Baslinux mailing list

[Christof Lange <cce.zizkov AT volny.cz>]

On 28 Dec 06 at 2:19, keesan AT sdf.lonestar.org wrote:

>> Yesterday, I started to clean up hard disk partitions using one CD
>> burner and a couple of flash memory sticks. I wondered whether this
>> would be an opportunity to make use of the Sindi's USB kernel that I
>
>You probably downloaded David Moberg's specialized 1-floppy linux and maybe
>his userspec.tgz which contains the related modules.  The 1-floppy BL was
>designed to view and download images from USB camera (USB-storage device) 
>type and other USB storage devices such as memory sticks.

Hi Sindi, 

the version I downloaded obviously does not need to install the 
modules manually. It loads them at the beginning automatically and 
ends up with the etc/issue display explaining the main commands 
(topics 1-6). All that is required from the user is insert flash 
sticks and mount them as sda1-sdd1 devices. This works perfectly 
(even if the screen is filled with a lot of messages which I would 
not need to see every time).  

I will now have a look at David's site and look for userspec.tgz and 
find out what this is about. I knew only the packet of modules meant 
as add-on for the 2.2.26 kernel - that one did not work on any of my 
computers. 

>> 1. Is it possible to pipe all that screen output to some file? I
>> would prefer to read only the basics on the screen, eg. whether
>> a new device appears and whether a mount was successful or not.
>
>I don't follow this.  When I insmod usb-storage it tells me there is a
>/dev/sda1.  I can mount this manually.  (I don't have David's latest
>version working, the boot part is hardware specific and does not like my
>current computers).

This is only of esthetical importance. As soon as I get anything 
to work in the way I like, I will try to write a script that can 
check success of plugging and mounting operations without displaying 
all these messages on the screen. Please, forget about this question. 
The other ones are more important. 

>> 2. I understand the files I downloaded (INITRD.GZ and ZIMAGE) to be
>> rather a demo and that it is up to me to add the functionality I
>> need. When I attempted to run programs (mc) from any BL
>> installations (bl2, bl3, slack7.1) I got error messages 'file not
>> found'. As there is plenty of space on the ram disk, I would like ta ask:
>> Is there a way to add some basic utilities to this RAM version? I
>> basically mean mc, but cdrtools would be nice, too.  Can I get them from
>> newer sections of the Slackware site? Or do they require only library
>> upgrades?
>
>
>Boot ext2 BL3 or BL2 with David's kernel (add his modules in 
>/lib/modules/2.4.31 by unpackaging userspec.tgz there).
>Then you can use all your programs.  To use USB you need to insmod some
>scsi and usb modules.  Search the archives for details (I think it is
>usb_core, uhci or ohci, scsi_mod, sd_mod, usb-storage).

Thank you. This is what I needed to hear. I probably made a mistake
and to try again. But I will have to look at usespec.tgz first. It
probably contains not only the usb-modules, but also other modules
(shlc, ppp, loop, plip ...) which will be needed in BL. 

What I tried is exactly this: I started David's kernel in RAM: 

    loadlin.exe zimage root=/dev/ram rw initrd=initrd.gz

Then tried to start run programs from my hard disk partition (SW7.1) 
and from BL3 add-ons. I will look at the start-up routines in 
initrd.gz in order to see what is necessary and use the kernel to 
boot my BL2 installation. 

>The 2.2.26 kernel is broken for usb-storage.

Yes, this is a pity. 

>The 2.4.31 kernels don't seem to work correctly in loop BL3 (you cannot
>write to the loop file system).

Thank you for this information that will probably save me a lot of 
time. Anyway I do not use BL3 very much. My ideal for the intended 
tool would be a modified RAM version of BL2 with support for flash 
sticks, a CD-burner and a filemanager on it. First I will test 
just to replace the kernel on my present BL2 installations. 

>I also compiled several 2.4.31 kernels (using a different glibc so you
>cannot mix my modules with David's kernel and vice versa).
>http://keesan.freeshell.org/bl/2.4.31 - should have David's and my kernels.

This is what I would like to hear more about. The technical 
descriptions on your website are a bit cryptic for me. I will read 
them again and try to ask some questions. 

>
>> 3. Is there a way to run an existing BL installation (BL3 or
>> Slackware 7.1) with the experimental kernel? 

>Just boot (loadlin or lilo) with a 2.4.31 kernel and copy over the 
>modules to /lib/modules/2.4.31 (and DO NOT mix my kernel and modules with
>David's or you will crash spectacularly and need to run e2fsck).

I will download the latest versions and keep them apart from each 
other. 

>
>> 4. I did not really follow the discussion on BL list. But I think,
>> meanwhile, several USB capable kernels have been uploaded. Have
>> there been any improvements that could meet the problems specified?
>
>Any of them should work, I think.  David's kernel supports USB mouse and
>keyboard and other devices that my kernels do not.  It is larger. My latest
>kernels (smf and ly for low-ram laptop) support using ipchains for
>firewall.

All I am interested in is support of USB memory devices. Is this 
implemented in all of them?

>I hope I did not misunderstand your problem.

No, you did not. Thank you for interpreting them to the list ;-)

Christof

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