[ARMedslack] Trying armedslack-current

[John O'Donnell]

On 10/08/2010 03:19 AM, Stuart Winter wrote:
>
>> out LUN access and now it shows up properly and now I can boot off the
>> onboard micro SD card as there are really 2 devices there with only one
>> physically present.
>>
>> http://plugcomputer.org/plugforum/index.php?topic=1642.30
>
> Is it worth taking this u-boot and putting it on ftp.armedslack.org then?
> I have a guruplug u-boot that I took from a Debian developer's page.
>
> If we take this one, do the Slackware ARM Kirkwood installation
> instructions still apply?

Same instructions apply as a USB drive.

It is a VERY clean patch, probably worth adding.  I changed the version name and 
the prompt from Marvell to GuruPlug.  I changed nothing else.

>> for my second X display for World of Warcraft. :0 is my Slack KDE desktop. I
>> only have a single core CPU on my desktop.
>
> That's a good idea.  I hadn't thought of that before.  I usually run
> X11 VNC on the ARM boxes and VNC in to test x11 stuff.
> Although I plan on using the openrd as a desktop machine soon, since it
> has video and audio working (we just need some x.org updates first, to get
> a decent screen resolution).

Doesn't KDE have a sound server?  I am planning on trying it out from the guru 
to my desktop after I get all this smoothed out with the -current tree.

I Just got it all back up and running on -current but with the 13.1 version 
kernel install (kernel / modules / source) totally booting off the micro SD 
card.  It is bittorrenting as I type again and running very smoothly.  It is 
quite nice.  Seems a bit more sluggish but then I was doing alot of package 
changes while trying to shuffle bittorrents.  I made sure to buy a fast rated 
micro SD card.

I have always run multiple X servers for many reasons.  While working for the 
Dept of Defense, I had my windoze laptop (assigned to me - UGH!) that I could 
not change. But they gave us VMware!!! So alas it ran nothing but VMware . . . 
with Slackware in full screen all day long with an X console for my HP/ux PA 
Risc developement system, one for the Sun Sparc box, etc. etc. etc...

I just use the GuruPlug in the same fashion.

>> I cannot run either of the dual gigabit ports on the GuruPlug because of
>> the known overheating/rebooting issues.  (BAD BAD MARVELL!) I have to
>
> I know Jim on this list has received his guruplug a week ago, and they've
> added a whopping fan to it which makes itself known in the room.
> Perhaps you shoud send yours back for a swap.

Oh I have been following the forums and been in contact with Global Scale and 
know all about that little 20mm x 20mm x 6mm fan they added that is apparently 
quite noisy.  I guess I should have said "BAD BAD GLOBAL SCALE!"

> There were a number of patches to the 13.1 kernel:
> armedslack-13.1/source/k/sources/patches/esata_sheevaplug_and_guruplug-patchset
> but as far as I knew, all of the guru plug stuff was merged into
> the upstream kernel:
>
> At present, I don't apply *any* patches to the -current kernel
> (which is waiting to be pushed out after Slackware x86 has been)
>
> The module does not exist in the source tree.
> root at wizbit:/usr/src/linux-2.6.36rc7# find . -iname '*uap8xxx*'
> root at wizbit:/usr/src/linux-2.6.36rc7#
>
> I checked the Debian linux-base package which is at 2.6.36rc6 and
> there are no guruplug patches in it.
>
> I remember talking with a Guru owner who needed some firmware for the
> onboard bluetooth stuff, but I don't recall anything mentioned about the
> network drivers.  If there are any patches, I can add them into the next
> kernel build; if someone tells me where they are.
>

It is mentioned several times in the forums that for the GuruPlug you need to 
copy the binary /usr/bin/uaputl from a shipped guruplug.  I had to do the same 
as well with the /lib/firmware/mrvl files.

I added them to http://juanisan.homeip.net/guruplug

as well as my /etc/rc.d/rc.uap and /etc/rc.d/rc.dhcpd
The GuruPlug is weird in that you have to start UAP and restart again once to 
get it fully functioning upon booting.  The debian install does the same thing. 
  But once done like that on boot it functions flawlessly.

 From what I follow, there apparently are NO sources available to this uaputl 
program and I am VERY dubious of this.  I have also read that there are NO 
access controls and that you DONT have to be root to change the SSID or any 
other access point configurations with this utility and the way it talks to the 
kernel driver.  I dont like it but it is what I have to use.

Just be aware of all this and decide what you want to include.

While typing this, Ktorrent Sig 11'ed.  I have had issues with Ktorrent 
crashing, but usually not when left alone.  In 13.1 sometimes it would work 
flawlessly.  Open a torrent, start downloading, open another, etc.. And work to 
completion.  Sometimes I would boot the plug and open a torrent, crash with sig 
11, restart, it recovers and starts downloading, open another, crash sig 11, 
restart, downloads to completion.  it only crashed on an open.  few days later 
reboot the plug and it doesnt crash at all...  A few days later, just crashes on 
an open and repeat the cycle.  This is the first time (with -current) it crashed 
while downloading unattended.  Keeping an eye on this.

When it crashes I get the KDE dialog box telling me why it crashed and if I want 
to restart the application.  I just click "restart" then "close".

I NEED all of this to get my fix of Top Gear, Torchwood, Dr. Who and Spooks 
afterall!!!! :-P

Go GuruPlug!  GO!

-- 
=== Never ask a geek why, just nod your head and slowly back away.===
+================================+==================================+
|  John O'Donnell                |                                  |
|  (Sr. Systems Engineer,        |    http://juanisan.homeip.net    |
|  Net Admin, Programmer, etc.)  |  E-Mail: unixjohn1969 at gmail.com  |
+================================+==================================+
No man is useless who has a friend, and if we are loved we are
indispensable.  -- Robert Louis Stevenson