HELP! Cannot install ArchLinux, I/O errors

[moonman]

Did you setup netconaole properly? it is on a different subnet and you have to alias your lan adapter with a specific ip because netconsole will ping that ip and if theres no response it wont output anything. As I said your uboot environment is fine.

To get netconsole working: setup your uboot as described here under Activating netconsole section. Just boot into stock os to do that. Make sure your computer and pogoplug are connected to the same switch (router), don't use wireless. Download linux live cd (Kubuntu?), boot it up, open terminal and enter these commands assuming your computer's lan adapter is eth0:

$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', 'sudo ifconfig eth0:0 10.10.10.5
sudo ifconfig eth0:1 10.10.10.4')

Now in the same terminal window enter this:

$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', 'nc -lu 10.10.10.5 6666')

Open a second terminal window with CTRL+N and enter this:

$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', 'nc -lu 10.10.10.4 6666')

Powercycle your pogoplug. Now those terminals should start showing something.

If you omit or miss a step in what I just told you do it WILL NOT work. Don't make assumptions without trying things first. All IPs are hardcoded so there won't be any DHCP activity.

[ipse]

Thanks moonman...I have no other Linux machine so I had to find a Windoze version - that could be part of the reason why nc seems mute.
But I did put a sniffer on the LAN and saw NO packets from the Pogo MAC.

I will follow your advice to boot from a LiveCD and run a real netconsole.

Appreciate your help and patience...as you can see while I am OK on the network side, Linux is not my forte - the reason why I had a backup USB, tar backups on a HDD, etc. Doesn't help if it ain't booting

[ipse]

I found this for the lazy me: http://www.linuxliveusb.com/en/home wow...runs Linux under Windows In VirtualBox from an USB stick.
Unfortunately I have to go to a customer site tomorrow and will not sort this mess for a week...will post netconsole output when I get back.

/EDIT...could not resist trying...but still no luck with netconsole:

on the Linux VM I see (sorry for posting images but I could not paste between machines - must be the VirtualBox.)



And I can ping the virtual interfaces, but not the Pogo:




and this is my current environment:

$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', 'Pogoplug:~$ /usr/sbin/fw_printenv
ethact=egiga0
bootdelay=3
baudrate=115200
mainlineLinux=yes
console=ttyS0,115200
led_init=green blinking
led_exit=green off
led_error=orange blinking
mtdparts=mtdparts=orion_nand:1M(u-boot),4M(uImage),32M(rootfs),-(data)
mtdids=nand0=orion_nand
partition=nand0,2
stdin=serial
stdout=serial
stderr=serial
rescue_installed=0
rescue_set_bootargs=setenv bootargs console=$console ubi.mtd=2 root=ubi0:rootfs ro rootfstype=ubifs $mtdparts $rescue_custom_params
rescue_bootcmd=if test $rescue_installed -eq 1; then run rescue_set_bootargs; nand read.e 0x800000 0x100000 0x400000; bootm 0x800000; else run pogo_bootcmd; fi
pogo_bootcmd=if fsload uboot-original-mtd0.kwb; then go 0x800200; fi
force_rescue=0
force_rescue_bootcmd=if test $force_rescue -eq 1 || ext2load usb 0:1 0x1700000 /rescueme 1 || fatload usb 0:1 0x1700000 /rescueme.txt 1; then run rescue_bootcmd; fi
ubifs_mtd=3
ubifs_set_bootargs=setenv bootargs console=$console ubi.mtd=$ubifs_mtd root=ubi0:rootfs rootfstype=ubifs $mtdparts $ubifs_custom_params
ubifs_bootcmd=run ubifs_set_bootargs; if ubi part data && ubifsmount rootfs && ubifsload 0x800000 /boot/uImage && ubifsload 0x1100000 /boot/uInitrd; then bootm 0x800000 0x1100000; fi
usb_scan=usb_scan_done=0;for scan in $usb_scan_list; do run usb_scan_$scan; if test $usb_scan_done -eq 0 && ext2load usb $usb 0x800000 /boot/uImage 1; then usb_scan_done=1; echo "Found bootable drive on usb $usb"; setenv usb_device $usb; setenv usb_root /dev/$dev; fi; done
usb_scan_list=1 2 3 4
usb_scan_1=usb=0:1 dev=sda1
usb_scan_2=usb=1:1 dev=sdb1
usb_scan_3=usb=2:1 dev=sdc1
usb_scan_4=usb=3:1 dev=sdd1
usb_init=run usb_scan
usb_device=0:1
usb_root=/dev/sda1
usb_set_bootargs=setenv bootargs console=$console root=$usb_root rootdelay=$usb_rootdelay rootfstype=$usb_rootfstype $mtdparts $usb_custom_params
usb_bootcmd=run usb_init; run usb_set_bootargs; run usb_boot
usb_boot=mw 0x800000 0 1; ext2load usb $usb_device 0x800000 /boot/uImage; if ext2load usb $usb_device 0x1100000 /boot/uInitrd; then bootm 0x800000 0x1100000; else bootm 0x800000; fi
bootcmd=usb start; run force_rescue_bootcmd; run ubifs_bootcmd; run usb_bootcmd; usb stop; run rescue_bootcmd; run pogo_bootcmd; reset
ethaddr=00:25:31:00:72:2E
arcNumber=3542
usb_rootfstype=ext3
machid=dd6
usb_rootdelay=20
if_netconsole=ping $serverip
ipaddr=10.10.10.6
ncip=10.10.10.5
ncipk=10.10.10.4
serverip=10.10.10.3
preboot=run nc_test nc_start
nc_test=ping $ncip
nc_start=setenv stdin nc; setenv stdout nc; setenv stderr nc; version
usb_custom_params=ignore_loglevel netconsole=6665@10.10.10.3/eth0,6666@10.10.10.4/
Pogoplug:~$')

Everytime I installed ALARM I flashed Uboot as well, so the params should be OK (as I rest them every time)...the changes - which have made no difference - are for netconsole and machID.

Maybe I still have something messed up in the USB boot section? I don't see it, but I'm no expert.

[moonman]

I hope in virtualbox you've set LAN adapter to "bridged" because from your picture it doesn't seem like it? 10.0.2.x is usually what virtual box gives you. You are likely behind VB NAT. I would just boot from the stick instead of running it in VB to avoid problems like this. Also, you can't ping pogoplug as it won't respond. Uboot has it's own little subroutine to send and listen for a short period of time, but otherwise there's no full TCP stack implemented AFAIK

Alao two way clipboard has to enabled in options somewhere.

[ipse]

Thanks for sticking with me moonman...as I said I am traveling, but will double check.
I set the interfaces to bridged (as I usually do that on my work laptop where I have VmWare) and also enabled bi-dir copy/paste...but I agree: a better way is to boot from the stick.
I just wanted to give it a quick shot...makes sense that Uboot has a minimal IP stack built in - probably no ICMP.

[ipse]

@moonman: Just a quick update - before I left (literally while waiting for the cab to take me to the airport) I tried one last thing - picked from the doozan forum: set the rootfs to ext2 from the current ext3 - recommended here.
Believe it or not, that solved the problem and I was able to boot from my backup stick.

I plan to build a serial cable in case I need to poke around some more, but for now I'm stumped that what is currently recommended did not work for me (ext3).
My backup was on a pre-3.x kernel, is it where the problem lies?

[moonman]

it makes sense that your old rescue stick had been formatted with ext2 and telling kernel to use it as ext3 wouldn't work. Don't know why I never thought of it. I don't know why other sticks don't work though. I guess netconsole will explain.