Installing Slackware on GPD Pocket


zedr0k

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I tried installing Slackware on my GPD Pocket. I wasn't able to boot some of the regular install-iso's or live-cd. (they all stuck after the grubmenu)

So I finally tried the usbboot.img from usb-and-pxe-installers - section.

...and it booted without any problems. I connected the usbstick via a usb-hub with a usb-ethernet-adapter on another port of the hub. (be sure to connect power-supply to your pocket, if you use a passiv-hub).

I booted the usbboot.img and did a normal network-install with a current-mirror to get an current kernel installed.

At the end of the installation I installed elilo, rebooted and the pocket won't boot into the new system.

So I took an ubuntu-live-system from https://apt.nexus511.net/index.html (great thanks to that guy!). I chrooted into the Slackware-System:


mount /dev/mmcblk0p2 /mnt
mount /dev/mmcblk0p1 /mnt/boot/efi

mount -o bind /dev /mnt/dev
mount -o bind /sys /mnt/sys
mount -o bind /proc /mnt/proc
cp /etc/resolv.conf /mnt/etc/

chroot /mnt /bin/bash​

Instead of tinkering with the installed kernel, I decided to install Hans de Goedes - Kernel (https://github.com/jwrdegoede/linux-sunxi) with the .config-file from nexus.

cd /usr/src
git clone https://github.com/jwrdegoede/linux-sunxi.git
rm linux
ln -s linux-sunxi linux
cp .configold linux/.config
cd linux
make oldconfig
make bzImage modules
make modules_install
cp arch/x86_64/boot/bzImage /boot/vmlinuz-degoede-4.14.0-rc3+
cp System.map /boot/System.map-degoede-4.14.0-rc3+
cp .config /boot/config-degoede-4.14.0-rc3+
cd /boot/
rm System.map
ln -s System.map-degoede-4.14.0-rc3+ System.map​

generated initrd:

/usr/share/mkinitrd/mkinitrd_command_generator.sh -k 4.14.0-rc3+​

gives:

mkinitrd -c -k 4.14.0-rc3+ -f ext4 -r /dev/mmcblk0p2 -m usb-storage:sdhci:sdhci-acpi:xhci-pci:eek:hci-pci:ehci-pci:xhci-hcd:uhci-hcd:ehci-hcd:hid:usbhid:i2c-hid:hid_generic:hid-cherry:hid-logitech:hid-logitech-dj:hid-logitech-hidpp:hid-lenovo:hid-microsoft:hid_multitouch:ext4 -u -o /boot/initrd.gz​

You have to add the mmc_block module to the modules. So

mkinitrd -c -k 4.14.0-rc3+ -f ext4 -r /dev/mmcblk0p2 -m usb-storage:sdhci:sdhci-acpi:xhci-pci:eek:hci-pci:ehci-pci:xhci-hcd:uhci-hcd:ehci-hcd:hid:usbhid:i2c-hid:hid_generic:hid-cherry:hid-logitech:hid-logitech-dj:hid-logitech-hidpp:hid-lenovo:hid-microsoft:hid_multitouch:ext4:mmc_block -u -o /boot/initrd.gz​

gives you a proper initrd

copy the initrd and your kernel-file to

/boot/efi/EFI/Slackware/​

and run

eliloconfig​

now you can reboot and your pocket should start correct, starting udevadm takes some time (I don't know why) but at the end there's the login-prompt and you can login as root and do all the post-installation-stuff (creating user account, tinker the xorg.conf, ...)
 
Last edited:
Nice tutorial, thanks.

As the installer booted, you could simply have used the installer instead of using Ubuntu to chroot into the system.
 
Good to know there's a path to get a leaner distro working! The Pocket is shaping up to be a solid UMPC option.

I've had the same udevadm delay before, the fix in my case was setting this particular kernel config option.
Code:
CONFIG_UEVENT_HELPER_PATH="/usr/bin/udevadm"
 
Thank you guys for that tip.

I will try this kernel-option with the next kernel. I'm currently running *rc3, Hans already has a *rc4 available. Hope I find the time this evening to configure the new one and build it overnight.

btw, thank you @Linux-SWAT for providing Slackware for the Pandora (really, really great)
 
I'm wondering what the appeal is for running Slackware - "pared down distro" = less precious space required for a working system?

Ok, I can understand it .. but I do wanna point out that the user experience with Ubuntu on the GPD Pocket is pretty freakin' great - we get nexus511's updates on a regular basis; there were many fixes in the 4.14 kernel pushed out last night, plus updated userspace stuff well-integrated with the setup.

I mean, and then there's "dpigs && bilboa" for getting rid of the stuff that's bloating up the system... so, while I get it that some people just prefer Slackware, I thought I'd add that I'm finding Ubuntu on the GPD Pocket perfectly cromulant, as well ..
 
btw, thank you @Linux-SWAT for providing Slackware for the Pandora (really, really great)

You're welcome :) .

About the
CONFIG_UEVENT_HELPER_PATH="/usr/bin/udevadm"

First check if the line
CONFIG_UEVENT_HELPER_PATH=""
is present in the .config .
If not, just adding it without the udevadm path may be sufficient to get a fluid boot.
 
I have now compiled "Hans"-Kernel 4.14.0-rc4. The CONFIG_UEVENT_HELPER_PATH="" was already in the .config. So I changed it and let it point to the right location. Now there's no delay while booting and with the new kernel everything is working fine.
Thanks for that tip :)
 
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