I see. I should commit it. I do it usually, forgot about it this time. The RX-44 line is not needed for N800 device but the filename should be different, /proc/component_version not /etc/initfs_version. The latter no longer tells what device it is since the firmware is shared between N800 and N810.

I am thinking your first thought is probably the correct one. As you say the perhaps a gui tool, or some easy way to setup boot from SD/mmc would be nice. Althoug its probably easier to script, create and clone the install process into a file on vfat than partitioning the SD cards themselves since people already have data on the often, and so many variables with card sizes. But if you can not boot it, it does ont really matter how easy it is.


For XFCE, I created a 1GB file on VFAT, but it only mounted as /usr/local giving enough space to install everything without need for them knowing how to partition. This does not seem the cleanest way though.

So I think we need a way to easily configure boot from mmc.

On the 810 if you use the internal 2GB space, this could probably be easily scripted to convert to boot from providing you dont mind erasing it.

Sorry many disjointed thoughts flying through my mind, I am just trying to spit out the relevant ones

Some community brainstorming is needed!!

I've been reading this and various other threads (and wiki entries) trying to figure out the ideal method of setting up my N800 with easy post-OS2008-install maintainability in mind.

Despite being comfortable with Linux, the methods and components people talk about sound somewhat unfamiliar.

I apologize if these questions have been hashed over and over again in various threads, but I just haven't got a cohesive picture yet...

The setup I'd be interested in achieving is:

1) Using the non-user-replacable Flash (mmc?) as a glorified boot manager (like supergrub, perhaps with some useful utilities, like cloning internal SD card to external, fsck etc.).

This "#1 partition" should probably sit on wear-levelling jffs2 to guarantee long life, but in any case writing here should be very limited to protect the precious internal Flash.

2) The internal SD slot, which can be easily backed up or replaced, should contain a larger (and faster) SD card holding one or more partitions with the full OS and apps. One could have e.g. different OS versions on the first/second/third SD partitions, or perhaps different users could have their own personalized versions of OS2008 (multiboot).

The choice of partitition sizes and filesystems would depend on the user's preferences (?), but all formatting and initial install and setup (and backing up) on the (main) internal SD card could also be performed separately on a PC.

A setup wizard or Wiki/Howto explaining various strategies (wrt. intended usage and card size) and providing (semi)automated scripts could take lot of the xterm pain and fear out of this process.

3) User data could either reside on the "OS partitions" themselves (MyDocs), on a shared "data partition" (SharedDocs) on the same internal SD card, or on the external SD card the user could insert when required (automounted).


I don't know if such a setup already exists or whether it is even feasible or desirable, but from my desktop Linux user's point of view it would be more familiar and perhaps more easily maintainable than the current way which I obviously don't completely understand so please be gentle with your criticism.

I recently installed initfs flasher on my n810 and I was able to get it working and boot from the internal media card. I could only get it to work with version 1.2007.42-18 or 2008OS, I had upgraded to .42-19 but I was not able to get it working until I downgraded back to .42-18. Also when the boot menu comes up none of the keys on the n810 work so it just boots to what I have set as default (mmc2, partition 2) after the 30 secs or so count down. But other than that I'm able to boot into the internal media card on the n810 with version 1.2007.42-18 of 2008OS.

I have not read through the every post but look at #25 in this thread, this talks about the keys, (evkey) I am not sure what levels are supported. Fanoush is 42-19 supposed to be working?

Thanks for your report, this is first one with real N810 :-)
Yes, that's possible I have only tried -18 on my N800 and hoped -19 won't be so different. I'll take a look at newer N810 firmware.
So my guess was wrong and N810 uses different input device name or perhaps it uses different key codes. Can you help with debugging this?

As root try to run this

And then press left or right arrow. Yu have 5 seconds for this. Do you see some number printed? If not, try same command but with event1 or 3 or 4 or 5 (try "ls /dev/input/event*" to see all of them). If you find right event device for keyboard, can you post key codes for four arrow keys, center key and two buttons next to display? It is even possible that display buttons will be different eventX device than the keyboard. Thanks.

Ok I ran that command and found that I only got key codes for event0. The n810 has event0-3 listed on mine, heres the codes I got for the keys I tried (all event0):
up: 103
right: 106
down: 108
left: 105
center key: 96
window switcher (top button next to display): 63
back (button under window switcher): 1
enter on keyboard: 28
menu key: 62

Let me know if you need any others.

Thanks a lot. Keycodes are same (except center key which was 28 before) only device name differs. If you wish you can edit bootmenu.sh inside initfs_flasher and replace 2 with 0 in
and reflash initfs and menu keys should work. I will check -19 FW and update flasher archive.

Ok I'll try that and let you know how it goes.

OK, I have updated initfs flasher archive. it uses event0 for N810, both enter and select keys should work for selecting menu and -19 N810 firmware should now work too (initfs version changed in -19 but otherwise linuxrc script is same as in -18). If someone tries this with N810, let me know here how it works. Thanks.