Troubleshooting New Kernel Image

[wsgts]

I'm having great fun dorking around with the Pinebook Pro, I haven't recompiled the Linux kernel since about 2005 or so, so it's been a while. It's great fun to try and get everything up to speed, I appreciate all the work that went into this project.

So far, I have gotten the 

- firmware updates (trackpad)
- default image updates from MrFixit
- package updates from the Debian repo
- all the other password changes, directory renames, etc

Then, of course, more dorking around. I recompiled the kernel on my x86 laptop, to enable DM_CRYPT kernel so I could encrypt my home directly with LUKS, encrypted the SD card I had installed and was finally able to create the filesystem then mount under LUKS. 

After several reboots fiddling with the /etc/crypttab and /etc/fstab the Pinebook does not boot. I dont get to the splash screen, I have read in the wiki that I should reset the motherboard so I have ordered a very small screwdriver set from Amazon to reset it. 

It has booted one time after I let it be for about 5 minutes awaiting the splash screen, which makes me believe I have some type of connector issue. After all, a faulty kernel wouldn't boot after any length of time. I guess without some type of on-screen message I am really looking for some more advanced troubleshooting techniques?

T

[Mazian]

It has booted one time after I let it be for about 5 minutes awaiting the splash screen, which makes me believe I have some type of connector issue. After all, a faulty kernel wouldn't boot after any length of time. I guess without some type of on-screen message I am really looking for some more advanced troubleshooting techniques?

That sounds like it might be a known bootloader problem - see the "Hacks" section here.  Can you boot it by adding maxcpus=4 to the kernel boot line?

[danielt]

I don't think it is quite time to break out the screwdriver.

It is true there are ways that you *can* destroy the bootloader (which currently is on the eMMC) and that would need a screwdriver to fix but it shouldn't happen when you are playing about with the kernel. One useful clue is the power light... if the power light still works then the bootloader is starting up!

Assuming the power light is working then try burning the mrfixit image to an SD card and the bootloader should "prefer" the (working) SD card over booting from (broken) eMMC. With luck that should give you a working OS from which to repair things...

Good luck!

[wsgts]

Danielt,

Yeap, you are right, that was it. No hardware problems, but rather a problem with the image I somehow messed it up. Interestingly enough, I installed the old kernels back to the original locations (copied the .bak back over), and it didn't fix the issue. Thinking I messed up something in the fstab or crypttab. Fun to mess around with.

The key information is that if I get the green activity light then the bootloader is working. I am more accustomed to a debug message of some kind.

I did use your Debian installer (thanks for that) and was able to get Debian onto the eMMC device with the dead Firefox install, but was able to install a backport and get that working ok. Appreciate your effort here!

T