Re: Introducing console-tools v1 (install-tools replacemement)
 

Outstanding. Is the first partition being VFAT for the NIT and installed applications (I know one of the mapping programs dumps its data on the internal card), or is it purely for compatibility with windows?

BTW, PenguinBait, I apologize if these questions have been answered before elsewhere. I have read over this and other threads (this one is, what, 24 pages and 250 posts?), and honestly, some of the threads are for older revisions of software or older procedures, so its all a bit confusing.

--vr

Re: Introducing console-tools v1 (install-tools replacemement)
 

I have made as small as 5MB, but in general I have at least 128MB fat. Its nice if you need to actually plug into a windows device. some apps may write out there also.

Questions are never a problem, sometimes it may take a few days before I respond.

Re: Introducing console-tools v1 (install-tools replacemement)
 

Thanks man, I'm glad to hear that...Right now, I'm working nights in downtown DC, and this being a government agency, no wireless. So when I have time to work with it, I don't have any way to reflash it until I get home if I brick it...So I'm trying to make absolutely sure I have the process down in my mind before I start.

--vr

Re: Introducing console-tools v1 (install-tools replacemement)
 

Does anyone have the item file for the cloned partition. I have to reflash today after running out of memory on the flash boot. I've reinstall console-tools but, now I have no items in my bootmenu and I don't want to recloned.

Problem with "Backup" "Error: Expected at least 7 tokens for --radiolist, have 4."
 

First, I love these tools, especially PBeasy :) I've been having trouble running Backup from PB though. I have formatted internal 2gb and external 8gb cards to have linux partition. I am booting from flash, and trying to backup internal linux system to external linux partition.

Here are my file systems:

~ $ sudo sfdisk -l

Disk /dev/mmcblk0: 61440 cylinders, 4 heads, 16 sectors/track
Units = cylinders of 32768 bytes, blocks of 1024 bytes, counting from 0

Device Boot Start End #cyls #blocks Id System
/dev/mmcblk0p1 0+ 6143 6144- 196607+ 6 FAT16
/dev/mmcblk0p2 6144 45055 38912 1245184 83 Linux
/dev/mmcblk0p3 45056 61439 16384 524288 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/mmcblk0p4 0 - 0 0 0 Empty

Disk /dev/mmcblk1: 249216 cylinders, 4 heads, 16 sectors/track
Units = cylinders of 32768 bytes, blocks of 1024 bytes, counting from 0

Device Boot Start End #cyls #blocks Id System
/dev/mmcblk1p1 0+ 209343 209344- 6699007+ 6 FAT16
/dev/mmcblk1p2 209344 247167 37824 1210368 83 Linux
/dev/mmcblk1p3 247168 249215 2048 65536 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/mmcblk1p4 0 - 0 0 0 Empty

When I run Backup, I get this message:
You have selected to backup all data on /dev/mmcblk0p2 to Error: Expected at least 7 tokens for --radiolist, have 4. Use --help to list options.


Any ideas? Thanks in advance!

*******************FIXED!************************* **
After partitioning, I used the MKFS tool in PB to format the partitions. I assumed that making the partitions would automatically do this, but I guess not.
************************************************** *****

Re: Introducing console-tools v1 (install-tools replacemement)
 

I was able to partition and clone my internal card, but have not yet done the external card. I created 4 partitions on the internal, 256MB FAT, 2 768MB ext3 and a 220MB (the rest of the card) that I created as ext2 for swap. I mistakenly built the partition as type 82 originally, then found that pb could not see it for swap, so I recreated it.

However, I enabled swap on the internal card in pb, but free still shows

Why is it not enabling the swap like it should be? Is creating a type 82 partition, using mkswap and swapon then adding to /etc/fstab an option? or is this ill-advised?

--vr

Re: Introducing console-tools v1 (install-tools replacemement)
 

Had the same problem and got helped :

As root in xterm, type :
"swapon /dev/mmcblkXpY"
( where X= 1 / 0 for ext./ int. mmc and Y=part. nr.).

( swapoff un-does )

After each reboot you have to do it again.
( Let "Personal menu" run this code for you.)

Re: Introducing console-tools v1 (install-tools replacemement)
 

I did something similar. Created /dev/mmcblk0p4 as type 82 (Linux swap), did a mkswap on it then did a swapon. I also added the swapon command to /etc/init.d/rcS.

For some reason, swapon -a doesn't find the swap partition, but I specified it, which works out better, because if I put a swap partition on the external card, I can point the swap to the internal and vice versa in rcS.

Has anyone figured out the optimum amount of swap?

--vr

Re: Introducing console-tools v1 (install-tools replacemement)
 

No, but :
It was discussed a bit in, I think, the Console-tools thread.
256 MB was often recommended, but I think more from a general Linux rule of thumb.
Mine is 256 MB, and after checking it in Load-applet now and then I believe half would have been quite enough.
But then I'm not a heavy user.


EDIT.
I had one bad experience with swap at my first tries.
Seeing a swap part. (made with "pb"-cfdisk) not recognized, I changed it to something else, and then back to swap.
Then nothing worked properly until I had reformatted my card.
( Of course, knowing no Linux I didn't know how to properly solve it.)

Re: Introducing console-tools v1 (install-tools replacemement)
 

Actually, twice the swap goes back far beyond Linux. SunOS (at the time) used twice the swap, mainly for crashes...Because SunOS (and Solaris currently) will dump memory to a swap area in the event of a crash.

For Linux, nobody has really pinned it down to a verifiable optimum, it depends on system configuration and use, however, the size of swap, if it is used should be no more than 4 times your physical memory, something to do with drive performance.

That said, I have a broad range of swap among my Linux boxes, generally the more memory the machine has, the less swap I use.

As a for instance, the following is a random sample of my machines

My workstation (power user, KDE + Compiz, etc) - 4GB RAM, 8GB swap (141k used -- I need to reduce this)
Wife's workstation (typical user) - 1GB RAM, 1GB swap (49k used)
mail server - 1GB RAM, 1GB swap (487M used)
VMware server - 4GB RAM, 2GB swap (176k used)

So it runs the gamut. The more memory I have, generally the less I need to swap. I was just wondering if there was a number that was settled on, so thanks for your answer.

--vr

Re: Introducing console-tools v1 (install-tools replacemement)
 

Has anyone tried this out with the n810 wimax? I tried to do it once with the cloning, but upon reboot, it came back with the bootmenu, but none of the keys worked and you have to pull the battery to kill it.

Have to reflash the sucker. If someone has tried it.... if they could let me know if there's something different here. I wouldn't think so, but then again, who knows.

Keypad wouldn't work and the debug message flashed on and off so I couldn't see what the error was.

Re: Introducing console-tools v1 (install-tools replacemement)
 

I found a problem with console-tools (latest version from links page 1). It doesn't uninstall cleanly, but leaves behind several binaries in /bin

ls -clrt /bin shows me (truncated):

partprobe parted lfdisk gfdisk fdisk cfdisk are all binaries (or symbolic links to binaries) which were placed in /bin by the scripts run by console-tools. And there is similar in /sbin, where it leaves behind:

tune2fs mkfs.ext3 mkfs.ext2 mke2fs logsave fsck.ext3 fsck.ext2 fsck findfs e2label e2image e2fsck dumpe2fs debugfs badblocks resize2fs blkid

None of these binaries or symbolic links are removed because they are not created until the console-tools scripts are run, as can be seen by running dpkg -L console-tools, and of course if dpkg doesn't know about the binaries it cannot remove them on running apt-get remove console-tools.

Re: Introducing console-tools v1 (install-tools replacemement)
 

Lately, when I restart my N810, the boot menu does not offer options (only seen "Press and hold Menu ...") and after a couple of seconds it turns off automatically.

After several (and I mean SEVERAL) attempts, finally the menu appears and I can boot without problems. Until the next reboot.

Removing the SD card does not change the situation.

I tried to clone again, but did not help.

What can this be? Is there a solution?

Re: Introducing console-tools v1 (install-tools replacemement)
 

Re: Introducing console-tools v1 (install-tools replacemement)
 

Thanks, penguinbait, but it did no work. It only changed the boot partition when I finally can see the Boot Menu. My problem is prior to that moment.

Maybe I wasn't clear enough. I made a little video to show you:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPQnSmqUWMA

Thanks.

Re: Introducing console-tools v1 (install-tools replacemement)
 

Is the battery dead? Thats wierd I have not seen that behavior before. How does it behave with the power plugged in?

----------
Starting from off

Plug in power, this should start the tablet and display bootmenu

Select the partition to boot, it then should turn off

Wait for about 10 seconds, and it will then say charging and the green light will be blinking.

Then power it on again and it will boot up to the partition you previously selected.
-----------------------------

I am only suggesting this to see if it behaves normally when plugged into power?

It is an odd behavior I have not seen before has ANYONE??

Re: Introducing console-tools v1 (install-tools replacemement)
 

Have a quick question, I need to know if this will work. I suspect I'm good to go, but I wanted to put it out there to make sure.

When I started booting off of the (internal) SD, I broke it up into four partitions: a small (256MB VFAT) partition, two 768MB partitions (nominally for Maemo and Mer) and a 256MB swap. Well, I have never gotten around to installing Mer, and my Maemo partition has grown to near capacity. What I would like to do is get rid of partition 3 and combine it with partition 2, giving me a 256MB, a 1.5GB for the OS, and the swap.

1. Back up; turn off swap on the SD partition.
2. Boot onto flash
3. fdisk and delete partition 3, then create partition 2.
4. create an ext3 partition on 2.
5. delete partition 4 and make it partition 3.
6. mkswap
7. Restore backup.

At this point, I should be golden...Restore the swap and off to the races, right? Did I forget anything?

Thanks,
--vr

Re: Introducing console-tools v1 (install-tools replacemement)
 

No, it is a new one. From Mugen's. Charged at full.

No, it doesn't. It stays off. And for about 10 seconds I cannot turn it on again.

Maybe something is wrong with my hardware?

Tonight I will try the same with the original (now faulty) battery.

Re: Introducing console-tools v1 (install-tools replacemement)
 

I am suspecting some sort of power problem, is the battery you have the exact same one that shipped with 810? Or is it a different model but works?

Re: Introducing console-tools v1 (install-tools replacemement)
 

You need to delete partition 2, 3, 4 and then create p2 ext3 and p3 swap. Right?

Also you need to mkfs.ext3 on the new ext3 partition before restoring the backup.

1 more thing, I would reboot after using fdisk before doing anything else.

Re: Introducing console-tools v1 (install-tools replacemement)
 

It's a battery from Mugen.

Re: Introducing console-tools v1 (install-tools replacemement)
 

It's funny how things work.

I switched the battery for the original one, the one I discarded because it had some problem in the internal logic (sometimes it lasted for a day, sometimes for half an our).

Everything was exactly as you detailed, so the problem had to be with my Mugen's battery.

Then, I switched batteries again and now, the one from Mugen's behaves exactly as you described. The problem is gone.

I don't know what it was (you saw the video) but the good thing is now I know how to revert it if it happens again: I just have to reboot with the original battery.

Thanks.

Re: Introducing console-tools v1 (install-tools replacemement)
 

Correct. I'm outgrowing the / partition I built on the flash [again]. I guess that's a good thing. So I am going to take the whole internal flash as my primary partition minus the vfat and swap partitions. I'll build a Mer partition on the external card, since it seems to be getting there. :)

Thanks penguinbait. I just hate having my "brain prosthesis" offline while I do this in addition to the paranoia about screwing it up and having to start over again.

Re: Introducing console-tools v1 (install-tools replacemement)
 

Hi PB and everyone!

Yesterday while running from my usual cloned partition on my external 8 GB SD card, I had a strange problem - could not run Terminal. It would launch and then close. I decided to reboot (tablet had been on for weeks), but when it shut down I saw a brief message that said something like "Memory corruption external SD" - it went by too fast to read.

When I power on, I get the boot menu (had used pbeasy last year), but if I select external it reports:

"Booting from mmc12 mmcblock0p2 ext3 "

but then I get jailbars and it reboots again to the menu. I can boot to internal flash (mtdblock4 jffs2 )

When I try to clone via pbeasy, it seems to only see a 2GB disk - I think it is the internal 2GB disk. I exited in in trembling fear.

I am able to connect via USB and see the 500 MB "fat" partition on the external card and copy the files.

Was wondering if I need to reformat the entire 8 GB external card. but I don't know how! <sob> Can't figure out how to run fsck - when I try fsck --help it just returns a version number. Sorry to be so helpless - I've been spending a lot of time with Windoze 7 lately and I think it hurt my brain.

Here's some info on the disk(s)

Rarrgh:~# df
Filesystem 1k-blocks Used Available Use% Mounted on
/dev/mtdblock4 4096 2264 1832 55% /mnt/initfs
none 512 100 412 20% /mnt/initfs/tmp
/dev/mtdblock4 255488 201824 53664 79% /
none 512 100 412 20% /tmp
none 1024 68 956 7% /dev
tmpfs 1024 0 1024 0% /dev/shm
/dev/mmcblk0p1 1962220 1487368 474852 76% /media/mmc2
/dev/mmcblk1p1 498328 491408 6920 99% /media/mmc1

~ $ cat /proc/partitions

major minor #blocks name
31 0 128 mtdblock0
31 1 384 mtdblock1
31 2 2048 mtdblock2
31 3 4096 mtdblock3
31 4 255488 mtdblock4
254 0 7977472 mmcblk0
254 1 498591 mmcblk0p1
254 2 6980288 mmcblk0p2
254 3 498592 mmcblk0p3
254 8 1966080 mmcblk1
254 9 1966072 mmcblk1p1

~ $

All help greatly appreciated!

Steve

Re: Introducing console-tools v1 (install-tools replacemement)
 

So if you boot to flash and as root run "fsck -y /dev/mmcblk0p2" what happens?

It almost sounds like the card actually died, although it shows up in your partitions list, so it must be functioning somewhat.

Re: Introducing console-tools v1 (install-tools replacemement)
 

I have installed this successfully, my n810 can boot from internal flash or external MMC card. But, I don't know how to set the external MMC as the default boot device. I tried pb->bootmenu->Boot, but, the external MMC is not listed there. only 1 option:
/dev/mtdblock4 Size:256MB

What's the problem.

Thanks.

Re: Introducing console-tools v1 (install-tools replacemement)
 

boot and open xterm and become root and run the following command:

chroot /mnt/initfs cal-tool –set-root-device ask:mmc12

Reference:
mmc2 is partition 2 on internal
mmc3 is partition 3 on internal
mmc12 is partition 2 on external
mmc13 is partition 3 on external

This sets the default, not sure why its not in the list?

Re: Introducing console-tools v1 (install-tools replacemement)
 

Well, this is embarrassing.

The problem was my old, squinty eyes. I finally put on my reading glasses, fired up pbeasy, and lo and behold, there was a little, tiny, hard-to-see "+" symbol under the list of disks. Pressed it, and there was my external card. Partitioned and then Cloned without a hitch. Been running for a few days no problems. Probably had a flipped bit in some critical location. Well, after all, this is why I run from external SD in the first place!

<sigh>

People, I'm really sorry about this.

I'm braced for derision - please be merciful.

Steve

Re: Introducing console-tools v1 (install-tools replacemement)
 

No issues here, best problems are the ones that sort themselves out... ;)

Re: Introducing console-tools v1 (install-tools replacemement)
 

Is backup to Fat32 supported with current PB tools?

Re: Introducing console-tools v1 (install-tools replacemement)
 

I recently got a 16gb microsd (finally), so I've been trying to clone my OS and boot from the card.

I downloaded the console-tools .deb, and installed it normally (through application manager).

I open xterm, type "pb" and get the "scanning disks" and then the list of operations you can do (backup, scan, clone, etc.). However, when I try to do a full backup, it gives me the message,
"You have selected to backup all data on Can't make sub-window at (11,3) , size (1,37) . to Error: Expected at least 7 tokens for --radiolist, have 4. Use --help to list options.

Is this Correct??"

At this windows I have 3 choices, "ok" "extra" and "cancel".

When I go ahead and click "OK", it gives me
"Mounting
Can't make sub-window at (11,3), size (1,37) . FAILED, perhaps there is a problem with previous mounting? Try rebooting and running again?"

If I choose "extra", I get
"PARTITION INFORMATION
If you continue, all data from Can't make sub-window at (11,3), size (1,37) . will be backed up to Error: Expected at least 7 tokens for --radiolist, have 4. Use --help to list options..

SOURCE:"

I've tried rebooting and running it, but I don't see any changes. Any idea what is happening here?

Re: Introducing console-tools v1 (install-tools replacemement)
 

It's definitely not correct. What size is your font in xterm?? Try making it small. Sometimes if the font is too big it will have problems. If your eyes are bad, get your reading glasses out, or a magnifying glass. I am not convinced this is the issue though, this is a n800 or n810?? Are you running as user 'user'? What OS version are you running?

Re: Introducing console-tools v1 (install-tools replacemement)
 

From the 1st post
Fat support has not been added yet, sorry

Re: Introducing console-tools v1 (install-tools replacemement)
 

Whoops, I spoke too soon. I can now see the screen where you select a partition to back up, and I select /dev/mtdblock4 (my jffs2 internal memory) with the space bar to put a * next to it, and I choose 'ok'. When I do that, I get the same error as before ("You have selected to backup all data on /dev/mtdblock4 to Error: Expected at least 7 tokens for --radiolist, have 4. Use --help to list options. Is this Correct??").

At this windows I have 3 choices, "ok" "extra" and "cancel".

When I choose 'ok', I get
"Mounting
Error: Expected at least 7 tokens for --radiolist, have 4. Use --help to list options. FAILED, perhaps there is a problem with previous mounting? Try rebooting and running again?"

When I choose 'extra', I get
"PARTITION INFORMATION
If you continue, all data from /dev/mtdblock4 will be backed up to Error: Expected at least 7 tokens for --radiolist, have 4. Use --help to list options..

SOURCE:
/dev/mtdblock4 "Size: 256MB Used: Free: AVAIL Type: jffs2"

TARGET:"

In response to your questions:
Font: Serif, 12 pt.
Tablet: n810
I'm still new to xterm, so I'm not quite sure what "running as user 'user'" means. I'm running 'pb' as soon as I open xterm. I'm not in root, if that's what you're asking. If I try running pb in root, nothing happens.
OS Version: 5.2008.43-7

Re: Introducing console-tools v1 (install-tools replacemement)
 

(I edited the previous post with more information).

Re: Introducing console-tools v1 (install-tools replacemement)
 

got exactly the same as elimoon8 on my n800 (pbeasy run after sudo-gainroot)

Re: Introducing console-tools v1 (install-tools replacemement)
 

Hopefully we can figure out what's happening soon. I have only about 10 megabytes of internal memory left (after I uninstalled some stuff). :(

Re: Introducing console-tools v1 (install-tools replacemement)
 

Are you using the on screen keyboard? I had a similar experience until I used my bt keyboard. ( N800)

I seem to recall others fixing this by making the font in xterm smaller.?.

Re: Introducing console-tools v1 (install-tools replacemement)
 

I found 12 pt. to be pretty small. Please let me know what you have your font set to (size and font type) in xterm so I can try that.
I was using the slide out keyboard of the n810 when I experienced the issue.

Re: Introducing console-tools v1 (install-tools replacemement)
 

Hi PB
I have N810, 43-7
I downloaded and installed Console-tools apparently successfully.
However, things are not working properly.
I partitioned and cloned to my ext SD (16GB)
I got the boot text and I ned to use my keyboard to select my option.
It is saying is booting from my ext SD but I don't think so.
After booting, I look to my external memory and it shows only 191.8 MB available. I partitioned: 192MB & 256MB.
It show me all this info when it was partitioning/cloning.

I notice when is cloning is progressing well until 99% and stays there a long time. After I got a message:
cat: can't open '/tmp/rval.tmp' ; no such file or directory

I flashed and cloning twice with identical behavior.
Any suggestions?

Thank you