.9 Build:1311 Assert Debug ICE
PBL 32MB NAND
0MB.-->MEMv01.00.002,CopyLim=0022h,CodeEnd=0140h-->PBL..1MB...2MB*

System module loader - LDR V1.5 Build:0008 Assert
Mod scan 10010100 to 10230100
MEM - 10024000 (flash 00404000)
PARMS - 10024400 (flash 00404400)
LDR - 10024800 (flash 00404800)
LINUX - 10044000 (flash 00424000)
num modules: 4

I am trying to work out what mtd it looks at first, mtd0 …?

It looks like to me that its flashing it back to the NAND wrong and that why 
its not booting, this is why I need someone to test it who knows what they are 
doing and knows about flashing to mtd partitions ..?

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Nick Griffin
Sent: ‎Saturday‎, ‎27‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎21‎:‎53
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

I need someone on here who knows what there are doing flashing the Amstrad 
firmware back on the E3.

Has anyone still got there E3 on here but only if you have flashed E3 Linux on 
it already then you can test trying flashing Amstrad E3 Original Firmware back 
and see it you can get it working, More people doing it would be better because 
one of us might get it working.

And I might of missed something you might find.. 😊

Any one willing to do this..?

Mine don’t go anywhere it don’t even get to this line …

System module loader - LDR V1.5 Build:0008 Assert

What am I missing…??

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Nick Griffin
Sent: ‎Friday‎, ‎26‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎22‎:‎23
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

>So, does that mean you have two now?

Yes I have 2 E3 now.. lol

>What do you mean by "reset"?

I mean if you hold Down Delete, Stop and Handfree when you boot up the E3 it 
puts in back to factory defaults where you have to register it and says” Press 
the [Email] button to get connected”

>Please remind me what this "trick" is?

With the Main Software V2 if its deactivated you could lift hand set and press 
and hold email down until it says aborting email please wait.. and it would 
activate the phone, it don’t work on V4.

>I disagree - a comparison (especially of the boot loader, not necessarily the
main software) could be instructive.

I can copy the firmware if you want it and share it…?

>You mean copying the firmware for interest's sake, or with the idea of copying
from the E1/E2 to the E3?
No copying the firmware from the E1/E2 to copy it back to a E1/E2 that's 
deactivated to activate them.

>Why do you always write this at the end of your emails?

Spanner is my name, My real name is Nick, I have not been called Nick for about 
15 years. Last person to call me Nick was my mum, she died 15 years ago in 
2004. I go by Spanner or Span now… 😊

Its a nickname I got at school, my partner started calling me it because I am 
good at working things out or fixing things then I started to use it as a 
username online.

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Antony Stone
Sent: ‎Friday‎, ‎26‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎21‎:‎31
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

On Friday 26 April 2019 at 22:01:29, Nick Griffin wrote:

> Ok thanks,I got my new E3 today

So, does that mean you have two now?

> and the seller told me it was working and able to make a call on it before I
> bought it and its unregistered so deactivated…

Sounds good so far...

> dam it.. ☹ ,he said to me he don’t understand how it was reset when it was
> working…???

What do you mean by "reset"?

> Its Main Software is V4 so the dial for email trick don’t work.

Please remind me what this "trick" is?

> so no point in copying the firmware

I disagree - a comparison (especially of the boot loader, not necessarily the
main software) could be instructive.

> but I am glad I have the clock back,

Be thankful for small mercies :))

> Has anyone have a idea of copying the firmware on the E1 or E2,

You mean copying the firmware for interest's sake, or with the idea of copying
from the E1/E2 to the E3?

I really doubt that E1/E2 firmware would work on an E3.  Different CPUs, for a
start.

> I have a E1 that activated too now.. 😊I don’t know how the E1/E2 E-mailers
> OS work maybe someone can explain, well it not Linux like E3 so what does it
> use..?

Remember that there was a day when people wrote firmware for devices from
scratch, without using an "operating system".  It's only since the days when
embedded devices like wireless routers, telephones, televis

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-27 Thread Nick Griffin

I need someone on here who knows what there are doing flashing the Amstrad 
firmware back on the E3.

Has anyone still got there E3 on here but only if you have flashed E3 Linux on 
it already then you can test trying flashing Amstrad E3 Original Firmware back 
and see it you can get it working, More people doing it would be better because 
one of us might get it working.

And I might of missed something you might find.. 😊

Any one willing to do this..?

Mine don’t go anywhere it don’t even get to this line …

System module loader - LDR V1.5 Build:0008 Assert

What am I missing…??

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Nick Griffin
Sent: ‎Friday‎, ‎26‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎22‎:‎23
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

>So, does that mean you have two now?

Yes I have 2 E3 now.. lol

>What do you mean by "reset"?

I mean if you hold Down Delete, Stop and Handfree when you boot up the E3 it 
puts in back to factory defaults where you have to register it and says” Press 
the [Email] button to get connected”

>Please remind me what this "trick" is?

With the Main Software V2 if its deactivated you could lift hand set and press 
and hold email down until it says aborting email please wait.. and it would 
activate the phone, it don’t work on V4.

>I disagree - a comparison (especially of the boot loader, not necessarily the
main software) could be instructive.

I can copy the firmware if you want it and share it…?

>You mean copying the firmware for interest's sake, or with the idea of copying
from the E1/E2 to the E3?
No copying the firmware from the E1/E2 to copy it back to a E1/E2 that's 
deactivated to activate them.

>Why do you always write this at the end of your emails?

Spanner is my name, My real name is Nick, I have not been called Nick for about 
15 years. Last person to call me Nick was my mum, she died 15 years ago in 
2004. I go by Spanner or Span now… 😊

Its a nickname I got at school, my partner started calling me it because I am 
good at working things out or fixing things then I started to use it as a 
username online.

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Antony Stone
Sent: ‎Friday‎, ‎26‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎21‎:‎31
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

On Friday 26 April 2019 at 22:01:29, Nick Griffin wrote:

> Ok thanks,I got my new E3 today

So, does that mean you have two now?

> and the seller told me it was working and able to make a call on it before I
> bought it and its unregistered so deactivated…

Sounds good so far...

> dam it.. ☹ ,he said to me he don’t understand how it was reset when it was
> working…???

What do you mean by "reset"?

> Its Main Software is V4 so the dial for email trick don’t work.

Please remind me what this "trick" is?

> so no point in copying the firmware

I disagree - a comparison (especially of the boot loader, not necessarily the
main software) could be instructive.

> but I am glad I have the clock back,

Be thankful for small mercies :))

> Has anyone have a idea of copying the firmware on the E1 or E2,

You mean copying the firmware for interest's sake, or with the idea of copying
from the E1/E2 to the E3?

I really doubt that E1/E2 firmware would work on an E3.  Different CPUs, for a
start.

> I have a E1 that activated too now.. 😊I don’t know how the E1/E2 E-mailers
> OS work maybe someone can explain, well it not Linux like E3 so what does it
> use..?

Remember that there was a day when people wrote firmware for devices from
scratch, without using an "operating system".  It's only since the days when
embedded devices like wireless routers, telephones, televisions etc have had
enough CPU and RAM to run Linux that this has been a simpler starting point.

> Spanner..

Why do you always write this at the end of your emails?

Regards,

Antony.

--
"If I've told you once, I've told you a million times - stop exaggerating!"

   Please reply to the list;
 please *don't* CC me.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.earth.li%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Fe3-hacking&data=02%7C01%7C%7C0cec744a3e744933fb9d08d6ca86394f%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435%7C1%7C0%7C636919075177321832&sdata=7RGnHIIotBRp4gY%2F3FrAgejVyPFwh6LwJdLzI014zUk%3D&reserved=0
___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-26 Thread Nick Griffin

>So, does that mean you have two now?

Yes I have 2 E3 now.. lol

>What do you mean by "reset"?

I mean if you hold Down Delete, Stop and Handfree when you boot up the E3 it 
puts in back to factory defaults where you have to register it and says” Press 
the [Email] button to get connected”

>Please remind me what this "trick" is?

With the Main Software V2 if its deactivated you could lift hand set and press 
and hold email down until it says aborting email please wait.. and it would 
activate the phone, it don’t work on V4.

>I disagree - a comparison (especially of the boot loader, not necessarily the
main software) could be instructive.

I can copy the firmware if you want it and share it…?

>You mean copying the firmware for interest's sake, or with the idea of copying
from the E1/E2 to the E3?
No copying the firmware from the E1/E2 to copy it back to a E1/E2 that's 
deactivated to activate them.

>Why do you always write this at the end of your emails?

Spanner is my name, My real name is Nick, I have not been called Nick for about 
15 years. Last person to call me Nick was my mum, she died 15 years ago in 
2004. I go by Spanner or Span now… 😊

Its a nickname I got at school, my partner started calling me it because I am 
good at working things out or fixing things then I started to use it as a 
username online.

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Antony Stone
Sent: ‎Friday‎, ‎26‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎21‎:‎31
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

On Friday 26 April 2019 at 22:01:29, Nick Griffin wrote:

> Ok thanks,I got my new E3 today

So, does that mean you have two now?

> and the seller told me it was working and able to make a call on it before I
> bought it and its unregistered so deactivated…

Sounds good so far...

> dam it.. ☹ ,he said to me he don’t understand how it was reset when it was
> working…???

What do you mean by "reset"?

> Its Main Software is V4 so the dial for email trick don’t work.

Please remind me what this "trick" is?

> so no point in copying the firmware

I disagree - a comparison (especially of the boot loader, not necessarily the
main software) could be instructive.

> but I am glad I have the clock back,

Be thankful for small mercies :))

> Has anyone have a idea of copying the firmware on the E1 or E2,

You mean copying the firmware for interest's sake, or with the idea of copying
from the E1/E2 to the E3?

I really doubt that E1/E2 firmware would work on an E3.  Different CPUs, for a
start.

> I have a E1 that activated too now.. 😊I don’t know how the E1/E2 E-mailers
> OS work maybe someone can explain, well it not Linux like E3 so what does it
> use..?

Remember that there was a day when people wrote firmware for devices from
scratch, without using an "operating system".  It's only since the days when
embedded devices like wireless routers, telephones, televisions etc have had
enough CPU and RAM to run Linux that this has been a simpler starting point.

> Spanner..

Why do you always write this at the end of your emails?

Regards,

Antony.

--
"If I've told you once, I've told you a million times - stop exaggerating!"

   Please reply to the list;
 please *don't* CC me.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.earth.li%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Fe3-hacking&data=02%7C01%7C%7C0cec744a3e744933fb9d08d6ca86394f%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435%7C1%7C0%7C636919075177321832&sdata=7RGnHIIotBRp4gY%2F3FrAgejVyPFwh6LwJdLzI014zUk%3D&reserved=0
___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-26 Thread Antony Stone

On Friday 26 April 2019 at 22:01:29, Nick Griffin wrote:

> Ok thanks,I got my new E3 today

So, does that mean you have two now?

> and the seller told me it was working and able to make a call on it before I
> bought it and its unregistered so deactivated…

Sounds good so far...

> dam it.. ☹ ,he said to me he don’t understand how it was reset when it was
> working…???

What do you mean by "reset"?

> Its Main Software is V4 so the dial for email trick don’t work.

Please remind me what this "trick" is?

> so no point in copying the firmware

I disagree - a comparison (especially of the boot loader, not necessarily the 
main software) could be instructive.

> but I am glad I have the clock back,

Be thankful for small mercies :))

> Has anyone have a idea of copying the firmware on the E1 or E2,

You mean copying the firmware for interest's sake, or with the idea of copying 
from the E1/E2 to the E3?

I really doubt that E1/E2 firmware would work on an E3.  Different CPUs, for a 
start.

> I have a E1 that activated too now.. 😊I don’t know how the E1/E2 E-mailers
> OS work maybe someone can explain, well it not Linux like E3 so what does it
> use..?

Remember that there was a day when people wrote firmware for devices from 
scratch, without using an "operating system".  It's only since the days when 
embedded devices like wireless routers, telephones, televisions etc have had 
enough CPU and RAM to run Linux that this has been a simpler starting point.

> Spanner..

Why do you always write this at the end of your emails?

Regards,

Antony.

-- 
"If I've told you once, I've told you a million times - stop exaggerating!"

   Please reply to the list;
 please *don't* CC me.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-26 Thread Nick Griffin

just found this about bad blocks on the NAND.. 
https://e2e.ti.com/support/legacy_forums/embedded/linux/f/354/t/457249

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Ralph Corderoy
Sent: ‎Thursday‎, ‎25‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎13‎:‎25
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

Hi Nick,

> As its flashing to the Nand it is reporting bad blocks but still
> flashing the image, its missing some of them so not flashing them all
> over to the Nand.

You could try adding the -m option to nandwrite to mark the bad blocks.
nandwrite -mn $dev $f
But it's risky.  I don't know if it's the correct thing to do, and if it
needlessly marks blocks as bad for some reason, I don't know how to
cancel that, though I assume it's possible.

In short, you're outside the scope of what I know.

--
Cheers, Ralph.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://apc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.earth.li%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Fe3-hacking&data=02%7C01%7C%7C84fb685e11164dde4b8408d6c9792aa3%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435%7C1%7C0%7C636917919589784871&sdata=zYMJbN8wAp6x0xdil2v2%2Bz646CJRCP2N4hK9wZBSm9E%3D&reserved=0
___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-26 Thread Nick Griffin

Ok thanks,I got my new E3 today and the seller told me it was working and able 
to make a call on it before I bought it and its unregistered so deactivated…dam 
it.. ☹ ,he said to me he don’t understand how it was reset when it was 
working…??? Well it can do it by itself without you pressing Delete,Stop and 
Handsfree at boot up….lol
Its Main Software is V4 so the dial for email trick don’t work. so no point in 
copying the firmware but I am glad I have the clock back, I do like the look of 
the firmware on the E3.. 😊 Well its my clock now. Its a shame, I never buy 
another E3 again unless I see it working(picture of its screen) and it 
activated or have CC on it, but trying to get one that has CC on it is like 
looking for a needle in a haystack..lol

Has anyone have a idea of copying the firmware on the E1 or E2, I have a E1 
that activated too now.. 😊I don’t know how the E1/E2 E-mailers OS work maybe 
someone can explain, well it not Linux like E3 so what does it use..?

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Ralph Corderoy
Sent: ‎Thursday‎, ‎25‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎13‎:‎25
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

Hi Nick,

> As its flashing to the Nand it is reporting bad blocks but still
> flashing the image, its missing some of them so not flashing them all
> over to the Nand.

You could try adding the -m option to nandwrite to mark the bad blocks.
nandwrite -mn $dev $f
But it's risky.  I don't know if it's the correct thing to do, and if it
needlessly marks blocks as bad for some reason, I don't know how to
cancel that, though I assume it's possible.

In short, you're outside the scope of what I know.

--
Cheers, Ralph.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://apc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.earth.li%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Fe3-hacking&data=02%7C01%7C%7C84fb685e11164dde4b8408d6c9792aa3%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435%7C1%7C0%7C636917919589784871&sdata=zYMJbN8wAp6x0xdil2v2%2Bz646CJRCP2N4hK9wZBSm9E%3D&reserved=0
___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-25 Thread Ralph Corderoy

Hi Nick,

> As its flashing to the Nand it is reporting bad blocks but still
> flashing the image, its missing some of them so not flashing them all
> over to the Nand.

You could try adding the -m option to nandwrite to mark the bad blocks.
nandwrite -mn $dev $f
But it's risky.  I don't know if it's the correct thing to do, and if it
needlessly marks blocks as bad for some reason, I don't know how to
cancel that, though I assume it's possible.

In short, you're outside the scope of what I know.

-- 
Cheers, Ralph.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-25 Thread Nick Griffin

>What if you try reading out the flash.  Do you get what you put in?
>`cmp foo bar' compares all the bytes in those two files and complains if
>any differ.

Just noticed what you wrote, how do I do this,flash the Nand then after its 
done it type >`cmp foo bar' ..?

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Nick Griffin
Sent: ‎Thursday‎, ‎25‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎11‎:‎24
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

As its flashing to the Nand it is reporting bad blocks but still flashing the 
image, its missing some of them so not flashing them all over to the Nand. I 
think mtd 5 it said “ image don’t fit because of bad blocks” I just don’t have 
a clue.

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Nick Griffin
Sent: ‎Thursday‎, ‎25‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎11‎:‎17
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

All it does is show the PBL line on terminal and a black screen on the E3 and 
nothing else, its like it can’t get past it.

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Ralph Corderoy
Sent: ‎Wednesday‎, ‎24‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎18‎:‎30
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

Hi Nick,

> I copied it twice not

What's the output of copying it once?

> Amstrad Delta - PBL V4.9 Build:1311 Assert Debug ICE
> PBL 32MB NAND
> 0MB.-->MEMv01.00.002,CopyLim=0022h,CodeEnd=0140h-->PBL..1MB...2MB*

What if you try reading out the flash.  Do you get what you put in?
`cmp foo bar' compares all the bytes in those two files and complains if
any differ.

Otherwise, I think you'll have to wait for someone that knows mtd to
come along and offer suggestions.

--
Cheers, Ralph.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.earth.li%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Fe3-hacking&data=02%7C01%7C%7C7e771ee689d44d2e2a3708d6c8da91b3%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435%7C1%7C0%7C636917238407255934&sdata=9aSwi%2FcYoSJiQxT3YOnLEpBnflwfq4pKUlBKp8J2rus%3D&reserved=0
___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-25 Thread Nick Griffin

As its flashing to the Nand it is reporting bad blocks but still flashing the 
image, its missing some of them so not flashing them all over to the Nand. I 
think mtd 5 it said “ image don’t fit because of bad blocks” I just don’t have 
a clue.

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Nick Griffin
Sent: ‎Thursday‎, ‎25‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎11‎:‎17
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

All it does is show the PBL line on terminal and a black screen on the E3 and 
nothing else, its like it can’t get past it.

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Ralph Corderoy
Sent: ‎Wednesday‎, ‎24‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎18‎:‎30
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

Hi Nick,

> I copied it twice not

What's the output of copying it once?

> Amstrad Delta - PBL V4.9 Build:1311 Assert Debug ICE
> PBL 32MB NAND
> 0MB.-->MEMv01.00.002,CopyLim=0022h,CodeEnd=0140h-->PBL..1MB...2MB*

What if you try reading out the flash.  Do you get what you put in?
`cmp foo bar' compares all the bytes in those two files and complains if
any differ.

Otherwise, I think you'll have to wait for someone that knows mtd to
come along and offer suggestions.

--
Cheers, Ralph.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.earth.li%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Fe3-hacking&data=02%7C01%7C%7C7e771ee689d44d2e2a3708d6c8da91b3%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435%7C1%7C0%7C636917238407255934&sdata=9aSwi%2FcYoSJiQxT3YOnLEpBnflwfq4pKUlBKp8J2rus%3D&reserved=0
___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-25 Thread Nick Griffin

All it does is show the PBL line on terminal and a black screen on the E3 and 
nothing else, its like it can’t get past it.

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Ralph Corderoy
Sent: ‎Wednesday‎, ‎24‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎18‎:‎30
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

Hi Nick,

> I copied it twice not

What's the output of copying it once?

> Amstrad Delta - PBL V4.9 Build:1311 Assert Debug ICE
> PBL 32MB NAND
> 0MB.-->MEMv01.00.002,CopyLim=0022h,CodeEnd=0140h-->PBL..1MB...2MB*

What if you try reading out the flash.  Do you get what you put in?
`cmp foo bar' compares all the bytes in those two files and complains if
any differ.

Otherwise, I think you'll have to wait for someone that knows mtd to
come along and offer suggestions.

--
Cheers, Ralph.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.earth.li%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Fe3-hacking&data=02%7C01%7C%7C7e771ee689d44d2e2a3708d6c8da91b3%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435%7C1%7C0%7C636917238407255934&sdata=9aSwi%2FcYoSJiQxT3YOnLEpBnflwfq4pKUlBKp8J2rus%3D&reserved=0
___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-24 Thread Ralph Corderoy

Hi Nick,

> I copied it twice not

What's the output of copying it once?

> Amstrad Delta - PBL V4.9 Build:1311 Assert Debug ICE
> PBL 32MB NAND
> 0MB.-->MEMv01.00.002,CopyLim=0022h,CodeEnd=0140h-->PBL..1MB...2MB*

What if you try reading out the flash.  Do you get what you put in?
`cmp foo bar' compares all the bytes in those two files and complains if
any differ.

Otherwise, I think you'll have to wait for someone that knows mtd to
come along and offer suggestions.

-- 
Cheers, Ralph.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-24 Thread Nick Griffin

I copied it twice not and still getting..

Amstrad Delta - PBL V4.9 Build:1311 Assert Debug ICE
PBL 32MB NAND
0MB.-->MEMv01.00.002,CopyLim=0022h,CodeEnd=0140h-->PBL..1MB...2MB*



and that's it…??

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Ralph Corderoy
Sent: ‎Wednesday‎, ‎24‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎18‎:‎02
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

Hi Nick,

> Starting restore.. This might take a while...
> found /media/sda1/e3-nand.0
> erasing 224 on /dev/mtd0
> Erase Total 224 Units
> Performing Flash Erase of length 16384 at offset 0x37c000 done offset 0x1f8000
> writing flash
> Input file is not page aligned

That's nandwrite detecting the file's length means it doesn't contain a
whole number of what it expects.

> Data did not fit into device, due to bad blocks

That's just a secondary error caused by the first that can be ignored;
a bug in nandwrite.

https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgithub.com%2Fvamanea%2Fmtd-utils%2Fblob%2Fmaster%2Fnandwrite.c%23L46&data=02%7C01%7C%7Cd36d4996bec941d4b67b08d6c8d6960c%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435%7C1%7C0%7C636917221299719040&sdata=tqQAEOxwu7Ey0gQMAqIlKTqnndQi23B7602etPhZbTs%3D&reserved=0
 says -o
means image contains OOB data, but we've stripped it out so the
nandwrite -on $dev $f
you have needs to be
nandwrite -n $dev $f

That's assuming it's okay to write the data without the OOB part;
I don't know about mtd but that's the implication I picked up from
earlier in this thread.

--
Cheers, Ralph.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.earth.li%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Fe3-hacking&data=02%7C01%7C%7Cd36d4996bec941d4b67b08d6c8d6960c%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435%7C1%7C0%7C636917221299719040&sdata=lKEW6KrsdX2A56l5nHqGm8eI3MrTny0BCG4ZRs8Nuns%3D&reserved=0
___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-24 Thread Ralph Corderoy

Hi Nick,

> Starting restore.. This might take a while...
> found /media/sda1/e3-nand.0
> erasing 224 on /dev/mtd0
> Erase Total 224 Units
> Performing Flash Erase of length 16384 at offset 0x37c000 done offset 0x1f8000
> writing flash
> Input file is not page aligned

That's nandwrite detecting the file's length means it doesn't contain a
whole number of what it expects.

> Data did not fit into device, due to bad blocks

That's just a secondary error caused by the first that can be ignored;
a bug in nandwrite.

https://github.com/vamanea/mtd-utils/blob/master/nandwrite.c#L46 says -o
means image contains OOB data, but we've stripped it out so the
nandwrite -on $dev $f
you have needs to be
nandwrite -n $dev $f

That's assuming it's okay to write the data without the OOB part;
I don't know about mtd but that's the implication I picked up from
earlier in this thread.

-- 
Cheers, Ralph.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-24 Thread Nick Griffin

Ignor last message,silly me..looks like the backup didn’t flash on to the nand..

Starting restore.. This might take a while...
found /media/sda1/e3-nand.0
erasing 224 on /dev/mtd0
Erase Total 224 Units
Performing Flash Erase of length 16384 at offset 0x37c000 done offset 0x1f8000
writing flash
Input file is not page aligned
Data did not fit into device, due to bad blocks

What bad blocks…? Input file is not page aligned…???

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Nick Griffin
Sent: ‎Wednesday‎, ‎24‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎16‎:‎13
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

What code would I add to the erase code to add the 5 backup images to nandwrite 
to nand..?

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Nick Griffin
Sent: ‎Wednesday‎, ‎24‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎16‎:‎08
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

Code works but didn’t realise the code don’t have nandwrite to write the 5 
backup files to the nand… lol

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Nick Griffin
Sent: ‎Wednesday‎, ‎24‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎13‎:‎09
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

OK try it in about hour busy at the moment. My other E3 is on it way… 😊

I have added the new script..

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Ralph Corderoy
Sent: ‎Wednesday‎, ‎24‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎13‎:‎01
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

Hi Nick,

> Changed…

Looks good enough to try to me, based on your original.

> echo "Type Reboot or unplug E3 to see if the Amstrad E3 Splash Screen"

It's `reboot' that needs typing as command names on Linux are case
sensitive.

--
Cheers, Ralph.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.earth.li%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Fe3-hacking&data=02%7C01%7C%7Caec7a59b4dab4bbb2cfb08d6c8aca64d%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435%7C1%7C0%7C636917041180915001&sdata=yc83O14JdRp25XjWGFcFCfcmafLftmxu5Bcq8p3XqmI%3D&reserved=0
___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-24 Thread Nick Griffin

What code would I add to the erase code to add the 5 backup images to nandwrite 
to nand..?

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Nick Griffin
Sent: ‎Wednesday‎, ‎24‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎16‎:‎08
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

Code works but didn’t realise the code don’t have nandwrite to write the 5 
backup files to the nand… lol

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Nick Griffin
Sent: ‎Wednesday‎, ‎24‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎13‎:‎09
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

OK try it in about hour busy at the moment. My other E3 is on it way… 😊

I have added the new script..

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Ralph Corderoy
Sent: ‎Wednesday‎, ‎24‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎13‎:‎01
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

Hi Nick,

> Changed…

Looks good enough to try to me, based on your original.

> echo "Type Reboot or unplug E3 to see if the Amstrad E3 Splash Screen"

It's `reboot' that needs typing as command names on Linux are case
sensitive.

--
Cheers, Ralph.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.earth.li%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Fe3-hacking&data=02%7C01%7C%7Caec7a59b4dab4bbb2cfb08d6c8aca64d%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435%7C1%7C0%7C636917041180915001&sdata=yc83O14JdRp25XjWGFcFCfcmafLftmxu5Bcq8p3XqmI%3D&reserved=0
___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-24 Thread Nick Griffin

Code works but didn’t realise the code don’t have nandwrite to write the 5 
backup files to the nand… lol

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Nick Griffin
Sent: ‎Wednesday‎, ‎24‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎13‎:‎09
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

OK try it in about hour busy at the moment. My other E3 is on it way… 😊

I have added the new script..

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Ralph Corderoy
Sent: ‎Wednesday‎, ‎24‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎13‎:‎01
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

Hi Nick,

> Changed…

Looks good enough to try to me, based on your original.

> echo "Type Reboot or unplug E3 to see if the Amstrad E3 Splash Screen"

It's `reboot' that needs typing as command names on Linux are case
sensitive.

--
Cheers, Ralph.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.earth.li%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Fe3-hacking&data=02%7C01%7C%7Caec7a59b4dab4bbb2cfb08d6c8aca64d%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435%7C1%7C0%7C636917041180915001&sdata=yc83O14JdRp25XjWGFcFCfcmafLftmxu5Bcq8p3XqmI%3D&reserved=0
___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-24 Thread Nick Griffin

OK try it in about hour busy at the moment. My other E3 is on it way… 😊

I have added the new script..

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Ralph Corderoy
Sent: ‎Wednesday‎, ‎24‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎13‎:‎01
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

Hi Nick,

> Changed…

Looks good enough to try to me, based on your original.

> echo "Type Reboot or unplug E3 to see if the Amstrad E3 Splash Screen"

It's `reboot' that needs typing as command names on Linux are case
sensitive.

--
Cheers, Ralph.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.earth.li%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Fe3-hacking&data=02%7C01%7C%7Caec7a59b4dab4bbb2cfb08d6c8aca64d%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435%7C1%7C0%7C636917041180915001&sdata=yc83O14JdRp25XjWGFcFCfcmafLftmxu5Bcq8p3XqmI%3D&reserved=0


ams-delta-e3of-install
Description: ams-delta-e3of-install
___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-24 Thread Ralph Corderoy

Hi Nick,

> Changed…

Looks good enough to try to me, based on your original.

> echo "Type Reboot or unplug E3 to see if the Amstrad E3 Splash Screen"

It's `reboot' that needs typing as command names on Linux are case
sensitive.

-- 
Cheers, Ralph.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-24 Thread Nick Griffin

Changed…

#!/bin/sh

if (! grep -q /dev/sda1 /proc/mounts); then
 echo "No install media mounted; couldn't find /dev/sda in /proc/mounts"
 exit 1;
fi

echo

echo "This process will completely restore your E3's NAND."
echo This will try and restore The Amstrad firmware on the device. Are you
echo -n "sure you wish to continue? [y/N]: "

read i

if [ ! "x$i" = "xy" -a ! "x$i" = "xY" ]; then
 echo
 echo Aborting.
 exit 1
fi

echo
echo Starting restore.. This might take a while...

perhaps_write_flash()
{
p=${1?} erase=${2?}
f=/media/sda1/e3-nand.$p
dev=/dev/mtd$p

test -e $f || return

echo found $f
echo erasing $erase on $dev
flash_erase $dev 0 $erase
echo writing flash
nandwrite -on $dev $f
}

 perhaps_write_flash 0 224
  perhaps_write_flash 1 16
  perhaps_write_flash 2 16
  perhaps_write_flash 3 16
  perhaps_write_flash 4 1728
  perhaps_write_flash 5 48


echo "Finished restoring the Amstrad E3 Firmware,"
echo "Type Reboot or unplug E3 to see if the Amstrad E3 Splash Screen"
echo "comes up (Fingers Crossed) If not just reinstall E3 Linux with the"
echo "pbltool with the -n in the line to stop Handshaking otherwise it will"
echo "not find PBL V4.9 Build:1311 bootloader."

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Ralph Corderoy
Sent: ‎Wednesday‎, ‎24‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎12‎:‎48
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

Hi Nick,

> is this right…??
>
> perhaps_write_flash()
> {
> p=${1?} erase=${2?}
> f=/media/sda1/e3-nand-backup.$p
> dev=/dev/mtd$p
>
> test -e $f || return
>
> echo found $f
> echo erasing $erase on $dev
> flash_erase $dev 0 $erase
> echo writing flash
> nandwrite -on $dev $f
> }

That bit is.

> perhaps_write_flash 0 224
> perhaps_write_flash 0 16
> perhaps_write_flash 0 16
> perhaps_write_flash 0 16
> perhaps_write_flash 0 1728
> perhaps_write_flash 0 48

The function takes two parameters, in $1 and $2 at the start.
The first parameter, copied into p, is the partition number,
and so it needs to go 0, 1, ...

perhaps_write_flash 0 224
perhaps_write_flash 1 16
perhaps_write_flash 2 16
perhaps_write_flash 3 16
perhaps_write_flash 4 1728
perhaps_write_flash 5 48

I also think you might want to remove the `-backup' in f's definition
near the start because your script said they were called e3-nand.0, etc.

What you've given here replaces the six blocks of if...then...fi lines
in your original script, leaving the bit before and after.

--
Cheers, Ralph.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.earth.li%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Fe3-hacking&data=02%7C01%7C%7Cd86c48c82c0c4d94d32908d6c8aac186%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435%7C1%7C0%7C636917033045425120&sdata=qKwBVIsPGXyAvKUyZ4ZUvSBdDRTSXlZxAiB2ZAr72iY%3D&reserved=0
___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-24 Thread Ralph Corderoy

Hi Nick,

> is this right…??
>
> perhaps_write_flash()
> {
> p=${1?} erase=${2?}
> f=/media/sda1/e3-nand-backup.$p
> dev=/dev/mtd$p
>
> test -e $f || return
>
> echo found $f
> echo erasing $erase on $dev
> flash_erase $dev 0 $erase
> echo writing flash
> nandwrite -on $dev $f
> }

That bit is.

> perhaps_write_flash 0 224
> perhaps_write_flash 0 16
> perhaps_write_flash 0 16
> perhaps_write_flash 0 16
> perhaps_write_flash 0 1728
> perhaps_write_flash 0 48

The function takes two parameters, in $1 and $2 at the start.
The first parameter, copied into p, is the partition number,
and so it needs to go 0, 1, ...

perhaps_write_flash 0 224
perhaps_write_flash 1 16
perhaps_write_flash 2 16
perhaps_write_flash 3 16
perhaps_write_flash 4 1728
perhaps_write_flash 5 48

I also think you might want to remove the `-backup' in f's definition
near the start because your script said they were called e3-nand.0, etc.

What you've given here replaces the six blocks of if...then...fi lines
in your original script, leaving the bit before and after.

-- 
Cheers, Ralph.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-24 Thread Nick Griffin

New code I don’t know if this is right…??

#!/bin/sh

if (! grep -q /dev/sda1 /proc/mounts); then
 echo "No install media mounted; couldn't find /dev/sda in /proc/mounts"
 exit 1;
fi

echo

echo "This process will completely restore your E3's NAND."
echo This will try and restore The Amstrad firmware on the device. Are you
echo -n "sure you wish to continue? [y/N]: "

read i

if [ ! "x$i" = "xy" -a ! "x$i" = "xY" ]; then
 echo
 echo Aborting.
 exit 1
fi

echo
echo Starting restore.. This might take a while...

perhaps_write_flash()
{
p=${1?} erase=${2?}
f=/media/sda1/e3-nand-backup.$p
dev=/dev/mtd$p

test -e $f || return

echo found $f
echo erasing $erase on $dev
flash_erase $dev 0 $erase
echo writing flash
nandwrite -on $dev $f
}

 perhaps_write_flash 0 224
 perhaps_write_flash 1 16
 perhaps_write_flash 2 16
 perhaps_write_flash 3 16
 perhaps_write_flash 4 1728
 perhaps_write_flash 5 48


echo "Finished restoring the Amstrad E3 Firmware,"
echo "Type Reboot or unplug E3 to see if the Amstrad E3 Splash Screen"
echo "comes up (Fingers Crossed) If not just reinstall E3 Linux with the"
echo "pbltool with the -n in the line to stop Handshaking otherwise it will"
echo "not find PBL V4.9 Build:1311 bootloader."

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Nick Griffin
Sent: ‎Wednesday‎, ‎24‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎12‎:‎32
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

Or is this part … perhaps like this… lol

 perhaps_write_flash 0 224
 perhaps_write_flash 1 16
 perhaps_write_flash 2 16
 perhaps_write_flash 3 16
 perhaps_write_flash 4 1728
 perhaps_write_flash 5 48

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Nick Griffin
Sent: ‎Wednesday‎, ‎24‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎12‎:‎08
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

is this right…??

perhaps_write_flash()
{
p=${1?} erase=${2?}
f=/media/sda1/e3-nand-backup.$p
dev=/dev/mtd$p

test -e $f || return

echo found $f
echo erasing $erase on $dev
flash_erase $dev 0 $erase
echo writing flash
nandwrite -on $dev $f
}

perhaps_write_flash 0 224
perhaps_write_flash 0 16
 perhaps_write_flash 0 16
 perhaps_write_flash 0 16
 perhaps_write_flash 0 1728
 perhaps_write_flash 0 48

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Ralph Corderoy
Sent: ‎Wednesday‎, ‎24‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎11‎:‎55
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

Hi Nick,

>  flash_erase /dev/mtd0 0 224
...
>  flash_erase /dev/mtd0 0 16

It always mtd0.  There's too much repetition in the code so errors like
this are likely to creep in.  Consider the approach I suggested in
https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.earth.li%2Fpipermail%2Fe3-hacking%2F2019-April%2F001314.html&data=02%7C01%7C%7C3698329065b24dc1983108d6c8a3522f%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435%7C1%7C0%7C63691700275025&sdata=6HxFeGP9mAKyYCGbBLR%2FyibGpJ5zDrlJKtEwH%2FpuZdk%3D&reserved=0
Then the `0' of mtd0, etc., it only typed once.

--
Cheers, Ralph.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.earth.li%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Fe3-hacking&data=02%7C01%7C%7C3698329065b24dc1983108d6c8a3522f%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435%7C1%7C0%7C63691700275025&sdata=TgNw2UJuSOOgeXqrqlGa3123K2fKTJFK%2BtjOzDWmJYo%3D&reserved=0
___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-24 Thread Nick Griffin

Or is this part … perhaps like this… lol

 perhaps_write_flash 0 224
 perhaps_write_flash 1 16
 perhaps_write_flash 2 16
 perhaps_write_flash 3 16
 perhaps_write_flash 4 1728
 perhaps_write_flash 5 48

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Nick Griffin
Sent: ‎Wednesday‎, ‎24‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎12‎:‎08
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

is this right…??

perhaps_write_flash()
{
p=${1?} erase=${2?}
f=/media/sda1/e3-nand-backup.$p
dev=/dev/mtd$p

test -e $f || return

echo found $f
echo erasing $erase on $dev
flash_erase $dev 0 $erase
echo writing flash
nandwrite -on $dev $f
}

perhaps_write_flash 0 224
perhaps_write_flash 0 16
 perhaps_write_flash 0 16
 perhaps_write_flash 0 16
 perhaps_write_flash 0 1728
 perhaps_write_flash 0 48

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Ralph Corderoy
Sent: ‎Wednesday‎, ‎24‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎11‎:‎55
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

Hi Nick,

>  flash_erase /dev/mtd0 0 224
...
>  flash_erase /dev/mtd0 0 16

It always mtd0.  There's too much repetition in the code so errors like
this are likely to creep in.  Consider the approach I suggested in
https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.earth.li%2Fpipermail%2Fe3-hacking%2F2019-April%2F001314.html&data=02%7C01%7C%7C3698329065b24dc1983108d6c8a3522f%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435%7C1%7C0%7C63691700275025&sdata=6HxFeGP9mAKyYCGbBLR%2FyibGpJ5zDrlJKtEwH%2FpuZdk%3D&reserved=0
Then the `0' of mtd0, etc., it only typed once.

--
Cheers, Ralph.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.earth.li%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Fe3-hacking&data=02%7C01%7C%7C3698329065b24dc1983108d6c8a3522f%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435%7C1%7C0%7C63691700275025&sdata=TgNw2UJuSOOgeXqrqlGa3123K2fKTJFK%2BtjOzDWmJYo%3D&reserved=0
___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-24 Thread Nick Griffin

is this right…??

perhaps_write_flash()
{
p=${1?} erase=${2?}
f=/media/sda1/e3-nand-backup.$p
dev=/dev/mtd$p

test -e $f || return

echo found $f
echo erasing $erase on $dev
flash_erase $dev 0 $erase
echo writing flash
nandwrite -on $dev $f
}

perhaps_write_flash 0 224
perhaps_write_flash 0 16
 perhaps_write_flash 0 16
 perhaps_write_flash 0 16
 perhaps_write_flash 0 1728
 perhaps_write_flash 0 48

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Ralph Corderoy
Sent: ‎Wednesday‎, ‎24‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎11‎:‎55
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

Hi Nick,

>  flash_erase /dev/mtd0 0 224
...
>  flash_erase /dev/mtd0 0 16

It always mtd0.  There's too much repetition in the code so errors like
this are likely to creep in.  Consider the approach I suggested in
https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.earth.li%2Fpipermail%2Fe3-hacking%2F2019-April%2F001314.html&data=02%7C01%7C%7C3698329065b24dc1983108d6c8a3522f%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435%7C1%7C0%7C63691700275025&sdata=6HxFeGP9mAKyYCGbBLR%2FyibGpJ5zDrlJKtEwH%2FpuZdk%3D&reserved=0
Then the `0' of mtd0, etc., it only typed once.

--
Cheers, Ralph.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.earth.li%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Fe3-hacking&data=02%7C01%7C%7C3698329065b24dc1983108d6c8a3522f%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435%7C1%7C0%7C63691700275025&sdata=TgNw2UJuSOOgeXqrqlGa3123K2fKTJFK%2BtjOzDWmJYo%3D&reserved=0
___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-24 Thread Ralph Corderoy

Hi Nick,

>  flash_erase /dev/mtd0 0 224
...
>  flash_erase /dev/mtd0 0 16

It always mtd0.  There's too much repetition in the code so errors like
this are likely to creep in.  Consider the approach I suggested in
https://www.earth.li/pipermail/e3-hacking/2019-April/001314.html
Then the `0' of mtd0, etc., it only typed once.

-- 
Cheers, Ralph.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-24 Thread Nick Griffin

This is the code I made for it… so if anyone wants to try it on theres,you 
can’t damge the E3 doing it,if it don’t work it will not get past the PBL 
line,lucky they put PBL on the nor flash you can’t brick it..😊 if it don’t work 
just when using the Pbltool put -n in the line to stop it from “Probbing” and 
“handshaking” because it will not find PBL V4.9 otherwise.
And say “Probbing” forever.. 😊 and not find anything.

You have to put the script on the USB Stick and run it from it on the E3 for it 
to work.

so .. cd /media/sda1/
ams-delta-of-install

The code…
-

#!/bin/sh

if (! grep -q /dev/sda1 /proc/mounts); then
 echo "No install media mounted; couldn't find /dev/sda in /proc/mounts"
 exit 1;
fi

echo

echo "This process will completely restore your E3's NAND."
echo This will try and restore The Amstrad firmware on the device. Are you
echo -n "sure you wish to continue? [y/N]: "

read i

if [ ! "x$i" = "xy" -a ! "x$i" = "xY" ]; then
 echo
 echo Aborting.
 exit 1
fi

echo
echo Starting restore.. This might take a while...

if [ -e /media/sda1/e3-nand.0 ]; then
 echo Found e3-nand.0
 echo "  Erasing /dev/mtd0"
 flash_erase /dev/mtd0 0 224
 echo "  Writing e3-nand.0  4mb to /dev/mtd0"
 nandwrite /dev/mtd0 /media/sda1/e3-nand.0
fi

if [ -e /media/sda1/e3-nand.1 ]; then
 echo Found e3-nand.1
 echo "  Erasing /dev/mtd1"
 flash_erase /dev/mtd0 0 16
 echo "  Writing e3-nand-backup.1 264kb to /dev/mtd1"
 nandwrite /dev/mtd1 /media/sda1/e3-nand.1
fi

if [ -e /media/sda1/e3-nand.2 ]; then
 echo Found e3-nand.2
 echo "  Erasing /dev/mtd2"
 flash_erase /dev/mtd0 0 16
 echo "  Writing e3-nand-backup.2 264kb to /dev/mtd2"
 nandwrite /dev/mtd2 /media/sda1/e3-nand.2
fi

if [ -e /media/sda1/e3-nand.3 ]; then
 echo Found e3-nand.3
 echo "  Erasing /dev/mtd3"
 flash_erase /dev/mtd0 0 16
 echo "  Writing e3-nand-backup.3 264kb to /dev/mtd3"
 nandwrite /dev/mtd3 /media/sda1/e3-nand.3
fi

if [ -e /media/sda1/e3-nand.4 ]; then
 echo Found e3-nand.4
 echo "  Erasing /dev/mtd4"
 flash_erase /dev/mtd0 0 1728
 echo "  Writing e3-nand-backup.4  32 mb to /dev/mtd4"
 nandwrite /dev/mtd4 /media/sda1/e3-nand.4
fi

if [ -e /media/sda1/e3-nand.5 ]; then
 echo Found e3-nand.5
 echo "  Erasing /dev/mtd5"
 flash_erase /dev/mtd0 0 48
 echo "  Writing e3-nand-backup.5  792kb to /dev/mtd5"
 nandwrite /dev/mtd5 /media/sda1/e3-nand.5
fi


echo "Finished restoring the Amstrad E3 Firmware,"
echo "Type Reboot or unplug E3 to see if the Amstrad E3 Splash Screen”
echo "comes up (Fingers Crossed) If not just reinstall E3 Linux with the"
echo "pbltool with the -n in the line to stop Handshaking otherwise it will"
echo "not find PBL V4.9 Build:1311 bootloader."


Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Nick Griffin
Sent: ‎Wednesday‎, ‎24‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎11‎:‎14
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

Thanks btw Ralph.. 😊

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: David Given
Sent: ‎Wednesday‎, ‎24‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎10‎:‎50
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

The E3 is based on an ARM reference design, isn't it? What's the feasibility of 
emulating one?

On Wed, 24 Apr 2019 at 11:46, Ralph Corderoy 
mailto:ra...@inputplus.co.uk>> wrote:
Hi Nick,

> > That should be possible as you have the files, now without their 16
> > bytes per 512 bytes overhead.  You need to work out how many blocks
> > to erase based on the size of each file you're trying to put back.
> > IIRC I pointed out a block is the unit of erasure and it's 16 KiB.
>
> So e3-nand.0 is 3584 KB so how many blocks go into it…? so how many
> times dose 16KB going in to 3584KB…?? I don’t know..?? I can’t divide.
> Iam a bit ok on Add not brilliant at Times but can’t do Divide.

Having stripped the excess OOB data, I have these sizes for each file in
bytes.

 3670016  e3-nand-backup.0
  262144  e3-nand-backup.1
  262144  e3-nand-backup.2
  262144  e3-nand-backup.3
28311552  e3-nand-backup.4
  786432  e3-nand-backup.5

You're right, 3,670,016 B is 3,584 KiB because
3,670,016 / 1,024 = 3,584
so 1,024 goes into 3,670,016 exactly 3,584 times.

But the size of the erase block is 16 KiB which is
16 * 1,024 = 16,384
so we want to know how many times 16,384 goes into 3,670,016.
3,670,016 / 16,384 = 224
224 is what you worked out in your other email.

Taking those six sizes above and repeating the same sum gives

 3,670,016 / 16,384 =   224
   262,144 / 16,384 =16
   262,144 / 16,384 =16
   262,144 / 16,384 =16
28,311,552 / 16,384 = 1,728
   786,432 / 16,384 =48

Now I haven't been carefully following along how to extract
e3-nand-backup.* in the first place, and how to write them back.
I'm aware there's a script involved and a command where one of the
parame

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-24 Thread Ralph Corderoy

Hi Nick,

> >  3,670,016 / 16,384 =   224
> >262,144 / 16,384 =16
> >262,144 / 16,384 =16
> >262,144 / 16,384 =16
> > 28,311,552 / 16,384 = 1,728
> >786,432 / 16,384 =48
>
> So you would put in the number 224 in the flash_erase line at the
> end..
>
> flash_erase /dev/mtd0 0 224

I'd say yes, based on
https://github.com/vamanea/mtd-utils/blob/master/flash_erase.c#L60

Others that have actually used flash_erase may want to chip in.

-- 
Cheers, Ralph.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-24 Thread Nick Griffin

Thanks btw Ralph.. 😊

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: David Given
Sent: ‎Wednesday‎, ‎24‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎10‎:‎50
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

The E3 is based on an ARM reference design, isn't it? What's the feasibility of 
emulating one?

On Wed, 24 Apr 2019 at 11:46, Ralph Corderoy 
mailto:ra...@inputplus.co.uk>> wrote:
Hi Nick,

> > That should be possible as you have the files, now without their 16
> > bytes per 512 bytes overhead.  You need to work out how many blocks
> > to erase based on the size of each file you're trying to put back.
> > IIRC I pointed out a block is the unit of erasure and it's 16 KiB.
>
> So e3-nand.0 is 3584 KB so how many blocks go into it…? so how many
> times dose 16KB going in to 3584KB…?? I don’t know..?? I can’t divide.
> Iam a bit ok on Add not brilliant at Times but can’t do Divide.

Having stripped the excess OOB data, I have these sizes for each file in
bytes.

 3670016  e3-nand-backup.0
  262144  e3-nand-backup.1
  262144  e3-nand-backup.2
  262144  e3-nand-backup.3
28311552  e3-nand-backup.4
  786432  e3-nand-backup.5

You're right, 3,670,016 B is 3,584 KiB because
3,670,016 / 1,024 = 3,584
so 1,024 goes into 3,670,016 exactly 3,584 times.

But the size of the erase block is 16 KiB which is
16 * 1,024 = 16,384
so we want to know how many times 16,384 goes into 3,670,016.
3,670,016 / 16,384 = 224
224 is what you worked out in your other email.

Taking those six sizes above and repeating the same sum gives

 3,670,016 / 16,384 =   224
   262,144 / 16,384 =16
   262,144 / 16,384 =16
   262,144 / 16,384 =16
28,311,552 / 16,384 = 1,728
   786,432 / 16,384 =48

Now I haven't been carefully following along how to extract
e3-nand-backup.* in the first place, and how to write them back.
I'm aware there's a script involved and a command where one of the
parameters is the number of 16 KiB blocks to erase.  Hopefully, plugging
in those numbers above for each of the matching areas will work, but
it's your responsibility whether to go ahead as you're the one actually
doing all this;  I've just been sitting at a keyboard.  :-)

--
Cheers, Ralph.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking


--
┌─── 
http://www.cowlark.com
 ───
│ "I have always wished for my computer to be as easy to use as my
│ telephone; my wish has come true because I can no longer figure out
│ how to use my telephone." --- Bjarne Stroustrup
___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-24 Thread Nick Griffin

So you would put in the number 224 in the flash_erase line at the end..

flash_erase /dev/mtd0 0 224

I just hope it works if it dose then we have just fixed the E3,all you need is 
a copy of the firware that's activated and when it deactives just reflash it 
again to activate it..😊

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Ralph Corderoy
Sent: ‎Wednesday‎, ‎24‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎10‎:‎46
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

Hi Nick,

> > That should be possible as you have the files, now without their 16
> > bytes per 512 bytes overhead.  You need to work out how many blocks
> > to erase based on the size of each file you're trying to put back.
> > IIRC I pointed out a block is the unit of erasure and it's 16 KiB.
>
> So e3-nand.0 is 3584 KB so how many blocks go into it…? so how many
> times dose 16KB going in to 3584KB…?? I don’t know..?? I can’t divide.
> Iam a bit ok on Add not brilliant at Times but can’t do Divide.

Having stripped the excess OOB data, I have these sizes for each file in
bytes.

 3670016  e3-nand-backup.0
  262144  e3-nand-backup.1
  262144  e3-nand-backup.2
  262144  e3-nand-backup.3
28311552  e3-nand-backup.4
  786432  e3-nand-backup.5

You're right, 3,670,016 B is 3,584 KiB because
3,670,016 / 1,024 = 3,584
so 1,024 goes into 3,670,016 exactly 3,584 times.

But the size of the erase block is 16 KiB which is
16 * 1,024 = 16,384
so we want to know how many times 16,384 goes into 3,670,016.
3,670,016 / 16,384 = 224
224 is what you worked out in your other email.

Taking those six sizes above and repeating the same sum gives

 3,670,016 / 16,384 =   224
   262,144 / 16,384 =16
   262,144 / 16,384 =16
   262,144 / 16,384 =16
28,311,552 / 16,384 = 1,728
   786,432 / 16,384 =48

Now I haven't been carefully following along how to extract
e3-nand-backup.* in the first place, and how to write them back.
I'm aware there's a script involved and a command where one of the
parameters is the number of 16 KiB blocks to erase.  Hopefully, plugging
in those numbers above for each of the matching areas will work, but
it's your responsibility whether to go ahead as you're the one actually
doing all this;  I've just been sitting at a keyboard.  :-)

--
Cheers, Ralph.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://eur04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.earth.li%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Fe3-hacking&data=02%7C01%7C%7C20675962b35c45b5e91008d6c899c7ab%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435%7C1%7C0%7C636916960131227371&sdata=Qin1SjyUGh%2FHaTK7CwRcRPphPkjKv6%2BOR1twUP5c%2Bgs%3D&reserved=0
___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-24 Thread David Given

The E3 is based on an ARM reference design, isn't it? What's the
feasibility of emulating one?

On Wed, 24 Apr 2019 at 11:46, Ralph Corderoy  wrote:

> Hi Nick,
>
> > > That should be possible as you have the files, now without their 16
> > > bytes per 512 bytes overhead.  You need to work out how many blocks
> > > to erase based on the size of each file you're trying to put back.
> > > IIRC I pointed out a block is the unit of erasure and it's 16 KiB.
> >
> > So e3-nand.0 is 3584 KB so how many blocks go into it…? so how many
> > times dose 16KB going in to 3584KB…?? I don’t know..?? I can’t divide.
> > Iam a bit ok on Add not brilliant at Times but can’t do Divide.
>
> Having stripped the excess OOB data, I have these sizes for each file in
> bytes.
>
>  3670016  e3-nand-backup.0
>   262144  e3-nand-backup.1
>   262144  e3-nand-backup.2
>   262144  e3-nand-backup.3
> 28311552  e3-nand-backup.4
>   786432  e3-nand-backup.5
>
> You're right, 3,670,016 B is 3,584 KiB because
> 3,670,016 / 1,024 = 3,584
> so 1,024 goes into 3,670,016 exactly 3,584 times.
>
> But the size of the erase block is 16 KiB which is
> 16 * 1,024 = 16,384
> so we want to know how many times 16,384 goes into 3,670,016.
> 3,670,016 / 16,384 = 224
> 224 is what you worked out in your other email.
>
> Taking those six sizes above and repeating the same sum gives
>
>  3,670,016 / 16,384 =   224
>262,144 / 16,384 =16
>262,144 / 16,384 =16
>262,144 / 16,384 =16
> 28,311,552 / 16,384 = 1,728
>786,432 / 16,384 =48
>
> Now I haven't been carefully following along how to extract
> e3-nand-backup.* in the first place, and how to write them back.
> I'm aware there's a script involved and a command where one of the
> parameters is the number of 16 KiB blocks to erase.  Hopefully, plugging
> in those numbers above for each of the matching areas will work, but
> it's your responsibility whether to go ahead as you're the one actually
> doing all this;  I've just been sitting at a keyboard.  :-)
>
> --
> Cheers, Ralph.
>
> ___
> e3-hacking mailing list
> e3-hacking@earth.li
> https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking
>


-- 
┌─── http://www.cowlark.com ───
│ "I have always wished for my computer to be as easy to use as my
│ telephone; my wish has come true because I can no longer figure out
│ how to use my telephone." --- Bjarne Stroustrup
___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-24 Thread Ralph Corderoy

Hi Nick,

> > That should be possible as you have the files, now without their 16
> > bytes per 512 bytes overhead.  You need to work out how many blocks
> > to erase based on the size of each file you're trying to put back.
> > IIRC I pointed out a block is the unit of erasure and it's 16 KiB.
>
> So e3-nand.0 is 3584 KB so how many blocks go into it…? so how many
> times dose 16KB going in to 3584KB…?? I don’t know..?? I can’t divide.
> Iam a bit ok on Add not brilliant at Times but can’t do Divide.

Having stripped the excess OOB data, I have these sizes for each file in
bytes.

 3670016  e3-nand-backup.0
  262144  e3-nand-backup.1
  262144  e3-nand-backup.2
  262144  e3-nand-backup.3
28311552  e3-nand-backup.4
  786432  e3-nand-backup.5

You're right, 3,670,016 B is 3,584 KiB because
3,670,016 / 1,024 = 3,584
so 1,024 goes into 3,670,016 exactly 3,584 times.

But the size of the erase block is 16 KiB which is
16 * 1,024 = 16,384
so we want to know how many times 16,384 goes into 3,670,016.
3,670,016 / 16,384 = 224
224 is what you worked out in your other email.

Taking those six sizes above and repeating the same sum gives

 3,670,016 / 16,384 =   224
   262,144 / 16,384 =16
   262,144 / 16,384 =16
   262,144 / 16,384 =16
28,311,552 / 16,384 = 1,728
   786,432 / 16,384 =48

Now I haven't been carefully following along how to extract
e3-nand-backup.* in the first place, and how to write them back.
I'm aware there's a script involved and a command where one of the
parameters is the number of 16 KiB blocks to erase.  Hopefully, plugging
in those numbers above for each of the matching areas will work, but
it's your responsibility whether to go ahead as you're the one actually
doing all this;  I've just been sitting at a keyboard.  :-)

-- 
Cheers, Ralph.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-23 Thread Nick Griffin

Is this right,I have just did this on my calculator 3584(KB) Divided by 16(KB) 
= 224 so 16 goes into it 224 times then it needs 224 blocks to be deleted..??

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Nick Griffin
Sent: ‎Tuesday‎, ‎23‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎18‎:‎25
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

Yeah I know Linux runs from its Kernel,it has a 2.6.19 kernel, without the 
kernel there be on Linux.. 😊 ,Windows has a kernel too.

I don't understand how to erase the blocks, I was never good at Maths that why 
I am not a programmer, I have Autism but am dyslexic too so need things said to 
me  step by step otherwise I don’t understand.

>> If I can’t put the original firmware back

That should be possible as you have the files, now without their
16 bytes per 512 bytes overhead.  You need to work out how many blocks
to erase based on the size of each file you're trying to put back.
IIRC I pointed out a block is the unit of erasure and it's 16 KiB.

So e3-nand.0 is 3584 KB so how many blocks go into it…? so how many times dose 
16KB going in to 3584KB…?? I don’t know..?? I can’t divide. Iam a bit ok on Add 
not brilliant at Times but can’t do Divide.
I was crap a Maths,I left school in 87,32 years ago… 😊 I got a 5 for Maths. 
that's a E ,…lol

Could you work it out for me, I do not know how too..?

How do I know how many files there are in each image(mtd0,1,2,3,4,5) and what 
size they are, you can’t open it like a normal partition, Dam Amstrad this will 
take forever…lol ☹

I be copying and sharing the firmware from my new E3 I am waiting for it to 
arrive, its activated.

My plan is to flash the copy of the firmware every time the E3 deactivates 
itself to activate it again, hopefully for 3 months,you see… 😊 ? My plan is to 
get all E3 working, well to the point you can use the Phone, Address Book and 
Answer Machine and that.

I still think the firmware needs hacking…😊 if we could get in and edit the 
Delta_e_live.config you could open up the whole system, that file configs the 
emailer so Amstrad could added different options in Setup(Setup Button) too 
that file so they show up, that's why some options in Setup only has like 1,2,3 
options because the rest is hidden.

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Ralph Corderoy
Sent: ‎Tuesday‎, ‎23‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎14‎:‎27
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

Hi Nick,

> its just a command line version because the E3 is not powerful to run
> proper Linux.

Linux as you know it is three main parts.  There's the kernel, that's
what Linux really is, and it talks to the hardware.  Atop of that are
the user-space programs, like the shell, ls(1), etc.  They give you the
command line that many of us appreciate.  And then a bunch of user-space
programs can together provide a graphical environment with windows,
menus, etc.;  a `desktop', like Gnome, or XFCE.  Linux distributions
bundle those all up together.

So the E3 is powerful enough to run a Linux kernel, but doesn't have
enough memory to run a modern version, just as Intel 386 processors are
no longer supported.

> If I can’t put the original firmware back

That should be possible as you have the files, now without their
16 bytes per 512 bytes overhead.  You need to work out how many blocks
to erase based on the size of each file you're trying to put back.
IIRC I pointed out a block is the unit of erasure and it's 16 KiB.

--
Cheers, Ralph.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.earth.li%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Fe3-hacking&data=02%7C01%7C%7C049c474ec2e04e76ee6108d6c7ef6bfa%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435%7C1%7C0%7C636916228463676345&sdata=PlMWe2oz4gFIfcsWsiz57MAiaw6YrXH1tJ2PKB%2BVAYc%3D&reserved=0
___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-23 Thread Nick Griffin

You can get them here…  
http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net/thread/16/amstrad-e3-adverts?page=1&scrollTo=96
  click on one and it will come up on its own page then right click on it and 
click on save as...

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Ralph Corderoy
Sent: ‎Tuesday‎, ‎23‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎14‎:‎14
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

Hi Nick,

> Does anyone want the E3 adverts, they are not big, there are 7 of them
> in gif format they are the same size as the screen on the E3 is
> 480x320, I can upload them

Yes, do that, e.g. to Dropbox like with the other files.  I expect I'm
not the only one to squirrel stuff away so copies live on.

--
Cheers, Ralph.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://eur04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.earth.li%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Fe3-hacking&data=02%7C01%7C%7C836ed8e5d05a48868cfa08d6c7eda49e%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435%7C1%7C0%7C636916220806929359&sdata=SWfJubseUZIyKsU6N%2BsjJIJoxvD6HzP5Wi8PP%2F9P8Dc%3D&reserved=0
___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-23 Thread Nick Griffin

Yeah I know Linux runs from its Kernel,it has a 2.6.19 kernel, without the 
kernel there be on Linux.. 😊 ,Windows has a kernel too.

I don't understand how to erase the blocks, I was never good at Maths that why 
I am not a programmer, I have Autism but am dyslexic too so need things said to 
me  step by step otherwise I don’t understand.

>> If I can’t put the original firmware back

That should be possible as you have the files, now without their
16 bytes per 512 bytes overhead.  You need to work out how many blocks
to erase based on the size of each file you're trying to put back.
IIRC I pointed out a block is the unit of erasure and it's 16 KiB.

So e3-nand.0 is 3584 KB so how many blocks go into it…? so how many times dose 
16KB going in to 3584KB…?? I don’t know..?? I can’t divide. Iam a bit ok on Add 
not brilliant at Times but can’t do Divide.
I was crap a Maths,I left school in 87,32 years ago… 😊 I got a 5 for Maths. 
that's a E ,…lol

Could you work it out for me, I do not know how too..?

How do I know how many files there are in each image(mtd0,1,2,3,4,5) and what 
size they are, you can’t open it like a normal partition, Dam Amstrad this will 
take forever…lol ☹

I be copying and sharing the firmware from my new E3 I am waiting for it to 
arrive, its activated.

My plan is to flash the copy of the firmware every time the E3 deactivates 
itself to activate it again, hopefully for 3 months,you see… 😊 ? My plan is to 
get all E3 working, well to the point you can use the Phone, Address Book and 
Answer Machine and that.

I still think the firmware needs hacking…😊 if we could get in and edit the 
Delta_e_live.config you could open up the whole system, that file configs the 
emailer so Amstrad could added different options in Setup(Setup Button) too 
that file so they show up, that's why some options in Setup only has like 1,2,3 
options because the rest is hidden.

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Ralph Corderoy
Sent: ‎Tuesday‎, ‎23‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎14‎:‎27
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

Hi Nick,

> its just a command line version because the E3 is not powerful to run
> proper Linux.

Linux as you know it is three main parts.  There's the kernel, that's
what Linux really is, and it talks to the hardware.  Atop of that are
the user-space programs, like the shell, ls(1), etc.  They give you the
command line that many of us appreciate.  And then a bunch of user-space
programs can together provide a graphical environment with windows,
menus, etc.;  a `desktop', like Gnome, or XFCE.  Linux distributions
bundle those all up together.

So the E3 is powerful enough to run a Linux kernel, but doesn't have
enough memory to run a modern version, just as Intel 386 processors are
no longer supported.

> If I can’t put the original firmware back

That should be possible as you have the files, now without their
16 bytes per 512 bytes overhead.  You need to work out how many blocks
to erase based on the size of each file you're trying to put back.
IIRC I pointed out a block is the unit of erasure and it's 16 KiB.

--
Cheers, Ralph.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.earth.li%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Fe3-hacking&data=02%7C01%7C%7C049c474ec2e04e76ee6108d6c7ef6bfa%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435%7C1%7C0%7C636916228463676345&sdata=PlMWe2oz4gFIfcsWsiz57MAiaw6YrXH1tJ2PKB%2BVAYc%3D&reserved=0
___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-23 Thread Ralph Corderoy

Hi Nick,

> its just a command line version because the E3 is not powerful to run
> proper Linux.

Linux as you know it is three main parts.  There's the kernel, that's
what Linux really is, and it talks to the hardware.  Atop of that are
the user-space programs, like the shell, ls(1), etc.  They give you the
command line that many of us appreciate.  And then a bunch of user-space
programs can together provide a graphical environment with windows,
menus, etc.;  a `desktop', like Gnome, or XFCE.  Linux distributions
bundle those all up together.

So the E3 is powerful enough to run a Linux kernel, but doesn't have
enough memory to run a modern version, just as Intel 386 processors are
no longer supported.

> If I can’t put the original firmware back

That should be possible as you have the files, now without their
16 bytes per 512 bytes overhead.  You need to work out how many blocks
to erase based on the size of each file you're trying to put back.
IIRC I pointed out a block is the unit of erasure and it's 16 KiB.

-- 
Cheers, Ralph.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-23 Thread Ralph Corderoy

Hi Nick,

> Does anyone want the E3 adverts, they are not big, there are 7 of them
> in gif format they are the same size as the screen on the E3 is
> 480x320, I can upload them

Yes, do that, e.g. to Dropbox like with the other files.  I expect I'm
not the only one to squirrel stuff away so copies live on.

-- 
Cheers, Ralph.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-23 Thread Nick Griffin

Does anyone want the E3 adverts, they are not big, there are 7 of them in gif 
format they are the same size as the screen on the E3 is 480x320, I can upload 
them for you to download them if you like might make it easier if some wants to 
look into getting them working on the E3..?
The adverts are the ones from the Amserve website ,I have had them for years 
lucky,you can’t get the no more. site it dead now.

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: David Given
Sent: ‎Sunday‎, ‎21‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎23‎:‎05
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

You wouldn't run imagemagick on the E3 itself. (Apart from anything else the E3 
distribution is, IIRC, something based on OpenEmbedded/Angstrom and is very 
hard to get software for?) You'd run it on a PC and use it to convert files to 
put on a USB stick, and then use simple scripting on the E3 to draw them on the 
screen.

That said, I remember the E3 framebuffer format to be pretty weird, so you may 
be better off writing a program (on a PC) to do some kind of custom conversion. 
fbset on the E3 should tell you the exact format.

On Sun, 21 Apr 2019 at 23:45, Nick Griffin 
mailto:span1...@live.com>> wrote:
What the ams-delta mini distribution ..?
Which one do I download… 
https://www.imagemagick.org/script/download.php
 and how do I install it on the E3..?

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: David Given
Sent: ‎Sunday‎, ‎21‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎19‎:‎41
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

If you just want to put images onto the screen, write a tiny script that copies 
files from the USB stick and cats them to /dev/fb0. Converting images to the 
right format's a little bit harder but I wouldn't be surprised if ImageMagick 
could do it out of the box. That'll run happily in the ams-delta mini 
distribution.

Alternatively, you can boot an old Debian from a USB stick using that kernel 
--- although you'll need to hunt around to find a userland old enough; I think 
Debian woody works. That'll give you a (very slow) development system running 
on the E3 itself. Then you can write your own SDL programs to draw whatever you 
like, although I should warn you against extended typing on that keyboard 
unless you hate your fingers.

On Sun, 21 Apr 2019 at 12:40, Nick Griffin 
mailto:span1...@live.com>> wrote:
I do wish I never flashed E3 Linux on it now,theres no point to it,you can’t 
put anything on it or run anything on it cos its too old and E3 Linux didn’t go 
anywhere, its just a command line version because the E3 is not powerful to run 
proper Linux. I installed E3 Linux release v2 (E3 Linux sound better that just 
Linux or release v2 this way you know what I am taking about)from 
the.earth.li/pub/e3/
  what are the rest of the stuff in there, can I update it to 2.6.19,its at 
2.6.16 that what release v2 is…?

I would like to put a program on it so it shows images on it screen you have to 
make it on it and it don’t even have make on it to make a program so make need 
to be installed first.
If I can’t put the original firmware back or put a program on it so it shows a 
animated gif then it useless and I will end up putting it in the bin. I have 
about 8 gifs of its old adverts and want to show them on the E3s screen, can 
anyone help me please. I am not used to installing programs from source code, I 
am use to installing it from a repository.

Oh and what happen to this…  
http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net/thread/7/support-status-update
  why did the work on E3 Linux stop and only get to 2.6.19…?

and very interested in this bit at the end.. “BTW, my 12-bit framebuffer 
display support has been accepted and included in
mplayer svn revision 31139 on May 6th. Using it, I c

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-23 Thread Nick Griffin

OK so converting the gif to something maybe like in a video format or 
something, I don’t know, I won't know where to start, I never scripted stuff in 
Linux before, I am not a coder,I have played around with scripts in Linux but 
easy stuff,this is way over my head,I need a step by step instructions on how 
to do it,Once I am showed I will,remember how,I understand reading the file 
from the USB stick ,but I not got a clue how to do it,If this is possible we 
might of found something to do with it,you wouldn’t just be able to show the 
adverts on the screen you would able to show anything on it, It would be good 
as a image viewer and a video player. You could get it to show the adverts and 
have it a display model of what the emailer was like so you could show parts of 
what the menu was like to if you wanted but would have to make the image of the 
menu to show, the adverts are very easy to make, you could make  them yourself, 
or make a slideshow of your own pictures and videos on the screen.

But I need someone who knows how to do scripting in Linux because I don’t know 
how. I played around with the scripts in Commodore OS but they are really 
simply ones and nothing like this, If anyone has some spear time and would like 
to help I would really appreciate it.

Thanks..

Spanner..
PS… Dose anyone know what was used to make the Main Software (The GUI) on the 
E3,I want to add it to the page on Wikipedia..? (Phone Book Loader….HAHAHA that 
makes me laugh but dose make sense.. 😊.)
Looking forward to my new ish Amstrad E3 coming and E1 too.. I have the whole 
set now..😊 When E3 comes I be copying it firmware and sharing it because its 
activated so has the .confg file still on it. its will properly operate for 3 
Months before deactivating and removing the config file. Someone has to just 
find a why be able to flash it back properly.

I am good at thinking up ideas but have a problem of making them a reality.. 😊
http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: David Given
Sent: ‎Sunday‎, ‎21‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎23‎:‎05
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

You wouldn't run imagemagick on the E3 itself. (Apart from anything else the E3 
distribution is, IIRC, something based on OpenEmbedded/Angstrom and is very 
hard to get software for?) You'd run it on a PC and use it to convert files to 
put on a USB stick, and then use simple scripting on the E3 to draw them on the 
screen.

That said, I remember the E3 framebuffer format to be pretty weird, so you may 
be better off writing a program (on a PC) to do some kind of custom conversion. 
fbset on the E3 should tell you the exact format.

On Sun, 21 Apr 2019 at 23:45, Nick Griffin 
mailto:span1...@live.com>> wrote:
What the ams-delta mini distribution ..?
Which one do I download… 
https://www.imagemagick.org/script/download.php
 and how do I install it on the E3..?

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: David Given
Sent: ‎Sunday‎, ‎21‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎19‎:‎41
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

If you just want to put images onto the screen, write a tiny script that copies 
files from the USB stick and cats them to /dev/fb0. Converting images to the 
right format's a little bit harder but I wouldn't be surprised if ImageMagick 
could do it out of the box. That'll run happily in the ams-delta mini 
distribution.

Alternatively, you can boot an old Debian from a USB stick using that kernel 
--- although you'll need to hunt around to find a userland old enough; I think 
Debian woody works. That'll give you a (very slow) development system running 
on the E3 itself. Then you can write your own SDL programs to draw whatever you 
like, although I should warn you against extended typing on that keyboard 
unless you hate your fingers.

On Sun, 21 Apr 2019 at 12:40, Nick Griffin 
mailto:span1...@live.com>> wrote:
I do wish I never flashed E3 Linux on it now,theres no point to it,you can’t 
put anything on it or run anything on it cos its too old and E3 Linux didn’t go 
anywhere, its just a command line version because the E3 is not powerful to run 
proper Linux. I installed E3 Linux release v2 (E3 Linux sound better that just 
Linux or release v2 this way you know what I am taking about)from 
the.earth.li/pub/e3/

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-23 Thread Jonathan McDowell

On Mon, Apr 22, 2019 at 03:24:41PM +0100, Ralph Corderoy wrote:
> Hi Jonathan,
> 
> > So, the MTD partitions do not directly map to a kernel or a Linux
> > filesystem. The "Q;Q;" blocks are an Amstrad specific way of putting
> > data into those partitions, with a type + description associated with
> > each one. For example the kernel lives in a Q;Q; block in mtd3 called
> > "LINUX". mtd3 also has Q;Q; blocks for LDR (the second stage boot
> > loader), and PARMS (the kernel boot parameters).
> 
> Agreed.  I guessed a 32-byte struct based on various `Q;Q;'s seen.

It's a 124 byte struct from my notes;

 0:   0x3B513B51  # Q;Q;
 4:
 6:   2 byte checksum
 8:   Length if uncompressed?
 C:
10:
14:   # Block name, 16 chars
24:   # Block description, 48 chars
64:   Entry vector?
68:   0xB513B513  # Note, inverted Q;Q
6c:   Load address?
70:   Compression flag, 0 == plain, 2 == compressed
74:   Compressed length
78:
7C:   END

Compression is LZRW1 without the leading 4 flag bytes.

J.

-- 
] https://www.earth.li/~noodles/ [] Replace repetitive expressions by  [
]  PGP/GPG Key @ the.earth.li[]calls to a common function. [
] via keyserver, web or email.   [][
] RSA: 4096/0x94FA372B2DA8B985   [][

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-23 Thread Ralph Corderoy

Hi again,

> $ qq() {
> > LC_ALL=C perl -0777ne 'print $& while /Q;Q;.{0,32}/g' "$@" |
> > hexdump -ve '36/1 "%_p" "\n"';
> > }

Silly me, forgot the `s'.

$ qq() {
> LC_ALL=C perl -0777ne 'print $& while /Q;Q;.{0,32}/gs' "$@" |
> hexdump -ve '36/1 "%_p" "\n"';
> }
$

> That's where my 32-byte-long guess comes unstuck.  A Q;Q; appears
> within the structs around LIBC's.
>
> $ qq e3-nand-backup.4 | fgrep -3 .LIBC
> Q;Q;..^.. ..WTL_MAILCON.
> Q;Q;. ..WTL_RES.
> Q;Q;..M.  Q;Q;. 
> Q;Q;. ..LIBC
> Q;Q;. Q;Q;...Q. 
> ..WTL_WAV.Q;Q;. 
> ..WTL_CHUNK...Q;Q;..$.. 
> $

$ qq e3-nand-backup.4 | fgrep -3 .LIBC
Q;Q;. ..WTL_RES.
Q;Q;..M.  ..WTL_TXT.
Q;Q;. ..WTL_TOBMP...
Q;Q;. ..LIBC
Q;Q;. ..RENDER..
Q;Q;...Q. ..WTL_WAV.
Q;Q;. ..WTL_CHUNK...
$

-- 
Cheers, Ralph.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-22 Thread Ralph Corderoy

Hi Jonathan,

> So, the MTD partitions do not directly map to a kernel or a Linux
> filesystem. The "Q;Q;" blocks are an Amstrad specific way of putting
> data into those partitions, with a type + description associated with
> each one. For example the kernel lives in a Q;Q; block in mtd3 called
> "LINUX". mtd3 also has Q;Q; blocks for LDR (the second stage boot
> loader), and PARMS (the kernel boot parameters).

Agreed.  I guessed a 32-byte struct based on various `Q;Q;'s seen.

$ qq() {
> LC_ALL=C perl -0777ne 'print $& while /Q;Q;.{0,32}/g' "$@" |
> hexdump -ve '36/1 "%_p" "\n"';
> }
$
$ qq e3-nand-backup.3
Q;Q;...@MEM.
Q;Q;PARMS...
Q;Q;Hf..LDR.
Q;Q;.x..LINUX...
$

> The CRAMFS filesystem is in mtd4; Q;Q; block name "LNXFSYS". There are
> 2 of them (I imagine to allow for an active + fallback).

$ qq e3-nand-backup.4 | grep LNXFSYS
Q;Q;LNXFSYS.
Q;Q;...6LNXFSYS.
$

> There are various other bits of content in mtd4 too - you can see them
> by doing:
>
>  hexdump -C e3-nand-backup.4 | grep -A 1 "Q;Q;"

That's where my 32-byte-long guess comes unstuck.  A Q;Q; appears within
the structs around LIBC's.

$ qq e3-nand-backup.4 | fgrep -3 .LIBC
Q;Q;..^.. ..WTL_MAILCON.
Q;Q;. ..WTL_RES.
Q;Q;..M.  Q;Q;. 
Q;Q;. ..LIBC
Q;Q;. Q;Q;...Q. 
..WTL_WAV.Q;Q;. 
..WTL_CHUNK...Q;Q;..$.. 
$

And so it's out of step for a while.  Perhaps there's Q;Q;-formatted
data inside a Q;Q; block, or the last struct in the initial `list' is
shorter and its struct's content indicate that.

$ qq e3-nand-backup.4 | grep -1 ^Q | grep -3 ^-
Q;Q;. ..LIBC
Q;Q;. Q;Q;...Q. 
..WTL_WAV.Q;Q;. 
--
..M_USERPREF..Q;Q;.V
Q;Q;.1..M_WTL_WTAI..
Q;Q;.A..M_VPARSE
$

I expect a bit of peering at the words in each struct would spot a
length or similar of each `file's data to save searching through for the
next Q;Q;.

-- 
Cheers, Ralph.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-21 Thread David Given

You wouldn't run imagemagick on the E3 itself. (Apart from anything else
the E3 distribution is, IIRC, something based on OpenEmbedded/Angstrom and
is very hard to get software for?) You'd run it on a PC and use it to
convert files to put on a USB stick, and then use simple scripting on the
E3 to draw them on the screen.

That said, I remember the E3 framebuffer format to be pretty weird, so you
may be better off writing a program (on a PC) to do some kind of custom
conversion. fbset on the E3 should tell you the exact format.

On Sun, 21 Apr 2019 at 23:45, Nick Griffin  wrote:

> What the ams-delta mini distribution ..?
> Which one do I download… https://www.imagemagick.org/script/download.php and
> how do I install it on the E3..?
>
> Spanner..
>
> http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net
>
> *From:* David Given 
> *Sent:* ‎Sunday‎, ‎21‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎19‎:‎41
> *To:* Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer hardware/software
> 
>
> If you just want to put images onto the screen, write a tiny script that
> copies files from the USB stick and cats them to /dev/fb0. Converting
> images to the right format's a little bit harder but I wouldn't be
> surprised if ImageMagick could do it out of the box. That'll run happily in
> the ams-delta mini distribution.
>
> Alternatively, you can boot an old Debian from a USB stick using that
> kernel --- although you'll need to hunt around to find a userland old
> enough; I think Debian woody works. That'll give you a (very slow)
> development system running on the E3 itself. Then you can write your own
> SDL programs to draw whatever you like, although I should warn you against
> extended typing on that keyboard unless you hate your fingers.
>
> On Sun, 21 Apr 2019 at 12:40, Nick Griffin  wrote:
>
>> I do wish I never flashed E3 Linux on it now,theres no point to it,you
>> can’t put anything on it or run anything on it cos its too old and E3 Linux
>> didn’t go anywhere, its just a command line version because the E3 is not
>> powerful to run proper Linux. I installed E3 Linux release v2 (E3 Linux
>> sound better that just Linux or release v2 this way you know what I am
>> taking about)from the.earth.li/pub/e3/
>> 
>> what are the rest of the stuff in there, can I update it to 2.6.19,its at
>> 2.6.16 that what release v2 is…?
>>
>> I would like to put a program on it so it shows images on it screen you
>> have to make it on it and it don’t even have make on it to make a program
>> so make need to be installed first.
>> If I can’t put the original firmware back or put a program on it so it
>> shows a animated gif then it useless and I will end up putting it in the
>> bin. I have about 8 gifs of its old adverts and want to show them on the
>> E3s screen, can anyone help me please. I am not used to installing programs
>> from source code, I am use to installing it from a repository.
>>
>> Oh and what happen to this…
>> http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net/thread/7/support-status-update
>> 
>> why did the work on E3 Linux stop and only get to 2.6.19…?
>>
>> and very interested in this bit at the end.. “BTW, my 12-bit framebuffer
>> display support has been accepted and included in
>> mplayer svn revision 31139 on May 6th. Using it, I can enjoy a prescaled
>> 422x316 5fps MSMPEG-4 encoded live video stream playing fluently in
>> fullscreen mode on my E3 display.”
>>
>> Leave a reply in there and tell us what happened to E3 Linux 2.6.34..
>>
>> Spanner..
>>
>> http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net
>> 
>>
>> *From:* Nick Griffin 
>> *Sent:* ‎Saturday‎, ‎20‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎22‎:‎25
>> *To:* Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer hardware/software
>> 
>>
>> OK sorted it out now, (thanks to Ollie), will I be able to use these
>> files to put the Amstrad firmware back on the E3 at all..?
>>
>> question is here too
>> http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net/thread/9/config-content-filesystem?page=1&scrollTo=92
>>

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-21 Thread Nick Griffin

What the ams-delta mini distribution ..?
Which one do I download… https://www.imagemagick.org/script/download.php and 
how do I install it on the E3..?

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: David Given
Sent: ‎Sunday‎, ‎21‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎19‎:‎41
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

If you just want to put images onto the screen, write a tiny script that copies 
files from the USB stick and cats them to /dev/fb0. Converting images to the 
right format's a little bit harder but I wouldn't be surprised if ImageMagick 
could do it out of the box. That'll run happily in the ams-delta mini 
distribution.

Alternatively, you can boot an old Debian from a USB stick using that kernel 
--- although you'll need to hunt around to find a userland old enough; I think 
Debian woody works. That'll give you a (very slow) development system running 
on the E3 itself. Then you can write your own SDL programs to draw whatever you 
like, although I should warn you against extended typing on that keyboard 
unless you hate your fingers.

On Sun, 21 Apr 2019 at 12:40, Nick Griffin 
mailto:span1...@live.com>> wrote:
I do wish I never flashed E3 Linux on it now,theres no point to it,you can’t 
put anything on it or run anything on it cos its too old and E3 Linux didn’t go 
anywhere, its just a command line version because the E3 is not powerful to run 
proper Linux. I installed E3 Linux release v2 (E3 Linux sound better that just 
Linux or release v2 this way you know what I am taking about)from 
the.earth.li/pub/e3/
  what are the rest of the stuff in there, can I update it to 2.6.19,its at 
2.6.16 that what release v2 is…?

I would like to put a program on it so it shows images on it screen you have to 
make it on it and it don’t even have make on it to make a program so make need 
to be installed first.
If I can’t put the original firmware back or put a program on it so it shows a 
animated gif then it useless and I will end up putting it in the bin. I have 
about 8 gifs of its old adverts and want to show them on the E3s screen, can 
anyone help me please. I am not used to installing programs from source code, I 
am use to installing it from a repository.

Oh and what happen to this…  
http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net/thread/7/support-status-update
  why did the work on E3 Linux stop and only get to 2.6.19…?

and very interested in this bit at the end.. “BTW, my 12-bit framebuffer 
display support has been accepted and included in
mplayer svn revision 31139 on May 6th. Using it, I can enjoy a prescaled
422x316 5fps MSMPEG-4 encoded live video stream playing fluently in
fullscreen mode on my E3 display.”

Leave a reply in there and tell us what happened to E3 Linux 2.6.34..

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Nick Griffin
Sent: ‎Saturday‎, ‎20‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎22‎:‎25
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

OK sorted it out now, (thanks to Ollie), will I be able to use these files to 
put the Amstrad firmware back on the E3 at all..?

question is here too 
http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net/thread/9/config-content-filesystem?page=1&scrollTo=92

You don’t need to register to reply or leave a new thread there now.

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Ralph Corderoy
Sent: ‎Saturday‎, ‎20‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎18‎:‎39
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emaile

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-21 Thread David Given

If you just want to put images onto the screen, write a tiny script that
copies files from the USB stick and cats them to /dev/fb0. Converting
images to the right format's a little bit harder but I wouldn't be
surprised if ImageMagick could do it out of the box. That'll run happily in
the ams-delta mini distribution.

Alternatively, you can boot an old Debian from a USB stick using that
kernel --- although you'll need to hunt around to find a userland old
enough; I think Debian woody works. That'll give you a (very slow)
development system running on the E3 itself. Then you can write your own
SDL programs to draw whatever you like, although I should warn you against
extended typing on that keyboard unless you hate your fingers.

On Sun, 21 Apr 2019 at 12:40, Nick Griffin  wrote:

> I do wish I never flashed E3 Linux on it now,theres no point to it,you
> can’t put anything on it or run anything on it cos its too old and E3 Linux
> didn’t go anywhere, its just a command line version because the E3 is not
> powerful to run proper Linux. I installed E3 Linux release v2 (E3 Linux
> sound better that just Linux or release v2 this way you know what I am
> taking about)from the.earth.li/pub/e3/  what are the rest of the stuff in
> there, can I update it to 2.6.19,its at 2.6.16 that what release v2 is…?
>
> I would like to put a program on it so it shows images on it screen you
> have to make it on it and it don’t even have make on it to make a program
> so make need to be installed first.
> If I can’t put the original firmware back or put a program on it so it
> shows a animated gif then it useless and I will end up putting it in the
> bin. I have about 8 gifs of its old adverts and want to show them on the
> E3s screen, can anyone help me please. I am not used to installing programs
> from source code, I am use to installing it from a repository.
>
> Oh and what happen to this…
> http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net/thread/7/support-status-update
> why did the work on E3 Linux stop and only get to 2.6.19…?
>
> and very interested in this bit at the end.. “BTW, my 12-bit framebuffer
> display support has been accepted and included in
> mplayer svn revision 31139 on May 6th. Using it, I can enjoy a prescaled
> 422x316 5fps MSMPEG-4 encoded live video stream playing fluently in
> fullscreen mode on my E3 display.”
>
> Leave a reply in there and tell us what happened to E3 Linux 2.6.34..
>
> Spanner..
>
> http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net
>
> *From:* Nick Griffin 
> *Sent:* ‎Saturday‎, ‎20‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎22‎:‎25
> *To:* Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer hardware/software
> 
>
> OK sorted it out now, (thanks to Ollie), will I be able to use these
> files to put the Amstrad firmware back on the E3 at all..?
>
> question is here too
> http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net/thread/9/config-content-filesystem?page=1&scrollTo=92
> 
>
> You don’t need to register to reply or leave a new thread there now.
>
> Spanner..
>
> http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net
>
> *From:* Ralph Corderoy 
> *Sent:* ‎Saturday‎, ‎20‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎18‎:‎39
> *To:* Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer hardware/software
> 
>
> Hi Nick,
>
> > sudo nand-oob-strip.py e3-nand-backup.0 e3-nand.0: No such file or
> > directory
>
> Two things.  You probably don't need sudo as your ordinary user should
> be able to read e3-nand-backup.0 and write e3-nand.0.  You have to
> specify a path to the nand-oob-strip.py script for the shell to find it.
> Since it's in the current directory, that's just `.', i.e.
>
> ./nand-oob-strip.py in.0 out.0
>
> If that complains, then it's because ./nand-oob-strip.py lacks the
> `execute' permission for you.  Either add it with chmod(1), or run the
> Python interpreter directly:
>
> python3 nand-oob-strip.py in.0 out.0
>
> Alternatively, to modify the file in place, so ensure they're not your
> only copies, you can do
>
> LC_ALL=C perl -i -0777pe 's/(.{512})(.{16})/$1/gs' \
> e3-nand-backup.{0..5}
>
> which substitutes every 512 bytes followed by 16 bytes with just the
> 512.
>
> --
> Cheers, Ralph.
>
> ___
> e3-hacking mailing list
> e3-hacking@earth.li
>
> https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.earth.li%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Fe3-hacking&data=02%7C01%7C%7C0c848394242c4830fc6e08d6c5b72a85%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435%7C1%7C0%7C636913787811205410&sdata=0kD8t8q7zfl%2FGDLfdCSjfHE%2B1A2ZbQ8DuiwML03509A%3D&reserved=0
> ___
> e3-hacking mailing list
> e3-hacking@earth.li
> https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking
>


-- 
┌─── http://

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-21 Thread Nick Griffin

I do wish I never flashed E3 Linux on it now,theres no point to it,you can’t 
put anything on it or run anything on it cos its too old and E3 Linux didn’t go 
anywhere, its just a command line version because the E3 is not powerful to run 
proper Linux. I installed E3 Linux release v2 (E3 Linux sound better that just 
Linux or release v2 this way you know what I am taking about)from 
the.earth.li/pub/e3/  what are the rest of the 
stuff in there, can I update it to 2.6.19,its at 2.6.16 that what release v2 
is…?

I would like to put a program on it so it shows images on it screen you have to 
make it on it and it don’t even have make on it to make a program so make need 
to be installed first.
If I can’t put the original firmware back or put a program on it so it shows a 
animated gif then it useless and I will end up putting it in the bin. I have 
about 8 gifs of its old adverts and want to show them on the E3s screen, can 
anyone help me please. I am not used to installing programs from source code, I 
am use to installing it from a repository.

Oh and what happen to this…  
http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net/thread/7/support-status-update  why 
did the work on E3 Linux stop and only get to 2.6.19…?

and very interested in this bit at the end.. “BTW, my 12-bit framebuffer 
display support has been accepted and included in
mplayer svn revision 31139 on May 6th. Using it, I can enjoy a prescaled
422x316 5fps MSMPEG-4 encoded live video stream playing fluently in
fullscreen mode on my E3 display.”

Leave a reply in there and tell us what happened to E3 Linux 2.6.34..

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Nick Griffin
Sent: ‎Saturday‎, ‎20‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎22‎:‎25
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

OK sorted it out now, (thanks to Ollie), will I be able to use these files to 
put the Amstrad firmware back on the E3 at all..?

question is here too 
http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net/thread/9/config-content-filesystem?page=1&scrollTo=92

You don’t need to register to reply or leave a new thread there now.

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Ralph Corderoy
Sent: ‎Saturday‎, ‎20‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎18‎:‎39
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

Hi Nick,

> sudo nand-oob-strip.py e3-nand-backup.0 e3-nand.0: No such file or
> directory

Two things.  You probably don't need sudo as your ordinary user should
be able to read e3-nand-backup.0 and write e3-nand.0.  You have to
specify a path to the nand-oob-strip.py script for the shell to find it.
Since it's in the current directory, that's just `.', i.e.

./nand-oob-strip.py in.0 out.0

If that complains, then it's because ./nand-oob-strip.py lacks the
`execute' permission for you.  Either add it with chmod(1), or run the
Python interpreter directly:

python3 nand-oob-strip.py in.0 out.0

Alternatively, to modify the file in place, so ensure they're not your
only copies, you can do

LC_ALL=C perl -i -0777pe 's/(.{512})(.{16})/$1/gs' \
e3-nand-backup.{0..5}

which substitutes every 512 bytes followed by 16 bytes with just the
512.

--
Cheers, Ralph.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.earth.li%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Fe3-hacking&data=02%7C01%7C%7C0c848394242c4830fc6e08d6c5b72a85%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435%7C1%7C0%7C636913787811205410&sdata=0kD8t8q7zfl%2FGDLfdCSjfHE%2B1A2ZbQ8DuiwML03509A%3D&reserved=0
___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-20 Thread Nick Griffin

OK sorted it out now, (thanks to Ollie), will I be able to use these files to 
put the Amstrad firmware back on the E3 at all..?

question is here too 
http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net/thread/9/config-content-filesystem?page=1&scrollTo=92

You don’t need to register to reply or leave a new thread there now.

Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Ralph Corderoy
Sent: ‎Saturday‎, ‎20‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎18‎:‎39
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

Hi Nick,

> sudo nand-oob-strip.py e3-nand-backup.0 e3-nand.0: No such file or
> directory

Two things.  You probably don't need sudo as your ordinary user should
be able to read e3-nand-backup.0 and write e3-nand.0.  You have to
specify a path to the nand-oob-strip.py script for the shell to find it.
Since it's in the current directory, that's just `.', i.e.

./nand-oob-strip.py in.0 out.0

If that complains, then it's because ./nand-oob-strip.py lacks the
`execute' permission for you.  Either add it with chmod(1), or run the
Python interpreter directly:

python3 nand-oob-strip.py in.0 out.0

Alternatively, to modify the file in place, so ensure they're not your
only copies, you can do

LC_ALL=C perl -i -0777pe 's/(.{512})(.{16})/$1/gs' \
e3-nand-backup.{0..5}

which substitutes every 512 bytes followed by 16 bytes with just the
512.

--
Cheers, Ralph.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.earth.li%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Fe3-hacking&data=02%7C01%7C%7C0c848394242c4830fc6e08d6c5b72a85%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435%7C1%7C0%7C636913787811205410&sdata=0kD8t8q7zfl%2FGDLfdCSjfHE%2B1A2ZbQ8DuiwML03509A%3D&reserved=0
___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-20 Thread Ralph Corderoy

Hi Nick,

> sudo nand-oob-strip.py e3-nand-backup.0 e3-nand.0: No such file or
> directory

Two things.  You probably don't need sudo as your ordinary user should
be able to read e3-nand-backup.0 and write e3-nand.0.  You have to
specify a path to the nand-oob-strip.py script for the shell to find it.
Since it's in the current directory, that's just `.', i.e.

./nand-oob-strip.py in.0 out.0

If that complains, then it's because ./nand-oob-strip.py lacks the
`execute' permission for you.  Either add it with chmod(1), or run the
Python interpreter directly:

python3 nand-oob-strip.py in.0 out.0

Alternatively, to modify the file in place, so ensure they're not your
only copies, you can do

LC_ALL=C perl -i -0777pe 's/(.{512})(.{16})/$1/gs' \
e3-nand-backup.{0..5}

which substitutes every 512 bytes followed by 16 bytes with just the
512.

-- 
Cheers, Ralph.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-18 Thread Nick Griffin

live@commodoreos /media/live/E3
READY.
sudo nand-oob-strip.py e3-nand-backup.0 e3-nand.0: No such file or directory


Spanner..

http://amstrad-e3-hacking.freeforums.net

From: Jonathan McDowell
Sent: ‎Thursday‎, ‎18‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎21‎:‎09
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

Yes, you run it on a proper Linux box, not the E3. The script isn't
going to magically fix anything, but it'll turn the dumps that include
OOB information into dumps without OOB information that might help you
do some sleuthing about their contents.

On Thu, Apr 18, 2019 at 12:52:37PM +, Nick Griffin wrote:
> Where do I put attached Python script, in my Linux not in the E3..?
>
> So I do each file with it..?
>
> Spanner..
>
> From: Jonathan McDowell
> Sent: ‎Thursday‎, ‎18‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎11‎:‎58
> To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
> hardware/software
>
> On Wed, Apr 17, 2019 at 01:26:40PM +, Nick Griffin wrote:
>
> > Do you remember if you were able to mount the Cramfs and look at its
> > filesystem..?  What's Q;Q; blocks in flash, another files system…?
> > Can’t find any info on it, were you able to mount that too. So does it
> > have 2 partitions on mtd4 then..?
>
> You need to remember the E3 dates from a time when embedded Linux
> systems were a lot simpler, and the E3 was designed to be a low cost
> platform (even allowing for the subsidy). It doesn't have the sort of
> NAND setup seen on modern systems; it simply didn't have the resources.
>
> So, the MTD partitions do not directly map to a kernel or a Linux
> filesystem. The "Q;Q;" blocks are an Amstrad specific way of putting
> data into those partitions, with a type + description associated with
> each one. For example the kernel lives in a Q;Q; block in mtd3 called
> "LINUX". mtd3 also has Q;Q; blocks for LDR (the second stage boot
> loader), and PARMS (the kernel boot parameters).
>
> The CRAMFS filesystem is in mtd4; Q;Q; block name "LNXFSYS". There are 2
> of them (I imagine to allow for an active + fallback). There are various
> other bits of content in mtd4 too - you can see them by doing:
>
>  hexdump -C e3-nand-backup.4 | grep -A 1 "Q;Q;"
>
> Finally the nanddump files have 16 bytes of out of band (OOB) data per
> 512 byte block, so if you want something that might be writable back to
> the flash you need to strip those out. The attached Python should do the
> trick:
>
>  nand-oob-strip e3-nand-backup.0 e3-nand.0
>
> will dump out e3-nand.0 with the OOB data stripped.

J.

--
I'm dangerous when I know what I'm doing.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.earth.li%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Fe3-hacking&data=02%7C01%7C%7Cec5f9e059ac04cfb6dfa08d6c439c19c%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435%7C1%7C0%7C636912149665586653&sdata=DdEDodAV1hnS9KjUDy6bAmwvHU5phkgshzFfYCk9r8Y%3D&reserved=0
___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-18 Thread Jonathan McDowell

Yes, you run it on a proper Linux box, not the E3. The script isn't
going to magically fix anything, but it'll turn the dumps that include
OOB information into dumps without OOB information that might help you
do some sleuthing about their contents.

On Thu, Apr 18, 2019 at 12:52:37PM +, Nick Griffin wrote:
> Where do I put attached Python script, in my Linux not in the E3..?
> 
> So I do each file with it..?
> 
> Spanner..
> 
> From: Jonathan McDowell
> Sent: ‎Thursday‎, ‎18‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎11‎:‎58
> To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
> hardware/software
> 
> On Wed, Apr 17, 2019 at 01:26:40PM +, Nick Griffin wrote:
> 
> > Do you remember if you were able to mount the Cramfs and look at its
> > filesystem..?  What's Q;Q; blocks in flash, another files system…?
> > Can’t find any info on it, were you able to mount that too. So does it
> > have 2 partitions on mtd4 then..?
> 
> You need to remember the E3 dates from a time when embedded Linux
> systems were a lot simpler, and the E3 was designed to be a low cost
> platform (even allowing for the subsidy). It doesn't have the sort of
> NAND setup seen on modern systems; it simply didn't have the resources.
> 
> So, the MTD partitions do not directly map to a kernel or a Linux
> filesystem. The "Q;Q;" blocks are an Amstrad specific way of putting
> data into those partitions, with a type + description associated with
> each one. For example the kernel lives in a Q;Q; block in mtd3 called
> "LINUX". mtd3 also has Q;Q; blocks for LDR (the second stage boot
> loader), and PARMS (the kernel boot parameters).
> 
> The CRAMFS filesystem is in mtd4; Q;Q; block name "LNXFSYS". There are 2
> of them (I imagine to allow for an active + fallback). There are various
> other bits of content in mtd4 too - you can see them by doing:
> 
>  hexdump -C e3-nand-backup.4 | grep -A 1 "Q;Q;"
> 
> Finally the nanddump files have 16 bytes of out of band (OOB) data per
> 512 byte block, so if you want something that might be writable back to
> the flash you need to strip those out. The attached Python should do the
> trick:
> 
>  nand-oob-strip e3-nand-backup.0 e3-nand.0
> 
> will dump out e3-nand.0 with the OOB data stripped.

J.

-- 
I'm dangerous when I know what I'm doing.

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-18 Thread Nick Griffin

Where do I put attached Python script, in my Linux not in the E3..?

So I do each file with it..?

Spanner..

From: Jonathan McDowell
Sent: ‎Thursday‎, ‎18‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎11‎:‎58
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

On Wed, Apr 17, 2019 at 01:26:40PM +, Nick Griffin wrote:

> Do you remember if you were able to mount the Cramfs and look at its
> filesystem..?  What's Q;Q; blocks in flash, another files system…?
> Can’t find any info on it, were you able to mount that too. So does it
> have 2 partitions on mtd4 then..?

You need to remember the E3 dates from a time when embedded Linux
systems were a lot simpler, and the E3 was designed to be a low cost
platform (even allowing for the subsidy). It doesn't have the sort of
NAND setup seen on modern systems; it simply didn't have the resources.

So, the MTD partitions do not directly map to a kernel or a Linux
filesystem. The "Q;Q;" blocks are an Amstrad specific way of putting
data into those partitions, with a type + description associated with
each one. For example the kernel lives in a Q;Q; block in mtd3 called
"LINUX". mtd3 also has Q;Q; blocks for LDR (the second stage boot
loader), and PARMS (the kernel boot parameters).

The CRAMFS filesystem is in mtd4; Q;Q; block name "LNXFSYS". There are 2
of them (I imagine to allow for an active + fallback). There are various
other bits of content in mtd4 too - you can see them by doing:

 hexdump -C e3-nand-backup.4 | grep -A 1 "Q;Q;"

Finally the nanddump files have 16 bytes of out of band (OOB) data per
512 byte block, so if you want something that might be writable back to
the flash you need to strip those out. The attached Python should do the
trick:

 nand-oob-strip e3-nand-backup.0 e3-nand.0

will dump out e3-nand.0 with the OOB data stripped.

J.

--
One-seventh of your life is|  .''`.  Debian GNU/Linux Developer
 spent on Monday.  | : :' :  Happy to accept PGP signed
   | `. `'   or encrypted mail - RSA
   |   `-key on the keyservers.
___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-18 Thread Jonathan McDowell

On Wed, Apr 17, 2019 at 01:26:40PM +, Nick Griffin wrote:

> Do you remember if you were able to mount the Cramfs and look at its
> filesystem..?  What's Q;Q; blocks in flash, another files system…?
> Can’t find any info on it, were you able to mount that too. So does it
> have 2 partitions on mtd4 then..?

You need to remember the E3 dates from a time when embedded Linux
systems were a lot simpler, and the E3 was designed to be a low cost
platform (even allowing for the subsidy). It doesn't have the sort of
NAND setup seen on modern systems; it simply didn't have the resources.

So, the MTD partitions do not directly map to a kernel or a Linux
filesystem. The "Q;Q;" blocks are an Amstrad specific way of putting
data into those partitions, with a type + description associated with
each one. For example the kernel lives in a Q;Q; block in mtd3 called
"LINUX". mtd3 also has Q;Q; blocks for LDR (the second stage boot
loader), and PARMS (the kernel boot parameters).

The CRAMFS filesystem is in mtd4; Q;Q; block name "LNXFSYS". There are 2
of them (I imagine to allow for an active + fallback). There are various
other bits of content in mtd4 too - you can see them by doing:

 hexdump -C e3-nand-backup.4 | grep -A 1 "Q;Q;"

Finally the nanddump files have 16 bytes of out of band (OOB) data per
512 byte block, so if you want something that might be writable back to
the flash you need to strip those out. The attached Python should do the
trick:

 nand-oob-strip e3-nand-backup.0 e3-nand.0

will dump out e3-nand.0 with the OOB data stripped.

J.

-- 
One-seventh of your life is|  .''`.  Debian GNU/Linux Developer
 spent on Monday.  | : :' :  Happy to accept PGP signed
   | `. `'   or encrypted mail - RSA
   |   `-key on the keyservers.
#!/usr/bin/python3

import sys

if len(sys.argv) < 3:
print("Must provide filename to dump + file to write.")
sys.exit(-1)

with open(sys.argv[1], mode="rb") as infile:
with open(sys.argv[2], mode="wb") as outfile:
data = infile.read()
ofs = 0
while ofs < len(data):
outfile.write(data[ofs:ofs + 512])
ofs += (512 + 16)
___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-17 Thread Nick Griffin

Sorry forget to add..
Do you remember if you were able to mount the Cramfs and look at its 
filesystem..?
What's Q;Q; blocks in flash, another files system…? Can’t find any info on it, 
were you able to mount that too. So does it have 2 partitions on mtd4 then..?
At the time no one would of looked into the file system cos that would validate 
the rules on using the Emailer,It now matters cos there all are dead and If we 
can get to the config file, then maybe get other E3s working again, Amstrad had 
a 500+ page manual on it cos there could add things to the emaler like 
different oprtions and that to it,that config file was the heart to the system, 
Made everything tick.. 😊 without it its a dead machine.

Does anyone remember the command line to mount a mtd partition..?

Spanner..

From: Jonathan McDowell
Sent: ‎Wednesday‎, ‎17‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎09‎:‎28
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

On Tue, Apr 16, 2019 at 07:45:20PM +, Nick Griffin wrote:
> Got to just find out how to mount a mtd partition with the system on
> it, then that file (delta_e_live.config) will be in there somewhere…😊

I have a vague memory that the E3 used a read-only cramfs or similar
filesystem for the actual OS/base application stuff, and then a custom
filesystem (based on Q;Q; blocks in flash) for all the ads / games /
ringtones / other content. I don't recall anyone spending time on
working out how to modify that custom setup.

J.

--
"I've checked, but I can't find anything in the bible which supports
C++." -- Malcolm Ray

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.earth.li%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Fe3-hacking&data=02%7C01%7C%7C8763ef23dfc44568680e08d6c30eaba4%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435%7C1%7C0%7C636910865103040359&sdata=j8Zv0P%2FZXyck%2BHpdbv6ujPiey5ReXDn%2BgaUoRleglQE%3D&reserved=0
___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-17 Thread Nick Griffin

Thanks for the info, but the emailer would have to download the config file 
ever time it looked for mail so rewriting on the top of the old config,so to 
reset the time back to 90days,it has to be on apart off the system that has 
full rights if it was read only it would not be able to download the config 
file. Maybe the Config file is in a place where the games are download.I don’t 
know yet, It only there if the emailer is activated, if you never connected the 
email to Amserve the config file would not be there.They all worked the same 
way.

Spanner..

From: Jonathan McDowell
Sent: ‎Wednesday‎, ‎17‎ ‎April‎ ‎2019 ‎09‎:‎28
To: Discussion of the Amstrad E3 emailer 
hardware/software

On Tue, Apr 16, 2019 at 07:45:20PM +, Nick Griffin wrote:
> Got to just find out how to mount a mtd partition with the system on
> it, then that file (delta_e_live.config) will be in there somewhere…😊

I have a vague memory that the E3 used a read-only cramfs or similar
filesystem for the actual OS/base application stuff, and then a custom
filesystem (based on Q;Q; blocks in flash) for all the ads / games /
ringtones / other content. I don't recall anyone spending time on
working out how to modify that custom setup.

J.

--
"I've checked, but I can't find anything in the bible which supports
C++." -- Malcolm Ray

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.earth.li%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Fe3-hacking&data=02%7C01%7C%7C8763ef23dfc44568680e08d6c30eaba4%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435%7C1%7C0%7C636910865103040359&sdata=j8Zv0P%2FZXyck%2BHpdbv6ujPiey5ReXDn%2BgaUoRleglQE%3D&reserved=0
___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

Re: [E3-hacking] Config / content filesystem

2019-04-17 Thread Jonathan McDowell

On Tue, Apr 16, 2019 at 07:45:20PM +, Nick Griffin wrote:
> Got to just find out how to mount a mtd partition with the system on
> it, then that file (delta_e_live.config) will be in there somewhere…😊

I have a vague memory that the E3 used a read-only cramfs or similar
filesystem for the actual OS/base application stuff, and then a custom
filesystem (based on Q;Q; blocks in flash) for all the ads / games /
ringtones / other content. I don't recall anyone spending time on
working out how to modify that custom setup.

J.

-- 
"I've checked, but I can't find anything in the bible which supports
C++." -- Malcolm Ray

___
e3-hacking mailing list
e3-hacking@earth.li
https://www.earth.li/mailman/listinfo/e3-hacking

57 matches

Mail list logo