Starting Linux without unplugging Amiga drives

[Amiguy]

Hello,

I installed Fienix on an SSD hard drive of my X5000 and am very satisfied.

Currently, I have to plug either my Linux SSD directly to the motherboard or my two Amiga SSDs. I would have liked to use Linux and Amiga without having to disconnect and reconnect the corresponding disks, for example using my PCI Sil3512 port.

When I plug my Amiga disks into the motherboard and my Linux disk into the PCI port, the boot doesn't work because it is hampered by the two Amiga disks which it doesn't know the format (NGFS) and stops.

Isn't there a way to ignore with a U-Boot command the disks in NGFS format to allow Linux to boot?

Thank you in advance for your suggestions.

[Skateman]

I bought myself a cheap asmedia sata controller and attached an SSD for running Linux.

[Amiguy]

Hi Skateman,

The controller is ordered. I will get back to you as soon as it is assembled and tested.

Thanks again

[daz]

Hello,

I installed Fienix on an SSD hard drive of my X5000 and am very satisfied.

Currently, I have to plug either my Linux SSD directly to the motherboard or my two Amiga SSDs. I would have liked to use Linux and Amiga without having to disconnect and reconnect the corresponding disks, for example using my PCI Sil3512 port.

Why do you need to disconnect/reconnect? Only the AmigaOS disk with your kickstart files on needs to be attached to the motherboard ports. Additional Amiga disks will be detected during boot.

Have you tried with Amiga Boot volume and Linux disk on Motherboard ports and the second Amiga disk on PCI card?

If you really need both Amiga disks attached to the motherboard there two solutions:
1) Plug a USB stick into one of the back usb ports, and store your kernel and dtb on that. You'll find that's what most of us do. Make life a whole lot easier.
2) It's possible to store a kernel in the unused space on the boot SD card. There are instructions on this board somewhere, but it's not for the feint hearted, as you could temporarily brick your machine.

When I plug my Amiga disks into the motherboard and my Linux disk into the PCI port, the boot doesn't work because it is hampered by the two Amiga disks which it doesn't know the format (NGFS) and stops.

Isn't there a way to ignore with a U-Boot command the disks in NGFS format to allow Linux to boot?

U-Boot can't talk to any SATA ports except the ones on the motherboard, and as you've noticed it doesn't understand Amiga RDB partition tables, so can't boot Linux from such a disk. To boot Linux U-Boot needs to be able to load the kernel.

Buying a PCI-e probably won't help either, I suspect there will be the same problems as with your PCI card.

Thank you in advance for your suggestions.

Let us know how you get on

Darren

[Skateman]

@DAZ

U-boot can talk to other ports than the onboard sata ports i think. In the Uboot bootargs i specify the controller /dev/

No need for a USB key. i have the Kernel on the SDcard and that it.

[daz]

@DAZ

U-boot can talk to other ports than the onboard sata ports i think. In the Uboot bootargs i specify the controller /dev/

I'm referring to loading the kernel i.e. the 'load sata 0 addr uImage' bit - the uImage must be on a drive U-Boot can read. The /dev/sdxx is passed to the kernel once it has started.

No need for a USB key. i have the Kernel on the SDcard and that it.

I did mention that, since you've got it to work perhaps you can list instructions here?

Regards
Darren

[Skateman]

I'm referring to loading the kernel i.e. the 'load sata 0 addr uImage' bit - the uImage must be on a drive U-Boot can read. The /dev/sdxx is passed to the kernel once it has started.

Ah i see... yes you are right.

Setting up the SDcard has been posted on the forum already. I have also used these instructions back then.
When needed i can always help.

[Amiguy]

Thanks for putting me on the trail. Thanks to your suggestions, I can now start linux and the Amiga without disconnecting anything and without a USB key. I did not fully understand how the startup of the two systems works.

Initially, I relied on two tips:

• viewtopic.php?p=50557#p50557

• viewtopic.php?f=58&t=4085

... but, indeed, I had not tried booting the Linux SSD on the motherboard sata port, while the second sata port was occupied by the Amiga SSD.

My configuration is therefore the following:

I have two Amiga SSDs and one Linux SSD. The Amiga SSD which contains the kikstart files is connected to the sata1 port. The Linux SSD drive is connected to the sata0 port. The third Amiga SSD drive is attached to the controller board.

The Linux SSD drive is divided into two partitions. A boot partition, named FIENIX-BOOT, and a partition containing the filesystem, named FIENIX-DISK. The boot instructions, when I select Linux boot from the U-Boot menu, allow me to boot from the partition of the FIENIX-BOOT Linux SSD drive.

My booting instructions are as follows:

X5000> setenv linuxboot 'setenv bootargs root=/dev/sda2 ; load sata 1:1 1000000 uImage-5.8 ; load sata 1:1 2000000 cyrus-p5040.dtb ; bootm 1000000 - 2000000'

I therefore confirm that it is not absolutely necessary to start from a USB key. Booting from SSD seems more elegant to me and works.

@Skateman : I have an unused controller for sale. If you're interested ... (just kidding )

Thanks guys for your help

[Skateman]

@Skateman : I have an unused controller for sale. If you're interested ... (just kidding )

I have my system setup with onboard sata0 AmigaOS4.1 onboard sata1 Fienix-Linux (disconnected the optical drive) PCIe x1 Controller Sata Ubuntu Mate

I have every SSD drive dedicated voor the OS installed.