[Solved] Asus TB S

[TheSaint]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('summers', 'U')sually with a uart connection, you plug the TB S uart into a uart to USB cable

[TheSaint]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('summers', 'A')t 0x84 is the main uboot, just the image file: (mentioned at this post)

[summers]

Don't forget the rockchip preferred boot set up:

1) Boot ROM
2) U-boot SPL
3) Boot ROM
4) U-boot

The unusual bit is stage 3, after the spl has run (setting up dram etc), the boot ROM expects control to be returned to it, and then the boot ROM passes across control to the U-Boot proper.

u-boot spl respects this set up, it does it by having the config option set: CONFIG_SPL_ROCKCHIP_BACK_TO_BROM - and this is by default set.

So the question is how does the boot ROM find the u-boot proper. Alas the information here is contradictory:
1) http://opensource.rock-chips.com/wiki_Boot_option and http://git.denx.de/?p=u-boot.git;a=blob;f=doc/README.rockchip suggest it is sector 0x40000 - 8MB into the disk.
2) TinkerOS has sector 0x84 and http://git.denx.de/?p=u-boot.git;a=blob;f=doc/README.rockchip;hb=HEAD#l135 says that u-boot can be tacked to the end of the spl image - the spl image has to be a multiple of 512 bytes.

So its confusing.

This is really why we are fighting a loosing battle without the UART connection showing the boot messages. We can't see what is working, and what is failing. So 0x84 failed, but is this becuase u-boot was wrong or the SPL - we don't know.

http://opensource.rock-chips.com/wiki_Boot_option says that u-boot should be packaged in an file using "tools/loaderimag" but TinkerOS clearly has a raw u-boot.bin on the hard disk.

Problem is we need to understand all this...

Oh yes - u-boot is usually fairly good at setting up the right boot options for the kernel. Some are in the device tree chosen node, but u-boot also populates this, and you can add to that in bootargs ...

EDIT: ah a possible problem. the spl is a maximum of 0x40 sectors, and the header is 0x4 sectors. So having the u-boot.bin at the end of the rk image explains why u-boot is at 0x84. However my rk spl image was only about 30KB - and not the full 32 - so that could be a possible problem ...

[TheSaint]

I'm studying the boot process, and I found contradictory conditions, as yourself said. One thing is because if we adopt their configurations then we are going to get a debian installation. That's because we lack to know what configurations we may use.

Today I looked at Yocto, so that is defined to create one's own setup, with the three steps u-boot, kernel and rootfs. But if we want to use their tools then it's tying up for what they've planned to do. Se even to go for Yocto will be another huge effort to understand the bits for preparing the system and to be Arch.

Anyway. I think we should look for the smallest step. The idspl should look for u-boot. Then we may study how to steer u-boot to load the extlinux. I believe it will simpler when we get a working extlinux. That will be our finish line. Everything else will be a standard procedure.
A second condition might be to set EFI partition, so there it should be fine to put any boot loader (supposed are there compiled one for ARMV7).

I think I'll be absent for a pretty long, it takes some deep study

[summers]

OK, I've spun an image with the idea of yesterday, to put u-boot.bin immediately after the packaged u-boot-spl.bin. This is similar to the last image, but means that u-boot proper is at something like sector 0x7c rather than 0x84, e.g. its still sector aligned. So what I've done is effectively: http://git.denx.de/?p=u-boot.git;a=blob;f=doc/README.rockchip;hb=HEAD#l135

You can download from: http://davidjohnsummers.uk/ArmArchVeyron2.img.xz.

If you try it, when before you first power up the TB S, can you attach the USB-UART cable to tty2 (just 3 wires, GND,TX,RX - with TX and RX crossed ...); then the USB end to desktop/laptop. On the desktop/laptop after pluging in do "dmesg" to find the device, it will be something like "/dev/ttyUSB0". Monitor this via "screen /dev/ttyUSB0 115200" - using whatever device you have. Only after all this power on the TBS.

[TheSaint]

I tried to write mine u-boot, following the default configuration given by mainlined u-boot, tinker-rk3288_defconfig. Then I read this guide, with regards for the differences. In particular, the note to write a script which define most of the setting.

I realized that your packaging differs for the point that there's a different u-boot script fallback. Specially that is not defined into the configuration.

I still don't get how u-boot looking for extlinux. I thought it will look to the first sector in the first partition, the pass the command to that. I doubt that will pick up the extlinux.conf and interpret it directly, unless the extlinux executable is compiled in.

For a convenience you may pass the first 26 Kbytes of the image, so I'll just patch it to the last download (which might be same)
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('summers', 'M')onitor this via "screen /dev/ttyUSB0 115200"

[summers]

Think the problem I see with the linux-sunxi set up is it is for allwinner cpu. Asus TB (S) has a rockchip cpu, and that has its own boot rom. So the boot process for allwiner cpu and rockchip cpu is likely to be different. Its understanding the rockchip cpu boot process that is causing you most difficulty.

As regards how u-boot faces the operating system, I usually try to keep things as close to arm arch as possible -makes maintenance easier. Arm arch uses the default u-boot set up, but its a bit cryptic:

http://git.denx.de/?p=u-boot.git;a=blob;f=include/configs/rk3288_common.h has the line $this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', ' #include <config_distro_bootcmd.h>') that includes http://git.denx.de/?p=u-boot.git;a=blob;f=include/config_distro_bootcmd.h.

That code looks for boot.scr in / and /boot and that is what arm arch uses. It also defines the extlinux set up.

So with that include, which your uboot should have, it can process either extlinux.conf files or boot.scr files. So my reading is both should be possible with a usual set up. But as arm arch goes the boot.scr direction I think that the better option to use.

Probably though we should distinguish between u-boot problems facing the cpu, and u-boot facing the OS. The OS direction just a matter of choice, many options should be possible. What I think is causing your problem is the cpu facing direction. Alas without uart output we can't see this, so much of the time all we can do is fumble in the dark. Only way I know of proceeding then is *strict* following of instructions.

EDIT: I've never used picocom - but looks like it should work.

And looks like uboot processes the extlinux input here http://git.denx.de/?p=u-boot.git;a=blob;f=cmd/pxe.c

[TheSaint]

I had a look to this which may give the idea to start the bare u-boot shell, then we may have the options to test the scripts, which are into boot.scr.

Perhaps the kernel won't be the latest, but it might be the test bench with an interactive facility. Anyway I've just finished to download the image, I'm going to try to eMMC this time, and see whether there might be a difference.

[TheSaint]

Boys! Here starts the fun
$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', 'U-Boot SPL 2018.07 (Aug 12 2018 - 14:38:08 +0000)
Returning to boot ROM...


U-Boot 2018.07 (Aug 12 2018 - 14:38:08 +0000)

Model: Tinker-RK3288
DRAM: 2 GiB
MMC: dwmmc@ff0c0000: 1
Loading Environment from MMC... Card did not respond to voltage select!
*** Warning - No block device, using default environment

Failed (-5)
In: serial
Out: serial
Err: serial
Model: Tinker-RK3288
Net: eth0: ethernet@ff290000
Hit any key to stop autoboot: 0
## Error: "init_console" not defined
## Error: "envboot" not defined
MMC Device 0 not found
no mmc device at slot 0
starting USB...
USB0: USB1: scanning bus 0 for devices... 2 USB Device(s) found
scanning bus 1 for devices... 1 USB Device(s) found
scanning usb for storage devices... 0 Storage Device(s) found

Device 0: unknown device
ethernet@ff290000 Waiting for PHY auto negotiation to complete......... TIMEOUT !
Could not initialize PHY ethernet@ff290000
missing environment variable: pxeuuid
missing environment variable: bootfile
Retrieving file: pxelinux.cfg/01-88-d7-f6-c2-f1-42
ethernet@ff290000 Waiting for PHY auto negotiation to complete......... TIMEOUT !
Could not initialize PHY ethernet@ff290000
missing environment variable: bootfile
Retrieving file: pxelinux.cfg/00000000
ethernet@ff290000 Waiting for PHY auto negotiation to complete......... TIMEOUT !
Could not initialize PHY ethernet@ff290000
missing environment variable: bootfile
Retrieving file: pxelinux.cfg/0000000
ethernet@ff290000 Waiting for PHY auto negotiation to complete......... TIMEOUT !
Could not initialize PHY ethernet@ff290000
missing environment variable: bootfile
Retrieving file: pxelinux.cfg/000000
ethernet@ff290000 Waiting for PHY auto negotiation to complete......... TIMEOUT !
Could not initialize PHY ethernet@ff290000
missing environment variable: bootfile
Retrieving file: pxelinux.cfg/00000
ethernet@ff290000 Waiting for PHY auto negotiation to complete......... TIMEOUT !
Could not initialize PHY ethernet@ff290000
missing environment variable: bootfile
Retrieving file: pxelinux.cfg/0000
ethernet@ff290000 Waiting for PHY auto negotiation to complete......... TIMEOUT !
Could not initialize PHY ethernet@ff290000
missing environment variable: bootfile
Retrieving file: pxelinux.cfg/000
ethernet@ff290000 Waiting for PHY auto negotiation to complete......... TIMEOUT !
Could not initialize PHY ethernet@ff290000
missing environment variable: bootfile
Retrieving file: pxelinux.cfg/00
ethernet@ff290000 Waiting for PHY auto negotiation to complete......... TIMEOUT !
Could not initialize PHY ethernet@ff290000
missing environment variable: bootfile
Retrieving file: pxelinux.cfg/0
ethernet@ff290000 Waiting for PHY auto negotiation to complete......... TIMEOUT !
Could not initialize PHY ethernet@ff290000
missing environment variable: bootfile
Retrieving file: pxelinux.cfg/default-arm-rockchip
ethernet@ff290000 Waiting for PHY auto negotiation to complete......... TIMEOUT !
Could not initialize PHY ethernet@ff290000
missing environment variable: bootfile
Retrieving file: pxelinux.cfg/default-arm
ethernet@ff290000 Waiting for PHY auto negotiation to complete......... TIMEOUT !
Could not initialize PHY ethernet@ff290000
missing environment variable: bootfile
Retrieving file: pxelinux.cfg/default
ethernet@ff290000 Waiting for PHY auto negotiation to complete......... TIMEOUT !
Could not initialize PHY ethernet@ff290000
Config file not found
ethernet@ff290000 Waiting for PHY auto negotiation to complete......... TIMEOUT !
Could not initialize PHY ethernet@ff290000
ethernet@ff290000 Waiting for PHY auto negotiation to complete......... TIMEOUT !
Could not initialize PHY ethernet@ff290000
=> help
? - alias for 'help'
base - print or set address offset
bdinfo - print Board Info structure
blkcache- block cache diagnostics and control
boot - boot default, i.e., run 'bootcmd'
bootd - boot default, i.e., run 'bootcmd'
bootefi - Boots an EFI payload from memory
bootelf - Boot from an ELF image in memory
bootm - boot application image from memory
bootp - boot image via network using BOOTP/TFTP protocol
bootvx - Boot vxWorks from an ELF image
bootz - boot Linux zImage image from memory
clock - display information about clocks
cmp - memory compare
coninfo - print console devices and information
cp - memory copy
crc32 - checksum calculation
dcache - enable or disable data cache
dhcp - boot image via network using DHCP/TFTP protocol
dhry - [iterations] - run dhrystone benchmark
dm - Driver model low level access
echo - echo args to console
editenv - edit environment variable
env - environment handling commands
erase - erase FLASH memory
exit - exit script
ext2load- load binary file from a Ext2 filesystem
ext2ls - list files in a directory (default /)
ext4load- load binary file from a Ext4 filesystem
ext4ls - list files in a directory (default /)
ext4size- determine a file's size
false - do nothing, unsuccessfully
fastboot- run as a fastboot usb or udp device
fatinfo - print information about filesystem
fatload - load binary file from a dos filesystem
fatls - list files in a directory (default /)
fatsize - determine a file's size
fatwrite- write file into a dos filesystem
fdt - flattened device tree utility commands
flinfo - print FLASH memory information
fstype - Look up a filesystem type
go - start application at address 'addr'
gpio - query and control gpio pins
gpt - GUID Partition Table
help - print command description/usage
i2c - I2C sub-system
icache - enable or disable instruction cache
iminfo - print header information for application image
imxtract- extract a part of a multi-image
itest - return true/false on integer compare
load - load binary file from a filesystem
loadb - load binary file over serial line (kermit mode)
loads - load S-Record file over serial line
loadx - load binary file over serial line (xmodem mode)
loady - load binary file over serial line (ymodem mode)
loop - infinite loop on address range
ls - list files in a directory (default /)
md - memory display
mdio - MDIO utility commands
mii - MII utility commands
mm - memory modify (auto-incrementing address)
mmc - MMC sub system
mmcinfo - display MMC info
mw - memory write (fill)
nfs - boot image via network using NFS protocol
nm - memory modify (constant address)
part - disk partition related commands
ping - send ICMP ECHO_REQUEST to network host
pmic - PMIC sub-system
printenv- print environment variables
protect - enable or disable FLASH write protection
pxe - commands to get and boot from pxe files
regulator- uclass operations
reset - Perform RESET of the CPU
rockusb - use the rockusb protocol
run - run commands in an environment variable
save - save file to a filesystem
saveenv - save environment variables to persistent storage
setenv - set environment variables
sf - SPI flash sub-system
showvar - print local hushshell variables
size - determine a file's size
sleep - delay execution for some time
source - run script from memory
sspi - SPI utility command
sysboot - command to get and boot from syslinux files
test - minimal test like /bin/sh
tftpboot- boot image via network using TFTP protocol
time - run commands and summarize execution time
true - do nothing, successfully
ums - Use the UMS [USB Mass Storage]
usb - USB sub-system
usbboot - boot from USB device
version - print monitor, compiler and linker version
=> ls
ls - list files in a directory (default /)

Usage:
ls <interface> [<dev[:part]> [directory]]
- List files in directory 'directory' of partition 'part' on
device type 'interface' instance 'dev'.
=> ls $partition:0
** No device specified **
=> ls mmc 0
** Bad device mmc 0 **
=> mmcinfo
MMC Device 0 not found
no mmc device at slot 0
=> coninfo
List of available devices:
serial@ff690000 00000007 IO
serial 00000003 IO stdin stdout stderr
=> gpt
gpt - GUID Partition Table

Usage:
gpt <command> <interface> <dev> <partitions_list>
- GUID partition table restoration and validity check
Restore or verify GPT information on a device connected
to interface
Example usage:
gpt write mmc 0 $partitions
gpt verify mmc 0 $partitions
read <interface> <dev>
- read GPT into a data structure for manipulation
guid <interface> <dev>
- print disk GUID
guid <interface> <dev> <varname>
- set environment variable to disk GUID
Example usage:
gpt guid mmc 0
gpt guid mmc 0 varname

=> gpt verify mmc 0 $partitions
do_gpt: mmc dev 0 NOT available
=> printenv
arch=arm
baudrate=115200
board=tinker_rk3288
board_name=tinker_rk3288
boot_a_script=load ${devtype} ${devnum}:${distro_bootpart} ${scriptaddr} ${prefix}${script}; source ${scriptaddr}
boot_efi_binary=if fdt addr ${fdt_addr_r}; then bootefi bootmgr ${fdt_addr_r};else bootefi bootmgr ${fdtcontroladdr};fi;load ${devtype} ${devnum}:${distro_bootpart} ${kernel_addr_r} efi/boot/bootarm.efi; if fdt addr ${fdt_addr_r}; then bootefi ${kernel_addr_r} ${fdt_addr_r};else bootefi ${kernel_addr_r} ${fdtcontroladdr};fi
boot_extlinux=sysboot ${devtype} ${devnum}:${distro_bootpart} any ${scriptaddr} ${prefix}extlinux/extlinux.conf
boot_net_usb_start=usb start
boot_prefixes=/ /boot/
boot_script_dhcp=boot.scr.uimg
boot_scripts=boot.scr.uimg boot.scr
boot_targets=mmc0 mmc1 usb0 pxe dhcp
bootcmd=run init_console; run envboot; run distro_bootcmd
bootcmd_dhcp=run boot_net_usb_start; if dhcp ${scriptaddr} ${boot_script_dhcp}; then source ${scriptaddr}; fi;setenv efi_fdtfile ${fdtfile}; if test -z "${fdtfile}" -a -n "${soc}"; then setenv efi_fdtfile ${soc}-${board}${boardver}.dtb; fi; setenv efi_old_vci ${bootp_vci};setenv efi_old_arch ${bootp_arch};setenv bootp_vci PXEClient:Arch:00010:UNDI:003000;setenv bootp_arch 0xa;if dhcp ${kernel_addr_r}; then tftpboot ${fdt_addr_r} dtb/${efi_fdtfile};if fdt addr ${fdt_addr_r}; then bootefi ${kernel_addr_r} ${fdt_addr_r}; else bootefi ${kernel_addr_r} ${fdtcontroladdr};fi;fi;setenv bootp_vci ${efi_old_vci};setenv bootp_arch ${efi_old_arch};setenv efi_fdtfile;setenv efi_old_arch;setenv efi_old_vci;
bootcmd_mmc0=setenv devnum 0; run mmc_boot
bootcmd_mmc1=setenv devnum 1; run mmc_boot
bootcmd_pxe=run boot_net_usb_start; dhcp; if pxe get; then pxe boot; fi
bootcmd_usb0=setenv devnum 0; run usb_boot
bootdelay=2
cpu=armv7
devnum=0
distro_bootcmd=for target in ${boot_targets}; do run bootcmd_${target}; done
efi_dtb_prefixes=/ /dtb/ /dtb/current/
ethact=ethernet@ff290000
ethaddr=88:d7:f6:c2:f1:42
fdt_addr_r=0x01f00000
fdt_high=0x0fffffff
fdtcontroladdr=7df4f6e8
fdtfile=rk3288-tinker.dtb
initrd_high=0x0fffffff
kernel_addr_r=0x02000000
load_efi_dtb=load ${devtype} ${devnum}:${distro_bootpart} ${fdt_addr_r} ${prefix}${efi_fdtfile}
mmc_boot=if mmc dev ${devnum}; then setenv devtype mmc; run scan_dev_for_boot_part; fi
partitions=uuid_disk=${uuid_gpt_disk};name=loader1,start=32K,size=4000K,uuid=${uuid_gpt_loader1};name=loader2,start=8MB,size=4MB,uuid=${uuid_gpt_loader2};name=trust,size=4M,uuid=${uuid_gpt_atf};name=boot,size=112M,bootable,uuid=${uuid_gpt_boot};name=rootfs,size=-,uuid=69DAD710-2CE4-4E3C-B16C-21A1D49ABED3;
pxefile_addr_r=0x00100000
ramdisk_addr_r=0x04000000
reset_reason=POR
scan_dev_for_boot=echo Scanning ${devtype} ${devnum}:${distro_bootpart}...; for prefix in ${boot_prefixes}; do run scan_dev_for_extlinux; run scan_dev_for_scripts; done;run scan_dev_for_efi;
scan_dev_for_boot_part=part list ${devtype} ${devnum} -bootable devplist; env exists devplist || setenv devplist 1; for distro_bootpart in ${devplist}; do if fstype ${devtype} ${devnum}:${distro_bootpart} bootfstype; then run scan_dev_for_boot; fi; done
scan_dev_for_efi=setenv efi_fdtfile ${fdtfile}; if test -z "${fdtfile}" -a -n "${soc}"; then setenv efi_fdtfile ${soc}-${board}${boardver}.dtb; fi; for prefix in ${efi_dtb_prefixes}; do if test -e ${devtype} ${devnum}:${distro_bootpart} ${prefix}${efi_fdtfile}; then run load_efi_dtb; fi;done;if test -e ${devtype} ${devnum}:${distro_bootpart} efi/boot/bootarm.efi; then echo Found EFI removable media binary efi/boot/bootarm.efi; run boot_efi_binary; echo EFI LOAD FAILED: continuing...; fi; setenv efi_fdtfile
scan_dev_for_extlinux=if test -e ${devtype} ${devnum}:${distro_bootpart} ${prefix}extlinux/extlinux.conf; then echo Found ${prefix}extlinux/extlinux.conf; run boot_extlinux; echo SCRIPT FAILED: continuing...; fi
scan_dev_for_scripts=for script in ${boot_scripts}; do if test -e ${devtype} ${devnum}:${distro_bootpart} ${prefix}${script}; then echo Found U-Boot script ${prefix}${script}; run boot_a_script; echo SCRIPT FAILED: continuing...; fi; done
scriptaddr=0x00000000
soc=rockchip
usb_boot=usb start; if usb dev ${devnum}; then setenv devtype usb; run scan_dev_for_boot_part; fi
vendor=rockchip

Environment size: 4288/32764 bytes')
We got the u-boot shell. I'm looking to give the go to the script.

EDIT
The effect to boot from SD card is rather different. Just got an error:
$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', 'U-Boot SPL 2018.07 (Aug 12 2018 - 14:38:08 +0000)
Returning to boot ROM...


U-Boot 2018.07 (Aug 12 2018 - 14:38:08 +0000)

Model: Tinker-RK3288
DRAM: 2 GiB
MMC: dwmmc@ff0c0000: 1
Loading Environment from MMC... *** Warning - bad CRC, using default environment

Failed (-5)
In: serial
Out: serial
Err: serial
Model: Tinker-RK3288
Net: eth0: ethernet@ff290000
Hit any key to stop autoboot: 0
## Error: "init_console" not defined
## Error: "envboot" not defined
MMC Device 0 not found
no mmc device at slot 0
switch to partitions #0, OK
mmc1 is current device
Scanning mmc 1:1...
Found U-Boot script /boot/boot.scr
829 bytes read in 2 ms (404.3 KiB/s)
## Executing script at 00000000
6233208 bytes read in 275 ms (21.6 MiB/s)
gpio: pin 54 (gpio 54) value is 1
Warning: value of pin is still 0
fdt: rk3288-tinker.dtb
50542 bytes read in 27 ms (1.8 MiB/s)
gpio: pin 55 (gpio 55) value is 1
Warning: value of pin is still 0
** File not found /boot/initramfs-linux.img **
gpio: pin 56 (gpio 56) value is 1
## Flattened Device Tree blob at 01f00000
Booting using the fdt blob at 0x1f00000
Loading Device Tree to 0fff0000, end 0ffff56d ... OK

Starting kernel ...')
Ehi! where's the initramfs ?
It is stuck to load the kernel.
Also, the LED control might be a little different. Anyway I see the orange LED blinking periodically.

[summers]

Thats great news. It means we understand how to get uboot to work. So now its down to configuration. Several of the errors you got are my fault - and we can easily cure.

What it shows is that the boot rom gave no output at all, which is disappointing. SPL ran fine, and returned to boot rom, and boot rom started main u-boot when straight after SPL.

I'm a bit surprised that mmc didn't find anything. So play around with the mmc command to see if you can see your sd card/eMMC.

Once you found your devices, ext4ls should show you the files. So you can check you can see them.

post here what the mmc commands show - and I'll respin uboot with the right devices scanned.