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

[plumlis]

So there isn't a uboot can boot nvme and make suspend working? Or someone is working on this issue?
Where can I track this?

[ALBNC1974]

I have uploaded new u-boot version 2021.01.

I have removed opinionated boot menu where you select device to boot from. So if you are really attached to it - DO NOT UPGRADE.

It still has extlinux.conf based menu where you can select system/kernel to boot.


https://gitlab.com/as400l/pbp-uboot-disp...15.01.2021

Can I ask, why remove the boot device menu?

Are there any fixes or new features in this release or does it just remove that menu?

[as400]

Some answers from me:

1. Suspend not working has nothing to do with uboot - rather with ATF - as Simon wrote.
2. This uboot is a 2021.01 version. There are no new features but some fixes.
3. I removed opinionated boot menu since it doesn't have any added value. If I want to boot from e.g. sdcard I just insert it and boot. That's all. No need for a fancy menu for this. Also I didn't want to rebase opinionated boot patches for 2021.01 version. Last, but not least, uboot just feels faster without them.

@simonsouth - there are two other people working on ATF. Come to #Pinebook channel on Matrix or IRC. Look for @theotherjimmy and @CrystalGamma.

[moonwalkers]

Some answers from me:

1. Suspend not working has nothing to do with uboot - rather with ATF - as Simon wrote.

Perhaps a stupid question then.

In MrFixit's release there are three files, uboot.img, idbloader.img, and trust.img. I assume trust.img is what contains ATF? If that's correct, then that file hasn't changed since MrFixit's release 1.1. Danielt's script was originally using release 1.4, and with it suspend didn't work, but after upgrading to MrFixit's release 2.0 suspend works, and the only change there is uboot.img. Your build has idbloader.img and u-boot.itb, which I assume (perhaps incorrectly?) are the equivalent of idbloader.img and uboot.img in MrFixit's release and need to be written to eMMC at the same locations. That means I'd be still using the same ATF as trust.img in MrFixit's release. When I tried using your u-boot build suspend wouldn't work properly (it's been some time now, but IIRC machine would simply freeze on suspend).

Was it that one of my assumptions is incorrect, or did I miss something else? Because honestly if I can get suspend to work I'd much rather use your build than carry a recovery microSD card with me everywhere in case there are any boot problems with a new kernel.

[as400]

@moonwalkers - MrFixit's uboot is basically Rockchip BSP uboot (and ATF). It has some binary blobs (afaik in ATF) from Rockchip doing god knows what. The difference is that, when using uboot from this thread, you're running completely open source uboot and ATF with no binary blobs from SBC manufacturer.

Suspend problems are being worked on. But I don't know if or when they will be resolved in mainline ATF. Apparently it's not so easy because the problem exists for a long time now.

[moonwalkers]

@moonwalkers - MrFixit's uboot is basically Rockchip BSP uboot (and ATF). It has some binary blobs (afaik in ATF) from Rockchip doing god knows what. The difference is that, when using uboot from this thread, you're running completely open source uboot and ATF with no binary blobs from SBC manufacturer.

That's not what my question was about. I understand perfectly well there are binary blobs in ATF in MrFixit's BSP uboot vs fully open source other builds of u-boot, and I'm all for getting fully open source version up to 100% feature parity and then some with BSP uboot/ATF. My question was where that ATF is supposed to be, so that, if possible, I could try combining the blobbed ATF with working suspend with the u-boot version that shows the boot menu until fully open-source suspend is working. Am I making sense?

[as400]

Interesting idea.
Rockchip does not publish sources of their TF-A. Just binaries.

I have compiled 2021.01 u-boot with Rockchip blob. If you feel like it you can test drive it.

https://gitlab.com/as400l/pbp-uboot-disp...sting_only

Report how it goes. I have not tried it.

[plumlis]

Does this support nvme booting?

[as400]

@plumlis - I'm, not sure if you're asking about "normal" versions or the one with the Rockchip blob. Answer for "normal" is yes. For the one with Rockchip blob answer is yes it should.

In case of Rockchip blobbed - I had no time to test it yet - so consider it highly experimental. Expect problems. I have only one pbp and I'm daily driving the thing