Eee Note kernel hacking

Hi,

I think that RomaVis has done a great job and it would be is a pity to stop here !
I was then triyng to compile and install the new kernel but like vertigo I would need a little help to go on.

As far I have uderstood the internal microSD contain the following:

first partition contain bootloader
second partition contain kernel
third partition contain initrd

is that correct ? How could i copy new kernel and initrd onto these partition ?
Should I simply use dd ?

Thank you very much for any help.

 

I was able to compile and install a new kernel so I want to share my improvements.
Here is what I did.

first of all I cloned my eeeNote internal microSD and I put the original one
in a safe place (I had to open my eeeNote). Then I used the cloned one for experiments.

I use debian so I installed the crosscompilation tool for ARM

g++-4.4-arm-linux-gnueabi

from an emdebian repository

Emdebian -- Cross-development toolchains

then I downoloaded the RomaVis kernel source from

https://github.com/RomaVis/eeenote-kernel/tree/testing

I extracted the archive, I cd into the root dir and I configured the kernel

make ARCH=arm eeenote_defconfig

then I compiled it

make ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=arm-linux-gnueabi- all

at the end I had a new zImage into /arch/arm/boot.

I sobstituted the old kernel, that is at the beginning of the partition 3 of the microSD
with the new one, so I connected the microSD to my laptop, then as root

(warning! this can be very dangerous. You must know what you are doing!)
dd if=zImage of=/dev/sdb3

then I inserted the microSD on the eeeNote, pushed the power button ...
and the new kernel booted !!

Of course after a while it hangs because it doesn't find init.
To switch off I had to disconnect the battery.

So next I downloaded archlinux for ARMv5 PXA168/910 platforms

Downloads | Arch Linux ARM

I connected again the microSD to my laptopt, deleted all files from partiton 5
and installed (untar) archlinux on partition 5.

again I inserted the microSD on the eeeNote, pushed the power button and I had
archlinux running. The capcitive keyboard works fine (with kernel messages), unfortunately
there is no other way to interact with the system and I had again
to disconnect the battery to switch off.

That's all

 

Hy,

some other improvments:

I prepared a minimal linux file system with busybox, USB network setup, ftp and telnet servers and I put on partition 5 of microSD.

Now I can connect to my EeeNote using usb cable and telnet (or ftp) and (almost) everythings works just fine ! Boot time is just few seconds !

If somebody is interested I put a compiled copy of kernel here

www.bo.imm.cnr.it/users/centurioni/EeeNote/zImage

a copy of root filesystem here

www.bo.imm.cnr.it/users/centurioni/EeeNote/root.tar.gz

a copy of kernel configuration file here

www.bo.imm.cnr.it/users/centurioni/EeeNote/config

and a readme here

www.bo.imm.cnr.it/users/centurioni/EeeNote/readme.txt

Bye

 

Hi centurion123, thanks for sharing your progresss. I have been trying to set up romavis' kernel and a root filesystem but I did not have as much success as you. I wil download your binariess when I get home （I'm posting this from my eeenote ）

 

Hello,

Can someone, who have installed this new kernel and distro, write a quick review? Advantages, disadvantages... etc? Screenshots would be much appreciated.

 

Hy,

actually what I have prepared it is not a distro, it is just an experment to better understand how thinks works. Some note:

Kernel:
kernel is compiled with CPUFreq governor set to powersave in order to avoid LCD glitches I had on my EeeNote. It seems that glitches were related to CPU frequency changes as RomaVis suggested to me. With this setting the default CPU frequency is the lowest and no automatic change are made.
Moreover I enabled statically (not as module) USB Gadget and removed USB host support. The reason is to allow an easy USB network setup.

file system:
the minimal linux file system I have prepared contains just busybox, USB network setup, ftp and telnet servers.
This means that one can connect and have full control of EeeNote using usb cable and telnet (or ftp) avoiding the use of DEBUGCON1, however nothing else is installed in the file system.