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A newer kernel for my genesi smartbook

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  A newer kernel for my genesi smartbook Robert Pommrich <LeProvokateur@gmx.de> - 2018-06-13 21:30 +0200
    Re: A newer kernel for my genesi smartbook deloptes <deloptes@gmail.com> - 2018-06-13 23:50 +0200
    Re: A newer kernel for my genesi smartbook didier gaumet <didier.gaumet@gmail.com> - 2018-06-14 09:20 +0200
    Re: A newer kernel for my genesi smartbook Sven Joachim <svenjoac@gmx.de> - 2018-06-14 22:00 +0200
      Re: A newer kernel for my genesi smartbook Robert Pommrich <LeProvokateur@gmx.de> - 2018-06-16 11:00 +0200

#196643 — A newer kernel for my genesi smartbook

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Hi,

I am a still proud owner of a genesi smartbook.

It is still running wheezy with a kernel in version 2.6.31 with Uboot as
boot loader.

Someone told me, that the hardware should be supported by now by a
mainline kernel.

I don't know how to find out, if the hardware is really supported, nor
how to build a mainline kernel and integrate it with Uboot.

Please help me.

Best regards,
Robert

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#196648

Robert Pommrich wrote:

> I don't know how to find out, if the hardware is really supported, nor
> how to build a mainline kernel and integrate it with Uboot.

I can't speak about your genesi smartbook, but I have few rear boards and
what I usually do is go through all modules used - loaded/compiled in.
I make sure to have them enabled in the kernel config and build package for
the kernel or just build initrd.

I found it very practical to test using PXE or similar (boot/root over
internet (nfs) - one can easily test kernel without much effort (of course
the effort goes into setting up the nfs/root boot part.

you can compile all drivers used by the board in the kernel also to avoid
using initrd, but many would object here.

if it is not x86 it is a bit more complicated

regards

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#196654

Le 13/06/2018 à 21:25, Robert Pommrich a écrit :
> Hi,
> 
> I am a still proud owner of a genesi smartbook.
> 
> It is still running wheezy with a kernel in version 2.6.31 with Uboot as
> boot loader.
> 
> Someone told me, that the hardware should be supported by now by a
> mainline kernel.
> 
> I don't know how to find out, if the hardware is really supported, nor
> how to build a mainline kernel and integrate it with Uboot.
> 
> Please help me.
> 
> Best regards,
> Robert
> 

the easyest way to do what you want would probably to try one of the
3.16 kernels from wheezy-backports:
 https://wiki.debian.org/Backports
 https://packages.debian.org/search?suite=wheezy-backports&arch=armhf&searchon=names&keywords=linux-image-3

you would also have to tell uboot to boot this kernel

Another way (without building a kernel) would be to upgrade to a
maintained version of Debian for ARM: Stretch (Debian 9). You could do
that either by upgrading online (Wheezy->Jessie, then Jessie->Stretch, a
direct Wheezy->Stretch being much more risky) or by a fresh install of
Stretch.
A benefit from Stretch would be the avaibility of grub-uboot:
 https://packages.debian.org/stretch/grub-uboot

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#196689

On 2018-06-13 21:25 +0200, Robert Pommrich wrote:

> I am a still proud owner of a genesi smartbook.
>
> It is still running wheezy with a kernel in version 2.6.31 with Uboot as
> boot loader.
>
> Someone told me, that the hardware should be supported by now by a
> mainline kernel.

Unfortunately, it's not - not anymore, that is.  Support for the Efika
MX smartbook was added in Linux 2.6.39, and it should work with the
linux-image-mx5 kernel in Wheezy - FSVO work, because the GPU only works
to its potential with proprietary drivers, as on nearly all ARM-based
machines, and I am not sure about other drivers (sound, Wifi…)  either.

The bad news is that support for your machine got ripped out again in
Linux 3.7, as nobody added device tree support for it, and so the Jessie
kernel does not work with it, as mentioned in the release notes[1].

> I don't know how to find out, if the hardware is really supported, nor
> how to build a mainline kernel and integrate it with Uboot.

Install the linux-image-mx5 kernel and the flash-kernel package from
Wheezy, it should know what to do.  If the official Wheezy kernel works,
you can upgrade your userland to Jessie (and maybe to Stretch, but note
that systemd in Stretch officially requires Linux 3.12).  This would
give you a few extra years.

Good luck,
Sven


1. https://www.debian.org/releases/jessie/armhf/ch02s01.html.en

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#196720

Hi Sven,

Am 14.06.2018 um 21:52 schrieb Sven Joachim:
> On 2018-06-13 21:25 +0200, Robert Pommrich wrote:
> 
>> I am a still proud owner of a genesi smartbook.
>>
>> It is still running wheezy with a kernel in version 2.6.31 with Uboot as
>> boot loader.
>>
>> Someone told me, that the hardware should be supported by now by a
>> mainline kernel.
> 
> Unfortunately, it's not - not anymore, that is.  Support for the Efika
> MX smartbook was added in Linux 2.6.39, and it should work with the
> linux-image-mx5 kernel in Wheezy - FSVO work, because the GPU only works
> to its potential with proprietary drivers, as on nearly all ARM-based
> machines, and I am not sure about other drivers (sound, Wifi…)  either.
> 
> The bad news is that support for your machine got ripped out again in
> Linux 3.7, as nobody added device tree support for it, and so the Jessie
> kernel does not work with it, as mentioned in the release notes[1].
> 
>> I don't know how to find out, if the hardware is really supported, nor
>> how to build a mainline kernel and integrate it with Uboot.
> 
> Install the linux-image-mx5 kernel and the flash-kernel package from
> Wheezy, it should know what to do.  If the official Wheezy kernel works,
> you can upgrade your userland to Jessie (and maybe to Stretch, but note
> that systemd in Stretch officially requires Linux 3.12).  This would
> give you a few extra years.
> 

Thank you very much, I'll follow your instructions and report back.

> Good luck,
> Sven
> 
> 
> 1. https://www.debian.org/releases/jessie/armhf/ch02s01.html.en
> 

Robert

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