bootmenu initfs flasher updated for OS2008 - Page 3 - maemo.org

roblynn | # 21 | 2007-12-10, 23:29 | Report

Reporting back... I re-installed initfs without USB support and this did not make any difference.

I configured the 'ask' facility (ask:flash so that I don't get locked out of the defice). The keys were still locked up, but the 30 second count-down worked and the device booted from flash when it expired.

Robert B.

fnordianslip | # 22 | 2007-12-10, 23:35 | Report

No real help from me but just a note to say that I set up to boot latest 2008 beta for n800 from SD on Saturday and all seems good so far. It seems that you have to be really on the ball to catch the boot options in time, but I just hog the menu key after applying power and almost always get it ok.

The window of opportunity is pretty short though. Is there an easy way to modify the timeout and/or the default selection?

Milhouse | # 23 | 2007-12-11, 02:25 | Report

The default timeout is 30 seconds - the window of oppurtunity is plenty long IMHO. There's been a few previous posts about changing the timeout/default selection - can't recall the specific search keywords but you should be able to track them down with the search feature.

fanoush | # 24 | 2007-12-11, 08:07 | Report

Originally Posted by fnordianslip View Post

The window of opportunity is pretty short though. Is there an easy way to modify the timeout and/or the default selection?

It is mentioned in README inside initfs_flasher directory and in most guides too. As root you can run

Code:

chroot /mnt/initfs cal-tool -R ask:yourdefault

where ask means to show menu everytime with no need to hold home key and yourdefult is id of your selection (flash,mmc2,...)
As for timeout in menu, again check the README

fanoush | # 25 | 2007-12-11, 08:32 | Report

Originally Posted by roblynn View Post

I use the hold menu key on boot (but only when the message appears). At that point the boot menu appears

I see. So at least home key works which means this is not problem with kernel. Did you modify bootmenu.sh file? keys are read via evkey command with kernel device name that is different for 770 and N800/N810. On the beginning of bootmenu.sh there should be

Code:

EVNAME=event1 # default, n770
grep -q RX-34 /proc/component_version && EVNAME=event2 #n800
grep -q RX-44 /proc/component_version && EVNAME=event2 #n810
#wait 1 second for keyup event
GETKEY="evkey -u -t 1000 /dev/input/${EVNAME}"

you can debug it yourself when system is booted, as root run

Code:

chroot /mnt/initfs

on the tablet an then paste lines one by one as they appear in your bootmenu.sh. it is best to do it when logged in via ssh and using clipboard on PC.
After you do it you can directly run

Code:

$GETKEY

and press up or down key on keypad in one second and it should print a number. Can you verify GETKEY variable contains event2?

Code:

echo $GETKEY
evkey -u -t 1000 /dev/input/event2

If there is event1, can you post output of

Code:

cat /proc/component_version

Also if arrow keys still don't work, can you include USB recovery mode and try to press home when in menu, and escape arrow to go back, does it work?

Also if you tried to edit bootmenu.sh or it become somehow corrupted it may be easiest to redownload initfs_flasher.tgz, extract it again and reflash initfs with clean version.

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roblynn

fanoush | # 26 | 2007-12-11, 12:37 | Report

Originally Posted by penguinbait View Post

Would it be possible to have bootmenu be able to boot images on mmc cards?

Well yes but it would probably conflict with mounting/dismounting FAT partition by the OS and usb storage functionality so it wouldn't be pretty. Also it would be a bit complicated to set up inside initfs - there is currently no losetup command for setting up loopback device and it would need modification of not just bootmenu.sh but original Nokia's linuxrc too (which changes from time to time so I try to minimize changes there to absolute minimum). I'm not convinced this would benefit to many users and would compensate added complexity. Lets say that this is low priority and I would accept patches adding this functionality :-)

penguinbait | # 27 | 2007-12-11, 12:59 | Report

Originally Posted by fanoush View Post

Well yes but it would probably conflict with mounting/dismounting FAT partition by the OS and usb storage functionality so it wouldn't be pretty. Also it would be a bit complicated to set up inside initfs - there is currently no losetup command for setting up loopback device and it would need modification of not just bootmenu.sh but original Nokia's linuxrc too (which changes from time to time so I try to minimize changes there to absolute minimum). I'm not convinced this would benefit to many users and would compensate added complexity. Lets say that this is low priority and I would accept patches adding this functionality :-)

Well, I guess it sounds like a big hassle. My main goal is to make it easier for 'know nothings' to boot from mmc. This is the biggest obstacle to many who want to run KDE. Turning kde into a deb makes no sense, when they still have to setup boot from mmc manually.

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fanoush | # 28 | 2007-12-11, 13:36 | Report

Originally Posted by penguinbait View Post

My main goal is to make it easier for 'know nothings' to boot from mmc. This is the biggest obstacle to many who want to run KDE. Turning kde into a deb makes no sense, when they still have to setup boot from mmc manually.

I see. Maybe improving the partitioning and cloning process (i.e.porting gparted, writing some GUI wizard to run tar) would solve this too and benefit also others. But I see advantages of simply copying couple of random images to mmc and booting and testing them without any hassle. But can you make such image downloadable without copying some nokia proprietary stuff you have no right to re-distribute?

Anyway, I will look into it and see how complex it really is and what breaks in which ways with the FAT partition being locked by the image.

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fanoush | # 29 | 2007-12-11, 13:44 | Report

Also I fear there will be problem with unmounting the fat partition when system booted from image shuts down or crashes. With no clean unmount it will cause data corruptions on FAT partition and/or having it read only after next boot. This will confuse those 'know nothings' a lot. Looks like can of worms.

Last edited by fanoush; 2007-12-11 at 13:47.

roblynn | # 30 | 2007-12-11, 14:13 | Report

Originally Posted by fanoush View Post

I see. So at least home key works which means this is not problem with kernel. Did you modify bootmenu.sh file? keys are read via evkey command with kernel device name that is different for 770 and N800/N810. On the beginning of bootmenu.sh there should be

Code:

EVNAME=event1 # default, n770
grep -q RX-34 /proc/component_version && EVNAME=event2 #n800
grep -q RX-44 /proc/component_version && EVNAME=event2 #n810
#wait 1 second for keyup event
GETKEY="evkey -u -t 1000 /dev/input/${EVNAME}"

The second grep line was missing from the copy of bootmenu.sh that I was using (I grabbed the file bootmenu.sh thinking that it was the latest and greatest). My mistake.

Once I reverted back to the original one from the package which includes a check for OS2008, it worked.

Sorry for the trouble, many thanks for the assistance!

Robert B.