MV1000W along with Other OpenWRT Routers: Difference between revisions

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...ever run into a situation where there's a desire to change how the "Disk Drive" of a device is organized?

=== Example ===

===Example===

OK, take the GL.iNet brand GL-MV1000W (or just plain GL-MV1000). It has a onboard 8GB eMMC! That's like having an 8GB MicroSD Card welded to the PCB. Cool!

Except for one thing... It just isn't taken advantage of. The default configuration has the following;

* 16.3 MB allocated to the "/boot" Partition (IE, where the Image file containing the "InitRAMFS" stuff, and a .dtb file for other information)

*16.3 MB allocated to the "/boot" Partition (IE, where the Image file containing the "InitRAMFS" stuff, and a .dtb file for other information)

* 512.3 MB allocated to the "/rom" Partition (in the 'shape' of a SquashFS Partition containing all the regular file system stuff, configuration files (/etc), .ko (kernel module files), etc.)

*512.3 MB allocated to the "/rom" Partition (in the 'shape' of a SquashFS Partition containing all the regular file system stuff, configuration files (/etc), .ko (kernel module files), etc.)

* 6.8 GB allocated to "/data" (an Overlay Partition)

*6.8 GB allocated to "/data" (an Overlay Partition)

lsblk

Line 40:

It's all fine and cool, but... What if?

=== The Question ===

=== The Operating System ===

This idea came about for the simple reason that the rtl8192bu Wireless Radio does NOT work with the 23.x versions of OpenWRT. But it does work with the GL Provided 19.07.8 version of OpenWRT. There are BS instructions on the OpenWRT page for this router: https://openwrt.org/toh/gl.inet/gl-mv1000<syntaxhighlight lang="text">

Increasing the root filesystem

A simplified version of the extroot_configuration works. FIXME: contra main text, this works even though there's no overlay on `mtd` on the fresh install.

opkg update; opkg install block-mount cfdisk rsync

cfdisk /dev/mmcblk1, create a new primary partition on the large unused space. Take note of the device (e.g. /dev/mmcblk1p3).

mkfs.ext4 on your new partition (e.g. /dev/mmcblk1p3).

mkdir /mnt/bigroot; mount /dev/mmcblk1p3 /mnt/bigroot

block detect | uci import fstab. You now have eveything set on /etc/config/fstab.

copy the root filesystem to /mnt/bigroot (e.g. rsync -a -x / /mnt/bigroot).

edit /etc/config/fstab. change the old root / filesystem to mount on /rom, and the new one from /mnt/bigroot to /overlay.

reboot and check the mounts with the df command.

If the mounts are not available, please validate /etc/config/fstab and check if /rom and /overlay have option enabled set to 1 (https://forum.openwrt.org/t/guide-for-gl-inet-gl-mv1000-brume/89398/17).

Save, reboot and validate again with the df command.

</syntaxhighlight>The effort is appreciated, but the written implementation blows donkey snot. Plus the end result isn't nearly as good as what's here.

===The Question===

Can it be turned into a 'real computer'? IE, what about leaving the '/boot' Partition in place, but then having the rest of the eMMC card as a single large EXT4 partition?

=== Solution (Not) ===

===Solution (Not)===

Booting from ~~and~~ InitRAMFS.bin file. Nope, doesn't seem to work. Several "bootm" and "booti" methods were attempted at the Marvell / U-Boot command prompt with the best outcome displaying "Starting kernel . . .", and then hanging there.

Booting from an InitRAMFS.bin file (actually on the OpenWRT.org Download Website). Nope, doesn't seem to work. Several "bootm" and "booti" methods were attempted at the Marvell / U-Boot command prompt with the best outcome displaying "Starting kernel . . .", and then hanging there.

===Solution (Yes, but the long way)===

First, get a microSD card (doesn't have to be huge, and can be smaller than the 'built-in' eMMC device) and insert it into the card slot.

==== "Bulk Route" ====

If the microSD Card is 8GB or larger, just use the DD command: <code>dd if=/dev/mmcblk0 of=/dev/mmcblk1 bs=16M conv=noerror,sync status=progress</code>

Keep in mind, this produces an 'exact clone', same UUID numbers on Partitions, etc. So it can cause issues if the microSD Card is left in place.

Skip the rest of the items in the "Solutions (Yes...") Section

==== Prepare the microSD Card ====

<code>wipefs -a /dev/mmcblk1</code> (should be /dev/mmcblk1, but double check using lsblk -f (and of course install lsblk if it isn't available, as well as for any other command noted in here that isn't available until being installed)

Then use CFDISK or FDISK to create the same Partitions from

==== Copy the "/boot" Partition ====

mkdir /mnt/extracted

unsquashfs -d /mnt/extracted /dev/mmcblk0p2

mksquashfs /mnt/extracted /dev/mmcblk1p2 -comp xz -noappend

It isn't covered here, but installing unsquashfs, mksquashfs, xz, etc. will all need to be installed using OPKG

==== And finally, from the Marvell U-Boot Command Line (press gl (that's g as in Girl and L as in little) in quick succession) ====

setenv bootargs console=ttyMV0,115200 earlycon=ar3700_uart,0xd0012000 root=/dev/mmcblk1p2 rw rootwait

load mmc 1:1 0x4ff0000 /armada-gl-mv1000-emmc.dtb

load mmc 1:1 0x5000000 /Image

booti 0x5000000 - 0x4ff0000

==== OK, done with the booting to the alternate boot device, now on to 'fixing up' the built in eMMC device ====

...running out of time today, so just putting the initial notes in place.

Assumes one is booted from the 'alternate boot device', IE mmcblk1, not mmcblk0.

* Get the contents of mmcblk2

** mkdir /mnt/extracted

** unsquashfs -d /mnt/extracted /dev/mmcblk0p2

** mksquashfs /mnt/extracted /dev/sda2 -comp xz -noappend

*

Below are the default values displayed by the printenv command from within the Marvell U-Boot Command Prompt;<syntaxhighlight lang="text">

args_mmc=setenv bootargs "${console} root=/dev/mmcblk0p2 rw rootwait"

args_sd=setenv bootargs "${console} root=/dev/mmcblk1p2 rw rootwait"

args_usb=setenv bootargs console=ttyMV0,115200 earlycon=ar3700_uart,0xd0012000 root=/dev/sda2 rw rootwait

baudrate=115200

boot_mmc=echo " Booting from mmc ..."; run clear_args; run args_mmc; run load_mmc && booti ${kernel_addr} - ${fdt_addr}

boot_mtd=echo " Booting from nor ..."; run clear_args; run load_mtd && bootm $kernel_addr - $fdt_addr

boot_sd=echo " Booting from sd ..."; run clear_args; run args_sd; run load_sd && booti $kernel_addr - $fdt_addr

boot_tftp=echo " Booting from tftp ..."; run clear_args; run load_tftp && booti $kernel_addr - $fdt_addr

boot_usb=echo " Booting from usb ..."; run clear_args; run args_usb; run load_usb && booti $kernel_addr - $fdt_addr

bootargs=console=ttyMV0,115200 earlycon=ar3700_uart,0xd0012000

bootcmd=run bootscript; run boot_mmc; run boot_mtd; run boot_sd; run boot_usb; run boot_tftp

bootdelay=2

bootscript=load mmc ${mmc_dev}:${image_part} ${loadaddr} boot.scr && echo " Running bootscript from mmc ..."; source ${loadaddr}

clear_args=setenv bootargs "${console}"

console=console=ttyMV0,115200 earlycon=ar3700_uart,0xd0012000

ethact=neta@30000

ethprime=eth0

fdt_addr=0x4ff0000

fdt_high=0xffffffffffffffff

fdt_name=armada-gl-mv1000-emmc.dtb

fdtcontroladdr=3f715098

image_dir=/

image_name=Image

image_part=1

image_ramfs=openwrt-mvebu-cortexa53-gl-mv1000-initramfs-kernel.bin

ipaddr=192.168.1.1

kernel_addr=0x5000000

lf=tftpboot openwrt-gl-mv1000.bin && mmc dev 0 && mmc erase 0x0 0x109800 && mmc write $kernel_addr 0x0 0x32000

load_mmc=load mmc ${mmc_dev}:${image_part} ${fdt_addr} ${image_dir}${fdt_name} && load mmc ${mmc_dev}:${image_part} ${kernel_addr} ${image_dir}${image_name}

load_mtd=sf probe; sf read 0x4ff0000 0x100000 0x400000

load_sd=load mmc ${sd_dev}:${image_part} ${fdt_addr} ${image_dir}${fdt_name} && load mmc ${sd_dev}:${image_part} ${kernel_addr} ${image_dir}${image_name}

load_tftp=tftpboot $fdt_addr ${image_dir}${fdt_name} && tftpboot $kernel_addr ${image_dir}${image_ramfs}

load_usb=usb start; load usb 0:${image_part} ${fdt_addr} ${image_dir}${fdt_name} && load usb 0:${image_part} ${kernel_addr} ${image_dir}${image_name}

loadaddr=0x5000000

lu=bubt flash-image.bin spi tftp

mmc_dev=0

netdev=eth0

netmask=255.255.255.0

sd_dev=1

serverip=192.168.1.2

stderr=serial@12000

stdin=serial@12000

stdout=serial@12000

Environment size: 2519/32764 bytes

</syntaxhighlight>

=== Some Bonus MMC Commands for U-Boot ===

mmc list

mmc dev WhatEverDeviceNumber

mmc part

mmc info

~~=== Solution (Yes, but the long way) ===~~

<br />

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 ...ever run into a situation where there's a desire to change how the "Disk Drive" of a device is organized?
-=== Example ===
+===Example===
 OK, take the GL.iNet brand GL-MV1000W (or just plain GL-MV1000).  It has a onboard 8GB eMMC!  That's like having an 8GB MicroSD Card welded to the PCB.  Cool!
 Except for one thing...  It just isn't taken advantage of.  The default configuration has the following;
-* 16.3 MB allocated to the "/boot" Partition (IE, where the Image file containing the "InitRAMFS" stuff, and a .dtb file for other information)
+*16.3 MB allocated to the "/boot" Partition (IE, where the Image file containing the "InitRAMFS" stuff, and a .dtb file for other information)
-* 512.3 MB allocated to the "/rom" Partition (in the 'shape' of a SquashFS Partition containing all the regular file system stuff, configuration files (/etc), .ko (kernel module files), etc.)
+*512.3 MB allocated to the "/rom" Partition (in the 'shape' of a SquashFS Partition containing all the regular file system stuff, configuration files (/etc), .ko (kernel module files), etc.)
-* 6.8 GB allocated to "/data" (an Overlay Partition)
+*6.8 GB allocated to "/data" (an Overlay Partition)
 <syntaxhighlight lang="text">
 lsblk
@@ Line 40: / Line 40: @@
 It's all fine and cool, but...  What if?
-=== The Question ===
+=== The Operating System ===
+This idea came about for the simple reason that the rtl8192bu Wireless Radio does NOT work with the 23.x versions of OpenWRT.  But it does work with the GL Provided 19.07.8 version of OpenWRT.  There are BS instructions on the OpenWRT page for this router: https://openwrt.org/toh/gl.inet/gl-mv1000<syntaxhighlight lang="text">
+Increasing the root filesystem
+A simplified version of the extroot_configuration works. FIXME: contra main text, this works even though there's no overlay on `mtd` on the fresh install.
+opkg update; opkg install block-mount cfdisk rsync
+cfdisk /dev/mmcblk1, create a new primary partition on the large unused space. Take note of the device (e.g. /dev/mmcblk1p3).
+mkfs.ext4 on your new partition (e.g. /dev/mmcblk1p3).
+mkdir /mnt/bigroot; mount /dev/mmcblk1p3 /mnt/bigroot
+block detect | uci import fstab. You now have eveything set on /etc/config/fstab.
+copy the root filesystem to /mnt/bigroot (e.g. rsync -a -x / /mnt/bigroot).
+edit /etc/config/fstab. change the old root / filesystem to mount on /rom, and the new one from /mnt/bigroot to /overlay.
+reboot and check the mounts with the df command.
+If the mounts are not available, please validate /etc/config/fstab and check if /rom and /overlay have option enabled set to 1 (https://forum.openwrt.org/t/guide-for-gl-inet-gl-mv1000-brume/89398/17).
+Save, reboot and validate again with the df command.
+</syntaxhighlight>The effort is appreciated, but the written implementation blows donkey snot.  Plus the end result isn't nearly as good as what's here.
+===The Question===
 Can it be turned into a 'real computer'?  IE, what about leaving the '/boot' Partition in place, but then having the rest of the eMMC card as a single large EXT4 partition?
-=== Solution (Not) ===
+===Solution (Not)===
-Booting from and InitRAMFS.bin file.  Nope, doesn't seem to work.  Several "bootm" and "booti" methods were attempted at the Marvell / U-Boot command prompt with the best outcome displaying "Starting kernel . . .", and then hanging there.
+Booting from an InitRAMFS.bin file (actually on the OpenWRT.org Download Website).  Nope, doesn't seem to work.  Several "bootm" and "booti" methods were attempted at the Marvell / U-Boot command prompt with the best outcome displaying "Starting kernel . . .", and then hanging there.
+===Solution (Yes, but the long way)===
+First, get a microSD card (doesn't have to be huge, and can be smaller than the 'built-in' eMMC device) and insert it into the card slot.
+==== "Bulk Route" ====
+If the microSD Card is 8GB or larger, just use the DD command: <code>dd if=/dev/mmcblk0 of=/dev/mmcblk1 bs=16M conv=noerror,sync status=progress</code>
+Keep in mind, this produces an 'exact clone', same UUID numbers on Partitions, etc.  So it can cause issues if the microSD Card is left in place.
+Skip the rest of the items in the "Solutions (Yes...") Section
+==== Prepare the microSD Card ====
+<code>wipefs -a /dev/mmcblk1</code> (should be /dev/mmcblk1, but double check using lsblk -f (and of course install lsblk if it isn't available, as well as for any other command noted in here that isn't available until being installed)
+Then use CFDISK or FDISK to create the same Partitions from
+==== Copy the "/boot" Partition ====
+mkdir /mnt/extracted
+unsquashfs -d /mnt/extracted /dev/mmcblk0p2
+mksquashfs /mnt/extracted /dev/mmcblk1p2 -comp xz -noappend
+It isn't covered here, but installing unsquashfs, mksquashfs, xz, etc. will all need to be installed using OPKG
+==== And finally, from the Marvell U-Boot Command Line (press gl (that's g as in Girl and L as in little) in quick succession) ====
+setenv bootargs console=ttyMV0,115200 earlycon=ar3700_uart,0xd0012000 root=/dev/mmcblk1p2 rw rootwait
+load mmc 1:1 0x4ff0000 /armada-gl-mv1000-emmc.dtb
+load mmc 1:1 0x5000000 /Image
+booti 0x5000000 - 0x4ff0000
+==== OK, done with the booting to the alternate boot device, now on to 'fixing up' the built in eMMC device ====
+...running out of time today, so just putting the initial notes in place.
+Assumes one is booted from the 'alternate boot device', IE mmcblk1, not mmcblk0.
+* Get the contents of mmcblk2
+** mkdir /mnt/extracted
+** unsquashfs -d /mnt/extracted /dev/mmcblk0p2
+** mksquashfs /mnt/extracted /dev/sda2 -comp xz -noappend
+*
+Below are the default values displayed by the printenv command from within the Marvell U-Boot Command Prompt;<syntaxhighlight lang="text">
+args_mmc=setenv bootargs "${console} root=/dev/mmcblk0p2 rw rootwait"
+args_sd=setenv bootargs "${console} root=/dev/mmcblk1p2 rw rootwait"
+args_usb=setenv bootargs console=ttyMV0,115200 earlycon=ar3700_uart,0xd0012000 root=/dev/sda2 rw rootwait
+baudrate=115200
+boot_mmc=echo "   Booting from mmc ..."; run clear_args; run args_mmc; run load_mmc && booti ${kernel_addr} - ${fdt_addr}
+boot_mtd=echo "   Booting from nor ..."; run clear_args; run load_mtd && bootm $kernel_addr - $fdt_addr
+boot_sd=echo "   Booting from sd ..."; run clear_args; run args_sd; run load_sd && booti $kernel_addr - $fdt_addr
+boot_tftp=echo "   Booting from tftp ..."; run clear_args; run load_tftp && booti $kernel_addr - $fdt_addr
+boot_usb=echo "   Booting from usb ..."; run clear_args; run args_usb; run load_usb && booti $kernel_addr - $fdt_addr
+bootargs=console=ttyMV0,115200 earlycon=ar3700_uart,0xd0012000
+bootcmd=run bootscript; run boot_mmc; run boot_mtd; run boot_sd; run boot_usb; run boot_tftp
+bootdelay=2
+bootscript=load mmc ${mmc_dev}:${image_part} ${loadaddr} boot.scr && echo "   Running bootscript from mmc ..."; source ${loadaddr}
+clear_args=setenv bootargs "${console}"
+console=console=ttyMV0,115200 earlycon=ar3700_uart,0xd0012000
+ethact=neta@30000
+ethprime=eth0
+fdt_addr=0x4ff0000
+fdt_high=0xffffffffffffffff
+fdt_name=armada-gl-mv1000-emmc.dtb
+fdtcontroladdr=3f715098
+image_dir=/
+image_name=Image
+image_part=1
+image_ramfs=openwrt-mvebu-cortexa53-gl-mv1000-initramfs-kernel.bin
+ipaddr=192.168.1.1
+kernel_addr=0x5000000
+lf=tftpboot openwrt-gl-mv1000.bin && mmc dev 0 && mmc erase 0x0 0x109800 && mmc write $kernel_addr 0x0 0x32000
+load_mmc=load mmc ${mmc_dev}:${image_part} ${fdt_addr} ${image_dir}${fdt_name} && load mmc ${mmc_dev}:${image_part} ${kernel_addr} ${image_dir}${image_name}
+load_mtd=sf probe; sf read 0x4ff0000 0x100000 0x400000
+load_sd=load mmc ${sd_dev}:${image_part} ${fdt_addr} ${image_dir}${fdt_name} && load mmc ${sd_dev}:${image_part} ${kernel_addr} ${image_dir}${image_name}
+load_tftp=tftpboot $fdt_addr ${image_dir}${fdt_name} && tftpboot $kernel_addr ${image_dir}${image_ramfs}
+load_usb=usb start; load usb 0:${image_part} ${fdt_addr} ${image_dir}${fdt_name} && load usb 0:${image_part} ${kernel_addr} ${image_dir}${image_name}
+loadaddr=0x5000000
+lu=bubt flash-image.bin spi tftp
+mmc_dev=0
+netdev=eth0
+netmask=255.255.255.0
+sd_dev=1
+serverip=192.168.1.2
+stderr=serial@12000
+stdin=serial@12000
+stdout=serial@12000
+Environment size: 2519/32764 bytes
+</syntaxhighlight>
+=== Some Bonus MMC Commands for U-Boot ===
+mmc list
+mmc dev WhatEverDeviceNumber
+mmc part
+mmc info
-=== Solution (Yes, but the long way) ===
+<br />