Anssi Saari (12022-07-21): > Well, upgrading that to current Debian could be one way forward. There > are tools in Debian you can use to weed out the proprietary stuff if > that's a concern. Upgrades in Debian work in case you're unaware but > follow the release notes.
Or I could debootstrap a brand new Debian in a directory, replace /sbin/init of the proprietary distribution with a shell script that waits 5 seconds for a tap on the touchscreen and either executes into systemd as if nothing had happened or chroots into the new distribution and executes its init, and once I am satisfied swap the files and directory on the root for the ons in the new Debian. These are things I know how to do. I would not need to ask for help to do them. In fact, I tend to use these solutions a little too soon when I should be trying a little harder to make the standard tools work. What is somewhat beyond my current skills is to properly install a bootloader for this device; but it seems properly documented and I could probably learn. What is significantly beyond my current skills is to configure a kernel and have the devices we need working. But... Two buts, actually. First but. My goal here was not to install Debian on a Rock Pi by any means necessary. The only thing that should be done by any means necessary is to end a dockers strike on a space station. My goal was also to provide some testing and documentation to something that is supposed to work. Had I had my way, I would have posted here a summary of what I learned, a little like I did in the past: https://lists.debian.org/debian-user/2020/02/msg00755.html https://lists.debian.org/debian-user/2020/08/msg00179.html (Oh, somebody found the small programs I posted useful!) Second but. The kernel I got running is a 4.4, corresponding to Debian 9, which is too old to run a few important components of systemd from Debian 11. I could get a few other kernels booting, from Armbian or Manjaro. Unfortunately, none of these kernel did enable the MIPI (ribbon cable) display, and I could not find anybody on the web to managed to get it working with recent kernels. And MIPI display is a requirement for us. We will have to stay with an outdated kernel and systemd suite, and only partially updated libraries. Fortunately, the only contact with the outside world will be through GPIO, a touchscreen and a VPN to a trusted computer, that will mitigate the security considerations. I have suggested to the person in charge to offer a bounty for providing a compilation procedure for a recent kernel with working MIPI, but they said they could not afford it. I find it a bit strange, considering all they spend in test hardware for this project, but having been happily a public servant for all my adult life I have no idea how to price that kind of thing. Anyway, thanks for all the help even if it came to nothing. Regards, -- Nicolas George
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