[split] U-Boot with NVMe support, keyboard & display working

[as400]

@NickL - by sleep you mean display sleep or entire system sleep ?

What is your booting success/fail ratio ?

[simonsouth]

@samueldr has identified the problem with booting later kernels. You can find details here --> https://github.com/samueldr/wip-pinebook...-664046551

Following this, here's a patch to Linux that should address the hang on kernels 5.6 and newer when video is enabled in U-Boot, by fixing the issue with the Rockchip PWM driver instead of undoing other changes to the kernel. (I don't use Github so I'm sharing it here.)

I've tested this using Guix and Linux 5.8.1 and it appears to work fine, but I'd be interested in hearing other people's experience with it on other kernel versions.

[Wizzard]

Hi, I would like to try it, but from what I read I am not sure if it is fully working. Does it boot for example ayufan's Ubuntu? Also, where do I get the latest images for SPI flash?

[as400]

@Wizzard - there are problems with booting kernels > 5.4. For some people only one try on ten boots is successful.
In previous post you have a patch for a newer kernels that circumvents the problems.

There are binary images for eMMC/SD and SPI in my repo.

But I wouldn't try to write to SPI if you don't feel adventurous. Try it on SD first and stay on the safe side.

[Wizzard]

Good, so are there the binary files with the patch for > 5.4 kernels, or I have to build it?
SD card is a problem for me, cause my SD card slot is broken and does not hold a SD card inside.

[as400]

You would have to build the kernel yourself.

[as400]

Some more testing for those of you who want to

@strit from Manjaro has build kernel 5.9-rc7 with the patch that was posted here by @simonsouth.

So grab the kernel from arm-unstable branch, grab uboot from my repo and test. It should be ok.

Please post the results here.

[as400]

@simonsouth

I have tested your kernel patch. Conclusions :

1. Problem - newer kernels locking/freezing during boot - SOLVED.
2. Problem - screen power management problem (cannot wake screen after it goes off) - SOLVED.

I tried to boot with the patched kernel about 40 times and couldn't get a lock so I would say it's fairly stable patch.


I have also uploaded new version of uboot to my repo.
Added features:

1. Btrfs support.
2. NVME boot option to menu.

If somebody wants to test the binaries ----> https://gitlab.com/as400l/pbp-uboot-display-menu

Remember - to have a consistent booting you must have kernel with @simonsouth patch.

[simonsouth]

I tried to boot with the patched kernel about 40 times and couldn't get a lock so I would say it's fairly stable patch.

Great, I'm glad to hear this. Thanks for testing it so thoroughly.

[as400]

@simonsouth - it is also very plausible that your patch will resolve problem with kexec. Which is there for last couple of years.

But I didn't test it.

I forgot to say - thank you for you work