FatdogArm Alpha [CLOSED]

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01micko
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#41 Post by 01micko »

Ted Dog wrote:confirm the modprobe given above works, so would I be able to save/load used this like the unsquash idea above, how do I add this module to the boot loader?
init wrote:# loadmodules - list of modules to be loaded, comma-separated (default none)
so something like

Code: Select all

loadmodules=loadmodules=first-mod,another-mod
in uEnv.txt

then I guess put in your boot.scr $loadmodules then compile it into boot.cmd
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jamesbond
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#42 Post by jamesbond »

Ted Dog wrote:here is my multisession ls results from FatdogArm, works fine:
Oh, yes I had to miss that "multi" part ... so yeah in multisession all the SFSes are loaded to RAM, there no way to avoid that at the time being (the kernel as compiled has 127 branch limit which will easily be passed if you load all the multisession files directly).

What I said about "second-best" memory usage is that if you use a savefile/savedir directly, that is, savefile=direct:device:xxxx.
01micko wrote:
Ted Dog wrote:confirm the modprobe given above works, so would I be able to save/load used this like the unsquash idea above, how do I add this module to the boot loader?
init wrote:# loadmodules - list of modules to be loaded, comma-separated (default none)
so something like

Code: Select all

loadmodules=loadmodules=first-mod,another-mod
in uEnv.txt

then I guess put in your boot.scr $loadmodules then compile it into boot.cmd
Or you can add the loadmodules parameter as Micko said above to the end of the "extras" line in uEnv.txt (that's a very long line, make sure you don't accidentally break it with a newline) and avoid compiling boot.cmd.
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Ted Dog
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#43 Post by Ted Dog »

Any thoughts on this chip set looks right,
http://www.onda-tablet.com/review/produ ... d/380/?p=2

Image

like the price :wink:

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#44 Post by starhawk »

jamesbond, if I order one of those T004 Android sticks, per my previous post, how would I make FatdogARM work on it? Please bear in mind that I have the sort of programming experience and knowledge that causes make to construct a magic fireworks display when I ask for an application... meaning, of course, a spectacular show that actually accomplishes very little ;)

...oh, and the T004 is almost certainly *not* rooted and I can find out very little info about it -- all the existing 'documentation' seems to be poorly-written sales pitches...

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#45 Post by 01micko »

@ starhawk (and Ted Dog)

These are just my thoughts... bear in mind I can compile and hack stuffs..

You need to know certain things about the thing (technical term <--"thing").. that you want to boot FD-A on, such as:
  • armv7 arch? .. should go without saying
  • is it sunxi? (if so, good, if not, you definitely need to build a kernel and maybe userspace extras)
  • what wireless/ethernet does it have? (as in chipset, you really need to know what linux module the thing uses, likely need to build a kernel)
  • how does it boot? (uBoot? some other way? likely hacking involved here)
  • is there special drivers the "thing" needs? (touch, other input, etc, likely need to build a kernel/userspace stuffs)
  • firmware, as in proprietary crap that the "thing" depends upon.. these things need to be loaded when the thing boots.
  • probably much more that escapes me ATM
If the answer to any or all of these is "too hard basket", get a mele-A1000 as jamesbond has, else you are pretty much on your own.

I do not want to damper things, just point out the reality.

HTH
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Ted Dog
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#46 Post by Ted Dog »

But I already have a Mele1000A and I do not see it much available anymore with all the extra (computer like goodies VGA etc ) being dropped in later versions.

BTW this is being typed on a MeLe 1000A, have not even turned on my other computers in days! It took the wall plug for my Apple iPhone charger so the Mele is doing double duty as a charger!

Strange that it does not see the iPhone as a USB file like standard puppylinux (I do not recall trying the iPhone with regular FD64, so may not be a bug per-say)

Im looking for an cheap usable tablet for the one switch project effort.

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#47 Post by starhawk »

...and a Mele is well beyond outside of my price range. I can barely afford the T004...

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#48 Post by jamesbond »

Starhawk, unfortunately, 01micko is right :shock:

Compared to the ARM world, x86 world suddenly looks very homogenous. PAE or non-PAE discussions suddenly feels like kid's talk.

ARM world is very different from x86. In ARM world, every ARM device is different - it has different CPUs (with different capabilities which can't even be probed by software), different chip features (which can't be probed by software), different peripherals (which can't be probed by software) ... in x86 world, every laptop or desktop may be different but *almost all* of them have PCI busses and these features can be probed by software - thus enabling auto-configuration. There is no such thing on ARM :shock:

Case in point - a few posts earlier Ted Dog asked how to access his SATA disk and I said, load the sw_ahci_platform module. But FD-Arm already comes with udev, and udev is supposed to automatically load modules when a particular is detected, right? Right? Yes --- except that udev on ARM can't probe that the platform has SATA support to begin with :( thus it must be loaded manually.

Thus every single device will need work. FD-Arm is currently configured for Mele A1000 but it will definitely needs re-configuration for Mele M5. Have you seen this link: Adopting FatdogArm?

How about others? Look here: Official Fedora Arm 19 release notes and here: Fedora Arm 19 remixes. As you can see, almost every other ARM platform gets its own distribution ... Same story with Debian too.

Coming nearer to home, Mavrothal is currently adapting FD-Arm for OLPC. No, not for OLPC, for XO laptop. No, not for XO laptop, it is for XO-4 laptop. When done, he will probably come out with a specific image for XO-4 laptop. This makes it easier for people to get the image, dd it into a USB stick and boots it up on XO-4. But someone has to prepare for it. And so that it is noted, the image for XO-4 will not work on XO-1.75 although both are ARM platforms and both are using Marvell CPU (different model though). It is that specific. (I will be the one working on XO-1.75 laptop). 01micko did the same for Pandora - without his work FD-Arm *will not boot* on it. He may release his own adapted version of FD-Arm sooner or later.

To conclude: the only sure fire way to get FD-Arm (or any other ARM distro out there) to work on a specific ARM device is to get someone to test, adapt and package FD-ARM for that device. Only then you can just get a downloadable image with a few easy steps to follow (dd to SD card, etc).

If not, then one must take the path less travelled. I can be your guide and tell you pointers and perhaps some generic steps, but since I do not own the specific device you have in mind I will not be able to tell you exactly the steps to do or why certain things won't or can't work (well, this is true in Fatdog64 too); but before we even being the path, as Micko pointed out above, one must be equipped with certain skills which can be learned along the way. The only consolation I can offer is that the journey will be fun (if you like that sort of fun :twisted: ).

====

@Ted Dog,
From the spec, the Onda looks like it uses standard A10, so that's quite identical to what Mele A1000. The only thing to worry about is the "script.bin", the touchscreen driver, and the wireless driver.

@Starhawk,
The T004 is based on A10s (which is sun5i, not sun4i like A10), so it will require a different boot loader, a different kernel, and its "script.bin". It's a stick so we can forget about the touchscreen, but still beware of the wireless driver.

----

To know what driver is being used for these devices, install Android "Terminal" app, launch it, and from there do "ls /sys/modules". You will get an indication of all the drivers being used. If looking for touchscreen, do "cat /proc/bus/input/devices" and peruse it.

To copy the script.bin, look at here: http://linux-sunxi.org/Submitting_Boards, the easiest is the second from the bottom ("script.bin from nanda mount"), but it requires that your device is rooted (only root can mount /dev/block/nanda for good reasons). If it is not rooted you must use other (much more) convoluted way, unfortunately.

And without the right script.bin, the chance that FD-Arm will work on the device is approximately zero.

----

@Starhawk, no I'm not advocating you to get Mele A1000. It is an old device, as Ted Dog pointed out it may not even be avalable anymore; nor do I want to tell you to get anything outside your purchasing power.

But I do hope you understand the issues - whatever device you choose, it's going to be complicated (and devices like CX-01 multiply the complications by many times to the point that it isn't worth it anymore).

cheers!
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#49 Post by Ted Dog »

The BeagleBone Black is like the device you stated for the same general price range, and is designed from the ground up as a hacker playground, while I like the price points for cheap china crap,especially hackabl3 ones, they come with a host of nagging problems that can't be solved without lot effort, and a technical friend that speak Chinese.
http://beagleboard.org/

It's from Texas so there may still be a language problem, for you foreigners :twisted: Doesn't affect me... I just wish I could pick one up in person. :P

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#50 Post by starhawk »

Beaglebone Black is $45. Plus I'd have to get a 5v 2a wall wart somewhere -- I don't have one here. eBay wall warts are bad for one's health, of course, so it will be a little expensive. I could get the MicroHDMI->HDMI cable on eBay tho...

I'll think about it but I'm not enthusiastic.

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#51 Post by Ted Dog »

5V 2A wall warts are available in more unlikely places, My mele1000A has one and my older PSP wall wort, and PSP car charger runs MeLe, a old USB powered HUB wall wart, wireless Access Point, and antique 100/10T based router, (+/- reversed) Solar battery charger, rechargeable adapter that PROVEN to charge iPhones that includes different tips [This is best as a pass-thro, and can be had cheaply]

Could a swore that I saw the IT BBB included power, MiniHDMI and usb cable, check around there are MANY suppliers, three I've done business with before (for decades)

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#52 Post by Ted Dog »

Check this out, its really close to MeLe and offers the same ports and slightly newer Alwinner A13

http://www.mouser.com/new/olimex/olimex-A13olinuxino/

did not see price so.... :?:

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#53 Post by starhawk »

Here's the product page with price.

http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Oli ... f8G7WT37Q7

Just under $80.

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#54 Post by Ted Dog »

A little to high eh? I like that it takes such a large voltage range, I could run it directly from most solar cells i own from dusk to dawn, I was upset that the battery charger cuts out under 13V when I can get 6V's at dust and dawn just before sun is no longer visible from the solar cells

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#55 Post by starhawk »

More than a little -- the T004 stick I can afford, barely -- the beaglebone I can save up for if I'm careful (I don't have a good history here!) -- but $80 for what at this point is really a toy? Not happening.

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#56 Post by jamesbond »

Speeding up ARM compilation - Fatdog64 and FatdogArm building together:

http://jamesbond3142.no-ip.org/wiki/wik ... singDistcc.
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#57 Post by Ted Dog »

jamesbond wrote:Speeding up ARM compilation - Fatdog64 and FatdogArm building together:

http://jamesbond3142.no-ip.org/wiki/wik ... singDistcc.
Great find :wink: just think what more than one host would do to speedup ARM development.

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#58 Post by jamesbond »

Ted Dog wrote:Great find :wink: just think what more than one host would do to speedup ARM development.
Well that depends ... http://jamesbond3142.no-ip.org/blog/?viewDetailed=00054 :wink:
You can definitely use more than one host, I've tried that too. And it works.
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#59 Post by Ted Dog »

Seems like a complex way of solving the out of RAM issue, but go for it, that QEMU method would be useful for many other people and sort of like Aboriginal :wink:
For me I'd find a old sata hardrive and configure a FAT swap partition to solve that.
I had a picked up a seagate hybrid drive for use with my MeLe1000 last year, but it's sitting in a old Windows Vista machine storing files to large to backup without splitting into BluRay disks.
Ordered a new pack of BluRays discs, and will clear (backup) some other harddrives from storage, and free that drive for its original use.

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#60 Post by jamesbond »

Ted Dog wrote: For me I'd find a old sata hardrive and configure a FAT swap partition to solve that.
Ted, the problem isn't want of or lack of swap space; I've already configured a large swap partition on external USB disk. The problem is VM trashing (wikipedia link) which you can only address by adding more memory, or in this, case by getting one of these or these (scroll down, then check right-most column). Unfortunately they are out of my budget for now :?
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