[Solved]Nextbook tablet ArchLinux Install via ArchLinuxISO USB boot up

RED2 · 2015-12-24 05:16:14

Hello,

Absolutely great Linux OS, thanks ArchLinux.

Having issue installing ArchLinux onto /dev/mmcblk0 tablet flash hdd.
I am able to boot up ArchLinuxISO via USB and network ethernet is good.

Issue command 'mkfs.ext4 /dev/mmcblk0' - good, ok
mkfs.ext4 completed successful - good, ok

Issue command 'lsblk -f ' - good, ok

(USB Flash Device)

sda 
 - sda1 
FSTYPE: vfat 
LABEL: ARCH_201512
UUID: D191-97A4
MountPoint: /run/archiso/bootmnt

loop0 
FSTYPE: squashfs
LABEL: empty
UUID: empty
MountPoint: /run/archiso/sfs/airootfs

(Tablet Flash HDD)

 
mmcblk0rpmb 
ALL ATTRIBUTES: empty

mmcblk0boot0
ALL ATTRIBUTES: empty

mmcblk0boot1 
ALL ATTRIBUTES: empty

mmcblk0 
 - mmcblk0p1 
ALL ATTRIBUTES: empty

Issue command 'fdisk /dev/mmcblk0 ' - good, ok
Created new partition and related info - good, ok
Issue command 'set 1 boot on' - good, ok
(disk label type) gpt
(Device) /dev/mmcblk0p1 (Start) 2048 (End) 61071326 (Sectors) 61069279 (Size) 29.1G (Type) EFI System

Issue command 'parted /dev/mmcblk0 ' - good, ok
Issue command mkpart and related info is good, ok.
Issue command 'print' - good, ok
(partition table) gpt
(disk flag) empty
(Number) 1 (Start) 1049kB (End) 31.3GB (Size) 31.3GB (FileSystem) empty (Name) Linux filesystem (Flags) boot, esp

Issue command 'mkdir /mnt/arch' - good, ok
Issue command 'mount /dev/mmcblk0 /mnt/arch' - wrong fs type, bad option, bad superblock on /dev/mmcblk0
Issue command 'mount /dev/mmcblk0p1 /mnt/arch' - wrong fs type, bad option, bad superblock on /dev/mmcblk0p1

I am not as familiar with the arrangement of mmcblk0rpmb, mmcblk0boot0, mmcblk0boot1, mmcblk0, and mmcblk0p1.

Uncertain of how to properly INSTALL ARCH LINUX i686 or x86_64 onto the MMCBLK0 disk space on the tablet, including the self boot within the mmcblk0xxxxx, mount point location on the mmcblk0xxxx, and so forth.

I've searched and read many how-tos, but always encounter a stumbling block with them at different stage or step.

Can anyone shed a light bulb for me on this?
Perhaps a decent instruction steps to complete the Installation of ArchLinux onto mmcblk0 flash hdd?

Thank you so much.
RED2

Last edited by RED2 (2015-12-28 06:52:59)

tyrannis · 2015-12-24 07:38:13

Welcome to Arch Linux (two words)

Could you edit your original post and put all commands and their output in code tags to make your post easier to read?

Last edited by tyrannis (2015-12-24 09:24:45)

Head_on_a_Stick · 2015-12-24 12:04:59

RED2 wrote:

(Number) 1 (Start) 1049kB (End) 31.3GB (Size) 31.3GB (FileSystem) empty (Name) Linux filesystem (Flags) boot, esp

You have filled the card with a single 31.3GiB EFI system partition and there is no space left on the device for the other partitions.

Also, you initially formatted the entire device to ext4 then cancelled this out by creating a new partition table on the device and the new ESP doesn't have the requisite FAT filesystem.

If you are not comfortable with command-line partitioning tools, prepare the memory card using gparted from a live ISO before loading the Arch installer.

RED2 wrote:

Perhaps a decent instruction steps to complete the Installation of ArchLinux onto mmcblk0 flash hdd?

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Beginners'_guide

RED2 · 2015-12-24 23:45:30

Thanks for replies tyrannis and head_on_a_stick.

Original post is re-simplified.

Yes, I know and understand I am not doing this correctly, hence, this board post occurred.

Yes, of course, read and re-read the beg guide. There are 'situations' where the guide does not cover or I am not reading it right, such as how to remove other partitions like mmcblk0rpmb, mmcblk0boot0, mmcblk0boot1 these are there from the original win 8.1 os,

Pls note: I am a IT senior developer on mainframes and client.server http services, etc

I am not exactly clear of how make the flash hdd correct and right for archlinux installs for tablets, the ArchLinuxISO and iPXE kernel, no matter if on DVD or USB device, I am able to boot from DVD and USB, no difference, these are hardcoded for and expecting '(hd0)', of which, this label name drive does not exists on tablet devices, only desktops laptops. Awhile back, I've successfully installed archlinux on desktop, but this workstation has since been damaged, unable to create DVD or USB Installs flash drive from a ArchLinux workstation.

Sure it is a challenge with command zsh prompt and learning the archlinux way and i've been at this for quite some time attempting to figure out 'how to' on tablets for a nice project. I've recently ruined two (2) low cost tablets, I'd very much love to get these working great only with ArchLinux, all other linux is not acceptable nor suited nor qualifies, I am sold on archlinux in all of my linux projects today and onward.

So I gather the proper way is to make mmcblk0rpmb, mmcblk0boot0, and mmcblk0boot1 as win fat32 lua and mmcblk0p1 as ext2 or ext4. Not exactly clear of mmcblk0 in relationship to the above, my assumption the mmcblk0 is the root of any and all named partitions.

Uncertain of why two (2) boot partitions mmcblk0boot0 and mmcblk0boot1 and whether or not these are necessary for archlinux or if these are 'built-into-device' flash hdd.

The ArchlinuxISO USB only provides zsh prompt and the gparted command mode was not found and (Y/N) reprompted into traditional parted mode.

Although I can perform pacman -Sy to fix the core, extra, community, however, cannot use -u for all updates it runs out of disk space in the loop partition. Also, cannot perform pacman -S gparted nor git nor any other packages, same message out of disk space, no packages updated nor installed.

I understand the tablet flash hdd drive must be formated and partitioned correctly before it can be mountable for installing ArchLinux. Just trying to understand this and seeking ArchLinux Guru for advice.

fdisk /dev/mmcblk0rpmb, cannot open, input/output error, it is 4MiB, as per lsblk -a.

fdisk /dev/mmcblk0boot0 print shows it is 4MiB, 4194304 bytes, 8192 sectors, label dos, fdisk w returns not writable.

fdisk /dev/mmcblk0boot1 print shows it is 4 MiB, 4194304 bytes, 8192 sectors, label dos, fdisk w returns not writable.

fdisk /dev/mmcblk0 print shows /dev/mmcblk0p1, start 2048, size 29.1G (on a 32GB tablet flash hdd), Id is c, label was EF00 Linux filesystem.

On the /dev/mmcblk0, I've recently changed to w95 fat32 (lba) in the hopes to make it mountable, I've had not achieved the mounting step for archlinux installation.

Thanks
RED2

Last edited by RED2 (2015-12-28 06:54:09)

tom.ty89 · 2015-12-26 03:48:44

You do not remove any of mmcblk0rpmb, mmcblk0boot0, mmcblk0boot1. They are not partitions as in the usual sense when we deal with harddrives. Truth is some devices even put (part of?) its UEFI (yes the firmware, not the ESP) in the "boot partition"(s). Read about eMMC specs if you want to know more about them.

Delete/create partitions on mmcblk0. mmcblk0p1 means the first partition on mmcblk0, i.e. mmcblk0 ~= /dev/sda, mmcblk0p1 ~= /dev/sda1.

Make sure you mkfs (format) the partition as desired. Although the silly parted ask you to enter a FILESYSTEM type when mkpart, it does not do mkfs for you. (See? This is how idiotic parted is. Use fdisk/gdisk if you wanna be sane.) For example: mkfs.fat /dev/mmcblk0p1; mkfs.ext4 /dev/mmcblk0p2

It makes no sense to `mkfs.ext4 /dev/mmcblk0` and then use any tool to create partitions on the drive.

The error you saw simply means there's no valid filesystem on the partition. Also, FWIW, partition type doesn't matter a lot in Linux.

RED2 · 2015-12-28 05:45:58

thanks for reply and knowledge transfer from archlinux community

i am now able to mount /dev/mmcblk0p1 and p2

installing archlinux

again thks

Last edited by RED2 (2015-12-28 06:49:03)

jasonwryan · 2015-12-28 05:51:20

Please remember to mark your thread as [Solved] by editing your first post and prepending it to the title.

And in future, use code tags when pasting to the boards (as you were asked to in #2):
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Fo … s_and_code

Head_on_a_Stick · 2015-12-28 12:00:42

RED2 wrote:

The ArchlinuxISO USB only provides zsh prompt and the gparted command mode was not found and (Y/N) reprompted into traditional parted mode.

Just for the record -- I meant that you could use any graphical live ISO (such as, for example, the Fedora 23 Workstation ISO image) to pre-partition the device with gparted

Command-line partitioning tools can be confusing if you're not used to them and I would have to agree with tom.ty89's opinion of parted here -- gdisk FTW!

Arch Linux

#1 2015-12-24 05:16:14

[Solved]Nextbook tablet ArchLinux Install via ArchLinuxISO USB boot up

#2 2015-12-24 07:38:13

Re: [Solved]Nextbook tablet ArchLinux Install via ArchLinuxISO USB boot up

#3 2015-12-24 12:04:59

Re: [Solved]Nextbook tablet ArchLinux Install via ArchLinuxISO USB boot up

#4 2015-12-24 23:45:30

Re: [Solved]Nextbook tablet ArchLinux Install via ArchLinuxISO USB boot up

#5 2015-12-26 03:48:44

Re: [Solved]Nextbook tablet ArchLinux Install via ArchLinuxISO USB boot up

#6 2015-12-28 05:45:58

Re: [Solved]Nextbook tablet ArchLinux Install via ArchLinuxISO USB boot up

#7 2015-12-28 05:51:20

Re: [Solved]Nextbook tablet ArchLinux Install via ArchLinuxISO USB boot up

#8 2015-12-28 12:00:42

Re: [Solved]Nextbook tablet ArchLinux Install via ArchLinuxISO USB boot up

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