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C201 Chromebook : boot sequence after kernel

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kiyop
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Re: C201 Chromebook : boot sequence after kernel

#21 Post by kiyop »

bluevector wrote:I also followed the guide on https://wiki.debian.org/InstallingDebianOn/Asus/C201, alas it did not work for me as well. Booting from the sd-card goes into black screen...
What happens if you press Alt and SysRq keys and REISUB after you get into black screen?
If it reboots, kernel is running even after you get into black screen. Thus, it may relate to graphical issue.
Openbox, JWM: Jessie, Sid, Arch / Win XP (on VirtualBox), 10
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pendrachken
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Re: C201 Chromebook : boot sequence after kernel

#22 Post by pendrachken »

Also just for testing purposes ( since the kernel is up and logging ), did you try raising your backlight with the brightness keys?

I have one particular laptop that no matter what kernel / paramaters are use gets the backlight immediately set to zero on boot, and has to be raised with the buttons each and every boot.


Backlight may be worth looking into....
fortune -o
Your love life will be... interesting.
:twisted: How did it know?

The U.S. uses the metric system too, we have tenths, hundredths and thousandths of inches :-P

jguillen
Posts: 16
Joined: 2016-07-03 08:48

Re: C201 Chromebook : boot sequence after kernel

#23 Post by jguillen »

Hello everyone. Im experiencing the same "black screen" issue.Tried all 3 kernels with same result.
pendrachken wrote:Also just for testing purposes ( since the kernel is up and logging ), did you try raising your backlight with the brightness keys?

I have one particular laptop that no matter what kernel / paramaters are use gets the backlight immediately set to zero on boot, and has to be raised with the buttons each and every boot.


Backlight may be worth looking into....
Nothing happens

jguillen
Posts: 16
Joined: 2016-07-03 08:48

Re: C201 Chromebook : boot sequence after kernel

#24 Post by jguillen »

kiyop wrote:
bluevector wrote:I also followed the guide on https://wiki.debian.org/InstallingDebianOn/Asus/C201, alas it did not work for me as well. Booting from the sd-card goes into black screen...
What happens if you press Alt and SysRq keys and REISUB after you get into black screen?
If it reboots, kernel is running even after you get into black screen. Thus, it may relate to graphical issue.
Asus c201 keyboard don't have a sysrq key. Tried with an external usb keyboard, but doesnt seem to recognice it.

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kiyop
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Re: C201 Chromebook : boot sequence after kernel

#25 Post by kiyop »

jguillen wrote:Asus c201 keyboard don't have a sysrq key. Tried with an external usb keyboard, but doesnt seem to recognice it.
Thank you for reporting the above. :)
Sometimes, SysRq key is PrintScreen key. Is there PrintScreen key?

Furthermore, you can change keys.
Reference:
https://wiki.debian.org/Keyboard#Keyboard_configuration
http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=82079
Openbox, JWM: Jessie, Sid, Arch / Win XP (on VirtualBox), 10
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jguillen
Posts: 16
Joined: 2016-07-03 08:48

Re: C201 Chromebook : boot sequence after kernel

#26 Post by jguillen »

kiyop wrote:
jguillen wrote:Asus c201 keyboard don't have a sysrq key. Tried with an external usb keyboard, but doesnt seem to recognice it.
Thank you for reporting the above. :)
Sometimes, SysRq key is PrintScreen key. Is there PrintScreen key?

Furthermore, you can change keys.
Reference:
https://wiki.debian.org/Keyboard#Keyboard_configuration
http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=82079
Here you can check the c201 keyboard.

http://newmindgroup.com/wp-content/uplo ... /9-1-1.png

jguillen
Posts: 16
Joined: 2016-07-03 08:48

Re: C201 Chromebook : boot sequence after kernel

#27 Post by jguillen »

I've got some bad news for Asus c201 users.

https://marcin.juszkiewicz.com.pl/2016/ ... romebooks/

I contacted Marcin, and he explained me that he did not write that guide.

I still think this can be done, so here are some links to contine investigating. Some others guys were able to do it.

Libreboot on Asus c201
https://libreboot.org/docs/hcl/c201.html

Install Debian on Asus c201 using Chrome OS Kernel
https://wiki.debian.org/InstallingDebianOn/Asus/C201

Libreboot mailing list (Asus c201)
https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/libr ... 00024.html

Asus C201 ARM Chromebook Linux user experience
http://www.galexander.org/chromebook/

Installing Debian chroot in Asus c201
http://www.courville.org/home/rk3288-arm-chromebook

Libreboot ported to Asus Chromebook C201
http://liliputing.com/2015/08/libreboot ... oader.html

Libreboot.git (Asus c201)
http://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/libreb ... b97821617d

Trisquel forum post
https://trisquel.info/es/forum/asus-chr ... ot-arm-cpu

Parabola GNU/Linux-libre supports ARMv7
https://www.parabola.nu/news/parabola-supports-armv7/

If I ever manage to install debian, I'll let you know :)

determination
Posts: 1
Joined: 2016-12-15 19:34

Re: C201 Chromebook : boot sequence after kernel

#28 Post by determination »

jguillen wrote:I've got some bad news for Asus c201 users.

https://marcin.juszkiewicz.com.pl/2016/ ... romebooks/
That blog post is a critisism on the "Debian On" section of the wiki.
It has nothing to do with the ability to run Debian on Chromebooks.

I have just bought this laptop specifically to run GNU/Linux on it, in particular Debian.
I'll be using the Libreboot guide you linked to, I'm pretty confident that it will work because this laptop is now being sold by the author of that guide, with Libreboot and Debian pre-installed.
This is one of the very few laptops that can run entirely without proprietary software.

bugsbunny88
Posts: 1
Joined: 2016-12-17 18:18

Re: C201 Chromebook : boot sequence after kernel

#29 Post by bugsbunny88 »

We definitely need a better more newbie friendly tutorial. I can't follow it.

c201
Posts: 2
Joined: 2017-02-06 12:01

Re: C201 Chromebook : boot sequence after kernel

#30 Post by c201 »

For those who try to install a native linux distribution on C201 -- try Arch Linux ARM first. It is the only step-by-step instruction on the internet I could find that really worked for me. Yes, we are in 2017 already.

In last week I've tried so far:
* Debian (obviously) - didn't work;
* Fedora - didn't work;
* Devuan image - worked only command line and I couldn't build the image myself as lots of information is missing and the build scripts are broken;
* Arch - worked as expected. I could set up whole system with GUI (Weston/Wayland on fbdev) in a few hours. The instruction I used was for Asus Chromebook Flip C100P, but it did work for me with out changing even one bit.

I don't have a working HDMI output yet, which is a big deal for me. As a next step, I'll try to compile the latest mainline kernel and try to set up the HDMI port from there.

c201
Posts: 2
Joined: 2017-02-06 12:01

Re: C201 Chromebook : boot sequence after kernel

#31 Post by c201 »

HDMI output doesn't work.

The 4.x kernel doesn't work - I am getting a white screen during boot with no further messages.

logikarios
Posts: 10
Joined: 2017-01-11 11:17

Re: C201 Chromebook : boot sequence after kernel

#32 Post by logikarios »

Is there any news on installing debian on the C201? After installing debian on the sd card and booting from it, I also get a blank screen. I've followed this guide. Can anyone help?

jguillen
Posts: 16
Joined: 2016-07-03 08:48

Re: C201 Chromebook : boot sequence after kernel

#33 Post by jguillen »

Hello everyone,

I have GOOD and BAD news regarding debian on the c201. The good news, it can be installed, and get to work. The bad news, we need to reconfigure Xorg without CONFIG_VT. Google has disabled CONFIG_VT in the kernel, in order to prevent the creation of consoles and the starting of Xorg from current stable.

There is a workaround in http://demo1.faikvm.com/trac/wiki/C201 but still no luck. But I think Im recompiling the wrong way.

I will try tonight https://www.x.org/wiki/Building_the_X_Window_System/ so I hope I can provide more helpful info.

PS. You can use ARCH in the meanwhile.

jguillen
Posts: 16
Joined: 2016-07-03 08:48

Re: C201 Chromebook : boot sequence after kernel

#34 Post by jguillen »

BTW I strongly recommend flashing c201 BIOS to LIBREBOOT.

logikarios
Posts: 10
Joined: 2017-01-11 11:17

Re: C201 Chromebook : boot sequence after kernel

#35 Post by logikarios »

jguillen wrote:BTW I strongly recommend flashing c201 BIOS to LIBREBOOT.
Installing libreboot was a piece of cake compared to (trying) installing debian. Can you please expand on the part of
Xorg: Recompile x without config_vt, so that we work with the chrome-OS kernel.
of the workaround you mentioned?

jguillen
Posts: 16
Joined: 2016-07-03 08:48

Re: C201 Chromebook : boot sequence after kernel

#36 Post by jguillen »

logikarios wrote:Can you please expand on the part of
Xorg: Recompile x without config_vt, so that we work with the chrome-OS kernel.
of the workaround you mentioned?
We need to recompile Xorg 1.18.4 [1] applying a patch [2]. The problem im finding is that compiling Xorg via chroot is a pain, and cross-compiling, well I havent been succesfull yet. I contacted Ministry of Freedom, and they pointed me in this direction to install debian in c201.

When I get new info, I'll post it here. Arch, meanwhile, works ok, but not too efficiently.

[1] http://xorg.freedesktop.org/archive/ind ... 8.4.tar.gz
[2] http://demo1.faikvm.com/trac/wiki/C201

jguillen
Posts: 16
Joined: 2016-07-03 08:48

Re: C201 Chromebook : boot sequence after kernel

#37 Post by jguillen »

Ok, today I've managed to install debian, and access the terminal. I used the ARCH c100p kernel.

Now Im going to try to install MATE and see where I can get to.

UPDATE

Managed to install lightdm and mate, but no wifi so far, and some issues while trying to execute some commands.

logikarios
Posts: 10
Joined: 2017-01-11 11:17

Re: C201 Chromebook : boot sequence after kernel

#38 Post by logikarios »

jguillen wrote:Ok, today I've managed to install debian, and access the terminal. I used the ARCH c100p kernel.
Can you explain how you made it? Which guide did you follow?

Also, can you install any (relevant) kernel you want? For instance, the one mentioned here? Would that be better?

jguillen
Posts: 16
Joined: 2016-07-03 08:48

Re: C201 Chromebook : boot sequence after kernel

#39 Post by jguillen »

logikarios wrote: Can you explain how you made it? Which guide did you follow?
I just followed Debian's guide, but modifying some steps. For example, in the debootstrap one, I installed stretch instead of jessie, as its going to be released soon:

Code: Select all

debootstrap --arch=armhf --foreign stretch ${MNT} http://http.debian.net/debian
Later, configured stretch repositories instead of jessie ones:

Code: Select all

cat > ${MNT}/etc/apt/sources.list <<EOF
deb http://http.debian.net/debian stretch main non-free contrib
deb-src http://http.debian.net/debian stretch main non-free contrib
EOF
Finnally, when we get to the kernel steps:

Code: Select all

wget http://os.archlinuxarm.org/os/ArchLinuxARM-veyron-latest.tar.gz
mkdir /tmp/c201
tar -xf ArchLinuxARM-veyron-latest.tar.gz -C /tmp/c201
dd if=/tmp/c201/boot/vmlinux.kpart of=/dev/mmcblk0p1
REMEMBER that this step you do it on your linux system, not in the c201, so mmcblk0p1 is the correct place. In the c201 should be mmcblk1p1 instead, but not sure if you can use dd

I also mounted mmcblk0p2 and copied vmlinuz to boot/vmlinuz. Then you continue using debian's tutorial in the "Mark the newly written kernel partition as good and set the priority" step.

Just remember, no wifi. Any question, hope I can help ;)
logikarios wrote: Also, can you install any (relevant) kernel you want? For instance, the one mentioned here? Would that be better?
Pretty interesting link, as the problem right now is recompiling Xorg, so Im going to read the code to see if we can manage a Debian script.

All distros use the "same" linux kernel, however all distros make slight changes to it in order make the kernel work best for them.

logikarios
Posts: 10
Joined: 2017-01-11 11:17

Re: C201 Chromebook : boot sequence after kernel

#40 Post by logikarios »

jguillen wrote:
logikarios wrote: I just followed Debian's guide, but modifying some steps. For example, in the debootstrap one, I installed stretch instead of jessie, as its going to be released soon:

Code: Select all

debootstrap --arch=armhf --foreign stretch ${MNT} http://http.debian.net/debian
Later, configured stretch repositories instead of jessie ones:

Code: Select all

cat > ${MNT}/etc/apt/sources.list <<EOF
deb http://http.debian.net/debian stretch main non-free contrib
deb-src http://http.debian.net/debian stretch main non-free contrib
EOF
Finnally, when we get to the kernel steps:

Code: Select all

wget http://os.archlinuxarm.org/os/ArchLinuxARM-veyron-latest.tar.gz
mkdir /tmp/c201
tar -xf ArchLinuxARM-veyron-latest.tar.gz -C /tmp/c201
dd if=/tmp/c201/boot/vmlinux.kpart of=/dev/mmcblk0p1
REMEMBER that this step you do it on your linux system, not in the c201, so mmcblk0p1 is the correct place. In the c201 should be mmcblk1p1 instead, but not sure if you can use dd
I also mounted mmcblk0p2 and copied vmlinuz to boot/vmlinuz. Then you continue using debian's tutorial in the "Mark the newly written kernel partition as good and set the priority" step.
Just remember, no wifi. Any question, hope I can help ;)
logikarios wrote: Also, can you install any (relevant) kernel you want? For instance, the one mentioned here? Would that be better?
Pretty interesting link, as the problem right now is recompiling Xorg, so Im going to read the code to see if we can manage a Debian script.
All distros use the "same" linux kernel, however all distros make slight changes to it in order make the kernel work best for them.
Thank you so much! I just followed your advice and now I eventually managed to run Debian Stretch from my sd card! So, wifi is not working. How could I make it work? And then X would be good to run...

Note: If anyone tries that like I did, the memory card partition was /dev/mmcblk1 (0 is the chromebook's drive), so I had to put that and the rest worked flawlessly!

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