**** BEGIN LOGGING AT Fri Aug 31 03:00:00 2012 Aug 31 09:33:21 Hi there Aug 31 09:33:36 Is anyone around so I can ask a couple of questions about porting to armhf? Aug 31 09:33:53 I'm trying to get started with porting ubuntu to a tablet Aug 31 09:52:40 hello? Aug 31 10:11:08 ask away Aug 31 10:11:34 blackthund3r: ^ Aug 31 10:30:00 wookey: o.O hi Aug 31 10:30:02 Okay Aug 31 10:30:14 Basically I'm working on a tegra port of ubuntu Aug 31 10:30:36 and was wondering how I really start collating everything Aug 31 10:31:16 I have downloaded the linux4tegra kit and I've modified rootstock to produce an armhf package but I'm not really sure what the best way of testing all this is Aug 31 10:31:33 also how I would add certain patches to the kernel for specific device support Aug 31 10:44:32 rootstock makes images not packages. Are you building a package for armhf or trying to build whole images? Aug 31 10:45:34 whole images Aug 31 10:45:43 and eventually a kernel too Aug 31 10:46:17 I'm attempting to get 12.04 booting on the Acer Iconia A500 Aug 31 10:46:21 blackthund3r: you can use the ac100 image for starting Aug 31 10:46:30 but you will need a working kernel Aug 31 10:46:38 hmm ok. Is that a better option than starting from scratch? Aug 31 10:46:54 depends on your caps Aug 31 10:47:05 Sure. I believe there is a 2.6 chromeos kernel for this device but I'm trying to get as new a source tree compiled as possible Aug 31 10:47:10 caps? Aug 31 10:47:19 capabilities Aug 31 10:47:26 ok sure Aug 31 10:47:40 ac100 uses a 3.1 kernel (from nvidia) Aug 31 10:47:43 I'm new to kernel dev and this sort of thing although I'm very experienced with linux Aug 31 10:47:56 that makes sense. I've just checked that code out via git Aug 31 10:48:32 I believe the stuff I need to add in is here: https://github.com/iconia-dev Aug 31 10:48:47 how do I add that then tell make to use that config? Aug 31 10:50:29 what kernel is this based on? Aug 31 10:50:56 Not sure. I believe they're patches for stock linux Aug 31 10:51:05 (in the github link) Aug 31 10:51:16 I'm working with the 3.1 kernel for nvidia Aug 31 10:51:19 *from Aug 31 10:51:45 it is preconfigured (I believe) for the ventana test board. I need to add those patches so it will work on the tablet Aug 31 10:52:07 (and then work on adding in drivers once I see what is actually supported OOTB) Aug 31 10:52:48 sounds like a plan Aug 31 10:53:18 so how do I add those patches in? Aug 31 10:53:51 there is a vendor section with proprietary folder, Aug 31 10:54:13 I haven't seen any patches in the repo at all Aug 31 10:54:18 and a device tree Aug 31 10:54:39 https://github.com/iconia-dev/android_device_acer_a500 and https://github.com/iconia-dev/android_vendor_acer_a500 Aug 31 10:56:00 also (probably a separate question) where is the section in the kernel source for the initramfs? Aug 31 10:56:34 these are scripts for some build system, no kernel patches Aug 31 10:56:42 The plan is to install linux into /data/linux from within Android and install the kernel to the spare partition. Then chroot to it Aug 31 10:56:44 the kernel seems to be available in binary form Aug 31 10:57:01 sure does. Should I try booting it to see what will happen? Aug 31 10:57:29 I think you can use the android kernel and see how far you come Aug 31 10:57:32 I need to bridge it to an initramfs or it won't be useful, unless I can open a serial connection with it to view the output? Aug 31 10:57:47 hmm Aug 31 10:57:51 I hadn't considered that Aug 31 10:58:30 okay so assuming I used that kernel as it is fairly up to date (one dev has a 3.2.x-based kernel) Aug 31 10:58:38 how can I chroot to /data/linux? Aug 31 10:58:53 is that even possible? Has anybody every tried installing linux to a folder? Aug 31 10:59:05 I assume it would go fairly early in the init script Aug 31 10:59:46 if /data was mounted by the initramfs, could you then chroot to /data/linux? Aug 31 10:59:54 Or would it need to be remounted as /? Aug 31 11:00:18 there is no /data on ubuntu Aug 31 11:00:37 I could call it anything when mounted though right? Aug 31 11:00:41 okay /mnt/data Aug 31 11:00:54 ah, you can try to mount an ubuntu fs in android Aug 31 11:00:57 and chroot to it Aug 31 11:01:11 no I've done that already ;) Aug 31 11:01:22 I mean use the kernel to do it and boot up from a chroot Aug 31 11:01:45 the data partition is mmcblk0p9 Aug 31 11:01:47 the data partition is mmcblk0p8 Aug 31 11:02:06 so if mmcblk0p8 was mounted by the ramdisk Aug 31 11:02:23 then the linux folder was set as the root Aug 31 11:02:26 would this work? Aug 31 11:03:18 that would mean Ubuntu could be booted natively whilst keeping that partition Aug 31 11:03:26 the data partition is pretty huge Aug 31 11:03:35 so it makes sense to install linux there Aug 31 11:03:42 and somehow boot it Aug 31 11:05:01 you may create your own initrd (from the chroot) Aug 31 11:05:08 and pass it to the kernel Aug 31 11:05:24 hmm Aug 31 11:05:27 also the root partition (via root=...) kernel command line Aug 31 11:05:51 can you mount a partition beforehand? Aug 31 11:05:58 Wait no that wouldn't work Aug 31 11:06:08 okay so if root=magicinitrd Aug 31 11:06:27 no, the ubuntu initrd will try to mount root Aug 31 11:06:28 then somewhere in that initrd it needs to mount /dev/block/mmcblk0p8 Aug 31 11:06:42 the initrd is mounted automaticly by the kernel (if it is there) Aug 31 11:06:42 then fuse-mount /mnt/mmcblk0p8 as / Aug 31 11:06:46 sure Aug 31 11:07:00 so how does linux's initrd then mount the rest of the filesystem? Aug 31 11:07:11 /etc/fstab ? Aug 31 11:07:19 because it is almost a union of the initrd and the partition Aug 31 11:07:31 makes sense Aug 31 11:08:12 okay android seems a little different Aug 31 11:08:32 yes, userspace is totally different Aug 31 11:08:33 the android initrd will use /fstab.t20 to mount all the partition in the own folders Aug 31 11:08:52 although (I assume) ubuntu will mount the RootFS as /? Aug 31 11:09:11 it should Aug 31 11:09:26 but I'm also not an expert Aug 31 11:09:32 ok sure. Aug 31 11:09:42 So in that case I need to understand roughly how that works Aug 31 11:10:05 in order to mount a partition then set a folder rather than a partition as / Aug 31 11:11:31 I still don't understand why you want to do this Aug 31 11:11:49 in order to boot ubuntu up with it installed in a folder Aug 31 11:12:00 currently there is /data/media, /data/Android etc etc Aug 31 11:12:03 in android, the partitions are also mounted on folders Aug 31 11:12:06 so I want a /data/linux Aug 31 11:12:17 which the linux kernel will use as a rootfs Aug 31 11:12:44 yes but android doesn't need to mount a new rootfs - the initrd is the complete rootfs as the main system works out of the /system folder Aug 31 11:12:47 if fact, the mount point doesn't matter Aug 31 11:13:20 why do you want to keep this strange android way of booting? Aug 31 11:13:22 so is what I want to do possible? Aug 31 11:13:35 why not just mount the root partition and you are finished Aug 31 11:13:42 to not have to wipe out all the userdata in order to install ubuntu Aug 31 11:13:58 you can also boot from a sdcard Aug 31 11:14:07 I guess the a500 has a slot for it Aug 31 11:14:10 so install straight to the data partition alongside the rest of the android data? Aug 31 11:14:35 yes you can but it's only cool if it works from the internal memory ;) Aug 31 11:14:48 more storage that way too - there are some 64GB tabs Aug 31 11:16:07 once I have a reliable way of doing this, I want to extend it to making an easy way of patching an existing android ROM to boot from, say, /data/sys2 or /data/sys3 so you can dual boot ROM Aug 31 11:16:11 *ROMs Aug 31 11:16:22 but that's a later project. For now I want a working ubuntu install Aug 31 11:17:03 for tablets like this it'd be really useful to have a full RootFS in a folder Aug 31 11:17:12 particularly as the filesystem is ext4 anyway Aug 31 11:17:18 it saves repartitioning stuff Aug 31 11:30:06 blackthund3r: you can split the "user" partition Aug 31 11:30:16 don't know anymore where it was mounted Aug 31 11:30:24 split how? Aug 31 11:30:27 repartition it? Aug 31 11:30:32 yes Aug 31 11:30:32 that would cause ROM issues Aug 31 11:30:46 it worked fine on the ac100 Aug 31 11:30:52 hmm Aug 31 11:30:57 this is the anatomy of the a500 Aug 31 11:30:58 http://projects.pappkartong.se/a500/ Aug 31 11:31:25 actually it might work Aug 31 11:31:34 but then you have to dedicate that space Aug 31 11:31:46 (which is what I was trying to avoid :P) Aug 31 11:32:03 and the whole tablet would still have to be wiped out to do that as I understand Aug 31 11:32:15 nvflash isn't the most user-friendly of tools! Aug 31 11:33:06 eventually I want this to be available to the public Aug 31 11:34:54 brb :) Aug 31 12:12:03 thanks for your help marvin24! Aug 31 12:12:07 gtg :( Aug 31 12:16:32 * lilstevie thinks he is going about that in the most difficult way he can find Aug 31 12:17:51 picasso and tf101 are very similar, with a small patch it would boot with the same kernel Aug 31 12:18:42 nah, cant be that would break the well estabished arm fragemntation vendors worked on for years ! Aug 31 12:18:49 :) Aug 31 12:19:45 ogra_, muromec ported 2.6.38 to both the tf101 and picasso, if you compile it with both boards defined in the config it comes down to a few if(is_machine_picasso()) blocks difference Aug 31 12:20:46 I have no idea why though :p arm fragmentation is common, and expected Aug 31 12:23:09 yeah, evil, the vendors should sue him to break it :) Aug 31 12:23:25 s/to break/for breaking/ Aug 31 12:24:28 :p Aug 31 12:25:33 lol " hey guys there is a rumor about windows 8 coming out for tablets and im so excited for that " <-- got to love forums, that was posted today Aug 31 12:26:38 yeah, finally more locked down HW on the market Aug 31 12:28:00 yeah Aug 31 12:28:20 uefi comes to arm, but not to benefit the platform :( **** ENDING LOGGING AT Sat Sep 01 03:00:01 2012