[HOW-TO ARMv5-Kirkwood] NAND rescue system

[moonman]

There are times when rootfs gets corrupted on whatever storage device you are using and the device just won't boot. This is exactly what this rescue system is for. It is installed into internal NAND storage on the device and will boot up when there are no rootfs found on usb or sata.

By installing the rescue image you will erase everything that was previously in NAND (stock OS image).

Requirements:
-working ArchLinux ARM installation
-mtd-utils and uboot-tools packages
-A kirkwood device (should work on any device for which we have a uboot package)
-2016.09 with unmodified environment (not strictly required, but you will have to figure out how to boot kernel + dtb from nand with ubi and your uboot).

Installation:
$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', 'ubiformat /dev/mtd1
ubiattach -p /dev/mtd1')

Make ubi volume
$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', 'ubimkvol /dev/ubi0 -m -N rootfs')

Download rescue image:
$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', 'cd ~
wget http://os.archlinuxarm.org/os/armv5te/rescue1.4.img.ubifs')

Flash rescue image:
$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', 'ubiupdatevol /dev/ubi0_0 rescue1.4.img.ubifs')

Recommendations:
Boot into rescue system by removing all external storage devices.
Regenerate openssh host keys (be careful: do not end ssh session before host keys are generated):
By default these get generated automatically the first time you connect, but the filesystem is mounted ro by default so I kept them in the image for the first session. It is a good idea to regenerate them.
$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', 'mount -o remount,rw /
rm /etc/ssh/ssh_host*
ssh-keygen -A')

and change root password:
$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', 'passwd')

remount read only (or reboot)
$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', 'mount -o remount,ro /')

You don't want too many writes on the NAND so rootfs is mounted read-only by default. Journald logging has been disabled and whole /var directory was relocated to ram (tmpfs).

Avialble tools (outside of base system):
-mc (Midnight Commander)
-btrfs,xfs,f2fs,ntfs,vfat,exfat filesystems
-fdisk, gdisk, parted utilitites
-fw_setenv,fw_printenv
-mtd-utils
-wget
-arch-chroot,pacstrap
-+all the tools that come with base system.

[lauri4n]

Hi,

I tried to upgrade my old archlinux-arm install, but I did something in wrong order and my goflex didn't boot anymore. I've now followed these instructions:
viewtopic.php?f=53&t=762#p4447

I can now ssh into goflex, and I got this:

root@host-001's password:
/etc/ubit/images:
/etc/ubit/ubimounts:
/etc/ubit/extramounts:

U-Boot ethaddr value is: 02:50:43:48:7f:a9
There was no current cached ethaddr value.
No change has been made
UBIT v0.6 by peaslaker 2010.11-00125-ga21bcca

What should I do next (or which guide I should follow) to update ubit and the rest of the system to the latest versions?

Should I install this NAND rescue system?


Thanks in advance,

Lauri

[moonman]

Please make a new thread in ARMv5 forum about your issue as it is unrelated to Rescue system and post output Post output of fw_printenv..
You can't boot rescue system with your current Ubit bootloader as it doesn't support FDT kernel, you can install it after you update everything.

[woody]

I've installed the bodhi 2014.07.tld-2 u-boot on a Pogo E02. I found out that the rescue system I ended up with is old and outdated and doesn't work correctly. I'd like to install this Kirkwood rescue system. Here are some issues I'm having:

1. Looks like these instructions assume that the rootfs of the rescue system should reside in mtd1, but on my installation, it appears on mtd2. Should I adapt these instructions for mtd2?

2. I tried to attach the existing mtd2/rootfs using ubiattach -p , but this produces an error. I was able to mount it using mknod + mount -t jffs2 -o rw /dev/mtdblock2 /mnt . Is there some reason that ubiattach does not work as discussed in this thread?

3. Assuming that I should put the updated rescue system on mtd2, what's the best way to do it?

[moonman]

1. You appear to have stock mtd partitioning scheme. You won't have enough space to do it with mtd2 still there. E02 has ~128MB flash. With 1MB for uboot and the rest for rescue system I have 2MB free on mtd1.
2. ubi and jffs2 are different. ubi is more modern and faster replacement for jffs2. You need to format mtd partition before you can attach it as ubi.
3. Install Arch u-boot. You will only have mtd0 and mtd1 with uboot environment setup the right way. If you want to keep bodhi's uboot you need to figure out too many things yourself.

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'I')nstall Arch u-boot. You will only have mtd0 and mtd1 with uboot environment setup the right way.

[moonman]

New uboot cannot chainload stock uboot because it is too different. I believe it is possible to chainload dockstar uboot to boot stock but it also involves flashing and you have to have a bootable os to flash.

If you want stock just stay with stock, if not - rescue system is here.

TTL adapter is 5 bucks on ebay.

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('moonman', 'N')ew uboot cannot chainload stock uboot because it is too different. I believe it is possible to chainload dockstar uboot to boot stock

[moonman]

Yes i is safe to say 'y' to erase.

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('moonman', 'Y')es i is safe to say 'y' to erase.