03-01-2012, 02:39 PM | #16 | |
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But then, as the kindles are now with NO cache, even limited compcache support is a huge plus. I think that putting cache files on the mmc instead of compressed RAM is a bad idea, because I did not see write wear levelling code in the mmc read and write routines. Compcache was designed for tablet devices like the kindles, and I think that we should be using it. The touch runs out of memory much too quickly, especially when using optware while the framework is still running. Last edited by geekmaster; 03-01-2012 at 02:44 PM. |
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03-01-2012, 03:17 PM | #17 | |
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Once you have a writable overlay system, then you can have a ro base. A quick comparison, the k-3.2.1 base filesystem image as ext3 and as squashfs: Code:
mszick@core2quad /bun1/Builds/Kindle/k-3.2.1/bin.tgz/img $ file rootfs.img rootfs.img: Linux rev 1.0 ext3 filesystem data, UUID=96b81823-9626-43b1-a98b-a8085e28e614 - - - mszick@core2quad /bun1/Builds/Kindle $ ls -l /bun1/Builds/Kindle/k-3.2.1/bin.tgz/img/rootfs.img -rw-r--r-- 1 mszick mszick 419454976 2012-03-01 13:56 /bun1/Builds/Kindle/k-3.2.1/bin.tgz/img/rootfs.img Code:
mszick@core2quad /bun1/Builds/Kindle $ sudo mksquashfs /mnt/k321 k321.sfs - - - snip - - - mszick@core2quad /bun1/Builds/Kindle $ ls -l *.sfs -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 248823808 2012-03-01 13:56 k321.sfs Code:
mszick@core2quad /bun1/Builds/Kindle/k-3.2.1/bin.tgz $ du -s /mnt/k321 359379 /mnt/k321 - - - mszick@core2quad /bun1/Builds/Kindle $ du -s /mnt/k-sfs 355850 /mnt/k-sfs Here is where the difference lies (if the reader didn't see it above): The ext3 image requires: 419,454,976 bytes to store on flash. The squashfs image requires: 248,823,808 bytes to store on flash. Just because lab126 is still learning to build an embedded Linux system does not mean we have to follow their examples. We should know better than to do that here (follow lab126 example that is). Last edited by knc1; 03-01-2012 at 03:20 PM. |
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03-02-2012, 08:11 AM | #18 | |
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https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...06&postcount=7 Just to give an idea of what might be gained. |
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03-04-2012, 10:56 PM | #19 |
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Do you also have an idea how could we use that? Just by switching mmcblk0p1 from ext3 to squashfs would not help. To make proper use of the free space we would have to create new partition for our overlay between *p1 and *p2 which whould cause renumbering of all the other partitions. And would mean changing lot's of scripts and files on both main and diag partitions, but most importantly you probably wouldn't be able to boot into diags at all (or is there some idme or other variable that sais which partition to use?). The other option is to move all the partitions to move the free space to the end but this has also a few problems. First, are we sure diags will still work? Isn't there anything that relies on the original address of mmcblk0p2 on MMC? And you would have to do that before user puts his data onto userspace or you risk not having enough free space to move the partition.
But maybe I missed something. By the way, I wouldn't shun people at lab126 because of this -- they didn't decide to use overlay (we did). And simply exchanging the free space on root filesystem for free space on overlay doesn't make you gain anything. PS: Could you also post the real filesystem usage to be completely fair? I don't have those devices and I am too lazy to check that for KT. |
03-04-2012, 11:40 PM | #20 | |
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I can't even guess at what might be gained or lost by it. But still, a window of oppertunity to be kept in mind. Right now, if people want to keep adding features to the system.... Well, there is a lot of storage available, and so what if the end result is the machine holds 1,200 books instead of 1,500? Another oppertunity to keep in mind - U-Boot has the ability to load a compressed kernel image and (on the k3) it is currently loading an uncompressed image. That would result in a kernel image in about 1/2 the current storage area. Or more features (modules) in the kernel without resizing its partition. Just thoughts to keep in the back of one's mind, not any sort of plan or justification at the moment. |
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03-05-2012, 07:35 AM | #21 |
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03-05-2012, 09:44 AM | #22 |
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A possible alternative
http://archlinuxarm.org/
If not familar with Arch Linux, it is a "binary distribution" with packages built from the Gentoo distribution sources. You can get an Arch Linux LiveCD to try out on your x86{,_64} machine if curious. http://www.archlinux.org/ Minimum kernel version is now 2.6.32 but from the looks of Freescale's git repo, they are actively maintaining 2.6.38 (although 2.6.35 is the most recent tagged as a release). unionFS sucks (it always has to some degree), overlayFS isn't of much use before the kernel 3.x series - so auFS is the current best choice. Will put building auFS modules for the Kindle-Kernels (KK?) on my to-do list - warning, don't hold your breath, my to-do list is very long. |
03-20-2012, 05:23 PM | #23 |
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This seems like a pretty useful idea
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03-20-2012, 08:23 PM | #24 | |
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Because p4 has its own partition table, the USB drive resides in "mmcblk0p4p1", and you have 3 more empty "inner" partitions you can use. You need to either loop mount mmcblk0p4 then mount the second partition inside that (mmcblk0p4p2), or you just loop mount it directly with an offset (like how /mnt/us is sometimes mounted). Of course you need to shrink mmcblk0p4p1 to make room to expand one or more of the empty inner partitions. Last edited by geekmaster; 03-20-2012 at 08:27 PM. Reason: severe typophrenia |
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03-20-2012, 08:31 PM | #25 | |
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Apparently they forked it so they could give it an "unsuck" job. Last edited by geekmaster; 03-20-2012 at 08:34 PM. Reason: severe typophrenia |
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03-21-2012, 08:45 AM | #26 | |
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When JRO and the unionFS project parted ways, he left behind the parts of the original design that he saw as stumbling blocks to an effective design. Which left him with a minimal feature set and then he worked forward from that point. The auFS-version-1 rarely gets any mention in recent years. I don't recall at the moment what was the major change between auFS-version-1 and auFS-version-2. With the change from auFS-version-2 to auFS-version-3 JRO did another 'feature strip' of his own project to eleminate rarely needed and difficult to maintain features. The 'they' in this project is a single person and over the years it has been a very impressive, single person, project to follow. |
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04-12-2012, 04:23 PM | #27 | |
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I wonder if there are any thing new regarding this. The motivation for me to try this would be to be able to update Touch firmware more easily. Right now, if I want to let it update the firmware, I have to go through the list of mods, hack and file changes I have made which is cumbersome. Now with this overlay file system, would it be possible to just disable overlay and update and then re-enable and have all the modifications in place? |
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05-09-2012, 06:10 PM | #28 |
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No, nothing new ... at least not from me.
As for the updates the answer is still no. For simple reason already mentioned here: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...5&postcount=12 in point 2) The point 1) however could be solved if somebody figures out how to safely deal with the kernel/initrd changes in updates (kexec?). |
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mini_fo, overlay, root filesystem |
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