Using HDD drive for Root on OpenWRT

[MoD]

I have prepared some scripts (see attachement) to use HDD as root file system. The scripts are based on info found at:
http://wiki.openwrt.org/OpenWrtDocs/...etgear/WGT634U
http://openwrt.pbwiki.com/WGT634U_USB_root
http://forum.openwrt.org/viewtopic.php?pid=24104

As I'm not a big linux guru, the scripts might need improvements. So any feedback is welcome!

The script ini creates mount point (/hdd) in existing root filesystem and creates new file system layout.
linuxrc changes the root filesystem to hdd filesystem.
/etc/init.d/done has a small adition to execute linuxrc:
[ -f /linuxrc ] && . /linuxrc

How to use all this:

1. I assume you already have flashed OpenWRT firmware from http://back2basic.shacknet.nu/WL700Ge/
2. copy ini and linuxrc to /
3. give ini and linuxrc execute permition
4. execute ini
5. copy done to /etc/init.d/done
6. reboot the router.

You should see something like this:

root@OpenWrt:/# mount
/dev/root on /jffs/rom type squashfs (ro)
none on /jffs/dev type devfs (rw)
/dev/mtdblock/4 on /jffs/jffs type jffs2 (rw)
/jffs on /jffs type mini_fo (rw)
/dev/discs/disc0/part1 on / type ext3 (rw)
none on /proc type proc (rw)
none on /dev type devfs (rw)
none on /dev/pts type devpts (rw)

[back2basic]

Great , was also trying to get the hdd mounted but I gues must learn alot more . Gonne try you're way

THxx

[MoD]

Great , was also trying to get the hdd mounted but I gues must learn alot more . Gonne try you're way

THxx

I'm not sure about these lines :

/dev/root on /jffs/rom type squashfs (ro)
none on /jffs/dev type devfs (rw)
/dev/mtdblock/4 on /jffs/jffs type jffs2 (rw)
/jffs on /jffs type mini_fo (rw)

I guess something should be unmounted?!

[MoD]

I have cleaned ini script:

#!/bin/sh
#script to create root filesystem on HDD drive partition
#it is important that you customize these settings to fit your drive!

boot_dev="/dev/discs/disc0/part1"
mount_point="/hdd"

# create mount point
mkdir $mount_point

#mount hdd
mount $boot_dev $mount_point

#copy root filesystem
/bin/tar cvO -C / bin/ etc/ lib/ sbin/ usr/ www/ rom/ | /bin/tar x -C $mount_point
cd $mount_point && mkdir tmp dev proc jffs var

#we have writeable filesystem and don't need symlink /var to /tmp
#copy content to real /var directory
cp -a /var/* var

[back2basic]

I'm not sure about these lines :


I guess something should be unmounted?!

when I do a 'df -h' I see that /dev/mtdblock/4 is only a few kb I guess that's the one but I don't know It for sure .I'm trying it later and post back the results of it. mmm /jffs is also small maybe that needs to be unounted too

[back2basic]

How to use all this:

1. I assume you already have flashed OpenWRT firmware from http://back2basic.shacknet.nu/WL700Ge/
2. copy ini and linuxrc to /
3. give ini and linuxrc execute permition
4. execute ini
5. copy done to /etc/init.d/done
6. reboot the router.

You should see something like this:

when I execute the script It gets me a bunch of error and @ last it tels me I ran out of space .But I didn't had the time to look into the script Ihad to go to work 15:00 - 23:00

I just saw that you cleared out the script. I guess its back to 'firstboot' for me and try it again. Gonne try It again when I'm back @home tonight

[MoD]

when I execute the script It gets me a bunch of error and @ last it tels me I ran out of space .But I didn't had the time to look into the script Ihad to go to work 15:00 - 23:00

I just saw that you cleared out the script. I guess its back to 'firstboot' for me and try it again. Gonne try It again when I'm back @home tonight

I did my tests on a fresh openwrt install. jffs2 has very little room.

[MoD]

I was able to enable USB support, but USB-sticks are not mounted. Filesystem kernel modules depends on kmod-nls-base with is not compiled for some reason

[back2basic]

I was able to enable USB support, but USB-sticks are not mounted. Filesystem kernel modules depends on kmod-nls-base with is not compiled for some reason

That could be my mistake since I compiled it
I'll check my config when I'm @home in 3 hours
Probably I gonne recompile it(And share it with all you) to start fresh.

[MoD]

That could be my mistake since I compiled it
I'll check my config when I'm @home in 3 hours
Probably I gonne recompile it(And share it with all you) to start fresh.

I have compiled my own firmware. still no luck

vfat compiles, but nls-base - doesnt.

[back2basic]

when I execute the script It gets me a bunch of error and @ last it tels me I ran out of space .But I didn't had the time to look into the script Ihad to go to work 15:00 - 23:00

I just saw that you cleared out the script. I guess its back to 'firstboot' for me and try it again. Gonne try It again when I'm back @home tonight

Got the hdd to mount
I made a tutorial on how to make a new filesystem
http://back2basic.shacknet.nu/WL700G...thread.php?t=4

[MoD]

I think that in flash wl700ge should use jffs2 root filesystem not squashfs. we are switching to hdd root, so squashfs failsafe does not makes sense.

jffs2 is writeable and is able to hold necesary customization to switch to hdd root. we dont need to swith to a new root twice (openwrt swithces from squashfs to jffs2 and uses mini_fo).

usage of squashfs is too complicated!

[MoD]

I think that in flash wl700ge should use jffs2 root filesystem not squashfs. we are switching to hdd root, so squashfs failsafe does not makes sense.

jffs2 is writeable and is able to hold necesary customization to switch to hdd root. we dont need to swith to a new root twice (openwrt swithces from squashfs to jffs2 and uses mini_fo).

usage of squashfs is too complicated!

I tested this. jffs with 128k is too big:

Write kernel and filesystem binary to FLASH (0xbfc40000)
flash device 'flash1.trx'
Programming...
ERROR!! copysize is 1839104, amtcopy is 1802240
Failed.: Unknown error

[DaNawq]

#After following the great work of MoD do the following:

mkdir -p /opt/etc
echo "src optware http://ipkg.nslu2-linux.org/feeds/optware/ddwrt/cross/stable" > /opt/etc/ipkg.conf
echo "lists_dir ext /opt/var/lib/ipkg" >> /opt/etc/ipkg.conf
echo "dest /opt/ /" >> /opt/etc/ipkg.conf

export IPKG_CONF_DIR=/opt/etc
ipkg -V 2 update

ipkg install mt-daapd

#edit your /opt/etc/mt-daapd/mt-daapd.conf // runas root
/opt/etc/init.d/S60mt-daapd

#enjoy your mt-openwrt Server
#Proceed with all other ~600 packages :-P

#TODO - WLan-support