This describes how to download snapshots from the openWrt repository and load them onto an SD/mmc card, and then to boot from the SD. You need a serial console to do this, and not to have a network cable plugged in.
First download the uImage file and the root file system from here:
http://downloads.openwrt.org/snapshots/ … ood-uImage
http://downloads.openwrt.org/snapshots/ … tfs.tar.gz
(For openWrt info, see www.openWrt.org)
Next partition and format an SD card. I am using a 512mb card, and am making a single partition. From a linux command line, do this (assuming /dev/sdb--note: if you get this wrong, you could break your system--really).
fdisk -l
fdisk /dev/sdb
p [check that you have the device you think you have]
[if you must delete existing partitions, use the "d" command until none remain]
n
p
1
1
<enter> [to select through the last cylinder]
t
83
p [Check that your selections are rational. Do not make this bootable.]
w
umount /dev/sdb1
mkfs.ext2 /dev/sdb1
[next mount the device, perhaps on a directory named "/usb"]
mount /dev/sdb1 /usb
[copy the two openWrt files to the SD device]
[untar the file system]
cd /usb
tar xvpfz kirkwood/openwrt-kirkwood-rootfs.tar.gz -C /usb
Now get to the Marvell uboot prompt on the Sheevaplug (you may need uboot version 3.4.19 (at least) to do this--see http://www.cyrius.com/debian/kirkwood/s … stall.html -- Upgrading U-Boot). Enter the following commands to set up the environment and to copy the uImage file to RAM for booting.
setenv mainlineLinux yes; setenv arcNumber 2097;
setenv bootargs_console console=ttyS0,115200
setenv bootmmc3_root 'root=/dev/mmcblk0p1 rootdelay=10'
setenv bootcmd_mmc3 'mmcinit; ext2load mmc 0:1 0x00800000 /openwrt-kirkwood-uImage'
setenv bootmmc3 'setenv bootargs $(bootargs_console) $(bootmmc3_root); saveenv; run bootcmd_mmc3; bootm 0x00800000'
saveenv
run bootmmc3
(Note: I use "mmc3" because I have two other mmc boot routines. Once this tests out, you can set it to always boot to the SD by running "setenv bootcmd 'run bootmmc3'; saveenv".)
Your system should boot. Hit <enter> to get a propmt. OpenWrt assumes that it is running on a router, so there are several things you need to do to get it connected to your network.
/etc/init.d/dnsmasq disable [this turns off the dns server]
passwd [set your password so you can ssh in--telnet is enabled until this is done]
vi /etc/config/network [set the static ip address to something convenient, like 192.168.1.70, and set your gateway and dns IPs, e.g., "option gateway 192.168.1.1" and "option dns 192.168.1.1".]
vi /etc/config/system [to set a device name, if you like]
reboot
At this point, if you get the Marvell>> prompt, again enter "run bootmmc3" or set the bootcmd variable as above and enter "boot". You should be able to ssh in to the IP address you set, using the password you set.
Next post: customizing the system.