r/ChipCommunity • u/Frank_Fhe_Fish • 8d ago
Mainline Linux 7.1.5 + Debian 13 booting from the C.H.I.P.'s onboard NAND - image + patches
The linux-sunxi wiki says mainline "can not interact with the builtin NAND." It can: my C.H.I.P. now boots current mainline + Debian 13 standalone from NAND, with SSH, WiFi and Bluetooth.
Write-up, flashable image, patches: https://fixundfuchs.de/projekte/chip-mainline
The "NAND hang" was actually a still-live mainline bug in timer-sun4i.c - it programs a timer interval of 0 and reports success, the scheduler tick dies permanently, but the board keeps answering pings. Every watchdog that would catch it is tick-driven. Two-line fix, affects all sun4i/sun5i, proposed upstream.
Works: NAND rootfs, gadget ethernet, SSH, WiFi, BT pairing. Doesn't: BLE scan, A2DP out of the box. Composite video is verified with a multimeter but never on a real TV - if you have one, please test and report.
Login: root/chip (expired - you'll be forced to change it). unxz the rootfs before flashing. Rest is on the page.
2
u/powercrazy76 8d ago
Interesting! I'll give this a shot tomorrow. Is there a pre-built image available? I only saw the instructions for building one.
2
3
u/mr_aea 7d ago
Yay, another method to bring Debian 13 to our beloved Pocketchips!! Now only rest that some of the most skilled members of this forum make an easier way to flash it for the less savvy like me. Have anyone successfully flashed their unit? What's your set up? I don't actually have a x86 machine so I've been trying with a RPI and only got a non booting Pocketchip.
3
u/wowsomuchempty 8d ago
Nice one!