DietPi OS for ROCK64
#1
[Image: dietpi-logo_192x192.png]

DietPi is an extremely lightweight Debian-based OS. It is highly optimised for minimal CPU and RAM resource usage, ensuring your ROCK64 always runs at its maximum potential.

Use dietpi-software to quick and easy install a desktop and lots of other Ready to Run & Optimised applications for your system. DietPi will do all the necessary configurations, including starting the services.

DietPi images are available for PINE A64PINE H64PinebookPinebook Pro, ROCK64 and ROCKPro64 and all Quartz64 models.

Our PINE64 images are based on the great kernel and firmware, developed by Armbian. However, if you face any issues, please contact us via forum or GitHub issue first.

Website: https://dietpi.com/
Download images: https://dietpi.com/#download
Documentation: https://dietpi.com/docs/
Blog: https://dietpi.com/blog/
Forums: https://dietpi.com/phpbb/
GitHub repository: https://github.com/MichaIng/DietPi

DietPi is a free and open-source project. We are be happy if you consider to contribute or donate: https://dietpi.com/contribute.html
Consider to share your donation between DietPi and Armbian.
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#2
Hi MichaIng!

This looks awesome! I have some questions if you don't mind:

1. It mentions "minimal CPU and RAM resource usage", care to put some numbers on it?

2. Regarding packages, does this use the debian aptitude packages?

3. Is the "ZeroPi" compatible with the Orange Pi Zero? It seems like it from the specs, but it's not too clear.

4. You support the PineBook that runs on the A64, do you also support the PineTab? I believe the PineTab is very similar to the PinePhone hardware wise, so if you support one then you would support the other (in theory).

5. Can you provide screenshot of the "simple interface" you provide? I've got no idea what to expect... Is that running on top of X, or is this a terminal only setup?
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#3
@Michalng if you haven't already, feel free to add the info/links for the devices' Software Release wiki pages.
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#4
@barray

Many thanks for your kind feedback. Let me answer to your questions in a different order, I'll try to tie those into the first post as well:

DietPi uses the regular Debian APT repositories, which I think you mean by "aptitude packages". The aptitude package is not installed by default, but can be with the apt commands, if preferred: apt update; apt install aptitude

Our images come with a very minimal set of pre-installed packages, i.e. the essential system packages (apt, util-linux, kernel, firmware, init system of course, ...) and a small set of additional packages we find important enough, e.g. OOTB SSH and WiFi support, most archive types, keyboard, time zone and localisation. Here is a list, below that kernel, firmware and WiFi-related packages: https://github.com/MichaIng/DietPi/blob/...#L681-L712
Those pull dependencies of course, but if you run apt-mark showmanual in DietPi and a fresh Debian (minimal), Armbian (non-desktop image) or Raspbian Lite, you'll notice the difference. This influences the amount of background processes and hence the RAM usaged by a fresh DietPi, which is around 25-30 MiB and 9 background services (check via htop) when connecting via local console.

So the approach is to start very minimal but making it easy to install additional software on demand, especially such which cannot be installed simply via apt but require 3rd party repositories, runtime systems or custom source builds. The scripts we use (including configuration scripts, drive management, backup and much more) are slim bash scripts which do in sum not take more than 1.3 MiB space. They are based on whiptail dialogues, so run in console without an X server or similar required. Here you get an impression: https://dietpi.com/docs/dietpi_tools/
But a desktop of course is easy to install as well Wink.

I'm also not sure about the compatibility of the images you mentioned. If the SoC and the RAM type matches, it should boot, but the device tree to access all hardware features might differ. Aside of simply testing it, another approach is to install either a fresh Armbian or Debian (at least with Bullseye a large set of SBCs is supported OOTB by the installer) and run our image preparation script on it: https://dietpi.com/docs/dietpi_sbc/#make...stribution
OrangePi Zero is still in the list, otherwise "Generic device" should work. Kernel packages are detected and kept automatically.
In case of PineTab and especially PinePhone, we definitely need to rework a few things to assure that on first boot the dialogues work with touch input. From all I know, with whiptail this does not work and also text is much too small for phones Wink. But I think especially the PinePhone was an awesome step to kickstart/boost the Linux smartphone community and potentially create alternatives for Android. Awesome how many distributors quickly released compatible versions for the PinePhone. We are a very small team with lets say 1.5 actual code developers, so it is not easily possible for us without loosing to much time on the SBC support and development we came from.

@tophneal
I'll do that, I already wanted to, but my wiki account got broken. NB: Do not change "Preferences" > "Appearance" > "Skin", otherwise => HTTP error 500 Big Grin. But it got sorted by great help on discord already.
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#5
@Michalng Thank you for your reply!

> In case of PineTab and especially PinePhone, we definitely need to rework a few things to assure that on first boot the dialogues work with touch input.

I think it would be a reasonable requirement for a non-GUI setup to require a USB keyboard.

> We are a very small team with lets say 1.5 actual code developers, so it is not easily possible for us without loosing to much time on the SBC support and development we came from.

Fair enough, your work is still highly appreciated Smile
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#6
(12-16-2020, 10:32 AM)barray Wrote: I think it would be a reasonable requirement for a non-GUI setup to require a USB keyboard.
In theory, shells can take touch input, when related drivers are installed. I never had a closer look, but htop takes mouse input, so it should not be difficult to make it recognise touch input as well. GPM could be a start: https://ostechnix.com/how-to-configure-m...-consoles/
Since console-setup is already pre-installed, we can adjust font size to be nicely readable on small screens and reduce our banner sizes a bid. Our console dialogue functions are abstracted already, hence what we then need is a touch-capable replacement for whiptail, or writing one ourselves, when we know how to enable mouse/touch input. I guess many of our menus and texts are too wide/long to display nicely at small screens without scrolling but that is a minor thing. Generally an aim is that our images come with everything that is needed to boot and configure every type of device without any additional hardware or peripheral needs, which is why WiFi support (pre-configurable via config file before first boot) and SSH is always pre-installed. So at least from my end, it shall be possible to use the native capabilities of a smartphone (respectively tablet) to set everything else up, before we ship an image.

@tophneal
Little question: After creating my account, I created three threads, before running into the new users limit, on Pinebook, PINE A64 and here. Yesterday the last two at PINE H64 and ROCKPro64 sub forums. While the last two are published already, the two in Pinebook and PINE A64 are not (yet). Are they still in a moderators review query or did I do something stupid that they are lost? I would re-create them but don't want to mess up with doubled threads Wink.
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#7
@MichaIng just took a look. I think someone may have accidentally deleted those posts in the mod queue. I'm restoring and pinning them now.  All posts are pinned, and the missing 2 have been restored+pinned.
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#8
I ordered this Rock64 from Amazon:
[color=var(--newCommunityTheme-linkText)]https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0868WSTXH?psc...asin_title[/color]

It is working fine using this image:
[color=var(--newCommunityTheme-linkText)][b]bionic-minimal-rock64-0.9.14-1159-arm64.img.xz[/b][/color]


But for whatever reason I cannot get dietpi boot. I much prefer dietpi if possible. Tried both dietpi versions from here and the below source, and neither booted:
[color=var(--newCommunityTheme-linkText)]https://wiki.pine64.org/wiki/ROCK64[/color]


[color=var(--newCommunityTheme-linkText)]Any ideas?[/color]
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#9
Which version of the Rock64 did you receive. V2 or V3.
  Reply
#10
@tophneal
Many thanks for restoring the threads!

@sr_guy
I updated the ROCK64 image on December 16 and the Wiki page on December 17 midday to point to that same image. That one failed on your board or did you probably use the older one? If it was the new image, could you go a bid more into detail on which boot step it fails, e.g. do you see any output on screen (or serial console, if attached)?
  Reply


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