Wiki for Installing Pandebian (Pandora with Debian)

[patrick295767]

Hi,

Trying to get the mother on this machine

I read that once must get the PND to do so:  http://repo.openpandora.org/?page=detail&app=PanDebian&dp=true

Direct link: http://repo.openpandora.org/includes/download.php?app=PanDebian

and the information about how to install it is here in this thread. http://boards.openpandora.org/index.php?/topic/1474-pandebian/

There is still missing information on which SD brand (PNY, SDHC, ..., Endurance) work better, how to make the partitions of the SD, if Pandora Angstrom SD card formatter is needed, ... can we use ext4 for a higher security of the parittion, and so on? 

Still lot to do. I try to make it work, and prepare this SD card. 

It ought to be mentioned too where to place the PND file, as well. That might be important to know to start. 

... 

Best Pan-Regards

 

[patrick295767]

Back from PanDebian Testing. 

This solution is quite slow make. 

The easiest would be to boot Debian from Grub and to use the kernel arm 1Ghz destined to it. 

Grub no? 

 

[Linux-SWAT]

http://pandorawiki.org/Debian_On_SD

http://pandorawiki.org/SD_compatibility_list

 

[patrick295767]

http://pandorawiki.org/Debian_On_SD

http://pandorawiki.org/SD_compatibility_list

The booting SD with boot menu did not work. 

It was said that pandora is like a real pc that you can boot whatever

It should be really thougth about making a new bios firmware to boot like a regular machine. My dad wants one if he can install on it a windows XP, really !!

I am trying this method now:

Getting a Minimal Install from Scratch

There are two options here:

• Linux PC
• On Pandora

Linux PC

On a Linux PC, run debootstrap to grab the version you want. We shall be using Squeeze today:

sudo debootstrap --arch armel --foreign squeeze /tmp/pandora-debian ftp://ftp.uk.debian.org/debian


Grab a large SD card, and repartition it to have one large ext2/ext3 partition and format as normal.


Copy all the files from /tmp/pandora-debian over to your new SD card partition.


Put it in your Pandora.

sudo chroot /media/mmcblk0p1 -- assuming it's in your first slot.

/debootstrap/deboostrap --second-stage


... this takes a while...

** EDIT ** ERRORS !! 

I try from my linux pc:

debootstrap --arch armel --foreign squeeze /tmp/pandora-debian ftp://ftp.uk.debian.org/debian

 

 

 mount /dev/sdb1 /media/pendrive/

 

ot@debian07:/media# cp -v -r * /media/pendrive/

 

 

 

 

 r/lib/apt/lists/partial' -> `/media/pendrive/var/lib/apt/lists/partial'

 `var/lib/apt/lists/debootstrap.invalid_dists_squeeze_main_binary-armel_Packages' -> `/media/pendrive/var/lib/apt/lists/debootstrap.invalid_dists_squeeze_main_binary-armel_Packages'

 `var/lib/apt/lists/debootstrap.invalid_dists_squeeze_Release' -> `/media/pendrive/var/lib/apt/lists/debootstrap.invalid_dists_squeeze_Release'

 `var/lib/misc' -> `/media/pendrive/var/lib/misc'

 `var/log' -> `/media/pendrive/var/log'

 `var/log/fsck' -> `/media/pendrive/var/log/fsck'

 root@debian07:/tmp/pandora-debian# cd /media/

 root@debian07:/media#  chroot /media/pendrive/

 chroot: failed to run command `/bin/bash': Exec format error

 root@debian07:/media# 

 

 

 


this would mean that the wiki would be wrong somehwo

 

 

 


You cannot chroot into different architecture. By chrooting, you are executing the binaries (from the chroot) on your architecture. Executing ARM binaries on x86 (and x86_64 in that matter) would lead to "Exec format error".

If you want to run binaries from different architecture you will need an Emulation, Qemu is a good candidate for this, but you will need to learn how to use it. This would involve creating RootFS and compiling a kernel for ARM, you will need a toolchain for compiling ARM binaries (and kernel) perhaps. One thing is for sure: Forget the chroot method, you cannot run binaries compiled for ARM on x86 (x86_64).

 

[Linux-SWAT]

You may consider installing Pandebian inside Zaxxon prior to build your own.

 

[patrick295767]

back from installing... ==> did not work. still angstrom stuffs.

mkdir /media/mmcblk1p1

mount /dev/

mmcblk1p1    /media/mmcblk1p1

Grab it from here: http://packages.debian.org/sid/cdebootstrap-static and select the armel package.


cd /tmp -- Again, if you downloaded elsewhere, change to that directory instead.
ar xv cdebootstrap*.deb -- We're using the archive tool to extract with verbosity our cdebootstrap package. 
sudo tar -zxvf data.tar.gz -C / --

this is done fine

I also copied all the files to the /media/mmcblk1p1/

my sd card is a PNY 8gb SDHC bought at boulanger

## Now we're using tar to extract, with gzip support, again with verbosity, the file data.tar.gz, changing the Current directory to / so that it extracts systemwide on our NAND. We're running this command sudo so we have write permissions.
Now we just run cdebootstrap-static with a few parameters, and wait.
sudo cdebootstrap-static --allow-unauthenticated -f minimal squeeze /media/mmcblk1p1 --

# this too has been done

so then 

I try to reboot the angstrom, and at reboot, while, I hold the key of right R trigger

and still no SD1 into my menu to be booted.

- I have not installed Pandebian since I have no idea where to copy this PND file. Come on, should I really need this pandebian stuffs? Looks very slow and not necessary. I would like to boot like a  normal pc. 

I have also a multiboot sheeva and the procedure was much simpler although we havent any monitor available. they should have put by default slack or debian on it, not angstrom  It would have make it much simpler

You may consider installing Pandebian inside Zaxxon prior to build your own.

I must get some sleep. See you 2morrow

 

[patrick295767]

 

 I have now tried this: 

 

I format to ext2, the whole PNY 8gb card, so 1 single ext2 partition. 

I do that with gparted under debian linux pc squeeze.

 

Then I moun t the /media/pendrive (with /dev/sdb1 of the pen sdhc tha tI just put ext2.

 

Then

tar -xvjpf pandora-squeeze-1.0.5-grip.tar.bz2  -C  /media/pendrive/

 

 

md5sum Downloads/pandora-squeeze-1.0.5-grip.tar.bz2 

19ab3ea52a6bfb1b16da7a9289d40e9b  Downloads/pandora-squeeze-1.0.5-grip.tar.bz2

 

 

umount /media/pendrive/

 

 

 

I boot the pandora with left side slot the created SD card, and I get a black hanging screen whcih shows nothing. 

 

So To reset, I must remove the batteries of the pandora + remove the non working SD debian, and it returns to angstrom

 

 

 

[patrick295767]

another technique Ibooted teh pandora with usb serial 

then on the debian linux; apt-get isntall ckermit

lsusb ; ls /dev/tty* 

I used kermit

 kermit -l /dev/ttyACM0

C-Kermit>set flow-control none

C-Kermit>set carrier-watch off 

C-Kermit>set speed 115200 /dev/ttyACM0

C-Kermit>connect 

 

mtest   - simple RAM read/write test

mw      - memory write (fill)

nand    - NAND sub-system

nandecc - switch OMAP3 NAND ECC calculation algorithm

nboot   - boot from NAND device

nm      - memory modify (constant address)

u

 eu   - show pandora's boot menu

run     - run commands in an environmeve environment variables to persistent storage

setenv  - set enve environment variables to persistent storage

setenv  - set environment variables

showvar - print local hushshell variables

sleep   - delay execution for some time

source  - run script from memory

ssource - run script from memory (no header)

test    - minimal test like /bin/sh

true    - do nothing, successfully

ubi     - ubi commands

ubifsload- load file from an UBIFS filesystem

ubifsls - list files in a directory

reset   - Perform RESET of the CPU

e

 usmount- mount UBIFS volume

                            uusbinit - initialize USB

version -linker version

Pandora # a rsion - print monitor, compiler and linker version

Pandora # 

 

 

I am now into the pandora. 

 

Maybe I should try to install it from this way? 

 

[Linux-SWAT]

There is many ways to install Linux.

I myself prefer to use it ^^.

 

[patrick295767]

There is many ways to install Linux.

I myself prefer to use it ^^.

 I still have not managed to isntall the debian on the SD and make it bootable

Would you have tthis file to try it?

latest minimal is available here: http://www.stuckiegamez.co.uk/apps/pandora/Debian/pandora-squeeze-minimal-1.0.2.tar.bz2

It is much bette rto install debian on sd than on the nand. 

What about grub? Would it be easier and more flexible. You just create a partition of fat32 with 200mb, put grub on it ...? 

I get black screen with autoboot.xt and this tar of  XFCE - http://www.stuckiegamez.co.uk/apps/pandora/Debian/pandora-squeeze-1.0.5-grip.tar.bz2  

I have tried ext3 not working

ext2 not working 

and now I try to unpack under a single partition fat32

I have never seen the BOOT SD1 into the panbora boot menu

 

[patrick295767]

And finally last method: 

PND file ran from the SD card., ...   pandebian-0.3.0.pnd

PANDEBIANS" ] then die 'I couldn'\''t find PanDebian. Please make sure you mount a PanDebian installation before using PanDebian Share.

 

[Linux-SWAT]

You launched the wrong menu entry, i think.

 

[patrick295767]

ok, so visibly to make the BOOT SD1 working there is only a way : 

it is to flash the firmware with sd_installer.pnd

http://openpandora.org/firmware/pandora-rootfs.tar.bz2

Is that right?? Do I have to flash the firmware? Come on, they could deliver the machine working on multiboot. They lied a bit stating that one could do anything with it.


Why to talke risks to brick it. ... come on.. 

 

[Linux-SWAT]

Do you already run on 1.52 ? Check the graphical screen during the normal boot.

 

[patrick295767]

Do you already run on 1.52 ? Check the graphical screen during the normal boot.

At boot, "release 1.52 sper zaxxon"  it shows before the "PleaseLogin"

I have even tried to do on fat16 with 10MB before space and 200mb at end space

   tar -xvjpf pandora-squeeze-1.0.5-grip.tar.bz2  -C                      /media/pendrive/

And I have never seen "Boot from SD1"

I have a SDHC scandisk 4gb ** tried **

and PNY 8GB sdhc 8gb 20mb/s

 

[Linux-SWAT]

Do you put the autoboot.txt at the root of the SD card ?

 

[mcrobinson8]

I had the problem of not being able to boot off of my 8gb Transcend SD card when I created ext partitions using tools on the Pandora or on my desktop.  I ended up using the sd_installer.pnd which formats the SD card with 4mb fat partion for /boot and rest of the card with swap and a ext partition.  I was then able to boot to SD and run Zaxxon.  After that I just removed the Zaxxon files from the card and copied over files for the OS I wanted to play with and was able to boot.

 

[patrick295767]

I had the problem of not being able to boot off of my 8gb Transcend SD card when I created ext partitions using tools on the Pandora or on my desktop.  I ended up using the sd_installer.pnd which formats the SD card with 4mb fat partion for /boot and rest of the card with swap and a ext partition.  I was then able to boot to SD and run Zaxxon.  After that I just removed the Zaxxon files from the card and copied over files for the OS I wanted to play with and was able to boot.

 I have too tried to use the Pandora Angtstom sd formatter but it did not redo my partitions. So maybe i shall start it iwth 

emptied sd card? 

The making of the sd card shall not be a reason to use sd installer.pnd.  It is possible to achieve similar result using command line of linux (If linux-swat could say how to achieve it.... ex. 4mb free, 2gb ext2, 500 gb swap and we are happy).

sd_installer.pnd which formats the SD card with 4mb fat partion f

The problem of the sd_installer.pnd is that it MUST be run with the pandora rootfs tar.bz2, which is in other words the firmware.

The firmware I have is 1.52 already and visibly DOES NOT NEED to be reflashed !! Why to force things to be done when it is not needed.

It is simply because people does not understand well how the booting works, otherwise, we would have a wiki that really works for everyone. 

I get the autoboot.txt  that is available in the un-taring of the defualt image

@Do you put the autoboot.txt at the root of the SD card ?

I spent several hours for nothing, and uisng Angstrom is like having Android. It makes senses to have Linux on it, especially debian or slack. Then it might become a machine with definitely a great OS on it. 

 

[Linux-SWAT]

Use the GParted live cd to format a sd card on a PC:

http://gparted.sourceforge.net/download.php

Untar the rootfs on your card:

http://openpandora.org/firmware/pandora-rootfs.tar.bz2

Put PanDebian .pnd in /usr/pandora/apps

http://repo.openpandora.org/?page=detail&app=PanDebian

Get internet, install PanDebian.

 

[patrick295767]

You launched the wrong menu entry, i think.

there are several menus?? 

Unfortunately I have had only this one I wish I have more advanced menu though with sd select

poweroff

default boot

old kernel

cli 

usb serial

serial

If you select teh default boot, then you get to the autoboot.txt

that s all

Use the GParted live cd to format a sd card on a PC:

http://gparted.sourceforge.net/download.php

Untar the rootfs on your card:

http://openpandora.org/firmware/pandora-rootfs.tar.bz2

Put PanDebian .pnd in /usr/pandora/apps

http://repo.openpandora.org/?page=detail&app=PanDebian

Get internet, install PanDebian.

so you mean to flash my firmware with teh new one, right?  (200mb, rootfs firmware)

what an awful solution. You can loose your warranty even doing such as a thing. I have never that you need a firmware flash when you foremost have access to the NAND and have multi boot possibilities.

For tablets, they have much more difficult tasks since all it closed. This is why flashing is sometimes necessary.

Which explains why "Awful".

There are definitely methods without flashing the firmware or without installing on NAND or without modifying that much the NAND to replace with debian