I'm lost

[kilaueabart]

Maybe I'm too demented to use this machine any more, but I'm hoping for some hints, maybe where to look for the kind of info I need.

Until the presumed failure of my power supply a little over a year ago, I used my AmigaOneX5000 constantly, mostly Linux. I could switch back and forth at will among three versions of Fienix, two versions of void, and one of MATE. At the present time "void2" (/dev/sda10) is booted automatically if I choose boot linux from the uboot selections, and I have no memory of how to boot any of the others instead.

According to GParted, I have a /dev/sdb comprising seven partitions, the first and last of which are unallocated. /dev/sdb1 and /dev/sdb5 are Flagged "boot," but all five partitions are File System unknown, Used ---, Unused ---. They look a lot like my OS4 partitions on /dev/sda.
The last, unallocated, partition is 48.18 GiB, and I'm wondering if that might be a place to install the latest Fienix.
The device is ATA INTEL SSDSC2E, 139.74 GiB, partition table amiga, 255 heads, 2 sectors/track, 574601 cylinders, 29304676 sectors size 512.

[kilaueabart]

I wondered if uboot menu item "Command line" might enable me to load the various linux OSes listed by GParted, so I tried "run fienix" there. Well, it didn't bring up any of my fienix installs, but it did load the /dev/sda8 "void" instead of the /dev/sda10 "void2" that comes up when I click on the third item ("Run linux"?) on the uboot menu.

Interesting result, but not a very good clue as to how to get one of my three real Fienixes. If I try "run void," or "run void2" or "run fienix2" in the Command line part of the uboot menu, they get "void unknown" or something like that. When I try the command that originally DID get me the void2 install, namely "$sudo fsck /dev/sda10," it tells me it doesn't know what "fsck" means.

Well, it's fun tryiing. Sort of.

[Skateman]

Hi kilaueabart and welcome back.

I have been following the repairs by Bill and great to see you have your machine back.

To see what commands you can use to start Linux go to you Uboot commandline en typ:

printenv (and press enter)

Now a lot of TXT is being spit at you but you might be able to figure out which commands to use to start a certain linux version.
I think that there will be an entry called fienix (which you start by typing run fienix)
i think that here will be an entry called void, or voidppc (which you start by typing run void or run voidppc)

Here some examples of my Uboot env to give you an idea



fienix=setenv bootargs root=/dev/sda3 console=ttyS0,115200 console=tty0 ; fatload mmc 0:1 1000000 uImage-6.5 ; fatload mmc 0:1 2000000 cyrus_p5020_eth_poweroff.dtb ; bootm 1000000 - 2000000

voidppc=setenv bootargs root=/dev/sda1 console=ttyS0,115200 console=tty0 ; fatload mmc 0:1 1000000 uImage-6.5 ; fatload mmc 0:1 2000000 cyrus_p5020_eth_poweroff.dtb ; bootm 1000000 - 2000000

voidppcusb=setenv bootargs root=LABEL=void rootdelay=5 ; fatload usb 0:1 1000000 uimage-5.10 ; fatload usb 0:1 1c00000 cyrus-p5020.dtb ; fatload usb 0:1 2000000 uinitrd-5.10 ; bootm 1000000 2000000 1c00000


Hope this helps, and keep us posted..

Due to hollidays i am not around a lot this period.

Dave

[Roland]

I wondered if uboot menu item "Command line" might enable me to load the various linux OSes listed by GParted, so I tried "run fienix" there. Well, it didn't bring up any of my fienix installs, but it did load the /dev/sda8 "void" instead of the /dev/sda10 "void2" that comes up when I click on the third item ("Run linux"?) on the uboot menu.

Nice to see yoy again here, Bart!-)

You can check the Uboot settings also from AmigaOS, by opening a Cli window and typing there the command 'nvgetvar'. The listing can also be directed to a file, e.g "nvgetvar >ram:uboot-settings". You can then attach the listing (or part of it) to your message here, if needed.

But you cannot change the Uboot settings from AmigaOS, that must be done from the Uboot "Commandline".

[kilaueabart]

Thank you, Skateman and Roland for your replies! I'm sure I will get what I need by pursuing your suggestions.

In Skateman's samples I see commands like I used to write in uboot to get into systems, namely that "setenv bootargs root=/dev/sd..." stuff. One of those things that I had totally forgotten. I will try that next boot. But I will mention now that using the uboot Command section for things like "run void" or "run void2" just brings up "ERROR "void" (or "void2") not defined." Typing "run fienix" brings up the older void (which I am using now at /dev/sda8). If I use the uboot run linux item, it gets me the newer void2 (/dev/sda10). But I'm sure I will be able to get one of my fienixes next time, and then I will be able to think seriously about fienix 6.

[kilaueabart]

It took a couple tries but I was able to boot one of the old Fienixes. Unfortunately it wouldn't let me in unless I gave it my user name and password. My user name is almost certain to be the one I use here, but I never saw a reason to record a password I was using at least once a day, and I can't remember it now.

Something similar happened before, and I think it was Christian who taught me how to solve the problem by doing something like stop the boot process midway and typing something or other, but I sure don't remember what. I found something online about replacing a lost password in linux, but it didn't sound like they were using an Amiga machine.

I guess I will try installing the Fienix 6. I should be able to set a brand new password and get it tattooed on me some place.

[xeno74]

Hi Kilaueabart,

You need the boot argument init=/bin/bash additionally to modify your passwords.

For example:

1. Code: Select all

   X5000> setenv bootargs root=/dev/sdb9 init=/bin/bash

2. Code: Select all

   X5000> load sata 1:1 1000000 uImage-6.5

3. Code: Select all

   X5000> load sata 1:1 2000000 cyrus-p5020.dtb

4. Code: Select all

   X5000> bootm 1000000 - 2000000

5. After booting you will be at the bash prompt.
6. Your root file system is mounted as readonly now, so remount it as read/write.

   Code: Select all

   mount -n -o remount,rw /

7. Use the passwd command to create a new root password. You can also create a new user password: passwd <your_username>.
8. Reboot

Rgds,

Christian

[kilaueabart]

Thanks, Christian. I really appreciate all the help I've had from you over the years. But I'm not smart enough to use your suggestion.

The setenv command was accepted, but the load sata 1:1 1000000 uImage-6.5 got me a reprimand: ** Bad device size - sata 1 **.

I sort of remember having to change some "1" to a "0" in the past, so I experimented with "sata 0:1" but worse: ** Invalid partition type "DOS\7" (expect "U-Boot") **.

Meanwhile, I am about to reformat my oldest fienix version's space /dev/sda5 and try to wiggle my Fienix 6 .img into it. A bit scary.

[kilaueabart]

Okay, that took me a couple hours more than it should have, but I now have Fienix 6.1 in /dev/sda6, and it comes up if I type the command "run fienix6." But I thought since it was a new thing, it would ask me to set a user name and a password. No, it thinks it already knows them and insists that I input them.

How many hours will it take me to get past that "load sata 1:1" problem?

[kilaueabart]

Well, I did get quite a way past that problem by changing "load sata 1:1" to "fatload mmc 0:1" a couple of times.

But that didn't lead to a clear "bash prompt." Just a stop. I went ahead and tried "mount -n -o remount,rw /" anyway, resulting in "mount: /: can't find UUID=d737fd37-e386-48B0-98eb-b291696ff3d4," whatever that means.

I did spend some time there, poking around with "ls." Many of the drawers that got listed turned out to be empty, others quite full. "Lost&found" was amazing, pages of six(?)-digit numbers. And I did try "passwd," which had me write in a new password, and again to confirm it, then copped out with "passwd: Authentication token manipulation error."

Lucky for me that computers are fun.