Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

Okay, now a new version of ubiboot-02 (rev. 0.3.1) is ready for download at swagman.

Props for coderus with helping to debug the race condition I had in the previous version :)

Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

Well, I thought more about using sequence from 01 (mtd4/5 r/w). And new logic from 02.
As I see the init code is compiled into the kernel, so there is no chance for own debugging any more, right?


And out of curiosity: what was the problem with harmattans autoboot? I took a look, but did not see nay suspicious.

Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

What about the ubiboot-01 you find that you need, is it the softlinks in /boot/, like do you need Nemo->/mnt/8 or something like that?
The links are in the cpio, so it's only necessary to change that.

The root cause was not the G_HARMATTAN_AUTOBOOT=1 setting, and neither it was the VFAT on /mtd/4. Actually it was a race condition in init that caused /mtd/2 to be umounted before the kernel selection :eek:
For the whole story, see the IRC log at http://www.swagman.org/juice/ubiboot/irclog

Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

no that dosn't matter. Will try the 0.3.1 next.

Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

I think that won't fit. My mtd5 is ~25MB the cpio file >50MB. Have to use it on ~/MyDocs/boot.

The mtd5 is a nice fallback, if you have to debug a little more ;-)

Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

Please do, that one fixes the selection bug.

What's your HW revision btw? I am still collecting data about revisions where ubiboot has problems, to find out if rev.1603 is the only problematic device.

Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

1501

The 0.3.1 did the first successfull boot. I only changed the cpio-file and flashed the new kernel.

Thanks.

Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

You can actually trim down thd cpio quite a lot. Most of the 50M is extra kernel modules which I included just in case (for future expansion needs).

You can delete the /lib/modules hierarchy from the cpio and repack it, and the size will be about 3.6M :D

Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

@juiceme
Could you please post the command for cpio, as I am not used to that format and do not know which parameters to give for packing (unpacking is easy :)).


I had a deeper look into sources this evening, and I was a bit "disappointed" (dont get me wrong!). I thought with G_MOUNTABLE_PARTITIONS we also got configurable Nemo partition. But that is not the case. So I made my own configuration. Not yet tested, as I am on the road without flasher tools, so if you could check that and use that maybe?
I think it will work and all changes are based on 05042013 version. So a diff will let you know easily.
Of course I do need it only for Nemo. But maybe later I want to move Nit to another real partition. And for Harmattan this maybe could also be usable to have a safe copy (dd p2 to p5) of a bootable Harmattan version for developers/tweakers?

--edit
I forgot about the links /boot/Nemo and /boot/Harmattan to /mnt/x.
Attached is v2 of my mods (only affected:@select_animated_os.sh).
They are checked to point to correct configured partition number, else they are removed and created again. I do not know if this is possible with cpio version?

--edit
corrected nit partition number in conf
set chroot folder for nit back to 0p3/nitdroid (default)
added hack for aegis store (.aegisfs, .account, .activesync), onyl needed (or maybe not at all, discussion ongoing) for switching between stock and openmode kernel (hereby creating accounts)

Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

To unpack the cpio archive to current directory with command: "cpio -id --no-absolute-filenames < ubiboot-02.menus.cpio"

Tp repack the current directory to cpio archive, use command "find . | cpio -H newc -o > ../ubiboot-02.menus.cpio"


Yes, you are of course correct :)
At some point I thought about that, just like I have the initscript defined like in G_HARMATTAN_INITSCRIPT I should perhaps have the partition also configurable...
I just did not implement it at that time :D

Maybe the partition should also be defined like a sed replacement string for the whole partition name
(something like G_HARMATTAN_PARTITION="\/dev\/mmcblk0p2")

Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

Thanks for cpio lesson.

As the N9 does not support SD cards my thinking was there is no need for full partition names (just partition number is unique name). But in general you are right, of course ;)

For NIT it may work directly with my small changes, for Harmattan I do expect some more problems, direct p2 access, whatever. So this would surprise if it would work out of the box ;)

--edit
Please see latest changes.

Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

Neat, the changes make sense and at least the partition number variableizing is going to be included in future releases.

What about the aegis-directory copying hack, can you make SIP calls with your operator work correctly with it?
I would not include that yet in official releases as it depends on your device that you back up the aegis directories before taking that into use... :D

I would like to see if the method Jonni proposed would work with your SIP accounts (meaning, reflash to open mode without booting to closed mode between)

Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

OK!??

After non-booting and correction of (lot of) typos ;) I switched between stock and openmode kernel.
Still it did not work, so I double-checked and found that I could not delete (rm) the links from stock/closed kernel, even with devel-su and develsh. So I checked those links and I created them as root under openmode. ! ?
OK, nevertheless created a new account for SIP (working under stock kernel).
Then booted to open kernel and expected my accounts to ask for passwords. Guess what?
Right. There was nothing asking me. Everything was right. All my e-mail accounts worked directly. Of course the SIP could not connect.
Then created another mail account under open mode and rebootedL no password was asked, so everything fine.
What should I say?
No need for my little hack (which would need more testing) and no need to reflash (Jonni's proposed method). But maybe I will go for this once again . Maybe (right now no need anymore).

P.S.: I do not understand it and I feel tricked/cheated/verarscht ...

Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

peterleinchen,

You re-created the aegis directories in open mode so they won't ask you for passwords again even if you did the new account creation in normal mode...

Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

But I am pretty sure, that I rm'ed those directories under open kernel. And created a new mail account directly.
Only explanation I have is that I maybe deleted and created the first (SIP) account then under closed stock kernel (so aegis striked again).
But this time I am absolutely sure to have the first account created under open mode!

Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

peterleinchen,

When flashing an open mode kernel, the CAL is converted to read-only and this region becomes writeable only when the rootfs is flashed again. Flashing just the stock kernel wont reverse the read-only state of CAL. Hence the experience you faced ;)

Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

It is (not) totally OT to this thread, but not really related to ubiboot. So I do not want to hijack juicee's thread. :)
But: ;)
I know about CAL. And I did not flash in between these two experiences. Just removed the dirs again and started all over to create my accounts.
Once it did not work. Second time it worked. :confused:

BTW (if we speak OT ;)):
Is really nobody experiencing the same SIP behaviour with OpenKernel (no connection, but with stock kernel everything works) under ubiboot? Or does nobody use SIP?

Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

E-yes has compiled a new nitdroid kernel image that includes the L2Fix.

Using this new image in ubiboot lets ICS boot up in 33 seconds vs. using the older zimage.pr13 which takes about 65 seconds to boot.
Also, Nitdroid is instantly more responsive to touch after the boot.

You can download the new kernel from http://downloads.nitdroid.com/e-yes/n9/ubiboot/zImage
(md5sum=22114bd3cbaa88ee8c49c022f53080a1)

Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

Hello juiceme, hello guys.
The ubiboot_01 version for the mtd5 Partition working perfect for me, but ubiboot_02 not working at all... I put ubiboot-02.menus.cpio, ubiboot.conf and my kernels inside the MyDocs/boot folder. Also copied the kernel zImages into /boot on my N9 rootfs.
in the ubiboot.cfg I adjusted folders to /boot/.

I see the menus, can choose the kernel (or not choose them)...
Then i got black screen and nothing happen....

Any ideas ?

PS: inside the mtd5 i have a fully working ubifs_01 with all kernels inside /mnt/boot

Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

For sure just typos in config. But without posting content of conf amd ls of kernel directory we all can just guess.

Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

Can you post the log files that ubiboot-02 creates on your Harmattan partition?
Each time it runs it will log to /var/log/ubiboot.dmesg and /var/log/ubiboot.log
If you copy those logs to pastebin.com, for example, I will see what's happening on your device.

Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

Thank you very much juiceme for Your patience with us ;-)
Here are my log files, but I i take this files now (running ubiboot_01 on my mtd5)
I don't know if the log shows previos messages, where the ubiboot_02 was active...

ubiboot.log
http://pastebin.com/pkEGB2Dh

ubiboot.dmesg
http://pastebin.com/6jiRzFjw

Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

Okay, from your ubiboot.log I can see the following things:
(I am here looking at the second-latest boot in the file, as that is a normal non-maintanance boot)

ubiboot-02 has started corectly, and found the cpio archive from your MyDocs/boot directory

Normal boot detected, no USB cables connected

Menu is loaded and shown for user

Finally the selection is booted and ubiboot log ends.

Now, this kernel location looks like it's trying to load something that does not exist. As the root of ubiboot-02 is on the ramFS, when kernel is specified as "/boot/zImage.nit", it is trying to load from /boot of the ramFS, not from mmcblk/mtd partitions.

For example, on my device the Harmattan kernel line from my last boot reads like this:

Of course that is also possible to boot kernel from ubiboot-02 rootfs, but then you would need to put the kernel inside the cpio to be loaded into ramFS.

Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

To sum it up, you need to specify the Harmattan/Nitdroid kernel locations like this in your ubiboot.conf:

"/boot/Harmattan/boot/zImage-2.6.32.54-dfl61-20121301"
"/boot/Harmattan/boot/zImage.nit"

Then, it will load the kernels from your "mmcblk0p2:/boot/", the location that appears as "/boot/" on your Harmattan installation.

Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

Finially got triple boot!!!
Stuck at the preinit without x premission and where the zImage should place.
Thanks a lot!!!

Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

Thank you very much juiceme, now i understand.

One last question:

mmcblk0p:/boot/ is it the /boot/ Folder on Harmattan rootfs or /home/user/MyDocs/boot/ ?

Now i have the kernels on both places, but this is not necessary, i think ?

Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

Yes, mmcblk0p1:/boot/ is the /home/user/MyDocs/boot/

You need only to have kernels on mmcblk0p2:/boot/, just like when using ubiboot-01. This is compability feature, I kept the kernel repository location same on both -01 and -02.

On first glance this might look a bit funny, that kernels are not on the same directory as the ubiboot-02 configuration file and cpio archive, but that is a concious design.

Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

Mirrored the ubiboot repository on swagman.org to skeiron.org.
It might be that for some people access to skeiron is faster.

The mirror url is http://juiceme.cloud-7.de/ubiboot/

Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

Is it reasonable to think that thanks to this multiboot OS loader we will have in the future a working Android and Jolla on our N9 ?
I mean, thinking out load, now with the ability to boot custom kernel, there are no more limitations, right ?

Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

Well, booting alternate OS'es has been possible on the device for quite a some time, ubiboot only makes it very handy to do due to no external flasher required and via nice boot menu.

There are always limitations, for example the primary boot loader and NOLO are still locked but to most things there exist workarounds.

Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

Hi Everybody.

I managed to get up and running with ubiboot using Harmattan and Nittroid, but in this last weekend the baterry of my N9 went dead and now I can't chage it with ubiboot.

If I leave the usb cable connected to the charger the phone charges a bit and then enters the debug mode, as there is a usb cable connected. If I leave it there, it doesn't do nothing and short after, the phone shuts down when baterry runs out of juice.

Is there any way I can continue the boot process through telnet without unplugging the usb from the phone?

I think I need to go throught the OS seclection of ubi boot so it can charge correctly.

I have G_DEFAULT options in place:
G_DEFAULT_OS="Harmattan"
G_DEFAULT_KERNEL="/boot/Harmattan/boot/zImage-2.6.32.54-dfl61-20121301"

Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

boot into Harmattan via telnet:

Select your kernel when the menu comes up after the second command then enter the third command ;)

Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

Hi!

thedead1440 gives you the correct advice, with those commands you can boot the selected kernel/OS manually.

Another way is to use a non-computer charger, just plug your N9 into wall charger instead of computer. The device will notice it is connected to a charger and instead of going to repair mode, it will enter charging mode.

Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

Another method (not that much sophisticated ;)), but worked for me when I was hit by this.
plug in, let charge for a minute or so (as long as LED blinks), shut down via 8 second long power button push. Do this for two or three times and it should have enough (watch out:)) juice to load the second stage kernel and charge normally.
To get to second stage kernel, just plug USB out and directly in again.

--edit
Just seen juiceme's advice and I have to add that this is only possible with ubiboot-02.

--edit2
@juiceme
above commands would be nice to have in a small script (maybe /boot/boot?) bundled already and provided in ubifs.

Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

Ah yes, that's true. Only ubiboot-02 contains the startup mode sniffing which enables charger type detection and RTC alarm boot detection.

My bad, as I kind of thought everybody is using -02 these days. :D

Maybe I should update the corrections done to -02 to the -01 branch, too...

Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

Thank you guys! It worked.

I changed to the default N9 charger, and used thedead1440's instructions to manualy select the kernel (although I coud not run the third command).

Now I have the charging icon on my N9 screen.

From now on I'll try to charge my N9 using only its default charger, and not the iPhone/iPad one or the computer.

The last thing I need to figure out now is how to install and setup Nemo OS to boot through ubiboot.

Thank you all once again.

Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

Hello juiceme,
one last question befor I try to make my N9 act as Tripleboot-System via ubiboot-02.

I read lot of manuals by installing Nemo on N9. Unfortunately there are a lot of options, for N9, for N950 (don' know if there any difference).

Maybe it would be very helpfool for others, when i can write a small step-by-step manual for installing Nemo as a third System on N9.

Please correct me, if I'm wrong:

First I LOAD a modified moslo, to have the ability to repartition my MyDocs Partition EMMC on N9:

sudo flasher -k usr/share/moslo-n9/zImage-moslo -n usr/share/moslo-n9/initrd-moslo -l -b

Right?
How I should repartition the MyDocs ?

Should I run autopartition.sh script ? With which options? or the partition will be repartitioned automaticaly when I load a modified Moslo?


Maybe You or anybody other, who installed Nemo on ubiboot can provide a simple step-by-step-manual for doin that...

Thank You, juiceme, and all others, CodeRUS, peterleinchen and all others, who spent his time with us, making things better and easier...And have a lot of patience with noobs....

Thank you guys !!!

Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

When you do that with a device that contains the default 3 partitions (root, home, MyDocs) the partitioning is started automatically by init on the moslo ramdisk.

What will happen, is your mmcblk0p1 (MyDocs) is broken into 2 pieces, it will become mmcblk0p1 and mmcblk0p4, where the partition 4 is at the end of the original MyDocs.
The new partiton size is 4G, so if you have a 16G device it will quite drastically shorten your MyDocs partition.

And hey, backup your MyDocs before the partitoning!! :D

When the partitoning and formatting is done, the new device is exported over USB to your linux PC (and it has to be linux, since if you do this with windows it will not understand anything about the new partition, since it's ext4fs...)

Now you are ready to unpack the content of the Nemo filesystem tar to the new fresh partition.

Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

Thank You juiceme, thank you guys! You are the best!

Now i have tripleboot !

By the way. Where i can get the vmlinuz-3.5.3-juice kernel ?
What are the advantages ?

Re: Introducing ubiboot N9 (multiboot OS loader)
 

You're welcome :)

That's just one of my test kernels. Now and then I get some ideas I want to test and build some throwaway kernels. That is an attempt to run Nemo with the latest linux kernel, but it's incomplete as yet.