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**no_spam_for_me** · 23 February 2014, 15:26

Two more (for the moment last

) question:
1.)
Why do you use the android-kernel as recovery /at "recovery-partition"?
Because if you are able to create a linux-partition (as final), why don't you create a new partition like "android-kernel" (I don't know if it will work witch RKbatch, because I only user RKTool for separate partitions)?
Is it because of only patching the boot.img instead of recompiling?
If you manage it in the linux-kernel, it only have to fixed there?

2.)
If I only want to use SD or USB is it really needing to have a linux-partition at NAND?

**linuxium** · 23 February 2014, 15:56

Originally posted by no_spam_for_me View Post

Two more (for the moment last

) question:
1.)
Why do you use the android-kernel as recovery /at "recovery-partition"?
Because if you are able to create a linux-partition (as final), why don't you create a new partition like "android-kernel" (I don't know if it will work witch RKbatch, because I only user RKTool for separate partitions)?
Is it because of only patching the boot.img instead of recompiling?
If you manage it in the linux-kernel, it only have to fixed there?

The Linux partition '(as final)' is to hold the Linux RFS similar to how the 'system' partition holds the Android RFS - they are different to the kernel/recovery partitions which are used as kernel for Linux and recovery for Android kernels respectively.

2.)
If I only want to use SD or USB is it really needing to have a linux-partition at NAND?

If you don't want to install Linux to NAND (which actually means installing the Linux RFS to a NAND partition) then there is not need for a 'linux-partition'.

**no_spam_for_me** · 23 February 2014, 16:06

1.)
Why do you use the android-kernel as recovery /at "recovery-partition"?
Because if you are able to create a linux-partition (as final), why don't you create a new partition like "android-kernel" (I don't know if it will work witch RKbatch, because I only user RKTool for separate partitions)?
Is it because of only patching the boot.img instead of recompiling?
If you manage it in the linux-kernel, it only have to fixed there?

The Linux partition '(as final)' is to hold the Linux RFS similar to how the 'system' partition holds the Android RFS - they are different to the kernel/recovery partitions which are used as kernel for Linux and recovery for Android kernels respectively.

"The Linux partition '(as final)' is to hold the Linux RFS similar to how the 'system' partition holds the Android RFS - they are different to the kernel/recovery partitions which are used as kernel for Linux and recovery for Android kernels respectively."
=> Yes, sure, but that was not my question

My question is, why don't you use a new partition for the android kernel instead of recovery...

BTW: sorry, but I don't understand your answer at post #15
"*** if CMW is using two kernels (kernel and recovery) then probably yes - as stock Android doesn't use the recovery partition other than for upgrades my bootloader make use of the space - probably just like CMW ***"

**no_spam_for_me** · 23 February 2014, 16:42

Ok, I think I've found a working kernel (config) ??

Code:

CONFIG_CMDLINE_FROM_BOOTLOADER=y
# CONFIG_CMDLINE_FORCE is not set

**linuxium** · 23 February 2014, 17:41

Originally posted by no_spam_for_me View Post

"The Linux partition '(as final)' is to hold the Linux RFS similar to how the 'system' partition holds the Android RFS - they are different to the kernel/recovery partitions which are used as kernel for Linux and recovery for Android kernels respectively."
=> Yes, sure, but that was not my question

My question is, why don't you use a new partition for the android kernel instead of recovery...

BTW: sorry, but I don't understand your answer at post #15
"*** if CMW is using two kernels (kernel and recovery) then probably yes - as stock Android doesn't use the recovery partition other than for upgrades my bootloader make use of the space - probably just like CMW ***"

Simply because I don't know of a command to reboot and substitute the current kernel for another one other than the command 'reboot recovery' which requires the "recovery" kernel to be located in the 'recovery' partition.

If there are better ways of storing an alternative kernel and then being able to boot it this would be great.

**linuxium** · 23 February 2014, 17:43

Originally posted by no_spam_for_me View Post

Ok, I think I've found a working kernel (config) ??

Code:

CONFIG_CMDLINE_FROM_BOOTLOADER=y
# CONFIG_CMDLINE_FORCE is not set

Sounds good, as long as the kernel supports your hardware device.

**no_spam_for_me** · 23 February 2014, 18:21

Originally posted by linuxium View Post

Simply because I don't know of a command to reboot and substitute the current kernel for another one other than the command 'reboot recovery' which requires the "recovery" kernel to be located in the 'recovery' partition.

If there are better ways of storing an alternative kernel and then being able to boot it this would be great.

OK

Originally posted by linuxium View Post

... as long as the kernel supports your hardware device.

I think so because the start of the threat is at ~09.2013 and "[Edit: This is working on K-R42/CS918/MK888/DX05 devices, if you try it on another device, please report your results ]" and I have an clone old revision of the K-R42 (seems 1:1)...
And it seems so, generally, because the K-R42 don't use a "real" LAN-chip (like minix x7), it use the "quick and dirty" solution by the RTL8201F, it will work and because of using a WiFi-bridge it is important for me...

Forums - FreakTab

http://www.freaktab.com/showthread.php?6803-Linux-for-RK3188-based-TV-boxes&p=133473&viewfull=1#post133473

vBulletin Forums

But at the moment I've stripped the wasser-mod-img to get the parameter and partition-images and build up the neeeding config for rktool...

Next stepp will be to think about to write a script, perhaps to use dd or or or, to toggle the kernel images, and boot via shell at one click ...
And first I have to do a BackUp

....

**no_spam_for_me** · 23 February 2014, 18:38

BTW:
Had ever any one test to rename the recovery partition to e.g. recovery1 and try 'reboot recovery1' ?
Perhaps it is so simple, that the reboot looks at the parameter to know where (address) to boot?

**no_spam_for_me** · 24 February 2014, 16:50

boot.img

One more question/problem:
I've used "beyond compare" to compare two of your boot.img (for usb) an see there are many different bits and byts, so I think I have to use the "original" boot.img from wasser-mod and have to modifying it for sd and usb by my self...

So how do you do it (and what)?

If it is easier and ok for you, I can attach it...
But for the future (newer versions) it would be nice to know how to do it....

PS:
Ok, first and last step I've found out:
Unpack and pack Rockchip boot.img image (RK3066/RK3188)
(shit no windows

but vmware ubuntu

... I will try)

PPS:
but first I have to wait for an answer by wasser...

**no_spam_for_me** · 24 February 2014, 18:50

OK,
1. with "dd for windows" I can skip the first 8 Byte
2. and then with WinRAR I can unpack the GZ
3. and with 7z I can unpack the CPIO and have the file-system
So it looks like it is not "save/secured" ...

So, please can you explain what to do inside the file-system ?

Greetings

**no_spam_for_me** · 24 February 2014, 19:34

OK, I analyse your boot (minix) for USB and SD and found out that you handle it at "init"...
e.g. at USB

Code:

 :
# Wait for system to fully boot
clear
sleep 5
 :

at SD not
and at USB

Code:

            :
            # Check for a disk with Linux - N.B. limited to only check the first drive to prevent multiple drive complexities
            DISK_LINUX=false
            DISK_DEVICE=""
            # First check to see if Linux is on an unpartitioned disk subject to limitation
            if [ -b /dev/sda ] ; then
                        # Test for Linux (/mnt/disk/sbin/init is used to indicate that Linux is installed on disk)
                        [ -d /mnt/disk ] || mkdir /mnt/disk
             :

and at SD not... and so on...

BUT
the boot.img (wasser and stock) are really different to yours...
I've attached this both (with skipped leading 8 Byte)... (because .rar is not possible I attach a .zip at filename)
So generally do it work (because I think the android kernel need the boot.img)?????????

Greeting

Attached Files

Image.rar.zip (1.94 MB, 62 views)

**no_spam_for_me** · 25 February 2014, 01:49

recovery.img

I found a "one klick" tool (commandline) for unpacking boot.img
imgRePackerRK (RockChip's firmware images unpacker/packer)

so it unpacking recovery.img too and I get with your linuxium-recovery.img
- kernel (~10MB)
- ramdisk (~1MB)

this kernel can not unpack by the tool ("unknown format detected")

so only 1.) "kernel as recovery (as this is where the Android kernel is expected)"
will never work, and the unpacked kernel from the linuxium-recovery.img is ~10MB (normal kernel <4MB) so inside this kernel there must be more than the normal kernel (perhaps the boot.img??)...

PS: ----------------------

at the unpack of wassers recovery, I get
- kernel (~8MB)
- ramdisk (~2MB)
and automatically an unpack of the ramdisk and this seems to be nearly the same like the boot.img...

PPS: ---------------------

Ok, for recovery.img the Android Image Kitchen - Unpack/Repack Kernel/Recovery + ramdisk [Win32] seems to be the better alternative, because this is able to unpack the ramdisk from linuxium-recovery.img too...

So at least the question is, what kind of kernel (because >4MB) is inside...
Here it is named .zImage (compressed)

**linuxium** · 25 February 2014, 07:43

Originally posted by no_spam_for_me View Post

OK, I analyse your boot (minix) for USB and SD and found out that you handle it at "init"...
e.g. at USB

Code:

 :
# Wait for system to fully boot
clear
sleep 5
 :

at SD not
and at USB

Code:

            :
            # Check for a disk with Linux - N.B. limited to only check the first drive to prevent multiple drive complexities
            DISK_LINUX=false
            DISK_DEVICE=""
            # First check to see if Linux is on an unpartitioned disk subject to limitation
            if [ -b /dev/sda ] ; then
                        # Test for Linux (/mnt/disk/sbin/init is used to indicate that Linux is installed on disk)
                        [ -d /mnt/disk ] || mkdir /mnt/disk
             :

and at SD not... and so on...

BUT
the boot.img (wasser and stock) are really different to yours...
I've attached this both (with skipped leading 8 Byte)... (because .rar is not possible I attach a .zip at filename)
So generally do it work (because I think the android kernel need the boot.img)?????????

Greeting

You shouldn't have to modify either stock or other's boot.img as my boot.img is the one doing the work and if the Android kernel is built without a ramdisk (so the Android boot.img is thus required) you can simply rebuild the Android kernel.

In principle, this is what I do (and it will depend on the Android ROM):

1. Unpack the Android upgrade.img to get individual boot.img, kernel.img, recovery.img, system.img etc and parameter
2. Split the Android boot.img to get the kernel and the ramdisk
3. Unpack the Android ramdisk so you can make any changes you might want
4. Repack the ramdisk
5. Build a new recovery.img using mkbootimg with the Android kernel from step 2 and the new ramdisk from step 4

If you don't want to mod the Android ramdisk just use the Android ROM's boot.img as the recovery.img with my boot.img and my kernel.img (or whatever Linux kernel image you want to substitute) and of course the Android ROM's system.img

If after step 1 you find that the Android boot.img is just a signed ramdisk and there is a separate Android kernel.img then remove the 8 byte header from the Android boot.img to get the ramdisk and build a new recovery.img using mkbootimg with the Android kernel,img and the ramdisk.

Simples!

**no_spam_for_me** · 25 February 2014, 12:11

Originally posted by linuxium View Post

2. Split the Android boot.img to get the kernel and the ramdisk

And that's the PROBLEM, because our boot.img don't include a kernel...

Originally posted by linuxium View Post

If after step 1 you find that the Android boot.img is just a signed ramdisk and there is a separate Android kernel.img then remove the 8 byte header from the Android boot.img to get the ramdisk and build a new recovery.img using mkbootimg with the Android kernel,img and the ramdisk.

Without the config file for the recovery i.g. kerneloffset, ramdiskoffset...?
I will try it at windows, but I think then it only work at linux...

**linuxium** · 25 February 2014, 16:40

Originally posted by no_spam_for_me View Post

And that's the PROBLEM, because our boot.img don't include a kernel...

Without the config file for the recovery i.g. kerneloffset, ramdiskoffset...?
I will try it at windows, but I think then it only work at linux...

I just took a quick look at t-r42-wasser-1.2.3.img and I would build the new recovery.img using the kernel extracted out of wasser's recovery.img and the ramdisk extracted out of wasser's boot.img

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