Re: [9fans] change to bitsy/devsac.c to use the new bootldr

Re: [9fans] change to bitsy/devsac.c to use the new bootldr

[F.J.Ballesteros]

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Argg, looks like I didn't include the file.
Sorry to add more traffic to the list...


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The bitsy comes with Wince.  To get to Plan 9, you will need a serial cable,
a Windows machine with a serial interface, the CDROM that comes with the bitsy,
and a Plan 9 machine with a serial interface.  The Windows machine is used to
get the Linux boot loader onto the bitsy (and to save away wince, if you so
desire).  The Plan 9 machine is used to get the plan 9 kernel and a read only
file system onto the bitsy.

0) charge up the bitsy.

1) go to ftp://ftp.handhelds.org/pub/linux/compaq/ipaq/stable/install.html
   and go through the steps to get the linux boot loader into the flash.
   This is where you'll need the CDROM and the Windows machine.  Roughly
   the steps are:

	a) install activesync from the cdrom
	b) use activesync to copy osloader-1.3.0.exe to wince's fs.
	c) run osloader-1.3.0.exe.  This is a RAM
	   version of the boot loader whose only real function is to
	   put the final version of the boot loader into the flash.
	d) Optionally select Tools->Flash->Save to make a backup copy of your flash
	e) Select Tools->Bootldr->Run  (screen goes blank)
	f) In plan 9 use con -b115200 /dev/eia[01] to connect to the bitsy
	g) hit enter
	h) load the bootldr-0000-2.14.5 using xms

	You are adviced to follow the instructions in the install.html
	file mentioned above, since this is delicate and could turn your
	bitsy into a paperweight if you fail to install the boot loader
	properly.

   This is more than a bit convoluted.  Windows runs its applications
   from flash.  The odd dance is to get a windows program (osloader)
   running from flash to then load a bootldr into ram and jump to it.
   That bootldr can then destroy the flash since it isn't running there.
   Finally you copy into the beginning of flash a copy of bootldr that
   knows it is being started in flash.  When you power up the bitsy it
   starts executing at location 0 in the flash so the `real' bootldr
   has to live there.  The only difference between the first and second
   bootldr is in initialization.  

2) You are now done with wince.  Connect the serial cable to a Plan 9 machine.

3) In a plan 9 window (turn on scrolling)

	con -b115200 /dev/eia[01]

   You'll have to figure out whether it's 0 or 1 on your machine.

4) Reboot the bitsy by cycling power using the dip switch under the sliding door
   at the bottom of the bitsy.  In the con window, hit spaces.
   If you don't see the boot> prompt, try with spaces+enter.

5) In the con window type
	partition reset
	partition define root 0x80000 0x80000 0x0
	partition define ramdisk 0x100000 0x700000 0x0
	params save

   This defines the flash partitions where to load the kernel and the ram disk.

6) In the con window type

	load kernel

7) in the con window type

	ctl-\

   to get con's >>> prompt.  Then

	!xms /sys/src/9/bitsy/9bitsy

   This does an xmodem load of the kernel

8) In the con window type

	load ramdisk

9) in the con window type

	ctl-\

   to get con's >>> prompt.  Then

	!xms /sys/src/9/bitsy/ramdisk

   This does an xmodem load of the read only file system

10) Cycle power again to reboot.  A screen will come up that says

	root is from [sac]:

   Just wait a while or hit enter in the con window and it'll continue.

11) The bitsy will now want to calibrate the screen.  It'll put up
   a series of crosses that you should tap the center of.  Hold the
   machine in your hand the way you'ld normally use it or the calibration
  could be off since there is depth to the glass in the screen.

12)  You'll get a new screen with a blank top
  and a keyboard/scribble area at the bottom.  This is a simple
  one file editor.  This file is similar to plan9.ini on PC's.
  You need to enter a few things:

	user=your-user-name
	wavelankey='thekey'

  When you're done, hit the quit key on the simulated keyboard.
	
  The system will now come up as you.

13)  To get your password into the system:

	# auth/iam
	password:

    After this you can run cpu, 9fs, whatever...

Re: [9fans] change to bitsy/devsac.c to use the new bootldr

[presotto]

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I already did this.  We look in both spots.  I needed to
do that to make william work.  He's using the latest and
greatest bootldr.

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From: F.J.Ballesteros <nemo@gsyc.escet.urjc.es>
To: 9fans@cse.psu.edu
Subject: [9fans] change to bitsy/devsac.c to use the new bootldr
Date: Fri, 15 Jun 2001 09:28:11 +0200
Message-ID: <20010615073217.09C19199E9@mail.cse.psu.edu>

Hi,

	To load and use a ramdisk on the bitsy with
the new boot loaders you need to change devsac.c:

where it said
	p = (uchar*)Flash_tar+4;
it should say now
	p = (uchar*)Flash_tar;

This seems to be due to a change in the bootldr that
now has a partition table. So the tar file created in
ramdisk now gets placed exactly at 0x100000, not at
0x100004. Beware that this change can make devsac.c
fail with previous verions of the bootldr, but you are
likely to upgrade it anyway...

BTW, you also need to create a ramdisk partition in the
bootldr. I'll post in a minute an updated howto file
(i.e. Booting101) for the new bootldr.

Re: [9fans] change to bitsy/devsac.c to use the new bootldr

[Boyd Roberts]

> Might this be a better change, i.e., so it'll work both with
> both the old and new bootldr's?
> 
> p = (uchar*)Flash_tar+4;
> data = tarlookup(p, sacfs, &i);

why not get it to loop through a table of offets?
it'd be cleaner.

Re: [9fans] change to bitsy/devsac.c to use the new bootldr

[F.J.Ballesteros]

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I think that would be nice.

In fact, I was thinking of just adding a newramdisk: target
to the mkfile, w/ something like...
	cat <{echo -n xxxx} oldramdisk >newramdisk

On the other hand, wouldn't it be better to encourage people
to use the new boot loader (since otherwise they might break
their real power on switch)? 

Probably you know better than me which option is likely to
be more adequate.

BTW, I am very grateful to the one(s) who decided that sac.fs would be
a tar file. In general, I'm grateful to you all for keeping Plan 9  so
clean. It is orders of magnitude easier to modify/adapt it than it is
for the other systems I've seen.


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From: presotto@plan9.bell-labs.com
To: nemo@gsyc.escet.urjc.es, 9fans@cse.psu.edu
Subject: Re: [9fans] change to bitsy/devsac.c to use the new bootldr
Date: Fri, 15 Jun 2001 08:41:11 -0400
Message-ID: <20010615124114.30DBC19A12@mail.cse.psu.edu>

Might this be a better change, i.e., so it'll work both with
both the old and new bootldr's?

	p = (uchar*)Flash_tar+4;
	data = tarlookup(p, sacfs, &i);
	if(data == 0) {
		p = (uchar*)Flash_tar;
		data = tarlookup(p, sacfs, &i);
		if(data == 0) {
			print("devsac: could not find file: %s\n", sacfs);
			return;
		}
	}

Re: [9fans] change to bitsy/devsac.c to use the new bootldr

[presotto]

Might this be a better change, i.e., so it'll work both with
both the old and new bootldr's?

	p = (uchar*)Flash_tar+4;
	data = tarlookup(p, sacfs, &i);
	if(data == 0) {
		p = (uchar*)Flash_tar;
		data = tarlookup(p, sacfs, &i);
		if(data == 0) {
			print("devsac: could not find file: %s\n", sacfs);
			return;
		}
	}

[9fans] change to bitsy/devsac.c to use the new bootldr

[F.J.Ballesteros]

Hi,

	To load and use a ramdisk on the bitsy with
the new boot loaders you need to change devsac.c:

where it said
	p = (uchar*)Flash_tar+4;
it should say now
	p = (uchar*)Flash_tar;

This seems to be due to a change in the bootldr that
now has a partition table. So the tar file created in
ramdisk now gets placed exactly at 0x100000, not at
0x100004. Beware that this change can make devsac.c
fail with previous verions of the bootldr, but you are
likely to upgrade it anyway...

BTW, you also need to create a ramdisk partition in the
bootldr. I'll post in a minute an updated howto file
(i.e. Booting101) for the new bootldr.