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[ts-7000] Re: Hello and some general questions

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Subject: [ts-7000] Re: Hello and some general questions
From: "j.chitte" <>
Date: Fri, 24 Apr 2009 19:11:10 -0000
--- In  "charliem_1216" <> wrote:
>
> --- In  Jim Jackson <jj@> wrote:
> >
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > On Fri, 17 Apr 2009, tom campbell wrote:
> > 
> > > 1. TS-linux versus Debian
> > >
> > > I need to add some functionality to the system.  python + other goodies.
> > > Is it easier to grow TS-linux to what I want or shrink down debian to
> > > what fits into flash?
> > >
> > > I'd rather do the heavy lifting with a package manager
> > > apt/dselect/<whatever>.  Is it painful to bootstrap package management
> > > on ts-linux?
> > 
> > I'd say impossible. If you want package management use the debian image.
> > 
> > > I'm currently trying to stabilize the network and reliably switch
> > > between nfs and flash boot etc.  I'm experiencing some mild frustration
> > > at what appears to be TS-linux "home brew" networking.  I'm trying to
> > > debug booting via dchp and when booting from factory supplied flash,
> > > "ifdown eth0" fails, complaining about missing files.  For sure I can
> > > debug it and chase it down, but would it be easier to just start with
> > > debian and whittle it down until it fits in flash?  I'm guessing here
> > > that ifdown eth0 works on debian.
> > 
> > look at /etc/init.d/network  for how the "home brew" networking is supposed 
> > to work in the ts-linux image, it doesn't use the debian ifup/ifdown model.
> > 
> > >
> > > Opinions please.
> 
> Hi --
> 
> One other thing to be *very* aware of is that the TS-linux uses a rather old 
> busy-box image that is known to fail in certain subtle, non-obvious ways.  If 
> you stick with building up TS-linux, plan on updating busybox.

One devious bug I found in the busybox version that is the base of TSlinux it 
the broken awk. Since awk is pretty fundamental to a lot of linux scripts this 
can be a lead to subtle errors.

Simply adding a real version of awk (like debian mawk) does not work since BB 
is already loaded and responds to calls to awk. One of the TS guys came up with 
a good way to stop BB being awk-ward: using dd to blow a hole in the list of 
commands it emulates:

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/ts-7000/message/11192
>> cp /bin/busybox /x; dd if=/dev/zero of=/x bs=1 seek=431248 count=1
>> conv=notrunc; mv /x /bin/busybox


If you want to test awk try this:

$ echo 1 2 3 | awk '{print $2}'

busybox as supplied on the board can't count!



> 
> In general, I'd suggest building your own rootfs, rather than trying to build 
> up ts-linux, you'll learn a lot more and end up with only what you need.  You 
> can either do this manually (cutting down debian as you said) or use one of 
> the much more automated tools (buildroot? etc).
> 
> > >
> > > 2. I'm honing in on a development model where I boot the kernel from
> > > on-board flash and the TS-7260 root filesystem via NFS.  I'll do all my
> > > os/network diddling server side with my favorite editors/tools.  Leave
> > > the on board flash root filesystem untouched until I've got something
> > > stable.
> > >
> > > Any unforeseen pitfalls here?
> > 
> > I've done similar on a ts-7200. Does the ts7260 use redboot? if so you can
> > load the kernel via tftp form redboot - invaluable for trying out new 
> > kernels, as you always leave a good 'un in flash.
> 
> This is what I do, with TS-7250, works OK for me.  Not sure if you can 
> net-boot with 7260.
> 
> regards, ......... Charlie
>




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