Author Topic: nspire Linux Questions  (Read 150873 times)

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Offline Hooloovoo

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Re: nspire Linux Questions
« Reply #360 on: March 17, 2013, 08:10:34 pm »
on the first page of this topic, there is a tutorial for extracting the rootfs to the flash drive. I think it has to be done this way, so all of the files are in the beginning of the partition. Also, if you do it this way, you will have to change /dev/sda1 to /dev/sda because it will be in the root of the device instead of partition 1.
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Offline Dapianokid

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Re: nspire Linux Questions
« Reply #361 on: April 06, 2013, 12:26:31 pm »
Link to an installing tutorial. I just need that.
Keep trying.

Offline kaimano

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Re: nspire Linux Questions
« Reply #362 on: April 09, 2013, 03:24:59 am »
Hi everybody, I've just bought a NSPIRE and before starting hacking it I'd like to ask a few questions about linux.

From what I've read I understand that Linux can be started from within TI OS. My first question is this...it's possibile to erase completely the built-in OS and replace it with Linux?

I've also read that somebody succeeded in booting Debian ARM from external USB...could somebody kindly explain how this can be accomplished? The same Debian could be installed in the internal memory without using a USB stick?

One last question. My intention of installing linux is connected to my intention of porting a python interpreter on the NSPIRE. For what I understand, the CPython implementation should be pure C...so what kind of problems have till now prevented this porting?

Thanks for your help,
regards from Italy

Tiziano

Offline Lionel Debroux

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Re: nspire Linux Questions
« Reply #363 on: April 09, 2013, 04:07:15 am »
Quote
From what I've read I understand that Linux can be started from within TI OS.
Yup :)

Quote
My first question is this...it's possibile to erase completely the built-in OS and replace it with Linux?
With the recently released nLaunch and nLaunch CX, one can indeed launch Linux directly from the boot2, without having to carry TI's heavyweight OS. The latest versions are 10+MB, which is huge on the older Clickpad & Touchpad models, which have only 32 MB of NAND flash in total, and some of those are used by the boot2 + diags + filesystem data.

Quote
The same Debian could be installed in the internal memory without using a USB stick?
Nope, Nspire calculators use a proprietary filesystem for which Linux has no open source drivers - and anyway, the internal memory is too small. Even the best-equipped Nspire models of the CX series have only 128 MB of NAND Flash.

Quote
One last question. My intention of installing linux is connected to my intention of porting a python interpreter on the NSPIRE. For what I understand, the CPython implementation should be pure C...so what kind of problems have till now prevented this porting?
* the sheer weight of CPython + libs: multiple megabytes are a severe toll on a platform with less than 32 MB of usable Flash memory;
* the predictable slowness of Python (all the more it's not the most efficient interpreted, dynamic language...) on an ARM9 CPU which cannot be overclocked above ~222 MHz on some machines (some others leave a bit more headroom);
* the likely incompleteness of TI's OS wrt. POSIX APIs (TI's OS being based on proprietary Nucleus RTOS), and the incompleteness of the Ndless syscalls + libraries (even when complemented by e.g. newlib).
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Offline aeTIos

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Re: nspire Linux Questions
« Reply #364 on: April 09, 2013, 06:25:47 am »
Link to an installing tutorial. I just need that.
Just follow the readme instructions and you should be fine I think.
I'm not a nerd but I pretend:

Offline kaimano

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Re: nspire Linux Questions
« Reply #365 on: April 10, 2013, 10:08:01 am »
Lionel, thanks for your prompt answers. You say

Quote
Nspire calculators use a proprietary filesystem for which Linux has no open source drivers - and anyway, the internal memory is too small.

So I understand that Debian was booted from a USB drive. How can this be done? I mean...I suppose there is no "boot from usb" as there is on the PC BIOS...how can you boot from an external device? Do you need first a working linux in the NSPIRE and then mount the external drive and chroot there?

Thanks again for the help

Tiziano

Offline Lionel Debroux

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Re: nspire Linux Questions
« Reply #366 on: April 10, 2013, 10:37:13 am »
Quote
how can you boot from an external device? Do you need first a working linux in the NSPIRE and then mount the external drive and chroot there?
Indeed, you need a working Linux kernel (launched by linuxloader2 under Ndless or nLaunch / nLaunch CX), a small initrd, and a command-line parameter to the kernel for indicating that it should find the rootfs on the external USB Mass Storage Device.
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Offline Vogtinator

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Re: nspire Linux Questions
« Reply #367 on: April 10, 2013, 10:38:49 am »
If your usb drive is working with linux already, you only have to remove "root=/dev/ram" in your bootscript and replace it with "root=/dev/sda" or "root=/dev/sda1", depends on whether you are using partitions.
You should remove the "initrd" line, too. It doesn't do anything but increasing the boot time.
« Last Edit: April 10, 2013, 10:39:22 am by Vogtinator »

Offline cybertronicify

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Re: nspire Linux Questions
« Reply #368 on: April 10, 2013, 11:11:40 am »
Hi, guys

im new to the forums and im rly interested in putting linux on my calc ti nspire cx... and im also a noob at it but i learn real fast. so far i have os 3.1 with ndless installed and the gameboy advance emulator too with a couple of games. i rly want to use wifi or just use a usb keyboard to type out stuff with qwerty.

Thanks to anyone who can helpp!!!!!!!!!!

Offline Vogtinator

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Re: nspire Linux Questions
« Reply #369 on: April 10, 2013, 11:18:08 am »
You won't be able to use wifi without a proper self-powered usb hub.
Keyboard would work, but only when linux is running.
I think you want to use it in "calculator mode" (when TI's OS is running), which won't work (for now)

Offline cybertronicify

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Re: nspire Linux Questions
« Reply #370 on: April 10, 2013, 12:05:18 pm »
Hi,

i actually don't need the nspire os LOL i just want linux on it i do have a powered hub the sabrent 4 port hub. i wanna put linux on it so i can go online or use usb mouse and keyboard or any other usb device. i just have no idea how to install it or put it in the calc. one of the users gave me this website http://tiplanet.org/nspire-linux-builds/ but i have no idea how to use it :( LOL

Thanks
Jason

Offline Vogtinator

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Re: nspire Linux Questions
« Reply #371 on: April 10, 2013, 12:10:53 pm »
Quote
one of the users gave me this website http://tiplanet.org/nspire-linux-builds/ but i have no idea how to use it
You have to use your mouse and move it so the cursor is over a blue text "link" on which you can click (press left mouse button) xD

You just have to create a directory "linux" on your calc and copy
-zImage.tns
-linuxloader2.tns
-initrd.tns
-start_initrd.ll2.tns into it.
You also need to copy ndless.cfg.tns into "ndless". You can find all of these on nspire-linux-builds.
After that, it should already work by launching start_initrd.ll2.

Offline cybertronicify

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Re: nspire Linux Questions
« Reply #372 on: April 10, 2013, 12:33:12 pm »
Hi,

Thanks for the quick relay :D where do i get the tns file LOLOLOOLO do i just rename the zip into tns?? and which one do i download  the small large full small tiny?

Jason

Offline Vogtinator

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Re: nspire Linux Questions
« Reply #373 on: April 10, 2013, 12:36:08 pm »
Which .zip file? We don't have any zips there!
The tiny image should be enough for you. For the other ones you'll need to boot from an usb drive (which is a bit complicated)

Offline cybertronicify

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Re: nspire Linux Questions
« Reply #374 on: April 10, 2013, 12:40:50 pm »
ahh i c but it says kernel not loaded on calc LOLOOL