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Having trouble installing a piece of hardware? Want to know if that peripheral is compatible with Linux?

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Old 07-21-2004, 04:31 AM   #16
iluvatar
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yeah the 100 meg version of LFS wasn't really stripped down but that's not the build I'm going to install on the MP3 deck... the flashcard idea is very good, but unfortunalty we don't have one. we're doing it all from old hardware we had around somewhere except for the LCD display. but a 20 mb linux system won't be in the way, as we still have 19.980 mb free for the MP3's...

Quote:
I have an embedded version of Slackware down to 30 MB with FTP, SSH, DHCP servers, plus Samba.
do you have some hints on how to strip down a linux installation? this is the first embedded system I'm building (not the first lfs), so I was searching for hints / HOWTO's on how to strip it down...

greetz,
.-=~ iluvatar ~=-.

ps: I said we don't have a flash card, but I lied... we have one from a nokia 5510, anyome knows how to access that thing directly (without embedding the complete phone in the system)?
 
Old 07-21-2004, 04:36 AM   #17
Frustin
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i just started from scratch. from a ext3 filesystem then added the directories i needed: /etc /var /root etc etc.

then i added the files that would make the thing boot the kernel; lilo, the kernel, init.

after that i added the files that would give me a bash shell.

after that you just add what you want.
 
Old 07-21-2004, 04:39 AM   #18
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sounds very logical I'll try this too, just need to know the dependicies, but those can be found in the LFS book, no problem I guess, just need some time...

thanx && greetz,
.-=~ iluvatar ~=-.
 
Old 07-21-2004, 04:44 AM   #19
Frustin
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you have a working slackware box, just copy the files from that to the system you intend on building. dependencies are something you work out after rebooting a million times. This is, imo, the best way to work out exactly what linux is doing.
 
Old 07-21-2004, 04:56 AM   #20
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yeps time will tell, but I will use the LFS build to copy the needed files, as the LFS build is optimized for i686, and uses the SysV init style bootscripts wich I prefer (of course they're implementable in slack too) but I like the idea of LFS too much

greetz,
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Old 07-21-2004, 11:28 PM   #21
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Quote:
ps: I said we don't have a flash card, but I lied... we have one from a nokia 5510, anyome knows how to access that thing directly (without embedding the complete phone in the system)?
I'm not sure about that, but what I did was buy a 32 MB Compact Flash card for $13, and a CF to IDE adapter for $20. The adapter is made by ACS, and will allow you to plug the CF card into the IDE bus. The CF card will then appear identical to a standard IDE drive, no special software or setup required.

As for working down the system, simply delete anything you don't need. There is very little Linux actually need to run properly.

One thing you definitely don't want are modules. Your kernel should be monolithic (no loadable modules, everything is compiled into the kernel). On my distro, the modules were 1/3 of the total size of the entire OS. And since you are talking about a embedded device with very specialized hardware that is never going to change, there is no reason to have modules in the first place. They are really just dead space in this sort of application.

Last edited by MS3FGX; 07-21-2004 at 11:31 PM.
 
Old 07-22-2004, 02:05 AM   #22
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Ok we'll consider the flash card defenitly for the next project, wich won't need a 'real' harddisk (we're going to mod a monitor in which we build some PC components and LCD screen + DVD player and TV in / out, so we have a television with PC hardware). for the current project we'll use the harddisk as we need one for MP3 storage. and thanx for the tip, I won't compile any modules in the kernel. The only hardware change wich maybe comes up is that we might add an infrared receiver but that's not a problem to recompile the kernel.

greetz,
.-=~ iluvatar ~=-.
 
Old 07-22-2004, 03:13 AM   #23
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just remember to be _very_ careful when messing around in a CRT insides, if you dont know what you are doing you can be seriously hurt or worse. there is a massive amount of charge that doesnt dissipate when the power is unplugged. I've seen the results of someones arm when that charge arced.
 
Old 07-22-2004, 03:24 AM   #24
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yeah, even if you know what you're doing you have to be __VERY__ carefull, but the friend of mine doing the most hardware related stuff for our mods knows what he's doing and is very carefull, so I trust him nothing happens to us... I'm doing most software related stuff (and providing some hardware )

greetinz,
.-=~ iluvatar ~=-.
 
Old 07-22-2004, 03:24 AM   #25
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yeah, even if you know what you're doing you have to be __VERY__ carefull, but the friend of mine doing the most hardware related stuff for our mods knows what he's doing and is very carefull, so I trust him nothing happens to us... I'm doing most software related stuff (and providing some hardware )

greetinz,
.-=~ iluvatar ~=-.

EDIT: somehow this post is submitted twice

Last edited by iluvatar; 07-22-2004 at 03:25 AM.
 
Old 07-22-2004, 07:25 AM   #26
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about the bios, is it flash upradeable? If so, look on the manufacturers website for an upgrade to support 80gb hard drives.

I would think that your drive is dead, it should have seen at least a little of it.
 
Old 07-22-2004, 09:41 AM   #27
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we've checked for bios upgrades, there isn't an upgrade except for a 'hacked' bios wich might not work either so we've decided to use a 20 gb disk. the 80 gb disk is not dead, we took it from his server wich served him very well we save the 80 gb for a future project...

greetz,
.-=~ iluvatar ~=-.
 
Old 07-22-2004, 08:28 PM   #28
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another idea, what about a PCI controller card?
 
Old 07-23-2004, 03:10 AM   #29
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Quote:
Originally posted by n e r d
another idea, what about a PCI controller card?
hmm yes can be an option, but I think it won't fit inside this case... and, we don't have one available. for future projects, we might get a sponsor

greetz,
.-=~ iluvatar ~=-.
 
  


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