What's a good image to use now? [tutorial help as well]

[Der Geist der Maschine]

Oh, I did not know that debootstrap has config files for every Debian version. The debootstrap from Mrfix's Debian 9 is apparently not aware of Debian Bookworm. Copying over the config files is a hack and I do not know in what follow up issue you may run. If I recall, you have Manjaro on emmc. That should be more recent than Mrfix's Debian 9. I recommend you using that as a starting point.

You don't need to backup Daniel Thomspon's installer. You can clone mine into another directory.

Here is my installation from a Manjaro micro SD (last updated March 2024) on an usb thumb drive (I needed to change the swapfile size from 2GB to 1 MB in the installer as my whole usb thumb drive is 2 GB in total).

Code:

manjaro:~$ git clone https://github.com/schaecsn/pinebook-pro-debian-installer pinebook-pro-debian-installer-new Cloning into 'pinebook-pro-debian-installer-new'... remote: Enumerating objects: 267, done. remote: Counting objects: 100% (35/35), done. remote: Compressing objects: 100% (24/24), done. remote: Total 267 (delta 15), reused 25 (delta 9), pack-reused 232 (from 1) Receiving objects: 100% (267/267), 66.96 KiB | 357.00 KiB/s, done. Resolving deltas: 100% (132/132), done. manjaro:~$ cd pinebook-pro-debian-installer-new/ manjaro:~/pinebook-pro-debian-installer-new$ ./install-debian BLKDEV=/dev/sda >>>> Preparing to install Submodule 'ap6256-firmware' (https://gitlab.manjaro.org/manjaro-arm/packages/community/ap6256-firmware) registered for path 'ap6256-firmware' Submodule 'bootloader' (https://github.com/mrfixit2001/updates_repo) registered for path 'bootloader' Submodule 'firmware' (https://gitlab.manjaro.org/tsys/pinebook-firmware.git) registered for path 'pinebook-firmware' Cloning into '/home/schaecsn/pinebook-pro-debian-installer-new/ap6256-firmware'... warning: redirecting to https://gitlab.manjaro.org/manjaro-arm/packages/community/ap6256-firmware.git/ Cloning into '/home/schaecsn/pinebook-pro-debian-installer-new/bootloader'... Cloning into '/home/schaecsn/pinebook-pro-debian-installer-new/pinebook-firmware'... Submodule path 'ap6256-firmware': checked out 'a30bf312b268eab42d38fab0cc3ed3177895ff5d' Submodule path 'bootloader': checked out 'c95331aecdb961afbca6e6ed73393d6abe7fdc7d' Submodule path 'pinebook-firmware': checked out '937f0d52d27d7712da6a008d35fd7c2819e2b077' [sudo] password for schaecsn: warning: dosfstools-4.2-3 is up to date -- skipping resolving dependencies... looking for conflicting packages... Packages (2) debootstrap-1.0.134-1  pigz-2.8-1 Total Download Size:  0.11 MiB Total Installed Size:  0.36 MiB :: Proceed with installation? [Y/n] :: Retrieving packages... pigz-2.8-1-aarch64              80.9 KiB  83.4 KiB/s 00:01 [################################] 100% debootstrap-1.0.134-1-any        36.5 KiB  30.9 KiB/s 00:01 [################################] 100% Total (2/2)                    117.4 KiB  83.8 KiB/s 00:01 [################################] 100% (2/2) checking keys in keyring                              [################################] 100% (2/2) checking package integrity                            [################################] 100% (2/2) loading package files                                  [################################] 100% (2/2) checking for file conflicts                            [################################] 100% (2/2) checking available disk space                          [################################] 100% :: Processing package changes... (1/2) installing debootstrap                                [################################] 100% Optional dependencies for debootstrap     gnupg: check release signatures [installed]     debian-archive-keyring: check release signatures for Debian     debian-ports-archive-keyring: check release signatures for Debian Ports     ubuntu-keyring: check release signatures for Ubuntu (2/2) installing pigz                                        [################################] 100% :: Running post-transaction hooks... (1/1) Arming ConditionNeedsUpdate... >>>> Partitioning Checking that no-one is using this disk right now ... OK Disk /dev/sda: 1.86 GiB, 1992294400 bytes, 3891200 sectors Disk model: USB Disk        Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes Disklabel type: dos Disk identifier: 0x6d5bf375 Old situation: Device    Boot  Start    End Sectors  Size Id Type /dev/sda1  *          0 1292287 1292288  631M  0 Empty /dev/sda2          4524  23563  19040  9.3M ef EFI (FAT-12/16/32) /dev/sda3      1292288 3891199 2598912  1.2G 83 Linux >>> Script header accepted. >>> Script header accepted. >>> Script header accepted. >>> Created a new GPT disklabel (GUID: 989448C7-C35A-461A-A0E3-BA1B696820C6). /dev/sda1: Created a new partition 1 of type 'Linux reserved' and of size 8 MiB. /dev/sda2: Created a new partition 2 of type 'Linux reserved' and of size 4 MiB. /dev/sda3: Created a new partition 3 of type 'Linux reserved' and of size 4 MiB. /dev/sda4: Created a new partition 4 of type 'EFI System' and of size 200 MiB. /dev/sda5: Created a new partition 5 of type 'Linux filesystem' and of size 500 MiB. /dev/sda6: Created a new partition 6 of type 'Linux filesystem' and of size 1.2 GiB. /dev/sda7: Done. New situation: Disklabel type: gpt Disk identifier: 989448C7-C35A-461A-A0E3-BA1B696820C6 Device      Start    End Sectors  Size Type /dev/sda1      64  16383  16320    8M Linux reserved /dev/sda2    16384  24575    8192    4M Linux reserved /dev/sda3    24576  32767    8192    4M Linux reserved /dev/sda4    32768  442367  409600  200M EFI System /dev/sda5  442368 1466367 1024000  500M Linux filesystem /dev/sda6  1466368 3889151 2422784  1.2G Linux filesystem The partition table has been altered. Calling ioctl() to re-read partition table. Syncing disks. >>>> Installing Pinebook Pro boot firmware 39+1 records in 39+1 records out 163836 bytes (164 kB, 160 KiB) copied, 0.0543011 s, 3.0 MB/s 1024+0 records in 1024+0 records out 4194304 bytes (4.2 MB, 4.0 MiB) copied, 0.9898 s, 4.2 MB/s 1024+0 records in 1024+0 records out 4194304 bytes (4.2 MB, 4.0 MiB) copied, 0.521563 s, 8.0 MB/s >>>> Formatting mkfs.fat 4.2 (2021-01-31) mke2fs 1.47.0 (5-Feb-2023) Creating filesystem with 512000 1k blocks and 128016 inodes Filesystem UUID: bc929f54-d7da-4fdb-b2db-f149a463395c Superblock backups stored on blocks: 8193, 24577, 40961, 57345, 73729, 204801, 221185, 401409 Allocating group tables: done                            Writing inode tables: done                            Creating journal (8192 blocks): done Writing superblocks and filesystem accounting information: done mke2fs 1.47.0 (5-Feb-2023) Creating filesystem with 302848 4k blocks and 75840 inodes Filesystem UUID: 2770faaa-860b-4c4a-a3bb-2435cfc6f16d Superblock backups stored on blocks: 32768, 98304, 163840, 229376, 294912 Allocating group tables: done                            Writing inode tables: done                            Creating journal (8192 blocks): done Writing superblocks and filesystem accounting information: done >>>> Mounting target filesystem >>>> Installing base system I: Keyring file not available at /usr/share/keyrings/debian-archive-keyring.gpg; switching to https mirror https://deb.debian.org/debian I: Retrieving InRelease I: Retrieving Packages I: Validating Packages I: Resolving dependencies of required packages... I: Resolving dependencies of base packages... I: Checking component main on https://deb.debian.org/debian... I: Retrieving adduser 3.134 I: Validating adduser 3.134 I: Retrieving apt 2.6.1 I: Validating apt 2.6.1 I: Retrieving apt-utils 2.6.1 I: Validating apt-utils 2.6.1 I: Retrieving base-files 12.4+deb12u9 I: Validating base-files 12.4+deb12u9 I: Retrieving base-passwd 3.6.1 I: Validating base-passwd 3.6.1 I: Retrieving bash 5.2.15-2+b7 I: Validating bash 5.2.15-2+b7 ... I: Configuring initramfs-tools... I: Base system installed successfully. [sudo] password for schaecsn: >>>> Creating Swapfile 1+0 records in 1+0 records out 1048576 bytes (1.0 MB, 1.0 MiB) copied, 0.0343232 s, 30.6 MB/s Setting up swapspace version 1, size = 1020 KiB (1044480 bytes) no label, UUID=b89db579-d023-4e5b-b194-c148b90f357c >>>> Mount special file systems >>>> Checking for updates Hit:1 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm InRelease Get:2 http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security InRelease [48.0 kB] Get:3 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm/main Sources [9496 kB] Get:4 http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security/contrib Sources [856 B] Get:5 http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security/non-free-firmware Sources [796 B] Get:6 http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security/main Sources [145 kB] Get:7 http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security/main arm64 Packages [242 kB] Get:8 http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security/main Translation-en [147 kB] Get:9 http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security/contrib arm64 Packages [508 B] Get:10 http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security/contrib Translation-en [652 B] Get:11 http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security/non-free-firmware Translation-en [472 B] Get:12 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm/non-free-firmware Sources [6436 B]                    Get:13 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm/non-free Sources [77.9 kB]                            Get:14 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm/contrib Sources [51.4 kB]                            Get:15 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm/main Translation-en [6109 kB]                        Get:16 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm/contrib arm64 Packages [45.6 kB]                                                                                                                                                              Get:17 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm/contrib Translation-en [48.8 kB]                                                                                                                                                              Get:18 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm/non-free arm64 Packages [75.8 kB]                                                                                                                                                              Get:19 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm/non-free Translation-en [67.0 kB]                                                                                                                                                              Get:20 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm/non-free-firmware arm64 Packages [5832 B]                                                                                                                                                      Get:21 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm/non-free-firmware Translation-en [20.9 kB]                                                                                                                                                    Fetched 16.6 MB in 36s (461 kB/s)                                                                                                                                                                                                          Reading package lists... Done Reading package lists... Done Building dependency tree... Done Calculating upgrade... Done The following packages will be upgraded:   libgnutls30 libtasn1-6 2 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded. Need to get 1359 kB of archives. After this operation, 8192 B disk space will be freed. Get:1 http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security/main arm64 libtasn1-6 arm64 4.19.0-2+deb12u1 [46.0 kB] Get:2 http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security/main arm64 libgnutls30 arm64 3.7.9-2+deb12u4 [1313 kB] Fetched 1359 kB in 6s (230 kB/s)        E: Can not write log (Is /dev/pts mounted?) - posix_openpt (19: No such device) (Reading database ... 11702 files and directories currently installed.) Preparing to unpack .../libtasn1-6_4.19.0-2+deb12u1_arm64.deb ... Unpacking libtasn1-6:arm64 (4.19.0-2+deb12u1) over (4.19.0-2) ... Setting up libtasn1-6:arm64 (4.19.0-2+deb12u1) ... (Reading database ... 11702 files and directories currently installed.) Preparing to unpack .../libgnutls30_3.7.9-2+deb12u4_arm64.deb ... Unpacking libgnutls30:arm64 (3.7.9-2+deb12u4) over (3.7.9-2+deb12u3) ... Setting up libgnutls30:arm64 (3.7.9-2+deb12u4) ... Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.36-9+deb12u9) ... >>>> Installed additional firmware files >>>> Installing kernel Hit:1 http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security InRelease Hit:2 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm InRelease Get:3 https://laban.lysator.liu.se/pub/opensuse/repositories/home:/danielthompson/Debian_Testing ./ InRelease [1549 B] Ign:3 https://laban.lysator.liu.se/pub/opensuse/repositories/home:/danielthompson/Debian_Testing ./ InRelease Get:4 https://laban.lysator.liu.se/pub/opensuse/repositories/home:/danielthompson/Debian_Testing ./ Packages [2495 B] Fetched 4044 B in 4s (1053 B/s)    Reading package lists... Done W: GPG error: https://laban.lysator.liu.se/pub/opensuse/repositories/home:/danielthompson/Debian_Testing ./ InRelease: The following signatures were invalid: EXPKEYSIG 1CC38EB6DADC6EA2 home:danielthompson OBS Project <home:danielthompson@build.opensuse.org> Reading package lists... Done Building dependency tree... Done Reading state information... Done The following additional packages will be installed:   linux-image-5.7.0-2-pinebookpro-arm64 The following NEW packages will be installed:   linux-image-5.7.0-2-pinebookpro-arm64 linux-image-pinebookpro-arm64 0 upgraded, 2 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded. Need to get 34.0 MB of archives. After this operation, 173 MB of additional disk space will be used. Get:1 https://laban.lysator.liu.se/pub/opensuse/repositories/home:/danielthompson/Debian_Testing ./ linux-image-5.7.0-2-pinebookpro-arm64 5.7.19-30-geadcd756eb47-1 [34.0 MB] Get:2 https://laban.lysator.liu.se/pub/opensuse/repositories/home:/danielthompson/Debian_Testing ./ linux-image-pinebookpro-arm64 5.7.19-30-geadcd756eb47-1 [1664 B]                                                                        Fetched 34.0 MB in 1min 5s (526 kB/s)                                                                                                                                                                                                      E: Can not write log (Is /dev/pts mounted?) - posix_openpt (19: No such device) Selecting previously unselected package linux-image-5.7.0-2-pinebookpro-arm64. (Reading database ... 11702 files and directories currently installed.) Preparing to unpack .../linux-image-5.7.0-2-pinebookpro-arm64_5.7.19-30-geadcd756eb47-1_arm64.deb ... Unpacking linux-image-5.7.0-2-pinebookpro-arm64 (5.7.19-30-geadcd756eb47-1) ... electing previously unselected package linux-image-pinebookpro-arm64. Preparing to unpack .../linux-image-pinebookpro-arm64_5.7.19-30-geadcd756eb47-1_arm64.deb ... Unpacking linux-image-pinebookpro-arm64 (5.7.19-30-geadcd756eb47-1) ... Setting up linux-image-5.7.0-2-pinebookpro-arm64 (5.7.19-30-geadcd756eb47-1) ... update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-5.7.0-2-pinebookpro-arm64 W: No zstd in /usr/bin:/sbin:/bin, using gzip W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/ene-ub6250/ms_rdwr.bin for built-in driver ums_eneub6250 W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/ene-ub6250/msp_rdwr.bin for built-in driver ums_eneub6250 W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/ene-ub6250/ms_init.bin for built-in driver ums_eneub6250 W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/ene-ub6250/sd_rdwr.bin for built-in driver ums_eneub6250 W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/ene-ub6250/sd_init2.bin for built-in driver ums_eneub6250 W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/ene-ub6250/sd_init1.bin for built-in driver ums_eneub6250 W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/xc3028L-v36.fw for built-in driver tuner_xc2028 W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/xc3028-v27.fw for built-in driver tuner_xc2028 W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/dvb-fe-xc5000c-4.1.30.7.fw for built-in driver xc5000 W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/dvb-fe-xc5000-1.6.114.fw for built-in driver xc5000 W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/dvb-fe-xc4000-1.4.fw for built-in driver xc4000 W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/dvb-fe-xc4000-1.4.1.fw for built-in driver xc4000 P: Found /usr/lib/linux-image-5.7.0-2-pinebookpro-arm64/rockchip/rk3399-pinebook-pro.dtb P: Checking for EXTLINUX directory... not found. P: Creating EXTLINUX directory... done: /boot/extlinux P: Writing config for vmlinuz-5.7.0-2-pinebookpro-arm64... P: Updating /boot/extlinux/extlinux.conf... Setting up linux-image-pinebookpro-arm64 (5.7.19-30-geadcd756eb47-1) ... >>>> Basic configuration Choose a hostname (or press Return to keep default): usb About to create main user, please enter username: ghost Adding user `ghost' ... Adding new group `ghost' (1000) ... Adding new user `ghost' (1000) with group `ghost (1000)' ... Creating home directory `/home/ghost' ... Copying files from `/etc/skel' ... New password: Retype new password: passwd: password updated successfully Changing the user information for ghost Enter the new value, or press ENTER for the default Full Name []: Der Geist der Maschine Room Number []: Work Phone []: Home Phone []: Other []: Is the information correct? [Y/n] y Adding new user `ghost' to supplemental / extra groups `users, users' ... Adding user `ghost' to group `users' ... adduser: The user `ghost' is already a member of `users'. Adding user `ghost' to group `sudo' ... Done. Generating locales (this might take a while)... Generation complete. Current default time zone: 'US/Pacific' Local time is now:      Fri Mar 14 17:33:18 PDT 2025. Universal Time is now:  Sat Mar 15 00:33:18 UTC 2025. >>>> Task selection <text based gui for choosing a desktop environment shows up> >>>> umount

Booting from usb requires tow-boot which I don't have.  Here is a sanity check: /dev/sda5 is the boot partition and we find all the files we expect there.

Code:

manjaro:~/pinebook-pro-debian-installer-new$ sudo mount /dev/sda5 /mnt/tmp manjaro:~/pinebook-pro-debian-installer-new$ ls /mnt/tmp/ System.map-5.7.0-2-pinebookpro-arm64  config-5.7.0-2-pinebookpro-arm64 efi  extlinux  initrd.img-5.7.0-2-pinebookpro-arm64  lost+found  rk3399-pinebook-pro.dtb  vmlinuz-5.7.0-2-pinebookpro-arm64 manjaro:~/pinebook-pro-debian-installer-new$ sudo umount /mnt/tmp

If I recall, previously you had some issues with running the debian-installer from Manjaro. I recommend you a) to start from a fresh git clone and b) add "set -x" to the debian installer for verbose output. Then post the whole output and not just single lines.