Booting 32bit TC from 64bit efi boots to blank screen with underscore

[coreplayer2]

Thanks Rich,  you'd make an incredible detective.   
we were very close with the required modules then..

I wish I had an mmc card installed here to work with.

I'm thinking the BIOS should be configured to boot the eMMC as the primary device  and
likely it's as simple as providing a kernel bootcode  like root=mmcblk****   something like that.  but am reading.

 

[jimmyjohn]

In case it helps, the PC I am using is the Kangaroo Mobile Desktop.  Here is the website with manuals: https://kangaroo-infocus.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/205741276-Kangaroo-Mobile-Desktop-Manuals-Downloads
@Rich found the right one.

[PDP-8]

Ah, the Kangaroo is similar to my Computesticks.

Consider this data-points or noise ...

1) I can boot Porteus 4.0 from the internal micro-sd card on the older computestick which the manufacturer actually allows to happen.  It will also recognize all the *mmc devices.  It uses Syslinux 4.06

2) I can put Tinycorepure64 on that micro-sd card, modify/add a section to Porteus' own syslinux 4.06 menu and boot Tinycorepure64 that way identifying the micro-sd card with a UUID.

3) BUT, after boot, one only ends at the ash commandline.  Using fdisk -l shows that no filesystems are found.

4) However, if I add an external usb-stick, place my tce directory upon it, and identify it with either a LABEL or UUID, then TCpure64 works just fine - but still no *mmc devices are detected either.

Ie, it seems I can initiate a TCpure64 boot from a micro-sd / mmc device with a syslinux 4.06 bootloader, but once booted, it doesn't know about mmc devices.  And, even if booted from an sdX/usb stick, TC won't recognize mmc devices whether one uses the mtd extension or not.

[jimmyjohn]

Ie, it seems I can initiate a TCpure64 boot from a micro-sd / mmc device with a syslinux 4.06 bootloader, but once booted, it doesn't know about mmc devices.  And, even if booted from an sdX/usb stick, TC won't recognize mmc devices whether one uses the mtd extension or not.

This matches my experience thus far.  I can install grub, vmlinuz, and core.gz to the eMMC by using a separate distro that shows the eMMC, however, if I boot TC from the eMMC, it boots to the base core console only and does not recognize any eMMC or SD devices.

This makes me wonder if it is something to do with the TC implementation of mmc and sd recognition?
I am going to run a couple of other tests, but any additional help would be excellent.  I would prefer to be able to use TC without losing function of both traditional storage mechanisms.  I love how TC lest you start tiny and build out exactly what you want/need!

[coreplayer2]

@JimmyJohn

I think we're overthinking this..

The mmc is more than 4GB which means it's pre-formatted with NTFS or exFat ?  neither of which are supported OOB

Assuming the drive can be seen in Gparted,  can run corepure64, load dosfstools, e2fsprogs and GPARTED.   

Run sudo Gparted and select your mmc device
Create a new Partition Table = GPT
create two partitions
1.  FAT32 @ 200MiB
2  ext2 @ remainder of drive

Then the device should be mountable and be capable of installing Grub2 and TC to.

Good luck

[jimmyjohn]

@coreplayer2

The device is not visible in GParted.  I can see it in GParted when I boot a different distro, such as debian, however, it is not visible in gparted in TC.

That said, I booted a different distro and followed your partitioning instructions, then booted into TC again to see if that made a difference, and unfortunately it is still not showing up :-(   Thanks for the idea though!  I really thought that might be it as soon as I read it.

[coreplayer2]

...
 then booted into TC again to see if that made a difference, and unfortunately it is still not showing up :-(   Thanks for the idea though!  I really thought that might be it as soon as I read it.

Which TC ?  corepure64 ?

[coreplayer2]

@jimmyjohn

Also is the mmc device listed in the BIOS (assuming it has one) as the primary boot device?

[PDP-8]

@jimmyjohn

Be aware that our hardware, your Kangaroo and my Computestick, show the same behavior, regardless if it is the on-board eMMC formatted as NTFS, or the optional external micro-sd card. formatted with fat32.

All bios/setup has been checked to see if there was anything special blocking mmc devices.  There is no option at least on mine to change this at all.  Yet Porteus boots and sees it all.  ?

BUT, on an Intel NUC, with a stock install booting with an sda, it *can* see mmc devices with a stock install of TinyCore!

So maybe there is something different between hardcore NUC's, and little computesticks and kangaroos.

The fuggedaboutit option:
Just use a Sandisk UltraFit usb.  Just a nub hanging out, not a big key.

Rarely do I have to access the ntfs windows partition from within TC, and the micro-sd cards are mainly used for pi-core...

[coreplayer2]

All bios/setup has been checked to see if there was anything special blocking mmc devices.  There is no option at least on mine to change this at all.  Yet Porteus boots and sees it all.  ?

BUT, on an Intel NUC, with a stock install booting with an sda, it *can* see mmc devices with a stock install of TinyCore!

Hi PDP-8.   Any chance of listing the output of LSMOD on either /both of the PC’s whilst the device is visible please


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[jimmyjohn]

@jimmyjohn

Also is the mmc device listed in the BIOS (assuming it has one) as the primary boot device?

I tried both 64 and 32 bit versions.  Also, yes, the mmc device is listed as the primary boot device in the EFI Bios.

@jimmyjohn

Be aware that our hardware, your Kangaroo and my Computestick, show the same behavior, regardless if it is the on-board eMMC formatted as NTFS, or the optional external micro-sd card. formatted with fat32.

All bios/setup has been checked to see if there was anything special blocking mmc devices.  There is no option at least on mine to change this at all.  Yet Porteus boots and sees it all.  ?

So maybe there is something different between hardcore NUC's, and little computesticks and kangaroos.

So, any thoughts as to why multiple other distro's see it all and TC doesn't?

[curaga]

Could be a kernel difference (version or config).

[PDP-8]

Sure - here come the lsmods:

For reference..

 Intel NUC - usb boot - mmc devices *are visible and mountable* - full sized sd-cards anyway.

Code: [Select]

Intel NUC - usb boot - mmc devices *can* be seen:
*** USB boot INTEL NUC ***

Module                  Size  Used by    Not tainted
cpufreq_userspace      12288  0
cpufreq_conservative    12288  0
cpufreq_powersave      12288  0
i915                 1003520  2
i2c_i801               16384  0
drm_kms_helper         94208  1 i915
i2c_designware_platform    12288  0
i2c_designware_core    12288  1 i2c_designware_platform
drm                   253952  3 i915,drm_kms_helper
iosf_mbi               12288  1 i915
intel_gtt              16384  1 i915
agpgart                28672  2 drm,intel_gtt
i2c_algo_bit           12288  1 i915
squashfs               28672  4
zstd_decompress        65536  1 squashfs
xxhash                 12288  1 zstd_decompress
loop                   20480  8
wmi_bmof               12288  0
rtsx_pci_sdmmc         16384  0
rtsx_pci_ms            12288  0
mmc_core               73728  1 rtsx_pci_sdmmc
memstick               12288  1 rtsx_pci_ms
video                  32768  1 i915
serio_raw              12288  0
backlight              12288  2 i915,video
pcspkr                 12288  0
lpc_ich                20480  0
wmi                    16384  1 wmi_bmof
xhci_pci               12288  0
xhci_hcd               98304  1 xhci_pci
rtsx_pci               36864  2 rtsx_pci_sdmmc,rtsx_pci_ms
r8169                  53248  0
8250_dw                12288  0
mei_me                 16384  0
mei                    40960  1 mei_me
Intel Computestick - usb boot - mmc devices *cannot* be seen:

Code: [Select]

** USB boot Intel Computestick **

Module                  Size  Used by    Not tainted
cpufreq_conservative    12288  0
cpufreq_userspace      12288  0
cpufreq_powersave      12288  0
i915                 1003520  2
drm_kms_helper         94208  1 i915
drm                   253952  3 i915,drm_kms_helper
i2c_designware_platform    12288  0
i2c_designware_core    12288  1 i2c_designware_platform
intel_gtt              16384  1 i915
agpgart                28672  2 drm,intel_gtt
i2c_algo_bit           12288  1 i915
squashfs               28672  9
zstd_decompress        65536  1 squashfs
xxhash                 12288  1 zstd_decompress
loop                   20480 18
ax88179_178a           20480  0
usbnet                 20480  1 ax88179_178a
mii                    12288  2 ax88179_178a,usbnet
mmc_block              24576  0
video                  32768  1 i915
backlight              12288  2 i915,video
pcspkr                 12288  0
sdhci_acpi             12288  0
mei_txe                16384  0
sdhci                  32768  1 sdhci_acpi
mei                    40960  1 mei_txe
mmc_core               73728  3 mmc_block,sdhci_acpi,sdhci
iosf_mbi               12288  2 i915,sdhci_acpi
8250_dw                12288  0
lpc_ich                20480  0
And for good measure:

Intel Computestick - micro sd card boot - using Porteus Syslinux bootloader. (only works with tce directory on external sdX device).  MMC devices still *NOT* seen.

Code: [Select]

** vfat32 micro-usb boot Intel Computestick via Porteus Syslinux bootloader **

Module                  Size  Used by    Not tainted
cpufreq_userspace      12288  0
cpufreq_conservative    12288  0
cpufreq_powersave      12288  0
i915                 1003520  2
i2c_designware_platform    12288  0
i2c_designware_core    12288  1 i2c_designware_platform
drm_kms_helper         94208  1 i915
drm                   253952  3 i915,drm_kms_helper
intel_gtt              16384  1 i915
agpgart                28672  2 drm,intel_gtt
i2c_algo_bit           12288  1 i915
squashfs               28672  4
zstd_decompress        65536  1 squashfs
xxhash                 12288  1 zstd_decompress
loop                   20480  8
mmc_block              24576  0
video                  32768  1 i915
backlight              12288  2 i915,video
sdhci_acpi             12288  0
sdhci                  32768  1 sdhci_acpi
mei_txe                16384  0
mei                    40960  1 mei_txe
mmc_core               73728  3 mmc_block,sdhci_acpi,sdhci
lpc_ich                20480  0
8250_dw                12288  0
iosf_mbi               12288  2 i915,sdhci_acpi
pcspkr                 12288  0

Guess it would have been easier for me to run a diff, but I'm pretty much wiped out now.

[jimmyjohn]

Would it be useful if I were to provide the same details that PDP-8 provided while booted into a different distro that can see everything?

[Rich]

Hi jimmyjohn
An  lsmod  and a  dmesg  might be helpful