[U-Boot] Updating YAFFS2 RootFS

[David Andrey]

Dear Wolfgang,

Seems that a little much infos about background will be a good thing :-)

The idea is to provide an update / restore mechanism from U-boot.

he NAND is formatted as follow:
* U-Boot Partition
* Images Partition (YAFFS2) (Kernel, RootFS as tgz, FPGA / DSP
Firmwares).
* Linux RootFS (YAFFS2)

To update "Linux", the way we imagine is this one:
1. write a new kernel and rootFS in the "Images" partition (get the
files through TFTP)
2. u-boot erase the old rootFS and "install" the newer
3. Boot Linux with the newer kernel

But why from U-Boot ? :-)
-> To provide a robust update mechanism.
	-> equals what happens with Linux (through end-user), u-boot
will "always" start.

So, I'm looking to clarify the step 2. What is missing ? Ideally,
something like this:
    yrdm /images/my_newer_rootfs.tgz  my_ram_address
    yunzip my_ram_address /rootfs/


The patch's I means are:    
http://lists.denx.de/pipermail/u-boot/2008-September/040910.html
http://lists.denx.de/pipermail/u-boot/2006-September/016867.html

So, what do you think ? Sense or no sense ? Is it a way to achieve this
from u-boot ?

Regards
David






-----Original Message-----
From: Wolfgang Denk [mailto:wd at denx.de] 
Sent: Samstag, 26. Juni 2010 00:02
To: David Andrey
Cc: u-boot at lists.denx.de
Subject: Re: [U-Boot] Updating YAFFS2 RootFS

Dear "David Andrey",

In message <1OS8pe-0000df-Uh at wolf.netmodule.com> you wrote:
> 
> I'm looking to update the linux yaffs2 rootfs from U-Boot (2009-06).
The
> whole update will be:

Are you positively sure you have to do this in U-Boot? Keep in mind
that U-Boot is a boot loader, so don't throw tasks on it that require
an operating system.

> *         Take the rootfs.tgz from the yaffs2 "image" partition (ok,
> with yrdm / ywrm) for update or restore purposes.

OK - but... what for?

> *         Unpack it (maybe gunzip)

Why? And: why in U-Boot?

> *         Update the Linux YAFFS2 RootFS (how ?)

Just write a new image to another, alternative partition.

> After a quick search (mail list, code) seems that:
> 
> *         No native support for this operation in u-boot.

What exactly is "this operation" here, which you are missing support
for?

> *         Some "user" patch files exists  (out of date ?)

Which sort of patches are you referring to?


> *         Is the situation really like that ?

Sorry, I don;t undewrstand what exactly you mean by "the situation" ?


> *         Which is the actual patch file ?

What do you mean?

> *         What about the future for YAFFS2 in U-Boot ? Is there any
> update planned ?

YAFFS2 is supported in mainline U-Boot. What exactly do you think is
missing?

Best regards,

Wolfgang Denk

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