Got my serial cable at last! But....

[lee jones]

Hello all :) !

Well I finally managed to get my paws on a USB to serial cable.
Unfortunatly the one I ordered from my ebay seller got LIPped (Lost in
post) so after a 2 week wait I had to contact the seller and wait all
over again for a replacement, that is now here.

But there seems to be one problem! I have the cable working, I can log
into minicom ok and see messages, but when I get to the login prompt I
keep getting this message:


SysRq : HELP : loglevel(0-9) reBoot terminate-all-tasks(E) memory-full-
oom-kill(F) kill-all-tasks(I) thaw-filesystems(J) saK

This appears no matter what I do, I can still type but not login; if I
were to say type "root", I get this;


rSysRq : HELP : loglevel(0-9) reBoot terminate-all-tasks(E) memory-
full-oom-kill(F) kill-all-tasks(I) thaw-filesystems(J) sa
oSysRq : HELP : loglevel(0-9) reBoot terminate-all-tasks(E) memory-
full-oom-kill(F) kill-all-tasks(I) thaw-filesystems(J) sa
oSysRq : HELP : loglevel(0-9) reBoot terminate-all-tasks(E) memory-
full-oom-kill(F) kill-all-tasks(I) thaw-filesystems(J) sa
tSysRq : HELP : loglevel(0-9) reBoot terminate-all-tasks(E) memory-
full-oom-kill(F) kill-all-tasks(I) thaw-filesystems(J) sa

Can't seem to get around this at all. I'm booting a clean slackware 13
install from here ( https://sites.google.com/site/bifferboard/Home/desktop-linux-distributions/slackware
) . I'd also like to carry on trying my idea (
https://groups.google.com/group/bifferboard/browse_thread/thread/76ecd90271f7a812/e2b24abe5ec65110#e2b24abe5ec65110
) though I'll have to start all again from scratch as I can't remember
where I got to or how x.x !

ljones

[Nicolas Le Falher]

Try to disable sysrq by :
echo 0 > /proc/sys/kernel/sysrq

http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git;a=blob_plain;f=Documentation/sysrq.txt;hb=HEAD

Nicolas

[lee jones]

On Apr 20, 8:59 pm, Nicolas Le Falher <n.lefal...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Try to disable sysrq by :
> echo 0 > /proc/sys/kernel/sysrq
>

> http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git;a=bl...
>
> Nicolas

:) Will try it.

Update: Dosen't seem to work at all, got the same messages. For some
reason the slackware install from the Bifferboard website has an
entirely empty /proc directory so I made /proc/sys and proc/sys/kernel
by hand and then did echo 0 > /proc/sys/kernel/sysrq still didn't seem
to work though.

ljones

[Nicolas Le Falher]

   1. Add the following to /etc/sysctl.conf (note that this file does not
      exist by default, so you'll have to create it):
        kernel.sysrq = 0

From http://slackware.osuosl.org/slackware-12.0/UPGRADE.TXT

Nicolas

[lee jones]

Well, that's intresting! That stopped the messages :) thanks for that!
Though I can't login still, I can now type (for example) "root"
properly without all those messages, but nothing happens once I hit
return! Whole thing just seems to "stop".

ljones

[Nicolas Le Falher]

Have you reboot after editing file sysctl.conf ?
If yes, the boot process appears in console ?

Nicolas

[Nicolas Le Falher]

I just looking at slackware page on Biff wiki.
Have you edited file /etc/securetty and /etc/inittab for enable console on serial port before install ?

Nicolas

[lee jones]

Yep, rebooted after editing the sysctl.conf file. I do get the boot
process/messages in a console (in minicom) though it all stops once I
try to login, so I get "Login: " and can type (and see, for example)
root -- hit return and nothing happens.

I did check the /etc/securetty and /etc/inittab files, they seem to be
ok and tie up with what the website says.

ljones

[Nicolas Le Falher]

Check your serial speed.
Maybe they are different between biffboot and agetty.

Nicolas

[lee jones]

Ok checking, they both seem to be the same speed -- 115200

I wonder if the problem is with the other settings maybe in minicom,
mine's set to the following;

serial device = /dev/ttyUSB0
Bps/Par/Bits = 115200 8N1
Hardware flow control=No
Software flow control=no

ljones

[Nicolas Le Falher]

So try with picocom :
picocom -b 115200 /dev/ttyUSB0

Or switch to OpenWRT :) !

Nicolas

[lee jones]

Still no luck even with picocom. :( . Prehaps my bifferboard
bootloader has gotten corrupt .

BTW, reason I chose to use slackware on the bifferboard is that I'm
using it as my desktop system. If I used openwrt and then later on
(for example) tried to install stuff such as lighttpd, sqlite, php and
chyrp (was my original idea before I got the cable which took forever
to arrive!) wouldn't I need to set up some compiling enviroment
especially to make openwrt packages?

ljones

[Nicolas Le Falher]

For your slackware problem, I've no idea.

For Openwrt no, you can use pkg from official openwrt repo.
Or you can build package yourself from source.
I've a Openwrt running with lighttpd/php/sqlite for a year without problem (not on a Bifferboard).

Nicolas

[lee jones]

Ok .... Let me explain, here's what happens. I guess my posts before
were probably too brief in explaining the problem. Here goes -- I can
get to this point - this being the console output from the BB;


Welcome to Linux 2.6.30.5-biff (ttyS0)

darkstar login:

I can type in (say) "root" and I can now see

darkstar login: root

but press return and the cursor moves back over to the "d" of
darkstar, and nothing more happens.

Prehaps there's a serial bug/problem/fault somewhere though? I can
however log in via the ethernet port and use the command on the BB ps -
ef to find the task number of /sbin/agetty and then kill it. That gets
me back on the serial output of the BB to

darkstar login:

again. Something still seems wrong with serial though -- for example,
if I type "bifferboard" rather than root at this prompt over the
serial port connection I get this

darksar login: b'ifferboard

Notice the strange appearence of a " ' " character (and I didn't type
it!). Also occasionally if I pressed return at the prompt without
typing anytthing else in, i.e.

darkstar login:

(return straight after the login message) I get a letter "y" appearing
(the cursor moves back over to the first letter of darkstar, so then
looks like this);

yarkstar login: (cursor over the letter a).

Another thing I tried is to see if someting like redirecting the
output of a command might show up, e.g. ls -la > /dev/ttyS0 and I
managed to get the output of that redirect command on /dev/ttyS0
(serial). Trying what I believe is the opposite to this -- cat /dev/
ttyS0 and then moving to the serial port and typing displayed nothing
(redirecting /dev/ttyS0 and viewing on the ethernet login).

On openwrt I'll definately give that a try should slackware give me no
joy :( .

ljones

[Nicolas Le Falher]

Try without option "-L" on agetty.
Have you another serial adapter for test ?

Nicolas

[lee jones]

unfortunatly taking away -L didn't seem to make any difference. I
don't have any other serial adaptors btw :(

ljones

[Nicolas Le Falher]

I got no solution :|.
And I never used Slackware so I can't help you much more.

Nicolas

[lee jones]

Me neither!

I've just retried reflashing the BB with Openwrt but I still get the
same problems, I'm back getting the SysRq messages and having odd
serial problems as I had with slackware. I think I've either got a bad
USB to serial cable or a dead bifferboard.

ljones

[Nicolas Le Falher]

Same problem with Biffboot ?

Nicolas

[lee jones]

On Apr 21, 3:40 pm, Nicolas Le Falher <n.lefal...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Same problem with Biffboot ?
>
> Nicolas

Well the BB did play up a little when I reflashed it. I tried using a
linksys EFSP42 device so the connection wasn't dropped though the perl
script didn't want to see the BB at all going through this device
which is odd. I tried a direct connection and that worked. Though in
the past I've had to do this the other way round. However it
eventually did flash.

ljones

[lee jones]

I think all I can do right now is to try to prove either that I have a
bad bifferboard, or a bad usb to serial cable. Either way that'll mean
getting another one of each of those items.

ljones

[biff...@yahoo.co.uk]

Flash a known good kernel to the board both via serial and ethernet.
That should show up any problems with either. I'd suggest something
simple.

Try this:
https://sites.google.com/site/bifferboard/Home/boards-with-1mb-flash/buildroot
(see the bzImage).

Flash it via serial, using this:
https://github.com/bifferos/bb/blob/master/tools/bb_upload8.py

The flash it via ethernet using this:
https://github.com/bifferos/bb/blob/master/tools/bb_eth_upload8.py

Let us know what happens. If that can't be made to work, little point
in playing around with slackware.

regards,
Biff.

[lee jones]

Ok, here's what happened.

I downloaded the bzImage and first tried to flash with the serial
port, this is what I got;

root@darkstar:/home/aaaaa/1# ./bb_upload8.py /dev/ttyUSB0 bzImage
Setting device '/dev/ttyUSB0' to 115200, 8N1
Connecting to serial device... 4
Waiting for embedded device to be switched on...
Please power on the board (power off first if already on)
Waiting for device to power up
Found 'ESC'
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "./bb_upload8.py", line 267, in <module>
UploadBinary(sys.argv[1], kern)
File "./bb_upload8.py", line 223, in UploadBinary
m.expect("BIFFBOOT> ")
File "/usr/lib64/python2.6/site-packages/pexpect.py", line 1064, in
expect
return self.expect_list(compiled_pattern_list, timeout,
searchwindowsize)
File "/usr/lib64/python2.6/site-packages/pexpect.py", line 1143, in
expect_list
raise TIMEOUT (str(e) + '\n' + str(self))
pexpect.TIMEOUT: Timeout exceeded in read_nonblocking().
<fdpexpect.fdspawn object at 0x74a3d0>
version: 2.1 ($Revision: 395 $)
command: None
args: None
patterns:
BIFFBOOT>
buffer (last 100 chars): >

before (last 100 chars): ver usbfs
usbcore: registered new interface driver hub
usbcore: registered new device driver usb

after: <class 'pexpect.TIMEOUT'>
match: None
match_index: None
exitstatus: None
flag_eof: False
pid: None
child_fd: 4
closed: False
timeout: 30
delimiter: <class 'pexpect.EOF'>
logfile: None
maxread: 2000
ignorecase: False
searchwindowsize: None
delaybeforesend: 0.1
delayafterclose: 0.1
delayafterterminate: 0.1

I then tried flashing with ethernet;

bash-4.1# ./bb_eth_upload.py eth0 00:B3:f6:00:8B:E7 bzImage
Switch on Bifferboard in the next 10 seconds. Move it! :)
Sector 00000000 erased in 1 ticks
Sector 00006000 erased in 1 ticks
Sector 00008000 erased in 1 ticks
Sector 00010000 erased in 1 ticks
Sector 00020000 erased in 1 ticks
Sector 00030000 erased in 1 ticks
Sector 00040000 erased in 1 ticks
Sector 00050000 erased in 1 ticks
Sector 00060000 erased in 1 ticks
Sector 00070000 erased in 1 ticks
Sector 00080000 erased in 1 ticks
Sector 00090000 erased in 1 ticks
Sector 000a0000 erased in 1 ticks
Sector 000b0000 erased in 1 ticks
Sector 000c0000 erased in 1 ticks
Sector 000d0000 erased in 1 ticks
Sector 000e0000 erased in 1 ticks
Written chunk at 0
Written chunk at 1
Written chunk at 2
Written chunk at 3
Written chunk at 4
Written chunk at 5
...
...
...
...
Written chunk at 95
Written chunk at 96
Written chunk at 97
Written chunk at 98
Written chunk at 99
Written chunk at 100

(I just cut out some of the "written chunk at" lines to make my post
shorter).

ljones

[biff...@yahoo.co.uk]

Well that suggests something wrong with serial communication. When
you stop the bootloader, by pressing <ESC> in minicom do all the
characters you type get echoed back?

In the case where you use ethernet flashing it looks like it works,
(the flashing) but what about the image you flashed, does it run
properly? Do you get a shell prompt on the serial port, and does that
work properly?

thanks,
Biff.

[lee jones]

On Apr 22, 3:46 pm, "biffe...@yahoo.co.uk" <biffe...@yahoo.co.uk>
wrote:

Ok I tried pressing ESC at the bootloader and get this;

BIFFBOOT v3.3 00B3F6008BE7 32-bit Loader by bifferos (c) 2010
Redistribution prohibited, all rights reserved.
Press <ESC>
NIC up in: 1560 mS
Link up
Checking NIC
Booting...
0100000 loaded from flash.
Booting Linux with:

Anything I type after that is echoed back except return. All the text
remains on the same line.

I didn't get a shell prompt on the command line, it stopped at
"Booting linux with:".

ljones

[Nicolas Le Falher]

Try that on minicom :
CTRL+A and Z
Press A to activate Line Feed

Nicolas

[lee jones]

:) That gives me linefeed and I'm able to move down to a new line
after pressing return though it still gets stuck on "Booting linux
with:"
ljones

[Nicolas Le Falher]

Check your cmndline on Biffboot, maybe you forgot console parameter :
cmndline:    console=uart,io,0x3f8 rootfstype=squashfs,jffs2

Nicolas

[lee jones]

Where abouts do I type this in? Is this after I press ESC? I tried
doing so and the BB dosen't respond to anything I type -- it gets
printed and echoed back, but nothing more.

ljones

[Nicolas Le Falher]

>I tried doing so and the BB dosen't respond to anything I type

You mean you can't have access to Biffboot ?
Just after booting, when you press "escape" you don't have Biffboot shell ?

If yes, take a look at http://sites.google.com/site/bifferboard/Home/bootloader/changelog/3-2-screenshots
showconfig Print config values
set        Set config value. 'set help' for options

Nicolas

[lee jones]

On Apr 26, 11:46 am, Nicolas Le Falher <n.lefal...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >I tried doing so and the BB dosen't respond to anything I type
>
> You mean you can't have access to Biffboot ?
> Just after booting, when you press "escape" you don't have Biffboot shell ?
>

> If yes, take a look athttp://sites.google.com/site/bifferboard/Home/bootloader/changelog/3-...

> showconfig Print config values
> set        Set config value. 'set help' for options
>
> Nicolas

Intresting though no I can't et any access to biffboot at all!
Pressing ESC didn't seem to do very much at all the BB still tried to
boot as per normal.

ljones

[Andrew Scheller]

> Intresting though no I can't et any access to biffboot at all!
> Pressing ESC didn't seem to do very much at all the BB still tried to
> boot as per normal.

So... still sounds like there's something "funny" going on with your
serial connection.
To rule out a Slackware/minicom problem, do you have a Windows
computer you could try from?
http://sites.google.com/site/bifferboard/Home/howto/connect-to-serial-console-from-windows

Lurch

[lee jones]

> computer you could try from?http://sites.google.com/site/bifferboard/Home/howto/connect-to-serial...
>
> Lurch

I don't have a computer with windows on at all, one idea I thought of
is maybe use a live CD (e.g. puppy?)

ljones

[Nicolas Le Falher]

Give us a ssh access, and comes on irc channel :D.

Nicolas

[Andrew Scheller]

>> To rule out a Slackware/minicom problem, do you have a Windows
>> computer you could try from? http://sites.google.com/site/bifferboard/Home/howto/connect-to-serial...

> I don't have a computer with windows on at all, one idea I thought of
> is maybe use a live CD (e.g. puppy?)

AFAIK puppy is a fairly cut-down system, so may not include drivers
for your USB-Serial cable?
A LiveCD Ubuntu version should be fine though. And try using picocom
rather than minicom (I find picocom needs less "faffing" with).

Lurch

[lee jones]

On Apr 26, 5:34 pm, Andrew Scheller <ya...@loowis.durge.org> wrote:
> >> To rule out a Slackware/minicom problem, do you have a Windows

> >> computer you could try from?http://sites.google.com/site/bifferboard/Home/howto/connect-to-serial...

> > I don't have a computer with windows on at all, one idea I thought of
> > is maybe use a live CD (e.g. puppy?)
>
> AFAIK puppy is a fairly cut-down system, so may not include drivers
> for your USB-Serial cable?
> A LiveCD Ubuntu version should be fine though. And try using picocom
> rather than minicom (I find picocom needs less "faffing" with).
>
> Lurch

Not sure how to do that right now (ssh) also my internet isn't what
you'd call reliable...., btw I was able to try a live cd I tried puppy
and a ubuntu cd. Also although I don't have any windows pc's here my
younger brothers' laptop does have windows on it (xp) sorry I should
have said, so I asked him and tried using that. In both cases I got
the same result as I did under slackware.

SP

[Andrew Scheller]

> you'd call reliable...., btw I was able to try a live cd I tried puppy
> and a ubuntu cd. Also although I don't have any windows pc's here my
> younger brothers' laptop does have windows on it (xp) sorry I should
> have said, so I asked him and tried using that. In both cases I got
> the same result as I did under slackware.

Well I guess that rules out a host-side problem, so you've either got
a dodgy USB-serial adaptor, or a flaky bifferboard.
I know which one I'd bet on... ;)
Can you provide any details on exactly which USB-serial adaptor it is?
Probably cheaper to buy a second (different?) serial convertor before
buying a second bifferboard!

I assume when you say "same result" you mean that pressing Esc
immediately after power-on doesn't bring up the Biffboot config
options?

Lurch

[lee jones]

> I assume when you say "same result" you mean that pressing Esc
> immediately after power-on doesn't bring up the Biffboot config
> options?
>
> Lurch

Yep, everything is the same as with slackware, pressing esc didn't
display the biffboot options at all.

ljones

[lee jones]

> Well I guess that rules out a host-side problem, so you've either got
> a dodgy USB-serial adaptor, or a flaky bifferboard.
> I know which one I'd bet on... ;)
> Can you provide any details on exactly which USB-serial adaptor it is?
> Probably cheaper to buy a second (different?) serial convertor before
> buying a second bifferboard!
>

Ok, well I did lsusb and got this for the USB serial adapter;

Bus 002 Device 006: ID 067b:2303 Prolific Technology, Inc. PL2303
Serial Port

Other than that there's not much more to say, the thing is a sealed up
unit into a usb connector.

From memory isn't BB selling USB serial adapters again, or will be
soon (not sure)?

ljones

[Nicolas Le Falher]

>From memory isn't BB selling USB serial adapters again, or will be soon (not sure)?

https://groups.google.com/d/msg/bifferboard/FYabuZ5JeM8/MsRI14rX4b8J

Have you tested your usb-> with other devices ?
It's looks like a problem on configuration or wiring than something dead.

Nicolas

[biff...@yahoo.co.uk]

Yes, they are in stock, although our latest ones are the cp2102 type.
I'm interested to know if he joins blue and white cables together, do
all the characters get echoed back?

On Apr 28, 2:03 pm, Nicolas Le Falher <n.lefal...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >From memory isn't BB selling USB serial adapters again, or will be soon
>

> (not sure)?https://groups.google.com/d/msg/bifferboard/FYabuZ5JeM8/MsRI14rX4b8J

[lee jones]

On Apr 28, 1:25 pm, "biffe...@yahoo.co.uk" <biffe...@yahoo.co.uk>
wrote:

> Yes, they are in stock, although our latest ones are the cp2102 type.
> I'm interested to know if he joins blue and white cables together, do
> all the characters get echoed back?
>
> On Apr 28, 2:03 pm, Nicolas Le Falher <n.lefal...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>

my cables are black red and white btw. I tried connecting the red and
white cables together though I got nothing at all on the screen.
Unfortunatly making the connection wasn't 100% perfect though, I can't
directly join the cables perfectly unless I destroy the cable :( . I
*think* I made a contact, I just can't be 100% sure. I now have a
second bifferboard (the larger one which can take an SD card) though I
am reluctant to connect the USB serial adapter to it as I don't want
to kill the new BB!

ljones

[lee jones]

Sorry if this message appears twice. For some reason, google groups
dosen't want to update :(

On my USB to serial adapter the connections are enclosed in plastic
and are black, red and white. I tried as best I could to join the two
cables (red and white) but got nothing echoed back. Unfortunalty my
connection wasn't 100% connection all I could do is to incert a small
thin cable between the two connections, the only way to join them
together any better would mean destroying the cable.

I would try the cable on the new BB I Just bought but I'm reluctant to
do so just in case it blows the new BB !

ljones

[Andrew Scheller]

> On my USB to serial adapter the connections are enclosed in plastic
> and are black, red and white. I tried as best I could to join the two

When you say "enclosed in plastic" do you mean like
https://sites.google.com/site/bifferboard/Home/howto/connect-to-serial-console
or
http://www.bifferos.co.uk/buy/000012.html
or something else? How are you making sure that the right pins on your
console cable connect to the right pins on your Bifferboard?
http://www.bifferos.co.uk/pinouts/

> cables (red and white) but got nothing echoed back. Unfortunalty my

The colours don't matter - what Biff was suggesting was creating a
"loop back connection" by connecting the TX lead to the RX lead.

> connection wasn't 100% connection all I could do is to incert a small
> thin cable between the two connections, the only way to join them
> together any better would mean destroying the cable.

Bent paperclips are good for this kind of thing :)

> I would try the cable on the new BB I Just bought but I'm reluctant to
> do so just in case it blows the new BB !

Hmm, how come you bought a second BB but not a second serial cable at
the same time?

Lurch

[lee jones]

Hmm, how come you bought a second BB but not a second serial cable at
the same time?

Lurch

--
To unsubscribe send email to bifferboard...@googlegroups.com

I did order a serial cable from BB though they were on pre-order at the time I ordered.

ljones

[Andrew Scheller]

Looking back through your previous messages...

"Anything I type after that is echoed back except return. All the text
remains on the same line."

...is *exactly* the behaviour you get when a loopback-connection
_does_ work. So it looks like maybe when you've got your serial
adaptor connected to your bifferboard, somehow the bifferboard's TX
and your adatptor's TX are *both* connected to your adaptor's RX ?!?!

Lurch

[lee jones]

Not sure, I have 3 cables on the serial adapter -- black, white and
red. On the BB the cables are connected to the 3 pins (with the
ethernet port towards you) -- the black cable (gnd), white (tx) and
red (rx). The other (USB) end is completely sealed up in plastic.

ljones

[biff...@yahoo.co.uk]

On May 3, 12:52 am, lee jones <slothp...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Not sure, I have 3 cables on the serial adapter -- black, white and
> red. On the BB the cables are connected to the 3 pins (with the
> ethernet port towards you) -- the black cable (gnd), white (tx) and
> red (rx). The other (USB) end is completely sealed up in plastic.

I suggest to work out which cable is which from first principles.
Sometimes they don't label them intuitively.

There are instructions on how to do this here:
https://sites.google.com/site/bifferboard/Home/howto/making-your-own-console-cable

regards,
Biff.

[lee jones]

On May 3, 12:07 pm, "biffe...@yahoo.co.uk" <biffe...@yahoo.co.uk>
wrote:

> There are instructions on how to do this here:https://sites.google.com/site/bifferboard/Home/howto/making-your-own-...
>


will try that however that is how they were labelled by thwe ebay
seller -- white is tx,red rx.

ljones
> regards,
> Biff.

[lee jones]

Anyone know if the serial/usb cables are avaliable from BB at all yet? I remember pre-ordering one, was just wondering if they are in at all?
SP

[Paul Zwiers]

We just got some this week. They are different ones and have a Silicon Labs 210x chipset instead of the Prolific 2303.

Paul

On Sat, May 19, 2012 at 1:49 AM, lee jones <slot...@gmail.com> wrote:

Anyone know if the serial/usb cables are avaliable from BB at all yet? I remember pre-ordering one, was just wondering if they are in at all?
SP

--