[aklug] Re: FriLinux Cobalt Qubes

Jim Gribbin said, on 08/21/2010 09:57 PM:
> I have also seen some information that implies there are limitations in
> the firmware of how recent a kernel can be used because of the size of
> the compiled kernel. Seems to be around the 2.4.18. I don't remember
> what site that was on, so that kernel # could be off, but it was around
> there. I think there was some updated firmware at some point that
> changed this limitation.

Yep, there are two things that I recommend in this area.

First, the stock firmware only looks for kernels in one particular place
with one particular name, and it can only read ext2 rev 0 partitions.
This replacement firmware lets you choose other boot loaders and
kernels, and also gets past the kernel size limitation, and adding later
EXT2 and EXT3 support, letting you put modern Linux on it.

    http://sourceforge.net/projects/cobalt-rom/

Second, the CoLo boot loader gets you the rest of the way. It adds the
ability to boot over the network via TFTP. You can either replace the
ROM, or, if you don't want to risk bricking your Qube, you can chainload
from the original ROM to CoLo.

    http://www.colonel-panic.org/cobalt-mips/

Doing both -- replacing the ROM and adding the newer CoLo boot loader --
provides you with the most flexibility.

For more details, see

http://www.linux-mips.org/wiki/Cobalt_Firmware

Royce
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Received on Sun Aug 22 10:05:01 2010