On 7/6/17, Pablo pablo@parobalth.org wrote:
This is a quite late reply to some Emails on this list from May. I took some time to research and test. John, do you still work on liberating Pocketchip?
Got distracted trying to install parabola on an asus c201 (nothing can write a sane gpt header to emmc it seems). Actually learned about the deblob scripts seeing a script use them on the chrome kernel, so I was thinking about running deblob in a u-boot directory and seeing what happens.
My understanding (which isn't too reliable) is that the universal in universal bootloader is that u-boot handles some operations that would normally be handled by linux, including passing microcode and handling some firmware.
Good news is that I managed to install Debian Stretch (current stable) with Debian Installer on a USB-stick. The CHIP OS based on Debian by NextThing is completely left alone. I plan to write a tutorial to document my approach and will put it on the Debian Wiki.
Yeah!
I knew about the wiki, then again I believe someone else was asking about one earlier.
Yes, it was me.
heh.. Sorry ,xD I didn't know the exact url by heart and never got around to posting it on da list as a ref later.
I ditched all the custom NTC stuff and went for vanilla Debian. I have managed to install Debian Stretch (current Stable) on a USB stick using Debian Installer. I am using a self-compiled mainline U-Boot via sunxi-fel to circumvent the U-Boot version on NAND provided by the manufacturer which can not boot from USB.
I'm not sure if you mean version "of" NAND, but otherwise it sounds like your saying they hardcoded it not boot that way? Feature-not-a-bug?
I had some problems to boot the rootfs after completing installation and solved it with help from the debian-arm mailing list (see this thread for additional information: https://lists.debian.org/debian-arm/2017/06/msg00027.html) I am only using Debians main repos and connect to the Internet via USB-OTG with the g_ether kernel module and a network bridge on my desktop.
That whole thing sounds like it was painful to get operating.
This is libre enough for me. I am running Chip headless via ssh and have not tested video and sound yet. There may be some hidden quirks I am not yet aware of but so far it looks good.
I would be very interested to know if GPIO functions okay like that.
kudos Pablo!