How to boot with eMMC flash memory?(Solved)

[number77]

Hello
I have a 10ZIG 4472 thin client. 1.33ghz, Intel Atom E3825 (Dual Core), 2gb ram, 4gb eMMc flash. Puppy xenial will install but Grub4Dos cant find suitable partitions.
Is there any way past this.
Thanks
number77

[ozsouth]

I had an emmc & found partitions were hidden. Using Gparted I unticked hidden flag & was able to install.

[number77]

I had an emmc & found partitions were hidden. Using Gparted I unticked hidden flag & was able to install.

I have looked at that but flags were not hidden.

[Flash]

What does Gparted say about its partitions and their file systems?

[rufwoof]

Boot using a usb stick with grub4dos installed to that, and chain to the emmc maybe ??

As another option for the more adventurous, I've built a minimal kernel/vmlinuz, 11.7MB with the initrd contained within that. Wifi net connects at bootup, and has openssh (so I can sshfs mount or have it act as a sshfs/ssh server, ssh, sftp, scp ...etc.), simple-mtpfs (so I can mount my android phone), screen (terminal multiplexing), mc (file manager and text editor), ccrypt (for encrypting ssh keys etc.) ... and kexec. With that I can download (or mount) any other system, and use kexec to boot it. That is very machine specific i.e. compiled with localyesconfig so the modules/firmware are all statically built into the kernel. I just boot that (usb with grub4dos installed), and then boot (kexec) whatever using that.

With kexec available, to boot my Fatdog for instance I have a script ...

Code: Select all

#!/bin/ash

CMD="pkeys=uk waitdev=5 "
CMD="$CMD basesfs=ram:uuid:5df8f89e-33d5-4720-b3f2-9c9030a718bd:/fd64.sfs "
CMD="$CMD savefile=direct:multi:uuid:5df8f89e-33d5-4720-b3f2-9c9030a718bd::"
clear
echo Loading Fatdog kernel
kexec -l fatdog-vmlinuz \
      --initrd=fatdog-initrd.xz \
      --command-line="$CMD" >/dev/null 2>&1

clear
echo "Booting Fatdog (multi-session save)"
kexec -e

Note that I use uuid instead of partition names (such as sdb1) for identification of where the vmlinuz/initrd/fatdog main sfs and save files (sfs's) are located, in my case the uuid of the usb stick is that 54f8.... value as above.

That does involve kernel configuring/compiling. I just downloaded a kernel from kernel.org, loaded the Fatdog devx and then ran make localyesconfig to create a kernel .config with whatever devices were available (connected) at that time, i.e. my wifi and usb's. Then run make menuconfig and check/change things (such as setting it to use a specific/named initrd (initramfs)). With that saved then run make -j3 (I have 2 cores on my laptop i.e. cores+1 as the -j value), that does take a hour (or two). For the initrd I used a cut down version of Fatdog's initrd and I also compiled/iinserted kexec (and mc/openssh/ccrypt ..etc.) into that.

Once built once for a particular machine, then you can just use that usb stick as-is thereafter. Just add/remove scripts such as the one above to boot different systems. Or just boot it as-is (being small it boots very quickly) and ssh into a ssh server and irc/email/surf/etc. from there.

I boot that kernel using a menu.lst entry of

Code: Select all

title 4.14.153 kernel/localyesconfig, cut down fatdog initrd
root (hd0,0)
kernel /bzImage net=wpa2:abcd1234-2G:mypassword:wlan0:dhcp

(note that I left the compiled kernel filename as bzImage rather than renaming it to vmlinuz, I've also changed the ssid and password in the above code rather than posting my actual ssid and password).

In order for the make localyesconfig to actually capture the emmc card/device (statically build the modules for that into the kernel), just remember to have the emmc device inserted/mounted when you run make localyesconfig.

[number77]

What does Gparted say about its partitions and their file systems?

Gparted gives choice mmclk0 MMC sem04g
or mmclk0 rpmbcard

Grub4dos gives No supported file system in
/dev/mmcblk 0 boot0 (none)
/dev/mmcblk 0 boot1 (none)
/dev/mmcblk 0p2 ext4

Does not mean much to me.

[number77]

rufwoof you have lost me, sorry.

By the way Daphile, the music server, will install and boot to the thin client.

[bigpup]

What does Gparted say about its partitions and their file systems?

Gparted gives choice mmclk0 MMC sem04g
or mmclk0 rpmbcard

Grub4dos gives No supported file system in
/dev/mmcblk 0 boot0 (none)
/dev/mmcblk 0 boot1 (none)
/dev/mmcblk 0p2 ext4

Does not mean much to me.

Does this eMMC have some version of Linux on it?
If yes.
Is it some version of Chrome OS?

That partition information looks like what my Chromebook had on the internal eMMC.
All I can say is it is not normal for any Puppy Linux OS to use.

If all you want is Puppy Linux on the eMMC.
Try using Gparted to completely delete everything on that eMMC.
Make a new partition table (msdos)
(that should delete everything)
Partition and format as you like.
I assume you know about boot flag placement.

[peterw]

A useful source of information: https://www.parkytowers.me.uk/thin/10zig/44xx/
And: https://www.parkytowers.me.uk/thin/10zi ... inux.shtml.

[Mike Walsh]

A useful source of information: https://www.parkytowers.me.uk/thin/10zig/44xx/
And: https://www.parkytowers.me.uk/thin/10zi ... inux.shtml.

@ number77/peterw:-

Good source of info, that. Starhawk got into thin clients in a BIG way, the last couple of years he was with us, and I remember now that's the same site where he found all the stuff he needed to know...


Mike.

[number77]

What does Gparted say about its partitions and their file systems?

Gparted gives choice mmclk0 MMC sem04g
or mmclk0 rpmbcard

Grub4dos gives No supported file system in
/dev/mmcblk 0 boot0 (none)
/dev/mmcblk 0 boot1 (none)
/dev/mmcblk 0p2 ext4

Does not mean much to me.

Does this eMMC have some version of Linux on it?
If yes.
Is it some version of Chrome OS?

That partition information looks like what my Chromebook had on the internal eMMC.
All I can say is it is not normal for any Puppy Linux OS to use.

If all you want is Puppy Linux on the eMMC.
Try using Gparted to completely delete everything on that eMMC.
Make a new partition table (msdos)
(that should delete everything)
Partition and format as you like.
I assume you know about boot flag placement.

Delete partition , new partition is easy. boot flag placement I am not sure, is that the same as set boot flag. That is done. Xenial installs but it's grub4dos that does not find any useable partitions.

[number77]

A useful source of information: https://www.parkytowers.me.uk/thin/10zig/44xx/
And: https://www.parkytowers.me.uk/thin/10zi ... inux.shtml.

Thanks peterw, I use that site all the time but do not understand everything.

[bigpup]

Delete partition , new partition is easy. boot flag placement I am not sure, is that the same as set boot flag.

Yes set the boot flag on the first partition.

Do not just delete a partition and partition.

In Gparted->Device->Create Partition Table
Select msbos for type of partition table.

Then make partitions.

Making a new partition table as msdos, will make sure the partition table is one that Grub4dos can use and work with.

If you can access the computers bios setup.
Look to see if there are anything in the bios setup that may affect internal storage access.
Some kind of security setting, access setting, boot order, etc....

[8Geee]

Generally speaking... the bios will have a boot order and hard-drive order. A frugal-pup install needs to change BOTH to the device name (example SanDisk USB, or XYZZ_eMMC) as the first choice.

Regards
8Geee

[number77]

I have tried all of your suggestions. Nothing has worked so far so I think it is time to stop, it was not a brilliant idea anyway running xenial on such small resources. and with emmc flash. Starhawk from Parkytowers obviously had problems so with my lack of knowledge its not going to work so I will thank you all for your help I do appreciate it.
number77

[rcrsn51]

[Edit]This problem is coming from grub4dos bootloader config and is the same as here from five years ago.

I can confirm it by running grub4dosconfig when booting off a Bionic flash drive on a machine with an internal emmc drive.

Emmc drives are definitely bootable, although I have only done it in a UEFI environment with grub2.

But even if you made the internal emmc drive bootable with a manual install of grub4dos, I doubt if Xenial could find its main sfs file on the emmc drive.

[number77]

[Edit]This problem is coming from grub4dos bootloader config and is the same as here from five years ago.

I can confirm it by running grub4dosconfig when booting off a Bionic flash drive on a machine with an internal emmc drive.

Emmc drives are definitely bootable, although I have only done it in a UEFI environment with grub2.

But even if you made the internal emmc drive bootable with a manual install of grub4dos, I doubt if Xenial could find its main sfs file on the emmc drive.

Funny thing is though Daphile, the music server, installs automatically and boots without trouble.
But that does seem to be the problem with puppy install rcrsn51, Thanks.

[rcrsn51]

Funny thing is though Daphile, the music server, installs automatically and boots without trouble.

Not funny at all. Daphile has been built using the framework of mainstream Linux. I expect that the Buster Starter Kit would work nicely on this machine.

[number77]

Funny thing is though Daphile, the music server, installs automatically and boots without trouble.

Not funny at all. Daphile has been built using the framework of mainstream Linux. I expect that the Buster Starter Kit would work nicely on this machine.

I will try it.

[bigpup]

Try using this program to do the install to eMMC.
FrugalPup
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=114340
It has options to choose several different boot loaders.
Use a different boot loader.
Do not use Grub4dos boot loader.