Linux distro on NSA325

[SomeoneOnLine]

Sorry it was my misunderstanding. What is the difference between Archlinux and getting a linux distro such as debian working on these arm devices? I read the wiki https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Arch_Compared_to_Other_Distributions to better understand. but am still a little blind at the subject. At first I thought archlinux was a forum dedicated to getting public distros of linux installed on arm devices. My bad for my misunderstanding. I guess I have to read some more to better understand.

~SOL

[AvanOsch]

Well, I made a simple serial cable...

The final error message I get is after detecting the first drive:
$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', '** Unable to read "/uImage" from ide 0:1 **
## Booting image at 02000000 ...
Bad Magic Number
Marvell>>
')
After that, it sits for a couple of minutes, then reboots.

Any assistance is greatly appreciated.

[Edit]
It seems the image was not written to the HDD...
After some searching (and some failed commands) i ran (with USB attached):
$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', 'run to_stock')
This seems to copy stuff to the HDD, and reboots.
In the serial-console, the boot finally ends with:
$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', '[ OK ] Reached target Graphical Interface')
and I can login with SSH on root@alarm.
However, the HDD1 led is orange...
I'm confused. What did I just do?
And what's the orange led about?

[WarheadsSE]

Besides the fact that pins don't quite match?

[AvanOsch]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'B')esides the fact that pins don't quite match?

[musv]

Hi there,

I'm struggling with that thing now for more than 9 months. And somehow I destroyed the the original firmware while trying to install Arch on the NSA325. So currently I can't even boot the NAS into the original system.

I managed it at least to get Arch running until the watchdog timer is doing its job. Loading the arch kernel is no problem.

I used the NSA320 image from this page. But unfortunately the Watchdog is executing his devil's work extremely reliable. The best thing would be to disable that terrible thing with some magic command forever.

Found this thread.

Warhead: Were you be able to solve that problem? Did this approach the trick?

[WarheadsSE]

I have tried the kernel level and the uboot level The key point to remember here is that the same thing happens on the stock firmware, you just don't see it.

Hook a serial console up to a complete cold boot system (and I mean capacitors drained, and everything, has been off for 5+ minutes) and watch the boot. You'll see the hardware MCU reset the damned thing 3 times before it manages to get to loading a kernel. This is a very bad behavior and that is what I am trying to get around.

[musv]

I'd setup a serial console via breakout and in my case Arch loads the kernel and almost finishes to bring up the systemd services.

The arch system is installed on a hard disk and U-Boot already modified by the scripts postet here in that thread.

If the loaded kernel could just disable the Watchdog time, that would be enough for me.

[WarheadsSE]

I'll see about getting that over the head this weekend. I don't have time today.

[prokrypt]

My NSA325 boots fine from stock every single time. Perhaps the watchdog timeout differs from unit to unit, or there's some flash memory or other hardware related differences that cause delays in the kernel/software.

edit: Wouldn't it be neat/uberstupid if the "timer" was actually a capacitor on the board? That would explain the differences between cold/warm boot as well as differences between units...

[WarheadsSE]

That is a stupendously hacky method... but.. I guess it is possible.

I will poke at that for giggles. The fact that the kernel can hit the GPIO but u-boot can't is ... wierd.


Also: my desk is in almost fully working order again.