Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

I'm not sure if you've seen that, but literally few days/weeks ago someone here on tmo posted some stuff about that (even with some pictures) - I can't find it now, but you shuld be able to if you spend more time on it. It was a guy who went to some phone service and the flashed his n900 for him using the ports under the battery. I'm not sure if there were any technical details, but even if there weren't - at least you know you can take it to some phone service and they should be able to do it.

Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

I think I somehow over-read this great suggestion from you.

The idea would be to start U-Boot and then run the attached kernel (or a kernel image from MyDocs) but changing the cmdline:

"init=/sbin/preinit ubi.mtd=rootfs root=ubi0:rootfs rootfstype=ubifs rootflags=bulk_read,no_chk_data_crc rw console=ttyMTD,log console=tty0 snd-soc-rx51.hp_lim=42 snd-soc-tlv320aic3x.hp_dac_lim=6"

replacing init to point to /bin/sh.

(problem is I didn't enable R&D mode when I should have, and now I can't enable it anymore.. maybe I have enough time to run Pali's watchdogs programs. That is, if it doesn't segfault -- another issue I still have to investigate).

Anyway, thanks a million for the idea. Let's see how far I get..

Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

OK. In the console I did:

and then run trymmckernboot

The kernel started (with framebuffer console), but then stopped after printing this (I made, and attach, a photo of it :)

This looks very promising, but obviously I'm missing something.

Considering the PITA of having to type all these things on the U-boot console I will now stop and ASK, PLEASE, ANYONE, is there anything I'm still missing?

I'll wait. No hurry. But I'm going a bit crazy (and the weekend is coming to an end -- meaning no more real time to play with this), and I have the feeling that I can still pull this off and unbrick the N900.

Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

No hope to use your SD ?

If yes, you can create a script file (or two scripts: common-part, kernel-bootarg), convert it by mkimage, copy it to SD, launch it by u-boot's console.

This should reduce the hassle of having to write everything every time.

Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

If you load fb-kernel without changing bootargs what happens ?
Root is mounted or not ?

I would not have corrupted the NAND file system and now you need a sort of UbiFS filesystem check utility

Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

AFAICT the microSD card reader is also toast. I never tried using a uSD card on this particular N900 until it bricked, so I cannot tell for sure if this is a hardware thing or me using U-boot incorrectly (but hey, on another N900 U-boot manages to use the exact same uSD card to boot Nemo, so I think I'm not the cause of the error.. :)

I don't mind typing it all by hand. Painful as it is.. reminds me of my childhood, typing BASIC programs off a magazine.

Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

Will check tomorrow..

I don't know if the NAND file system is corrupted. Honestly I don't think so. I just need to set the executable bit on /sbin/getbootstate and then the N900 will come back to its glorious self :)

And *then* I'll be able to do what I wanted to do this weekend. Namely test my own version of kernel-power (OK, I can do that on another N900, but let's keep this dramatic..)

Thanks a lot for your help Fabry!

Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

/sbin/preinit is responsible for some bizarro pre-init stuff. Don't skip it.

What you should do:
Convert the RescueOS image into a uImage and its initrd into a uInitrd. Load them off another SD card (some N900s may be picky) and do what you have to do.

You just bricked a rather important part of Maemo, and there's no way you're restoring it without some help from external software.

Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

I could recite /sbin/preinit by heart. Believe me.

The origin of my problem was stupid. I wanted getbootstate to return always USER. Problem is it doesn't return anything (because I didn't make it execuable). preinit panics on that before it gives me the option to start a shell or do anything..

Hence I want to actually skip it, boot directly to /bin/sh, do whatever preparations I need to (do a bit of what preinit actually does) and then chmod +x /sbin/getbootstate.

I have the feeling that the problem is not the card but the reader. Will try with another card though, just in case.

Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

Follow-up from #443 above:

First of all: @Pali. Please implement also the saveenv command! (will make my life easier in the future.. :)

Now I repeated essentially the same as yesterday, except the setenv mmcnum/mmcpart/mmctype because they are (luckily) set as default. so I also skipped the switchmmc (not sure if I did mmc dev 1 though).

Then I did setenv mmckernfile zImage- [ @Pali: command line completion please?! ]

then setenv atagaddr 0x80000100

then setenv bootargs like yesterday, but without "console=ttyMTD,log" (just to avoid typing too much stuff).

Then run kernload,
then run kernboot (first photo is before hitting RETURN).

The kernel booted, and got stuck like yesterday, but the errors are slightly different.

I got:
whereas yesterday (with console=ttyMTD,log) I got this:
To me it looks a lot better now (somehow I find this ubifs_get_sb ugly). But still no dice, obviously.

Since my fingers are already hurting from all this U-boot console typing and will leave the topic for now. I suppose Pali is on (well-deserved) leave at the moment so I'll just patiently wait for advise.

Obviously, the other resident experts around (thinking of Fabry, Misiak and Hurrian, among others) are welcome to make any suggestions!

Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

have you tried adding "rootfstype=ubifs" right before "root=ubi0:rootfs" ? I've seen you tried it yesterday, but what happens if you do same steps as today and add this one in front of "root=ubi0:rootfs"? or try to change "ubi.mtd=rootfs" to e.g. "ubi.mtd=0" (actually the last one may be stupid, I have no experience in uboot on n900, but i remember setting ubi.mtd as a number on beagleboard or some other development board, not as string... it's just a suggestion which you may ignore ;) )

Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

Yup, I'd try that - it's the only important boot argument you're missing. Anyways, it's weird that it can't find the rootfs partition on ubi0. It's supposed to show up automatically when the ubifs module is loaded (which is built in, and should therefore be... automatic.)

Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

Hi all,
I'm trying to install the tools .deb from the first post but I get "incompatible application package" error. I have a newly flashed N900 PR13 without CSSU. Any ideas what's causing this?

Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

@misiak and @hurrian,

Yup, for some reason I forgot to type "rootfstype=ubifs" as part of the command line. That might explain the different messages from the kernel.

Oddly enough, I have a copy of the roofs on the eMMC (for backup purposes). If I only had a kernel with built-in MMC/EXT3 modules..

Once I get this whole mess cleared I will prepare a combination of U-boot environment, Kernel(s) and backup-rootfs (Maemo, Rescue, Nemo, whatever, the more the merrier :) (e.g. on eMMC *and* also under MyDocs as a fs image, whatever) so that the N900 will be completely unbrickable even if USB *and* SD card are not functioning.

Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

How are you installing it?

Just download the .deb and (as root) do dpkg -i u-boot-tools..

Post (exactly) any errors you get.

Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

We should probably ask Pali or FMG to build a kernel-power with inline MMC and EXT4 modules. We won't be flashing it on NAND, but keeping it for u-boot to boot into. My efforts at making an initrd for Maemo aren't going anywhere.

BTW, making an image of both rootfs and home is nice, since you can simply use RescueOS to mount and replace all the files ;)

Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

I actually asked Pali to provide such a kernel, but apparently its size, together with U-boot (which is what I wanted) would be >2MB.

Actually my plan for last weekend was to make such a kernel myself (FBCON, MMC, EXT2/3/4 as well as removing some stuff). This "minor" issue with my hacking-N900 got in the way.

I guess I could use my spare N900 (which for now I just kept mostly unused, except for letting my little daughters play with tuxpaint -- they love stamping pinguins on the screen) for testing this new kernel (which I actually have already compiled -- but not tested yet).

Some day I'll manage to test the kernel as well as prepare the whole infrastructure[***] for making unbrickable N900s. But not this week, and not the next :)

[***] Including, for Maemo5, a full rewrite of /sbin/preinit, and, where necessary, every damn /etc/event.d/ script so that *nothing* can decide to "arbitrarily" reboot the N900 causing a reboot loop. The decision to reboot when "something goes wrong" was plainly wrong.

If the worst happens, preinit/whatever should just load fbcon (if not loaded or built-in) and just drop the user to a normal shell. Rebooting doesn't help anyone!

Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

The new kernel wouldn't be flashed on the NAND, it'll be kept as a separate option in u-boot to boot. We won't be dealing with the 2MB flash size limit.
*Note, you can take out the UBIFS and cramfs drivers which are inlined into the kernel. Why do we have those when we intend to boot into eMMC?

Furthermore, we can simply tweak bootmenu.scr to have the eMMC boot system as default. No biggie.

Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

And the result is ?

Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

Oops, forgot to write about it. At the moment I'm not 100% sure but I think what I tried was:

setenv mmckernfile bootimg.../zImage..
run trymmckernboot

But I just saw U-boot saying "Starting..." and it stopped there.
I suppose that the kernel actually booted (until trying to mount root) but without any console=tty0 command line the poor guy didn't print any messages on the screen. But obviously I cannot tell for sure.

I don't even know if I set the atagaddr or not. The phone is now in a drawer at home and I'm at work. I'll bring it to work tomorrow and try it here..

Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

I think I'm a bit distracted today. I meant to write what Pali said, but then extend it with what you (and Pali) said, which is what I actually had in mind, i.e. to put the kernel somewhere in MyDocs (or wherever U-boot can read it).

Exactly. For now (for whatever appropriate definition of "now" :) I would leave the UBIFS stuff in there. Just in case we actually succeed in having the rootfs on MMC and we happen to need the NAND as a *backup* root file system :)

[ have to investigate the option of using MTD5 as swap, or for some minimal Backupmenu-like installation, etc. ]

Obviously it's no biggie. The biggie comes when your N900 cannot communicate with the external world (no USB, no SD, no network) except by means of the user's fingers. That's when any U-boot debugging becomes a pain.

But hey, I'm not complaining. It's already amazing enough that we have the chance of doing so much at bootloader level (3rd or 4th level, but so what :)

Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

Thanks Reinob. I was using the filemanager which launch app manager. I used dpkg and all installed ok.

Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

guys after power 51 installation and the two uboot files installation in d first page. i got the message ''Warning: Item file has obsolated option ITEM_USEATAG. Change it to ITEM_OMAPATAG'' what does this mean? what am i to do? i havnt switched off my phone for fear of not booting up?

Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

I must be missing something in getting this working. I've just flashed my phone with vanilla PR13. Installed the tools and flasher package from the first post. Ran u-boot-update-bootmenu which created an entry for the default omap kernel. Rebooted it gets as far as "Starting Kernel", sits for 30 secs then turns off.

Am I missing a crucial step here?

Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

Did you follow the first post, especially

Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

The warning says it all, edit each of the files in /etc/bootmenu.d/, for which you are getting this error message and change
ITEM_USEATAG to ITEM_OMAPATAG. Is this warning that difficult to understand?

Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

U-boot uses ITEM config files located at /etc/bootmenu.d. Somehow your .item file(s) contain a deprecated variable.

Please read the OP post careful, and don't forget to run 'u-boot-update-bootmenu' after changing settings in ITEM file.

Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

phewww!!!!! i made it at last! even though it initially stopped at starting kernel. it booted on a second a second attempt with keyboard closed.
so is it advisable to install nitdroid n12 with uboot enabled?

Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

@aadags,

1. What you got is a warning. U-boot-update-bootmenu still wrote the correct settings, so feel free to reboot. Don't worry about it.

2. When you think you can or are brave enough, edit[**] each file you find under /etc/bootmenu.d directory and simply replace ITEM_USEATAG with ITEM_OMAPTAG. Then run u-boot-menu-update again.

[**] If you don't know how to edit a file please search in the Wiki or in the Forum. Don't ask here (it's way off topic). If absolutely necessary, please create a new thread and ask there OK?

3. About Uninstalling
At the moment your kernel has been replaced by U-boot (together with an attached kernel). Don't just uninstall u-boot. A kernel cannot be "uninstalled": it has to be replaced by something else. You cannot leave the kernel partition "empty", so to speak.

Since you apparently wanted to use U-boot (that's why you're here), I don't think you really want to uninstall it (and as I mentioned above in point 1, you're perfectly OK) -- UNLESS U-BOOT-UPDATE-BOOTMENU DISPLAYED OTHER ERROR THAT YOU HAVE NOT TOLD US ABOUT.

If you want to be absolutely sure, run u-boot-update-bootmenu again and post the exact output (a photo will do, if you don't know how).

Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

If I just install the 2 packages and reboot. Shouldn't it just boot the attached kernel? As in, the attachedkernel doesn't actually have a bootmenu entry, so its not dependant on a correct bootmenu setup in order to boot properly?

(Just trying to troubleshoot my setup and another failure)

Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

I've now reflashed and reverted back to the 4-1 version and all seems to be working. :)

Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

Same here, 4-1 works whereas 4-2 fails to boot any kernel including the u-boot's attached kernel...

Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

I have 4-2 and attached kernel (PKv51) boots with no problems

Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

Even I am having problems booting with 4-2.I tried everythhing,but seems to remain that way.Have to reflash it then....

Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

Hello, I am also having problems with the U-boot. Installed the two packages from the first post and after that I installed the Linux kernel for power user (boot image for multiboot) package.

After this the bootmenu appears, but although I can see the Internal Nand and Maemo 5 with kernel-power ... options no one will boot. Tho boot starts, but hangs with the Starting kernel ... message. After some time the phones tunrs off.

I also can not access the backupmenu to flash my backup - I made before - on the device (N900). I also tried to start Nemo from the SD card, the boot starts, goes after the Starting kernel message but hangs afterward with kernel panic - not syncing: No init found.

So is there anything I can try ? At least to get to the backupmenu.

Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

Re-flash phone -> install Backupmenu -> recover your backup.

P.S.
I'm always reading this thread, because I'm also interested in having U-Boot + Backupmenu + NITDroid, but I'm reading about these problems with the new version of U-Boot... :o

Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

@karlitos
re-flash the kernel (flasher-3.5 -F <firmware-image> --flash-only=kernel -f -R) this replaces the u-boot with Nokia stock kernel..

Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

Hmm ... is there any other way how could I at least access the filesystem ? I am not sure if backupmenu stores all files I have on my phone. I was still counting with the possibility to access the filesystem over the cable with backupmenu.

Ou! great, and than ? How can I go back to the powerkernel ? But at least it would allow me to access the filesystem right ?

Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

As far as I know, Backup-menu doens't make a backup of mydocuments folder.
Can't you connect it in mass storage mode?

Re: U-Boot for Nokia RX-51 with BootMenu (updated version 2012.04-2)
 

You can (re)install the power kernel from H.A.M.

As long as you don't do a complete flash (just the kernel) you won't loose a thing except for the non working u-boot, just uninstall u-boot from ham and it should be all good..