Command Prompt On Serial Link?

[timothee]

Hi there,

I've been trying to get a command prompt via the serial link but I'm completely failing at it. Below is what I have so far. From there, could someone help me getting a bash prompt, please?

equipment: F200 + craddle + seral cable
PC-side: gentoo linux + minicom

After I start minicom, set it up and boot the GP2X, as specified here: http://wiki.gp2x.org/wiki/Serial_cable#Linux, I get the output below:

CODE

U-Boot 1.0.0 (Sep 10 2007 - 21:07:23)

U-Boot code: 03E00000 -> 03E49FA4 BSS: -> 03E82B70
IRQ Stack: 03ea3b6c
FIQ Stack: 03ea4b6c
DRAM Configuration:
Bank #0: 00100000 63 MB
Flash: 0 kB
NANDrobing at 0x9c000000
Flash chip found:
Manufacturer ID: 0xEC, Chip ID: 0x76 (Samsung K9F1208 64Mb)
1 flash chips found. Total nand_chip size: 64 MB
Get Environment from NAND offset 0x70000 ...
*** Warning - bad CRC, using default environment

In: serial
Out: serial
Err: serial

NAND read: device 0 offset 0x1a0000, size 0x40000 ... 262144 bytes read: OK

NAND read: device 0 offset 0x80000, size 0xb0000 ... 720896 bytes read: OK
### main_loop: bootcmd="bootm"
Hit any key to stop autoboot: 0
## Booting image at 01000000 ...
Image Name: GP2X Linux Kernel
Created: 2007-10-08 9:22:48 UTC
Image Type: ARM Linux Kernel Image (gzip compressed)
Data Size: 673304 Bytes = 657.5 kB
Load Address: 00008000
Entry Point: 00008000
Verifying Checksum ... OK
Uncompressing Kernel Image ... OK

Starting kernel ...

MMC/SD Card Detected
wait SD CARD 2.0
Partition check:
mmcsda: p1
Register SD: 7790MsB
mount...1
mount...2:
INIT: version 2.84 booting
<7>**>>ecc error unfixed on chunk 3268:0
Started device management daemon v1.3.25 for /dev
<7>**>>ecc error unfixed on chunk 3844:0
MSDOS FS: IO charset utf8
----
GMenu2X starting: If you read this message in the logs, check http://gmenu2x.sourceforge.net/page/Troubleshooting for a solution
----
SDL_GP2X: CreateDevice
SDL_GP2X: VideoInit
SDL_GP2X: Physical screen = 320x240 (ilace = 0)
SDL_GP2X: Looking for a mouse
SDL_GP2X: No mice found
SDL_GP2X: Creating cursor 16x16
SDL_GP2X: Allocated WMcursor @ 0x2936d0 (32)
SDL_GP2X: SurfaceManager allocating 256 bytes
SDL_SYS_JoystickInit
SDL_GP2X: ListModes
SDL_GP2X: Setting video mode 320x240 16 bpp, flags=0
SDL_GP2X: FreeHWSurfaces
SDL_GP2X: InitHWSurfaces 0x40036800, 5085184
SDL_GP2X: Screen bucket 0x291788
SDL_GP2X: First free bucket 0x292338 (size = 5085184)
SDL_GP2X: Creating cursor 16x16
SDL_GP2X: Allocated WMcursor @ 0x2936e8 (32)
SDL_GP2X: SurfaceManager allocating 256 bytes
SDL_GP2X: SurfaceManager adding new free bucket of 5084928 bytes @ 0x293700
SDL_GP2X: SurfaceManager allocated 256 bytes at 0x40036800
iconPath: skins/default/icons/generic.png
iconPath: skins/default/icons/generic.png
iconPath: skins/default/icons/generic.png
iconPath: skins/default/icons/generic.png
iconPath: skins/default/icons/generic.png
iconPath: skins/default/icons/generic.png
iconPath: skins/default/icons/generic.png
iconPath: icons/capricegp2x.png
iconPath: icons/gnuboy2x.png
iconPath: skins/default/icons/generic.png
iconPath: icons/snes.png
iconPath: icons/duke3d.png
iconPath: skins/default/icons/generic.png
iconPath: skins/default/icons/generic.png
iconPath: skins/default/icons/generic.png
iconPath: skins/default/icons/generic.png
iconPath: skins/default/icons/generic.png
iconPath: skins/default/icons/generic.png
iconPath: skins/default/icons/generic.png
iconPath: skins/default/icons/generic.png
iconPath: skins/default/icons/generic.png
iconPath: skins/default/icons/generic.png



And then, nothing :/. The F200 shows its normal screen, nothing for me to interract with. I tried pressing Ctrl+C in minicom but that didn't work. Could someone point me towards the next step?

Also, based on the output in minicom, I see several warnings and error:

CODE

...
*** Warning - bad CRC, using default environment
...
INIT: version 2.84 booting
<7>**>>ecc error unfixed on chunk 3268:0
Started device management daemon v1.3.25 for /dev
<7>**>>ecc error unfixed on chunk 3844:0
MSDOS FS: IO charset utf8
...



Is that something I should be worried about? (everything seems to work when I use the F200).

PS: I have actually never logged into a linux box before through serial link so this may be a very stupid question :/.

Thanks in advance!
Tim.

 

[Franxis]

I use serial link in the GP2X F100 without problems... But somebody told me it doesn't work in the F200... I don't know why... Probably it is another bug in the firmware 4.0 coming with the F200???

 

[dj jack]

It perfectly works for me. I'm under Windows and using HyperTerminal.

 

[techFreak]

It perfectly works for me. I'm under Windows and using HyperTerminal.

It also works with Linux using PuTTY. The thing that doesn't work with F-200 is USB Serial Gadget and it's because of it has no USB Netchip inside.

 

[timothee]

Thanks for your responses guys. I'll give a shot to PuTTY tonight to check if I get different results from minicom.

Even then though, I'm not sure of what I am supposed to see. Is a "gp2x#" prompt just supposed to appear after the boot messages? Or must I start an application from the gp2x after it is on, to get a prompt?

 

[woogal]

It's as you thought - you press ctrl-c to kill the menu, then you'll see the prompt.

 

[Franxis]

It's as you thought - you press ctrl-c to kill the menu, then you'll see the prompt.

Yes, it runs in such way in the F100, but i think it doesn't run in the F200 (it didn't run in the F200 of a friend, the rx is ok but you cannot write anything)...

 

[xcen]

I should be getting a serial cable today so I can finaly test this out... I really hope it works as it should =s otherwise there is pretty close to no way of using the CLI from a remote computer ='(

 

[timothee]

Success!!

PuTTY works. Looks like the problem I was having with minicom is just not being able to send a proper Ctrl-C, minicom must be trapping these but I don't know how to disable that. I'll look deeper later on.

Mwuuhhahahahahah, so I'm in at last!!! I can feel the power when I see the beautiful prompt:
[root@gp2x /]

Thanks all for your help!
Tim.

 

[Squidge]

Maybe minicom traps CTRL+C for "Copy" as in Copy/Paste.

The other alternative of course is just a program that exits without rerunning the menu, or one that simply segfaults. The menu then wouldn't be reloaded, and thus you would get a command prompt on the serial port.

 

[xcen]

w00t! great news, IPuTTY

 

[xcen]

ah damn I'm getting garbage on the serial somehow using PuTTY =(

will have to play around a bit with it I guess

 

[timothee]

@squidge: being a console based application, I doubt minicom uses Ctrl+C for copy. There must be something else (and probably simple too). I'm still looking, although since I have PuTTY working, my motivation is lower now . I find causing a segfault a bit hardcore too, so I'd rather avoid that if I can.

@xcen: maybe stupid question: have you set the transfer bitrate to 115200?