Second stage loader

  • Nothing?


    Would it help if I explained what I want them for?


    I have three projects in mind:
    1) Changing the "backup" code so that a regular nfi-file is produced. As it is, you can produce a backup, but there is no way to restore that file...
    2) Changing the code that reads the autoexec.bat/autorun.bat files, so that kernel parameters can be set in the text file. This would make the second-stage loader far more useful when you want to boot from other sources than flash. I'm booting from CF at the moment (on a 7025), but I did it by changing the kernel configuration, and that method's a little bit too painful.
    3) (Low priority, mostly because it's a lot of work...) Add code to support loading the kernel from USB.

  • Erm, yes.


    1.) i've already wrote the reason in the other thread why we don't produce an .nfi file (jffs2 garbage collection would be required). If you have a good plan, i'm of course willing to implement that.


    2.) this should work with recent secondstage loaders. Just put the kernel cmdline after the filename, seperated with a space.


    3.) do you know some simple USB code, which can speak OHCI and usb-storage? I only found some ports of the linux usb stack...


    We'll commit soon again, sorry for the delay. We have to sort out some things, and we didn't wanted to make things more complicated than they needed to.

  • 1) I'm not sure if it's good or bad, but how about making a 90% solution? Given that a solution that works in all cases is too much work to be worth it, would it be possible to make a simpler approach, and just give up if certain conditions were not satisfied? What would those conditions be? That the flash doesn't contain enough erased blocks?
    2) Works perfectly. Thanks a lot! BTW, to me it seems like running ext3 on CF is actually a little bit faster than running jffs2 on internal flash. Can anyone confirm or deny this?
    3) I'll keep my eyes open. Personally, now that I have a CF that works so good, USB isn't that important to me.


    I'm looking forward to seing the source code for the second stage loader being re-released. Hope I'm not insulting anyone by saying so, but the amount of documentation for the second stage loader is less than impressing. You really need the sources to make the most of it.

  • Zitat

    Original von noggie
    BTW, to me it seems like running ext3 on CF is actually a little bit faster than running jffs2 on internal flash. Can anyone confirm or deny this?


    In my experience, this is true since ever.
    Images running on external ext3 devices are quite faster than the same booted from internal flash.
    I noticed it by booting images from usb/cf/hdd on 7000 and 7020 as well.

    FlashWizard PRO developer

  • Zitat

    Originally posted by tmbinc
    We'll commit soon again, sorry for the delay. We have to sort out some things, and we didn't wanted to make things more complicated than they needed to.


    I think this must qualify as one the longest "soon"s in history. One year and counting...


    Or did I miss the announcement on where to get them from?

  • Hi noggie !


    Thangs fror all your help/inputs on Multiboot for 7025.


    Well, in the meantime I have given up on waiting for a better bootloader or Flashwizzard to ever come out on the 7025.


    BUT Multiboot for 7025 will be 1 year old at Easter 2007, so I decided to start discussion on how the next generation should look like codenamed Barry Allen :winking_face: which could be a kind of birthday present.


    I think your input would be VERY valuable if and how this should be implemented.


    For Example I still have not decided if I should continue to use the Multiboot approach (using seperate partitions and manipulate autorun.bat bootdevice) or the change root approach that Flashwizzard or DreamFlash are using.


    I think I will not use your miniroot/kernel approach, but this is still open for discussion.


    Input is welcome, and by using a USB driver linked kernel in Flash for the first boot stage I think we could live without an USB bootenabled secondstage, even when it would have been nice - but as I already said, sometimes you simply have to give up and go for the next best alternative.


    Ciao
    gutemine :winking_face:

    Einmal editiert, zuletzt von Lost in Translation ()

  • Zitat

    Originally posted by gutemine


    I think your input would be VERY valuable if and how this should be implemented.


    Not too sure about that, I'm afraid. I'm still using a combination of my own scripts and manual installation, which is good enough for my needs. Mostly because I don't really "multiboot", I do "alternative boot" so that I can install a new image before getting rid of my old one.


    To tempt me away from my current setup, I would need features similar to "grub", but it's just too much work (for me, at least) to start a project like that from scratch.

  • well, I tested some simplier bootloaders, but at the end if there is no USB support in the bootloader there is no real added value to the current one.


    For users like us which know how all this works (well I learnt it from you and others to be honest) this is no real problem or limitation.


    But the average (dumb/normal) user is needing far less in reality. Even with multiboot now having a nice enigma2 plugin, enable 4 dummies, etc it is simply still to complex for lots of people.


    Multiboot was also a kind of nice toy, meaning over time it cumulated lots of other things which are not essential for it's basic functionality - but it was fund implementing them :winking_face:


    So the idea behind Barry Allan is to be ASAP (as simple as possible).


    Just an ipk install, put in CF card or USB stick, and here it goes ...


    Miniroot was not that bad :smiling_face:


    So maybe if i have a tricky question you might get a PM, for example I would like to include your nfi extract tool directly in the bootmanager's code at a later stage and the WebIF from miniroot was also a good way to avoid a full PC client.


    Ciao
    gutemine

    2 Mal editiert, zuletzt von Lost in Translation ()