Arch Linux

jeff777

Member

Registered: 2007-11-12

Posts: 16

Install to Compact Flash over IDE.

I am trying to setup an ArchLinux based router on mini-itx hardware.  I want to use a 2gig compact flash card for storage.  The CF card is connected to the systemboard through an IDE interface.  The system is able to see the CF card in BIOS.  I know booting from CF works, because I see a different "no boot device" error message if a CF card is inserted.

I have another PC with a CF reader, so I booted this PC from the arch install CD, and used it to install Arch to the CF card.  I tried using grub, and suspected that if the CF card was the only media in the mini-itx system, it would be /dev/hda or hd(0,0) in grub terminology.

Long story short, my mini-itx system won't boot of the cf card.  I get a flashing cursor in the top left corner for a few seconds, then a "no boot device" error.  Can anyone help?  I basically have these questions:

1. Has anyone setup anything similar to this?
2. Can I use grub to boot off of a CF card like this?
3. Is Arch suitable for this, or should I try an embedded distribution?
4. Has anyone used FaunOS?  Is it any good?

Thanks.

judfilm

Member

Registered: 2004-02-12

Posts: 229

Re: Install to Compact Flash over IDE.

We have a few installations with CF cards. Works Great - acts like like a normal HDD and we use grub too; Isn't the default now sda?. The installation process is the same as HDD. (maybe a bios update?) The trick with CF is to minimize the writes, logging, updates etc. Any tips welcome.
Has anyone tried an alternative filesystem like JFFS2?

gradgrind

Member

From: Germany

Registered: 2005-10-06

Posts: 921

Re: Install to Compact Flash over IDE.

I think you have to be careful with the processor type on mini-itx, they're not all i686-compatible. But that won't be the cause of your immediate problem. Can you boot from anything else on the system? USB for example? Then you could try it with a 'live' system.

Anyway, apart from this problem, you certainly can use grub, just like a normal HDD. To avoid confusion with sda/hda I would recommend removing 'ide' from the config files for mkinitcpio (/etc/mkinitcpio.conf and /etc/mkinitcpio.d/kernel26-fallback.conf), then regenerating the initramfs (also regenerate the fallback image!). If you generate these files on a different machine from the final one, you will almost certainly need to use the fallback image to boot at first.

In general, to minimize the writes, it is a good idea to use a 'live', system - these normally only write to memory.  It is also probably easier to get a live system to boot properly because it is designed to run on a variety of machines. faunos may be a bit over the top for a mini-itx router (it is a full desktop system), but you can use larch to create your own customized Arch system (one of the example 'profiles' provided is for a minimal media player designed for running from compact flash)..

There are of course also custom distributions out there already designed as routers.

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larch: http://larch.berlios.de

lilsirecho

Veteran

Registered: 2003-10-24

Posts: 5,000

Re: Install to Compact Flash over IDE.

I have been using a CF/IDE adapter to run Faunos with good results.  It is an arch-based system Live install and does boot through the CF/IDE interface. 

You can check the CF flash device with a USB adapter to see that your system is compatible, assuming your system has USB boot.

I have an older system board asus a7v333 which does not boot USB so the CF/IDE method works .

In my arrangement, the system boots in 45 secs in UDMA2 mode into KDE.

During POST, the IDE is identified with the CF flash ID.

The first activity is GRUB info followed by an options display.

Hope you get it going!!!

EDIT:  Also set up a second IDE/CF for cachedir wherein I load pacman downloads for later r/o installs to Faunos which occurs in ram not in the Faunos flash device.  These installs can be saved at your discretion but do not enter Faunos flash device unless you do save session.  Otherwise, on reboot, they are discarded.

Last edited by lilsirecho (2008-01-28 20:33:50)

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