Debian/Ubuntu Netboot Installer

[tobetter]

Background
I've built Netboot installers for ODROID-XU4, Netboot installer is a tiny Linux system intended to install an OS while downloading all packages through a network. Therefore, your ODROID-XU4 must be able to connect to public network. The installation time would be depend on the network performance but you would be able to customize and update OS while installing.

The current installer will install Linux v5.4 with U-boot v2019.10. The Linux kernel source is in my github, https://github.com/tobetter/linux/tree/odroidxu4-5.4.y, that is based on the contribution of memeka and will keep updating.

• Debian 9 (Stretch)

• Debian 10 (Buster)

• Ubuntu 18.04 (Bionic)

• Ubuntu 19.04 (Disco)

How to use the images to install OS to ODROID-XU4
1. Download the installer image from the link and flash to SD card.
2. Flip the boot select switch to "SD" and attach the SD card.
3. Attach eMMC or USB storage that you want to install an OS.
4. Attach an HDMI cable and USB keyboard.
5. Power up and follow the installer menus

Known issues
Not installing the Linux kernel for ODROID-XU4.
This happens when the timezone set up is failed due to the network latency. After the clock settings, system time can be checked by pressing the keys Ctrl-Alt-F2 on the installation screen and use date command. In order to back to the installation screen, press Ctrl-Alt-F1.
ODROID-XU4 won't start after installing USB storage.
Actually this is a problem to resolve. Since ODROID-XU4 does not have an on-board bootloader, you require to attach an SD card or eMMC at least for the boot loader. But currently, I need to do improve the boot script package for ODROID-XU4.

Buy me a coffee if you like my efforts and keep moving forward.

[rooted]

Very nice, thanks for sharing

[tobetter]

TIPS! X11 GPU driver installation
I've just done to test X11 driver on Ubuntu Bionic after installing Ubuntu Mate Desktop through Netboot installer.

Please do run these commands after installation.

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$ echo "deb http://ppa.linuxfactory.or.kr bionic non-free" | tee /etc/apt/source.list.d/ppa_linuxfactory_or_kr.list
$ sudo apt update
$ sudo apt install xserver-xorg-video-armsoc mali-t76x-x11-driver
$ sudo apt autoremove
$ gsettings set org.mate.session.required.components windowmanager macro-no-composite
$ sudo reboot

Optionally, you can install glmark2-es2 once everything is done. If glmark2-es does give you a poor score lower than you guess, please do check if the last command gsettings set org.mate.session.required.components ... is executed properly, or open mate-tweak for the menu and go 'Windows' -> 'Window manager' to select Macro (No compositor).

Special thanks to @memeka and need more help to enable GNOME next time.

[ban]

I've tried to use debian stretch/buster and ubuntu disco netboot installer images to install OS on ODROID-XU3 Lite from uSD on the same uSD or on USB flash drive but every time I had the same error on the "Install GRUB boot loader on a hard disk" step:

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GRUB installation failed
The 'grub-pc' package failed to install into /target/. Without the GRUB boot loader, the installed system will not boot.

There is no grub-pc package for armhf so the error is understandable.
So how should I use these images to netboot install debian/ubuntu on the uSD?

[rooted]

The system uses uboot, even with that error you should be fine.

[ban]

The system uses uboot, even with that error you should be fine.

When I skip bootloader installation and continue the installation it finish without any more errors and halt. When I power cycle the device it won't boot if I installed system on uSD and installer will boot once again if I installed on USB flash drive.
There is no log output in UART serial console /dev/ttySAC2.
After installation my uSD partitioned like this:

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Disk /dev/sdc: 7,3 GiB, 7822376960 bytes, 15278080 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disklabel type: dos
Disk identifier: 0xf13ac0a5

Device     Boot    Start      End  Sectors  Size Id Type
/dev/sdc1  *        2048   499711   497664  243M 83 Linux
/dev/sdc2         499712 11290623 10790912  5,1G 83 Linux
/dev/sdc3       11292670 15276031  3983362  1,9G  5 Extended
/dev/sdc5       11292672 15276031  3983360  1,9G 82 Linux swap / Solaris

And I have these files in boot partition:

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total 16945
drwxr-xr-x  3 root root    1024 Jan 27 03:16 .
drwxr-x---+ 8 root root    4096 Jan 27 08:16 ..
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  165373 Jan 13 13:59 config-5.4.0-odroid-armmp
lrwxrwxrwx  1 root root      29 Jan 27 03:15 initrd.img -> initrd.img-5.4.0-odroid-armmp
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 7758019 Jan 27 03:16 initrd.img-5.4.0-odroid-armmp
lrwxrwxrwx  1 root root      29 Jan 27 03:15 initrd.img.old -> initrd.img-5.4.0-odroid-armmp
drwx------  2 root root   12288 Jan 27 02:33 lost+found
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 3097940 Jan 13 13:59 System.map-5.4.0-odroid-armmp
lrwxrwxrwx  1 root root      26 Jan 27 03:15 vmlinuz -> vmlinuz-5.4.0-odroid-armmp
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 6238600 Jan 13 13:59 vmlinuz-5.4.0-odroid-armmp
lrwxrwxrwx  1 root root      26 Jan 27 03:15 vmlinuz.old -> vmlinuz-5.4.0-odroid-armmp

So it seems it didn't install uboot.
Last time I've installed the debian buster with preseed:
http://ppa.linuxfactory.or.kr/installer ... inimal.cfg

[magiber4]

good job¡¡¡ i

It is the best way for Linux beginners users and to be able to have the 5.4 kernel in our xu4¡

[ackmicro]

Hi,

I just start testing Xen migration

I just need to be sure the U-Boot 2020-10 is HYP enabled ?
I'm under HCx so i can check a netinstall, but i have to do a blinded install...

[tobetter]

Hi,

I just start testing Xen migration

I just need to be sure the U-Boot 2020-10 is HYP enabled ?
I'm under HCx so i can check a netinstall, but i have to do a blinded install...

Thanks for your interesting...new post in this thread after 9 months. My server keeps building the packages for XU4 and its family, but not testing enough due to the quite low demand. Even not sure if anyone is still updating the kernel package from my server.