Linux on mk808 NAND

[neogenesisrevo]

Hellos fellas. I'm not sure if this should be in this part of the forums or kernel development. Anyway, I own about 30 mk808s all running android (they're for a small business). I want to switch them all over to linux. Currently the only way I know how to do that is by using picuntu which runs the Root file system off the SD card. I really don't want to buy 30 sd cards and more when my business grows. How can I go about running everything off the NAND?

I'm guessing the kernel doesn't automatically just search for a file system right? It specifically searching on the SD card? Well how can I redirect it to point to the root file system? I'm guessing it involves editing kernel source code? I've never done anything of that nature and the research I've done makes it look very intimidating.

Please help. I'm stuck and I don't want to buy that many SD cards.

Here is a link to a small guide but it's not 100% clear to me:

https://github.com/gripped/MK808-headless-nand-3.0.8-rk3066

[xdeath567]

Hi,

You can use the current Picuntu version on MK808.

Download the image from this site(i used the basic image):

http://ubuntu.g8.net/index.php/14-sample-data-articles/88-marsboard-with-picuntu-5-5-based-on-ubuntu-trusty-14-04-lts

and flash it to the nand with this tool:

http://www.freaktab.com/showthread.php?5173-New-Rockchip-Batch-Tool-v1-7-Plus-v3-5-Drivers

If you have further questions or need more instruction, i can help you.

PS: I use my MK808 as webserver with Nginx and NodeJS on ubuntu 14.04

[farben]

do you need to install before anything else eg. special kernel?

[xdeath567]

Linux on mk808 NAND

Hi,


you don't need a special kernel. Install the Image and almost all is done




Out of the box, you will notice a little problem (kernel panic) on idle.


prevent kernel panic on idle (display turn off) while disable this rule:
sudo setterm -powersave off -blank 0


Wifi works not after flashed this image, but its not a big problem to fix it.


Setup the internal wifi is tricky. You can either use ethernet connection or temporarily use WEP or disable wifi security.
The Reason is: you need an additional tool for using WPA.


Install the WPA tool with the package manager:
sudo apt-get install wpasupplicant


In the basic version i missed the firmware for wifi (i am not sure about the other version, i can't download the images because google traffic limitations).
The following two files should be in /lib/firmware/
bcmdhd.cal
fw_bcmdhd.bin


if you need the files, download from here:

https://code.google.com/p/rk3066-linux/source/browse/picuntu-linuxroot-0.9/lib/firmware/bcmdhd.cal

https://code.google.com/p/rk3066-linux/source/browse/picuntu-linuxroot-0.9/lib/firmware/fw_bcmdhd.bin

load the kernel module for wifi
insmod /lib/modules/3.0.8+/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/bcm40181/bcm40181.ko


you can check the modules with:
sudo lsmod
or check dmesg for error messages


finally you enter your wlan credentials and connect:
sudo wpa_passphrase YOUR-SSID YOUR-PSK > /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf


Add nic settings to /etc/network/interfaces
auto eth1
iface eth1 inet dhcp
wpa-conf /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf




Tip: The image contains a configuration for eth0, you dont need this at the MK808. just delete or disable it.




That's all

[kozmo2k4]

Awesome info here. Thank you all. Going to try running Zoneminder on my MK808...

Sent from my TF300T using Tapatalk

[Bueno]

xdeath567, the instructions on that page are very good, but hasn't Omegamoon's Linux kernel been updated more recently than what is available on that page? https://github.com/omegamoon/Rockchip-GPL-Kernel

I don't know much about this topic, but I think it would be really interesting to set the MK808B up with Linux Aside from the person who shared an older version of OmegaMoon as a CWM zip, I haven't found step-by-step instructions on how to build/flash it.

[QuadCorei8085]

I flashed finless1.7 after that flashed the basic image with batchtool (as you suggested).
Kernel boots, resizes some partition, after that black screen.

So what point did (from the two) i miss?

[xdeath567]

Hi QuadCorei8085,

you don't need to flash any firmware (like finless) before this picuntu version, because the picuntu image overwrite the whole nand. After i flashed the image, it boots up to the login screen. But if this is important for you: i used a Sony HW50 Projector with fullHD resolution and at the login screen the projector shows only a small screen like 720p on a 1080p (it looks, buggy but works, maybe your screen doesn't show this). I think you should replug the hdmi, after that my projector switched into a "real" 720p mode (image over the complete screen).


Try this, if it not works we can search an other solution for you


@Bueno Sure, you can use any other Kernel, but the most kernels must be modified and i don't have the time to do this. The Picuntu image is a fast, easy and secure way. :P

At the moment i try to build a new NAND version with Kernel 3.0.36 and Ubuntu 14.04 LTS.

[QuadCorei8085]

Thanks, I will try it on a TV.

Honestly I've been trying to install linux on this stick for 2 months now and since the TV is in the bedroom
I used my 1680x... monitor hoping it will downscale (as for now it did) the resolution.

[off]
Unfortunetly I had no success with the following (withouth referring the links)
- Picuntu HomeIO (8GB image)
> Works perferctly (boots, desktop ok, quake runs)
> but could use neither an ethernet adapter, nor a wifi adapter
> so pretty useleff without internet/lan access
- Tried HwSwbits blog descirption (compiling my own kernel and flash ubuntu to SDCard):
> Kernels that can be downloaded from the site does not match with the own compiled version
> Own compiled works, but couldn't compile the 8192cu driver for it, simply for some reason i was unable to install the module
> Tried alok3.0.8 & 3.0.36+, 3.0.72+, now i'm thinking to try out omegamoon's GPL kernel, but i dont expect miracles.

Seems that much more knowledge is needed to hack this stick than the exact descriptions on forums (which are pretty outdated sometimes).
Also making the internal wifi (there is a "patch" for it) is not trivial thanks to lack of chinese GPL licence interpreting.
So i'm really there when I have ~15Gb downloaded kernel & image files and tons of links describing how to install and fix this and that,
but seems it is just a bunch of useless collection. What I found out that the development for this chip is for some reason (RK3189?) got abadond ~1 ago.
Ever since just a few posts requesting drivers and updates on topics
[/off]

Have you tried this? http://www.rockchipfirmware.com/developer-tools
Seems there is an offical release with the drivers, dont know the diff between linux and android kernel
but since its written also in C it could be integrated/merged to one of the (for me not) working kernels out there..

[QuadCorei8085]

Didnt work. Same as on my other display.
Kernel boots resizes some partition after that a black screen.

Even tried to redownload the image and reflash the device.

It looks like that i will never get a working linux on this device, which is unfortunate since
the android (even finless version) has proven its unefficency playing HD videos. Eh.

[Bueno]

@Bueno Sure, you can use any other Kernel, but the most kernels must be modified and i don't have the time to do this. The Picuntu image is a fast, easy and secure way. :P

Thanks for your reply. Actually, as of ~2 months ago, omegamoon has apparently added support for the MK808(b), so I don't think kernel modification would be needed at all. My only issue is that it's github page only has brief instructions for how to build/flash using Linux (no Windows instructions), so I may need to look into installing Linux alongside my Windows (or use a Live CD) in order to flash it.

I don't see any info about running Omegamoon from MicroSD card, so the info you shared about Picuntu could actually be useful to me if I decide that I want to be able to keep Android too. The page you linked to is now offline --- is it your webpage? Hopefully it will be available again.

[xdeath567]

Hi,

omegamoon looks like a NAND version, but you can also write it as recovery image on your sd card and use fineless on internal. You can also try this: http://liliputing.com/2013/05/picunt...x-easyish.html.
I don't use this image because there are many stuff i don't need; i need a clean version without gui.

The server i linked isn't mine, but if you want the basic version, i can upload it on one of my server (i don't have the gui version, but you can install gui in the basic )

My instruction about wifi should work on every linux version.

[QuadCorei8085]

Hi,

omegamoon looks like a NAND version, but you can also write it as recovery image on your sd card and use fineless on internal. You can also try this: http://liliputing.com/2013/05/picunt...x-easyish.html.
I don't use this image because there are many stuff i don't need; i need a clean version without gui.

The server i linked isn't mine, but if you want the basic version, i can upload it on one of my server (i don't have the gui version, but you can install gui in the basic )

My instruction about wifi should work on every linux version.

I've tried the Picuntu not long ago:
- installing from linux (partitioning, copy the image to SD) did not work. Others experienced the same.
- installing from windows using the image works perfectly, except the LAN/WIFI:
- internal wifi doesnt work
- tried ethernet adapter (LogicLink or something like that):
- Got ip but was unable to ping neither WAN or LAN nodes. Strange.
- a TP-Link wifi adapter (based on 8192cu) too:
- any attempt to load the driver (even tried to compile my own) failed. Tried with alok3.0.8 and with 3.0.36 from hwswbits. Resulted the same.

Note that i tried this on MK808B (original), so the results may differ on MK808 or others.
Of course there is the possibility that i did something wrong, i'm not a linux expert but to be honest i didnt have problems configuring my debian on Rasbpi. This little satan however decreases day by day the amount of hair i have .

[Bueno]

omegamoon looks like a NAND version, but you can also write it as recovery image on your sd card and use fineless on internal.

Great, thanks. I actually found out about 'Picuntu home://io' the other night while researching info about Linux on MK808. Sadly, it has not been updated in 1 year, so I am still leaning toward trying Omegamoon. I don't think I will need your Picuntu image, though I appreciate the offer.

I've tried the Picuntu not long ago

I know Omegamoon had at least made attempts to get wifi working on the MK808B --- I don't know if anything ever came of it, but I don't see it mentioned as being supported. I'll give Omegamoon a try ASAP. I am downloading Debian right now so I can compile the kernel. Hope the link I sent you via PM will help you solve the black screen issue...

[QuadCorei8085]

I have no problem flashing linux to NAND, actually if i want to try the GPL kernel
i have no other option (till i find out where is in the source it is decided where to look for rfs) but use NAND.

Google for a few mins but its either trivial or so expert that it is hidden:
Is there anywhere a description/tutor how to flash e.g. a linaro ubuntu basic image to NAND?