State of the art for creating an image that you can dd to an SD card

State of the art for creating an image that you can dd to an SD card

[Philip Balister]

What's the best available solution for creating an image you can dd to
an SD card? It seems like this wheel has been invented several times and
I am wondering if people are converging on one approach.

Bonus points for resizing the linux partition.

How are people doing this today?

Philip

Re: State of the art for creating an image that you can dd to an SD card

[Joe MacDonald]

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[[oe] State of the art for creating an image that you can dd to an SD card] On 14.06.24 (Tue 16:14) Philip Balister wrote:

> What's the best available solution for creating an image you can dd to
> an SD card? It seems like this wheel has been invented several times and
> I am wondering if people are converging on one approach.

I don't know about that, but I always resort to the same methodology a
friend of mine used to call "stone axes and hammers" (that is, simple,
basic tools that are efficient if not elegant).

   dd if=/dev/zero of=rootfs.img bs=1M count=<however_many_meg_I_need>
   mke2fs -j rootfs.img
   mount -o loop rootfs.img /mnt
   tar -C /mnt -[jJz]xf <path_to_image>
   umount /mnt

> Bonus points for resizing the linux partition.

Half marks for solving half the problem?  :-)

   dd if=/dev/zero >> rootfs.img
   e2fsck -f junk.img
   resize2fs rootfs.img

It would probably work to shrink it by doing something like resize2fs -M
then doing a dd with if=junk.img of=smaller-junk.img, but I don't ever
recall needing to shrink and image where I didn't just go create a
smaller image and use something like pax or rsync to copy the data from
one to the other.

> 
> How are people doing this today?
> 
> Philip
-- 
-Joe MacDonald.
:wq

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Re: State of the art for creating an image that you can dd to an SD card

[Paul Eggleton]

On Tuesday 24 June 2014 16:14:58 Philip Balister wrote:
> What's the best available solution for creating an image you can dd to
> an SD card? It seems like this wheel has been invented several times and
> I am wondering if people are converging on one approach.
> 
> Bonus points for resizing the linux partition.
> 
> How are people doing this today?

I think wic has seen some uptake and enhancement since its introduction a 
couple of releases ago. It has certainly worked for me in writing SD cards for 
Galileo. We seem to be a bit short on documentation for it though...

Cheers,
Paul

-- 

Paul Eggleton
Intel Open Source Technology Centre

Re: State of the art for creating an image that you can dd to an SD card

[Philip Balister]

On 06/25/2014 03:07 AM, Paul Eggleton wrote:
> On Tuesday 24 June 2014 16:14:58 Philip Balister wrote:
>> What's the best available solution for creating an image you can dd to
>> an SD card? It seems like this wheel has been invented several times and
>> I am wondering if people are converging on one approach.
>>
>> Bonus points for resizing the linux partition.
>>
>> How are people doing this today?
> 
> I think wic has seen some uptake and enhancement since its introduction a 
> couple of releases ago. It has certainly worked for me in writing SD cards for 
> Galileo. We seem to be a bit short on documentation for it though...

Googling for "wic sd" doesn't help. I've seen some commits, so I'll take
a look in the meta data.

Philip

> 
> Cheers,
> Paul
> 

Re: State of the art for creating an image that you can dd to an SD card

[Denys Dmytriyenko]

On Wed, Jun 25, 2014 at 11:38:16AM -0700, Philip Balister wrote:
> On 06/25/2014 03:07 AM, Paul Eggleton wrote:
> > On Tuesday 24 June 2014 16:14:58 Philip Balister wrote:
> >> What's the best available solution for creating an image you can dd to
> >> an SD card? It seems like this wheel has been invented several times and
> >> I am wondering if people are converging on one approach.
> >>
> >> Bonus points for resizing the linux partition.
> >>
> >> How are people doing this today?
> > 
> > I think wic has seen some uptake and enhancement since its introduction a 
> > couple of releases ago. It has certainly worked for me in writing SD cards for 
> > Galileo. We seem to be a bit short on documentation for it though...
> 
> Googling for "wic sd" doesn't help. I've seen some commits, so I'll take
> a look in the meta data.

http://cgit.openembedded.org/openembedded-core/tree/scripts/wic

But indeed, better documentation would be most appreciated.

-- 
Denys

Re: State of the art for creating an image that you can dd to an SD card

[Diego Sueiro]

Hi Denys,

On Wed, Jun 25, 2014 at 3:55 PM, Denys Dmytriyenko <denis@denix.org> wrote:

> http://cgit.openembedded.org/openembedded-core/tree/scripts/wic
>
> But indeed, better documentation would be most appreciated.


I didn't have a chance to take a look and test wic tool.
Do you know if it can be used to generate sdcard images for TI's Sitara
SoCs?
The _problem_ for creating a sdcard image for Sitara is the configuration
of Heads, Sectors and Cylinders that should be passed to sfdisk and needs
to be done as root.


Regards,

--
*dS
Diego Sueiro

Administrador do Embarcados
www.embarcados.com.br
<http://www.embarcados.com.br/?utm_source=assinatura_diego&utm_medium=e-mail&utm_campaign=Assinatura%20Email%20Diego>

/*long live rock 'n roll*/

Re: State of the art for creating an image that you can dd to an SD card

[Philip Balister]

On 06/25/2014 04:13 PM, Diego Sueiro wrote:
> Hi Denys,
> 
> On Wed, Jun 25, 2014 at 3:55 PM, Denys Dmytriyenko <denis@denix.org> wrote:
> 
>> http://cgit.openembedded.org/openembedded-core/tree/scripts/wic
>>
>> But indeed, better documentation would be most appreciated.
> 
> 
> I didn't have a chance to take a look and test wic tool.
> Do you know if it can be used to generate sdcard images for TI's Sitara
> SoCs?
> The _problem_ for creating a sdcard image for Sitara is the configuration
> of Heads, Sectors and Cylinders that should be passed to sfdisk and needs
> to be done as root.

This isn't true.

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/beagleboard/ro5k5r4Cuq4

I've avoided the CHS business for ages and haven't had trouble booting.

Philip

> 
> 
> Regards,
> 
> --
> *dS
> Diego Sueiro
> 
> Administrador do Embarcados
> www.embarcados.com.br
> <http://www.embarcados.com.br/?utm_source=assinatura_diego&utm_medium=e-mail&utm_campaign=Assinatura%20Email%20Diego>
> 
> /*long live rock 'n roll*/
> 

Re: State of the art for creating an image that you can dd to an SD card

[Diego Sueiro]

Hi Philip,

On Wed, Jun 25, 2014 at 8:27 PM, Philip Balister <philip@balister.org>
wrote:

> On 06/25/2014 04:13 PM, Diego Sueiro wrote:
> > Hi Denys,
> >
> > On Wed, Jun 25, 2014 at 3:55 PM, Denys Dmytriyenko <denis@denix.org>
> wrote:
> >
> >> http://cgit.openembedded.org/openembedded-core/tree/scripts/wic
> >>
> >> But indeed, better documentation would be most appreciated.
> >
> >
> > I didn't have a chance to take a look and test wic tool.
> > Do you know if it can be used to generate sdcard images for TI's Sitara
> > SoCs?
> > The _problem_ for creating a sdcard image for Sitara is the configuration
> > of Heads, Sectors and Cylinders that should be passed to sfdisk and needs
> > to be done as root.
>
> This isn't true.
>
> https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/beagleboard/ro5k5r4Cuq4
>
> I've avoided the CHS business for ages and haven't had trouble booting


Thanks for the link.

About 3 yeas ago I have issues with this using an industrial 2GB uSD from
Delkin Devices with am3517. And as far as I remember I just got it working
with CHS configuration.

I'm going to test it again with a Sandisk uSD and am3359 to see if it
remains. But I don't have a Delkin uSD and am3517 anymore :(


Regards,

--
*dS
Diego Sueiro

Administrador do Embarcados
www.embarcados.com.br
<http://www.embarcados.com.br/?utm_source=assinatura_diego&utm_medium=e-mail&utm_campaign=Assinatura%20Email%20Diego>

/*long live rock 'n roll*/

Re: State of the art for creating an image that you can dd to an SD card

[Denys Dmytriyenko]

On Wed, Jun 25, 2014 at 08:45:50PM -0300, Diego Sueiro wrote:
> Hi Philip,
> 
> On Wed, Jun 25, 2014 at 8:27 PM, Philip Balister <philip@balister.org>
> wrote:
> 
> > On 06/25/2014 04:13 PM, Diego Sueiro wrote:
> > > Hi Denys,
> > >
> > > On Wed, Jun 25, 2014 at 3:55 PM, Denys Dmytriyenko <denis@denix.org>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > >> http://cgit.openembedded.org/openembedded-core/tree/scripts/wic
> > >>
> > >> But indeed, better documentation would be most appreciated.
> > >
> > >
> > > I didn't have a chance to take a look and test wic tool.
> > > Do you know if it can be used to generate sdcard images for TI's Sitara
> > > SoCs?
> > > The _problem_ for creating a sdcard image for Sitara is the configuration
> > > of Heads, Sectors and Cylinders that should be passed to sfdisk and needs
> > > to be done as root.
> >
> > This isn't true.
> >
> > https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/beagleboard/ro5k5r4Cuq4
> >
> > I've avoided the CHS business for ages and haven't had trouble booting
> 
> 
> Thanks for the link.
> 
> About 3 yeas ago I have issues with this using an industrial 2GB uSD from
> Delkin Devices with am3517. And as far as I remember I just got it working
> with CHS configuration.
> 
> I'm going to test it again with a Sandisk uSD and am3359 to see if it
> remains. But I don't have a Delkin uSD and am3517 anymore :(

"CHS business", as Philip called it, was only partially required in the early 
days of OMAP3 SoCs few years ago, due to some "specific" FAT implementation of 
the BootROM. These days it's not required on modern Sitara SoCs.

-- 
Denys

Re: State of the art for creating an image that you can dd to an SD card

[Ash Charles]

On Thu, Jun 26, 2014 at 11:09 AM, Denys Dmytriyenko <denis@denix.org> wrote:
> "CHS business", as Philip called it, was only partially required in the early
> days of OMAP3 SoCs few years ago, due to some "specific" FAT implementation of
> the BootROM. These days it's not required on modern Sitara SoCs.
Which OMAP3 SOCs need the CHS business?

--Ash

Re: State of the art for creating an image that you can dd to an SD card

[Philip Balister]

On 06/26/2014 12:23 PM, Ash Charles wrote:
> On Thu, Jun 26, 2014 at 11:09 AM, Denys Dmytriyenko <denis@denix.org> wrote:
>> "CHS business", as Philip called it, was only partially required in the early
>> days of OMAP3 SoCs few years ago, due to some "specific" FAT implementation of
>> the BootROM. These days it's not required on modern Sitara SoCs.
> Which OMAP3 SOCs need the CHS business?

Ones with a really ancient MLO, I think. Hopefully, all of those
binaries are gone from the Internet now.

Philip

> 
> --Ash
> 

Re: State of the art for creating an image that you can dd to an SD card

[Ash Charles]

On Thu, Jun 26, 2014 at 12:28 PM, Philip Balister <philip@balister.org> wrote:
> Ones with a really ancient MLO, I think. Hopefully, all of those
> binaries are gone from the Internet now.
>
> Philip

Excellent---thanks.  I had assumed this was boot ROM dependent, not
MLO dependent!
--Ash

Re: State of the art for creating an image that you can dd to an SD card

[Denys Dmytriyenko]

On Thu, Jun 26, 2014 at 01:12:41PM -0700, Ash Charles wrote:
> On Thu, Jun 26, 2014 at 12:28 PM, Philip Balister <philip@balister.org> wrote:
> > Ones with a really ancient MLO, I think. Hopefully, all of those
> > binaries are gone from the Internet now.
> >
> > Philip
> 
> Excellent---thanks.  I had assumed this was boot ROM dependent, not
> MLO dependent!

It is BootROM, not MLO...

-- 
Denys

Re: State of the art for creating an image that you can dd to an SD card

[Philip Balister]

On 06/26/2014 04:43 PM, Denys Dmytriyenko wrote:
> On Thu, Jun 26, 2014 at 01:12:41PM -0700, Ash Charles wrote:
>> On Thu, Jun 26, 2014 at 12:28 PM, Philip Balister <philip@balister.org> wrote:
>>> Ones with a really ancient MLO, I think. Hopefully, all of those
>>> binaries are gone from the Internet now.
>>>
>>> Philip
>>
>> Excellent---thanks.  I had assumed this was boot ROM dependent, not
>> MLO dependent!
> 
> It is BootROM, not MLO...
> 

How old are these parts? I'm assuming they are not easily found in the
wild anymore.

Philip

Re: State of the art for creating an image that you can dd to an SD card

[Denys Dmytriyenko]

On Thu, Jun 26, 2014 at 04:46:17PM -0700, Philip Balister wrote:
> On 06/26/2014 04:43 PM, Denys Dmytriyenko wrote:
> > On Thu, Jun 26, 2014 at 01:12:41PM -0700, Ash Charles wrote:
> >> On Thu, Jun 26, 2014 at 12:28 PM, Philip Balister <philip@balister.org> wrote:
> >>> Ones with a really ancient MLO, I think. Hopefully, all of those
> >>> binaries are gone from the Internet now.
> >>>
> >>> Philip
> >>
> >> Excellent---thanks.  I had assumed this was boot ROM dependent, not
> >> MLO dependent!
> > 
> > It is BootROM, not MLO...
> > 
> 
> How old are these parts? I'm assuming they are not easily found in the
> wild anymore.

OMAP35xx (3503/3530) was released in 2008, which was a respin of mobile 
OMAP34xx, and was used in Classic BeagleBoard...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BeagleBoard

-- 
Denys

Re: State of the art for creating an image that you can dd to an SD card

[Denys Dmytriyenko]

On Thu, Jun 26, 2014 at 12:23:35PM -0700, Ash Charles wrote:
> On Thu, Jun 26, 2014 at 11:09 AM, Denys Dmytriyenko <denis@denix.org> wrote:
> > "CHS business", as Philip called it, was only partially required in the early
> > days of OMAP3 SoCs few years ago, due to some "specific" FAT implementation of
> > the BootROM. These days it's not required on modern Sitara SoCs.
> Which OMAP3 SOCs need the CHS business?

Definitely OMAP34xx/35xx family. I'm not very sure if OMAP36xx/37xx had a 
fixed BootROM already, but probably it had, as Beagleboard xM was much more 
forgiving to SD card format, IIRC...

-- 
Denys

Re: State of the art for creating an image that you can dd to an SD card

[Ash Charles]

On Thu, Jun 26, 2014 at 4:50 PM, Denys Dmytriyenko <denis@denix.org> wrote:
> Definitely OMAP34xx/35xx family. I'm not very sure if OMAP36xx/37xx had a
> fixed BootROM already, but probably it had, as Beagleboard xM was much more
> forgiving to SD card format, IIRC...
This matches my experience.  Unfortunately, we still have a lot of
customers using OM35xx parts so I'd better not take the CHS stuff out
of our instructions just yet.
--Ash

Re: State of the art for creating an image that you can dd to an SD card

[Diego Sueiro]

Denys,

On Thu, Jun 26, 2014 at 3:09 PM, Denys Dmytriyenko <denis@denix.org> wrote:

> "CHS business", as Philip called it, was only partially required in the
> early
> days of OMAP3 SoCs few years ago, due to some "specific" FAT
> implementation of
> the BootROM. These days it's not required on modern Sitara SoCs.
>

So it could be true for am3517 of 3 years ago.


Regards,

--
*dS
Diego Sueiro

Administrador do Embarcados
www.embarcados.com.br
<http://www.embarcados.com.br/?utm_source=assinatura_diego&utm_medium=e-mail&utm_campaign=Assinatura%20Email%20Diego>

/*long live rock 'n roll*/

Re: State of the art for creating an image that you can dd to an SD card

[Brian Hutchinson]

On Wed, Jun 25, 2014 at 2:38 PM, Philip Balister <philip@balister.org> wrote:
> On 06/25/2014 03:07 AM, Paul Eggleton wrote:
>> On Tuesday 24 June 2014 16:14:58 Philip Balister wrote:
>>> What's the best available solution for creating an image you can dd to
>>> an SD card? It seems like this wheel has been invented several times and
>>> I am wondering if people are converging on one approach.
>>>
>>> Bonus points for resizing the linux partition.
>>>
>>> How are people doing this today?
>>
>> I think wic has seen some uptake and enhancement since its introduction a
>> couple of releases ago. It has certainly worked for me in writing SD cards for
>> Galileo. We seem to be a bit short on documentation for it though...
>
> Googling for "wic sd" doesn't help. I've seen some commits, so I'll take
> a look in the meta data.
>
> Philip

I think he's talking about:
http://patchwork.openembedded.org/patch/59059/
https://bugzilla.yoctoproject.org/show_bug.cgi?id=3847

B

Re: State of the art for creating an image that you can dd to an SD card

[Denys Dmytriyenko]

On Wed, Jun 25, 2014 at 03:04:31PM -0400, Brian Hutchinson wrote:
> On Wed, Jun 25, 2014 at 2:38 PM, Philip Balister <philip@balister.org> wrote:
> > On 06/25/2014 03:07 AM, Paul Eggleton wrote:
> >> On Tuesday 24 June 2014 16:14:58 Philip Balister wrote:
> >>> What's the best available solution for creating an image you can dd to
> >>> an SD card? It seems like this wheel has been invented several times and
> >>> I am wondering if people are converging on one approach.
> >>>
> >>> Bonus points for resizing the linux partition.
> >>>
> >>> How are people doing this today?
> >>
> >> I think wic has seen some uptake and enhancement since its introduction a
> >> couple of releases ago. It has certainly worked for me in writing SD cards for
> >> Galileo. We seem to be a bit short on documentation for it though...
> >
> > Googling for "wic sd" doesn't help. I've seen some commits, so I'll take
> > a look in the meta data.
> >
> > Philip
> 
> I think he's talking about:
> http://patchwork.openembedded.org/patch/59059/
> https://bugzilla.yoctoproject.org/show_bug.cgi?id=3847

A lot of good info is hidden in those 2 obscure places! :)
How about copying all that to a Wiki page for starters?

-- 
Denys

Re: State of the art for creating an image that you can dd to an SD card

[Otavio Salvador]

Hello Philip,

On Tue, Jun 24, 2014 at 8:14 PM, Philip Balister <philip@balister.org> wrote:
> What's the best available solution for creating an image you can dd to
> an SD card? It seems like this wheel has been invented several times and
> I am wondering if people are converging on one approach.
>
> Bonus points for resizing the linux partition.
>
> How are people doing this today?

Sorry for the late reply.

First I'd like to support that 'wic' is the longterm solution for it
but it lacks good docs and has limited support for non-x86 based
archs. We've been doing it in meta-fsl-arm for a while[1].

1. http://git.yoctoproject.org/cgit/cgit.cgi/meta-fsl-arm/tree/classes/image_types_fsl.bbclass

Different of TI's code it does not need root to run.

-- 
Otavio Salvador                             O.S. Systems
http://www.ossystems.com.br        http://code.ossystems.com.br
Mobile: +55 (53) 9981-7854            Mobile: +1 (347) 903-9750