[U-Boot] Updating YAFFS2 RootFS

[David Andrey <David.Andrey@netmodule.com>]

Dear Wolfgang,

>> 
>> he NAND is formatted as follow:
>> * U-Boot Partition
>> * Images Partition (YAFFS2) (Kernel, RootFS as tgz, FPGA / DSP
>> Firmwares).
>> * Linux RootFS (YAFFS2)
> 
>> To update "Linux", the way we imagine is this one:
>> 1. write a new kernel and rootFS in the "Images" partition (get the
>> files through TFTP)
>> 2. u-boot erase the old rootFS and "install" the newer
>> 3. Boot Linux with the newer kernel

>If you have a network connection an can download the images through
>TFTP, then why do you need the "Images Partition" at all? You
>coulinstall the downloaded images directly.

For restore purposes.


> So, I'm looking to clarify the step 2. What is missing ? Ideally,
> something like this:
>     yrdm /images/my_newer_rootfs.tgz  my_ram_address
>     yunzip my_ram_address /rootfs/


> If I were in your place, I would probably use the spoace rather to
have space
> for a second root file system, so I can always install into an
> alternative partition while keeping the old (working copy) in place.
> Even if an update fails permanently for some reason (like corrupted
> images on the server) you can then still fall back to the old version.

Is plan B. Compressed RootFS still take less space.


>> So, what do you think ? Sense or no sense ? Is it a way to achieve
this
>> from u-boot ?

> It can be done as you described it, but it makes little sense to me.

What about the implementation of a "yunzip" ? Any suggestions ?

The YAFFS2 code in U-Boot is the one released in 2007. Do you plan any
update in some near future ?

Regards
David