any pointers to a yocto-based image to use as a live install utility?

any pointers to a yocto-based image to use as a live install utility?

[Robert P. J. Day]

  specifically in the context of powerpc systems, are there any
suggestions for an image that could be used to boot an older powerpc
system, running completely out of ram, and using that as an install
utility which would then be responsible for detecting/formatting a
hard drive, creating/formatting filesystems, downloading/installing
the OS, post-install configuration and so on?

  i realize that's a spectacularly imprecise request -- in a general
sense, it involves just starting with a regular image, then adding
utilities that run around doing all of the above, but if there's
anything that already takes one most of the way there, that'd be
great.

  thoughts?

rday

-- 

========================================================================
Robert P. J. Day                                 Ottawa, Ontario, CANADA
                        http://crashcourse.ca

Twitter:                                       http://twitter.com/rpjday
LinkedIn:                               http://ca.linkedin.com/in/rpjday
========================================================================

Re: any pointers to a yocto-based image to use as a live install utility?

[akuster]

Robert,


On 05/25/2016 03:18 AM, Robert P. J. Day wrote:
> 
>   specifically in the context of powerpc systems, are there any
> suggestions for an image that could be used to boot an older powerpc
> system, running completely out of ram, and using that as an install
> utility which would then be responsible for detecting/formatting a
> hard drive, creating/formatting filesystems, downloading/installing
> the OS, post-install configuration and so on?

This sounds like an installer MV has and that I have been given approval
to release (just haven’t had the time to submit it).  Its X86 centric ie
uses grub and support efi

It boots up from an iso image and runs a ncurses based interface that
allows you to select HD, create partitions and filesystem types. It will
install what ever image you built. It creates grub conf and installs it.
The installer bit is written in python.

> 
>   i realize that's a spectacularly imprecise request -- in a general
> sense, it involves just starting with a regular image, then adding
> utilities that run around doing all of the above, but if there's
> anything that already takes one most of the way there, that'd be
> great.
> 

Does this sound like something you are thing about?

regards,
Armin
>   thoughts?
> 
> rday
> 

Re: any pointers to a yocto-based image to use as a live install utility?

[Robert P. J. Day]

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On Wed, 25 May 2016, akuster wrote:

> Robert,
>
> On 05/25/2016 03:18 AM, Robert P. J. Day wrote:
> >
> >   specifically in the context of powerpc systems, are there any
> > suggestions for an image that could be used to boot an older powerpc
> > system, running completely out of ram, and using that as an install
> > utility which would then be responsible for detecting/formatting a
> > hard drive, creating/formatting filesystems, downloading/installing
> > the OS, post-install configuration and so on?
>
> This sounds like an installer MV has and that I have been given approval
> to release (just haven’t had the time to submit it).  Its X86 centric ie
> uses grub and support efi
>
> It boots up from an iso image and runs a ncurses based interface that
> allows you to select HD, create partitions and filesystem types. It will
> install what ever image you built. It creates grub conf and installs it.
> The installer bit is written in python.

  given that it's based on grub, how compatible would it be with a
powerpc target? what i need is *specifically* for powerpc. and what
i'm after can't require a graphical interface, it needs to be
script-based as it will have to run on remote systems.

rday

-- 

========================================================================
Robert P. J. Day                                 Ottawa, Ontario, CANADA
                        http://crashcourse.ca

Twitter:                                       http://twitter.com/rpjday
LinkedIn:                               http://ca.linkedin.com/in/rpjday
========================================================================

Re: any pointers to a yocto-based image to use as a live install utility?

[Matt Broadstone]

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On Wed, May 25, 2016 at 11:03 AM, Robert P. J. Day <rpjday@crashcourse.ca>
wrote:

> On Wed, 25 May 2016, akuster wrote:
>
> > Robert,
> >
> > On 05/25/2016 03:18 AM, Robert P. J. Day wrote:
> > >
> > >   specifically in the context of powerpc systems, are there any
> > > suggestions for an image that could be used to boot an older powerpc
> > > system, running completely out of ram, and using that as an install
> > > utility which would then be responsible for detecting/formatting a
> > > hard drive, creating/formatting filesystems, downloading/installing
> > > the OS, post-install configuration and so on?
> >
> > This sounds like an installer MV has and that I have been given approval
> > to release (just haven’t had the time to submit it).  Its X86 centric ie
> > uses grub and support efi
> >
>

I'm incredibly interested in this, do you have a tentative release plan?

Regards,
Matt


> > It boots up from an iso image and runs a ncurses based interface that
> > allows you to select HD, create partitions and filesystem types. It will
> > install what ever image you built. It creates grub conf and installs it.
> > The installer bit is written in python.
>
>   given that it's based on grub, how compatible would it be with a
> powerpc target? what i need is *specifically* for powerpc. and what
> i'm after can't require a graphical interface, it needs to be
> script-based as it will have to run on remote systems.
>
> rday
>
> --
>
> ========================================================================
> Robert P. J. Day                                 Ottawa, Ontario, CANADA
>                         http://crashcourse.ca
>
> Twitter:                                       http://twitter.com/rpjday
> LinkedIn:                               http://ca.linkedin.com/in/rpjday
> ========================================================================
>
> --
> _______________________________________________
> yocto mailing list
> yocto@yoctoproject.org
> https://lists.yoctoproject.org/listinfo/yocto
>
>

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Re: any pointers to a yocto-based image to use as a live install utility?

[Bruce Ashfield]

On 2016-05-25 11:00 AM, akuster wrote:
> Robert,
>
>
> On 05/25/2016 03:18 AM, Robert P. J. Day wrote:
>>
>>   specifically in the context of powerpc systems, are there any
>> suggestions for an image that could be used to boot an older powerpc
>> system, running completely out of ram, and using that as an install
>> utility which would then be responsible for detecting/formatting a
>> hard drive, creating/formatting filesystems, downloading/installing
>> the OS, post-install configuration and so on?
>
> This sounds like an installer MV has and that I have been given approval
> to release (just haven’t had the time to submit it).  Its X86 centric ie
> uses grub and support efi
>
> It boots up from an iso image and runs a ncurses based interface that
> allows you to select HD, create partitions and filesystem types. It will
> install what ever image you built. It creates grub conf and installs it.
> The installer bit is written in python.

If you do end up releasing it, I have some "installer tech" that runs
on non-x86 that I can see how it fits together.

Bruce

>
>>
>>   i realize that's a spectacularly imprecise request -- in a general
>> sense, it involves just starting with a regular image, then adding
>> utilities that run around doing all of the above, but if there's
>> anything that already takes one most of the way there, that'd be
>> great.
>>
>
> Does this sound like something you are thing about?
>
> regards,
> Armin
>>   thoughts?
>>
>> rday
>>

Re: any pointers to a yocto-based image to use as a live install utility?

[Robert P. J. Day]

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On Wed, 25 May 2016, Bruce Ashfield wrote:

> On 2016-05-25 11:00 AM, akuster wrote:
> > Robert,
> >
> >
> > On 05/25/2016 03:18 AM, Robert P. J. Day wrote:
> > >
> > >   specifically in the context of powerpc systems, are there any
> > > suggestions for an image that could be used to boot an older
> > > powerpc system, running completely out of ram, and using that as
> > > an install utility which would then be responsible for
> > > detecting/formatting a hard drive, creating/formatting
> > > filesystems, downloading/installing the OS, post-install
> > > configuration and so on?
> >
> > This sounds like an installer MV has and that I have been given
> > approval to release (just haven’t had the time to submit it).
> > Its X86 centric ie uses grub and support efi
> >
> > It boots up from an iso image and runs a ncurses based interface
> > that allows you to select HD, create partitions and filesystem
> > types. It will install what ever image you built. It creates grub
> > conf and installs it. The installer bit is written in python.
>
> If you do end up releasing it, I have some "installer tech" that
> runs on non-x86 that I can see how it fits together.

  if any of that "installer tech" is relevant for powerpc, that would
be most excellent. would that be related to WRL's "Installer Image"?

rday

-- 

========================================================================
Robert P. J. Day                                 Ottawa, Ontario, CANADA
                        http://crashcourse.ca

Twitter:                                       http://twitter.com/rpjday
LinkedIn:                               http://ca.linkedin.com/in/rpjday
========================================================================

Re: any pointers to a yocto-based image to use as a live install utility?

[Bruce Ashfield]

On 2016-05-25 11:26 AM, Robert P. J. Day wrote:
> On Wed, 25 May 2016, Bruce Ashfield wrote:
>
>> On 2016-05-25 11:00 AM, akuster wrote:
>>> Robert,
>>>
>>>
>>> On 05/25/2016 03:18 AM, Robert P. J. Day wrote:
>>>>
>>>>   specifically in the context of powerpc systems, are there any
>>>> suggestions for an image that could be used to boot an older
>>>> powerpc system, running completely out of ram, and using that as
>>>> an install utility which would then be responsible for
>>>> detecting/formatting a hard drive, creating/formatting
>>>> filesystems, downloading/installing the OS, post-install
>>>> configuration and so on?
>>>
>>> This sounds like an installer MV has and that I have been given
>>> approval to release (just haven’t had the time to submit it).
>>> Its X86 centric ie uses grub and support efi
>>>
>>> It boots up from an iso image and runs a ncurses based interface
>>> that allows you to select HD, create partitions and filesystem
>>> types. It will install what ever image you built. It creates grub
>>> conf and installs it. The installer bit is written in python.
>>
>> If you do end up releasing it, I have some "installer tech" that
>> runs on non-x86 that I can see how it fits together.
>
>   if any of that "installer tech" is relevant for powerpc, that would
> be most excellent. would that be related to WRL's "Installer Image"?

In this case no. It is something simpler for a container OS, but it
does run from a bootable USB and has a simple backend that you can
customize for a given platform. The only trick is getting the right
bootable USB for non-x86.

Bruce

>
> rday
>

Re: any pointers to a yocto-based image to use as a live install utility?

[Robert P. J. Day]

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On Wed, 25 May 2016, Bruce Ashfield wrote:

> On 2016-05-25 11:26 AM, Robert P. J. Day wrote:
> > On Wed, 25 May 2016, Bruce Ashfield wrote:
> >
> > > On 2016-05-25 11:00 AM, akuster wrote:
> > > > Robert,
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On 05/25/2016 03:18 AM, Robert P. J. Day wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > >   specifically in the context of powerpc systems, are there
> > > > > any suggestions for an image that could be used to boot an
> > > > > older powerpc system, running completely out of ram, and
> > > > > using that as an install utility which would then be
> > > > > responsible for detecting/formatting a hard drive,
> > > > > creating/formatting filesystems, downloading/installing the
> > > > > OS, post-install configuration and so on?
> > > >
> > > > This sounds like an installer MV has and that I have been
> > > > given approval to release (just haven’t had the time to submit
> > > > it). Its X86 centric ie uses grub and support efi
> > > >
> > > > It boots up from an iso image and runs a ncurses based
> > > > interface that allows you to select HD, create partitions and
> > > > filesystem types. It will install what ever image you built.
> > > > It creates grub conf and installs it. The installer bit is
> > > > written in python.
> > >
> > > If you do end up releasing it, I have some "installer tech" that
> > > runs on non-x86 that I can see how it fits together.
> >
> >   if any of that "installer tech" is relevant for powerpc, that
> > would be most excellent. would that be related to WRL's "Installer
> > Image"?
>
> In this case no. It is something simpler for a container OS, but it
> does run from a bootable USB and has a simple backend that you can
> customize for a given platform. The only trick is getting the right
> bootable USB for non-x86.

  oh, darn ... i haz a sad. so it looks like i'm pretty well starting
from scratch, unless someone has pointers to anything i can use or
cannibalize to use as a starting point.

  basically, i'm after something that:

  * runs on powerpc
  * has the ability to scan the hard drive and decide what to do
    about existing partitions, possibly preserving them
  * runs entirely standalone as it must be run on remote systems

the plan right now is to create a live linux image, and having to
pretty much manually do the above, so if you have any shortcuts, i'm
all ears.

rday

-- 

========================================================================
Robert P. J. Day                                 Ottawa, Ontario, CANADA
                        http://crashcourse.ca

Twitter:                                       http://twitter.com/rpjday
LinkedIn:                               http://ca.linkedin.com/in/rpjday
========================================================================

Re: any pointers to a yocto-based image to use as a live install utility?

[Robert P. J. Day]

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On Wed, 25 May 2016, Bruce Ashfield wrote:

> On 2016-05-25 11:00 AM, akuster wrote:
> > Robert,
> >
> >
> > On 05/25/2016 03:18 AM, Robert P. J. Day wrote:
> > >
> > >   specifically in the context of powerpc systems, are there any
> > > suggestions for an image that could be used to boot an older
> > > powerpc system, running completely out of ram, and using that as
> > > an install utility which would then be responsible for
> > > detecting/formatting a hard drive, creating/formatting
> > > filesystems, downloading/installing the OS, post-install
> > > configuration and so on?
> >
> > This sounds like an installer MV has and that I have been given
> > approval to release (just haven’t had the time to submit it).
> > Its X86 centric ie uses grub and support efi
> >
> > It boots up from an iso image and runs a ncurses based interface
> > that allows you to select HD, create partitions and filesystem
> > types. It will install what ever image you built. It creates grub
> > conf and installs it. The installer bit is written in python.
>
> If you do end up releasing it, I have some "installer tech" that
> runs on non-x86 that I can see how it fits together.

  just to be clear, we're using WRL 8, and i found the docs related to
WRL's "Installer Image" a while back, but it's based on kickstart so
it seems pretty well exclusive to x86.

  if there's something equivalent that works for powerpc, i would be a
thoroughly happy camper.

rday

-- 

========================================================================
Robert P. J. Day                                 Ottawa, Ontario, CANADA
                        http://crashcourse.ca

Twitter:                                       http://twitter.com/rpjday
LinkedIn:                               http://ca.linkedin.com/in/rpjday
========================================================================

Re: any pointers to a yocto-based image to use as a live install utility?

[Rudolf J Streif]

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Hi Robert,

On Wednesday, May 25, 2016 06:18:34 AM Robert P. J. Day wrote:
> 
>   specifically in the context of powerpc systems, are there any
> suggestions for an image that could be used to boot an older powerpc
> system, running completely out of ram, and using that as an install
> utility which would then be responsible for detecting/formatting a
> hard drive, creating/formatting filesystems, downloading/installing
> the OS, post-install configuration and so on?
> 
I am not entirely sure if I understand your requirements correctly but this https://github.com/mendersoftware/mender[1] could eventually be a starting point. The good news is that it already comes with YP/OE recipes and integration. However, it's currently only for ARM-based systems with u-boot.

Another approach, though still in its infancy and a simple PoC, is the GENIVI Software Management (SWM). At the core, there are SqashFS images that may contain partition images, software packages, configuration files, etc. together with a manifest (JSON) that instructs the SWM what to do. (https://github.com/GENIVI/genivi_swm)[2]

Cheers,
:rjs


--------
[1] https://github.com/mendersoftware/mender
[2] https://github.com/GENIVI/genivi_swm

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Re: any pointers to a yocto-based image to use as a live install utility?

[Robert P. J. Day]

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On Wed, 25 May 2016, Rudolf J Streif wrote:

>
> Hi Robert,
>
>  
>
> On Wednesday, May 25, 2016 06:18:34 AM Robert P. J. Day wrote:
>
> >
>
> > specifically in the context of powerpc systems, are there any
>
> > suggestions for an image that could be used to boot an older powerpc
>
> > system, running completely out of ram, and using that as an install
>
> > utility which would then be responsible for detecting/formatting a
>
> > hard drive, creating/formatting filesystems, downloading/installing
>
> > the OS, post-install configuration and so on?
>
> I am not entirely sure if I understand your requirements correctly
> but this https://github.com/mendersoftware/mender could eventually
> be a starting point. The good news is that it already comes with
> YP/OE recipes and integration. However, it's currently only for
> ARM-based systems with u-boot.

  hmmmmmm ... the client requirements are only that it use u-boot,
with the mender software integrated into u-boot. so if one can
configure and build that for powerpc, then install and boot u-boot on
the target board, why should it then be restricted to ARM?

  sure, their reference board is a BBB, but a quick glance at the docs
doesn't seem to say that it works *only* on ARM. must look closer ...

rday

-- 

========================================================================
Robert P. J. Day                                 Ottawa, Ontario, CANADA
                        http://crashcourse.ca

Twitter:                                       http://twitter.com/rpjday
LinkedIn:                               http://ca.linkedin.com/in/rpjday
========================================================================

Re: any pointers to a yocto-based image to use as a live install utility?

[Rudolf J Streif]

> 
>   hmmmmmm ... the client requirements are only that it use u-boot,
> with the mender software integrated into u-boot. so if one can
> configure and build that for powerpc, then install and boot u-boot on
> the target board, why should it then be restricted to ARM?
>
>   sure, their reference board is a BBB, but a quick glance at the docs
> doesn't seem to say that it works *only* on ARM. must look closer ...
>
Correct. However, it currently assumes the specific BeagleB* partition layout for the SSD card. But that I would think could be adjusted for other other devices. They apparently also made some modifications to u-boot itself. I don't know what exactly those are though.
 
:rjs

Re: any pointers to a yocto-based image to use as a live install utility?

[Christian Ege]

Hi Robert

2016-05-25 12:18 GMT+02:00 Robert P. J. Day <rpjday@crashcourse.ca>:
>
>   specifically in the context of powerpc systems, are there any
> suggestions for an image that could be used to boot an older powerpc
> system, running completely out of ram, and using that as an install
> utility which would then be responsible for detecting/formatting a
> hard drive, creating/formatting filesystems, downloading/installing
> the OS, post-install configuration and so on?
>
>   i realize that's a spectacularly imprecise request -- in a general
> sense, it involves just starting with a regular image, then adding
> utilities that run around doing all of the above, but if there's
> anything that already takes one most of the way there, that'd be
> great.
>
>   thoughts?
Maybe https://github.com/sbabic/swupdate is what you are looking for.
It has full OE support and is not tied to any architecture. You can extend
swupdate by scripting which will provide you with a lot of flexibility.

Regards,
Christian


>
> rday
>
> --
>
> ========================================================================
> Robert P. J. Day                                 Ottawa, Ontario, CANADA
>                         http://crashcourse.ca
>
> Twitter:                                       http://twitter.com/rpjday
> LinkedIn:                               http://ca.linkedin.com/in/rpjday
> ========================================================================
>
>
>
> --
> _______________________________________________
> yocto mailing list
> yocto@yoctoproject.org
> https://lists.yoctoproject.org/listinfo/yocto



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