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Tutorial: Run Debian off NVMe - Printable Version

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Tutorial: Run Debian off NVMe - hive - 10-18-2020

Here are steps that worked for me, to get Debian to boot from NVMe on the PineBook Pro.
  1. Install NVMe adapter and NVMe drive

  2. Get the NVME device name --lsblk should list it, the actual device will be something like = /dev/nvme0n1

  3. Install Debian to the NVMe using this: https://github.com/daniel-thompson/pinebook-pro-debian-installer -- Note: The install failed with a hang (flashing amber-green) the first 2 times I tried it, and succeeded the 3rd time.

  4. Install an updated uboot that supports NVMe onto the SPI: https://github.com/pcm720/u-boot-build-scripts/releases/tag/v2020.07-1. (Note the boot order is microSD, eMMC, then NVMe, so if you want the PBP to boot from NVMe, you need to disable booting from the eMMC)

  5. Boot into manjaro on eMMC

  6. Disable booting from the eMMC (so the PBP will boot from the NVMe): Rename the /boot/extlinux folder on the eMMC e.g. sudo mv /boot/extlinux /boot/extlinux.dontboot (so the PBP will not boot off the eMMC)

  7. Reboot, and it should boot from NVMe
    Note: if you want to go back to booting from eMMC, mount the 1st partition off eMMC--that is eMMC partition that would normally be mounted to /boot on Manjaro) and change the name from extlinux.dontboot (or whatever you used in step 6) back to extlinux and reboot



RE: Tutorial: Run Debian off NVMe - wdt - 10-18-2020

> so if you want the PBP to boot from NVMe, you need to disable booting from the eMMC
Actually, no
@localhost pcm-uboot]$ strings u-boot.img |grep _target
boot_targets=mmc1 nvme0 usb0 mmc0 pxe dhcp


RE: Tutorial: Run Debian off NVMe - hive - 10-19-2020

(10-18-2020, 08:27 PM)wdt Wrote: > so if you want the PBP to boot from NVMe, you need to disable booting from the eMMC
Actually, no
@localhost pcm-uboot]$ strings u-boot.img |grep _target
boot_targets=mmc1 nvme0 usb0 mmc0 pxe dhcp
Hi @wdt would you mind please providing a bit more info--what file, on what media/partition would you edit to change the boot order?


RE: Tutorial: Run Debian off NVMe - wdt - 10-19-2020

That is parameters that are set before uboot is compiled
strings u-boot.img OR uboot,img will show about 4-5 pages of things inside uboot
Usually, not all that useful
the grep is for boot_targets, which is uboot search order
To change, you will have to compile uboot yourself
(BTW,, mmc1=SD,,,mmc0=emmc)
I have been looking, maybe there is a trick to "chain" extlinux.conf's, so far no
Other than renaming,, ie extlinux.conf ->extlinux.conf.bak,, that works (or rather, doesn't, ie won't find this one)
Just what are you trying to do? Get a selector?
If so, the only one, so far, is samueldr's uboot, needs a patched kernel (until 5.9, patch will be mainline)
It does sort of work, 2-6 boot attempts needed, so can take a few minutes (this with unpatched kernel)


RE: Tutorial: Run Debian off NVMe - hive - 10-19-2020

(10-19-2020, 09:25 AM)wdt Wrote: That is parameters that are set before  uboot is compiled
strings u-boot.img  OR uboot,img will show about 4-5 pages of things inside uboot
Usually, not all that useful
the grep is for boot_targets, which is uboot search order
To change, you will have to compile uboot yourself
(BTW,, mmc1=SD,,,mmc0=emmc)
I have been looking, maybe there is a trick to "chain" extlinux.conf's, so far no
Other than renaming,, ie extlinux.conf ->extlinux.conf.bak,, that works (or rather, doesn't, ie won't find this one)
Just what are you trying to do?  Get a selector? 
If so, the only one, so far, is samueldr's uboot, needs a patched kernel (until 5.9, patch will be mainline)
It does sort of work, 2-6 boot attempts needed, so can take a few minutes (this with unpatched kernel)
@wdt ok, I understand.  I was looking for a way to change the order without having to re-build and re-install uboot.