Kabouik | # 831 | 2011-07-11, 23:12 | Report

Would be great! By the way, I second the person who told you you created one of the most useful apps for the N900. For me this is even the most useful app, hands down. With it, the N900 becomes a "stand alone" unbrickable device, (almost, 'cause there are some exceptions) no more need for a computer to fix it.

Again congratulations and thank you.

However, the only thing missing is a simple way to add other items to the menu choices at boot, e.g., for kernel-power or alternative OS. This is why I have to use multiboot-backupmenu for the moment.

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Last edited by Kabouik; 2011-07-11 at 23:15.

RobbieThe1st | # 832 | 2011-07-15, 16:55 | Report

So yea... This thing needs a bump.

Also, last night we passed over 1000 unique install records for 1.0-rc1 and about 8 for 1.1. I *so* want to get 1.1 uploaded, but the damned server still doesn't seem to be working, and I'm not at home.

Estel | # 833 | 2011-07-15, 17:26 | Report

You tried manual way? They say that, every time when it isn't working, only web based solution doesn't work - manually uploading should do the trick.

Anyway, many people reported that autobulider IS working again for few days, actually...

By the way, do You managed to check mido.fayad way of integrating with multiboot? Any reports on progress (or lack of) for multi-purpose version of backupmenu?

RobbieThe1st | # 834 | 2011-07-15, 18:40 | Report

I tried SCP a few days ago, but I'll have to try again tomorow/tonight. I wasn't at my desktop for a few days, so I only checked the web-based solution.

Looks like I may be able to do it by:
1. adding a /etc/multiboot.d/ file(same basic format as bootmenu) and
2. adding multiboot as an acceptable alternative for bootmenu in my dependancies, provided that's possible.

Kabouik | # 835 | 2011-07-15, 19:19 | Report

By the way, when you write in the first post that you "don't use or approve of Multiboot (for reasons you've explained in detail elsewhere)", what is this about? Could you point to the post where you explain why you don't support Multiboot?

I guess these reasons somehow changed recently as you plan to accept the Multiboot alternative, but I'm curious and I would like to know what are the drawbacks of Multiboot.

RobbieThe1st | # 836 | 2011-07-16, 02:11 | Report

I don't support Multiboot because it flashes the kernel each time you want to boot something different. This, combined with the limited writes of flash memory -- and that the kernel partition has no wear levelling -- means that I don't like it on principle.
U-boot is what I'd like to see used instead, but apparently the Nitdroid folks aren't willing to change. And so, I won't install it until multiboot's removed, which may be never.
As far as adding support, I really don't like adding things I can't test myself, but after seeing what's needed(no edits to my script, one pre-written menu item file added) I'm willing to take a chance and make more people happy. Also, i'd be able to track multiboot users as well - see how many use it versus bootmenu.

x-lette | # 837 | 2011-07-16, 11:17 | Report

Just installed updated version from repo! Upload seems to have worked in the end.
Didn't try menu yet but next reboot is in sight

Estel | # 838 | 2011-07-16, 12:44 | Report

I think that this is "doing it correct way" - You do not force anyone to use this or another option, but You give a chance to (without need to fork a backupmenu-multiboot package).

By the way, as for multiboot itself, why you think ubifs rootfs partition doesn't support wear-leveling? Ubifs is special filesystem designed for flash devices, and AFAIK (Wikipedia seems to agree) it supports wear leveling better than any other filesystem used in N900

Also, (#FIXME if I'm wrong) another layer of wear leveling is done by hardware controller transparent to filesystem - at least on eMMC, not sure for NAND. without this, our "bellowed" vFAT would be totally un-leveled on wear (same apply to all SDcards, as side note)

The rest is true - multiboot write kernel every time You choose different one. Ho ever, it doesn't flash *every* reboot (when different kernel is *not* chosen), as some (not Robbie) claims.

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Last edited by Estel; 2011-07-16 at 12:53.

Kabouik | # 839 | 2011-07-16, 14:05 | Report

That's a very good argument and I admit I was not aware of that. However, I second Estel: by accepting Multiboot as a dependancy, you just give the choice to people. Perhaps you could just add two lines of text of warning in the description of BackupMenu to state why you recommend Multiboot only for users who know what they do.

Anyway, as I have currently no alternative OS installed (I fail at trying to install Ubuntu Karmic ), I'm thinking about using Uboot instead of Multiboot. I've never used it so far so I don't know what it does and in what way it is different from Bootmenu. I'm not interested anymore in Nitdroid, therefore maybe UBoot will do the job for other OS like Ubuntu Karmic or Kubuntu Mobile.

x-lette | # 840 | 2011-07-16, 14:19 | Report

Just running BackupMenu 1.10 from repo. Are there any changes to backup functionality? Seems backup is way slower than before. I'd estimate a factor of three or four.
After booting into backupmenu I first did a fsck on all partitions and then directly headed to creating a backup of both partitions to MyDocs, just as usual. But now it's already running six minutes for OptFS and only has about half the size backed up. Formerly it used to be finished after about four minutes.

EDIT:
Didn't look at the screen when it finished but I guess it took around 11 minutes to finish the backup.

And a big thank you for adding the power off option!

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Last edited by x-lette; 2011-07-16 at 14:28.