MediaBoot Script (en)

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The Media-Boot script by emanuel installs an image onto a media device such as USB, CF, SD or SSD, inclusive the GP3 Feed.

While executing the script the device gets partitioned into 3 partitions (boot, swap and root). Subsequently the image (as tar.bz2 archive) is downloaded and unpacked onto the device.

After an automatic restart of the Dreambox the image from the device is booted and offers enough memory for all your needs. Interesting e.g. for the DM800se with small flash capacity ;)

The Media-Boot Script is available in two versions. You can choose between following OE 2.0 based images.

• media-boot (DMM exp. OE 2.0)
• merlin-media-boot (Merlin 3 OE 2.0)

Requirements:

• DM500HD with a USB Mod. Without USB Mod it is also possible as described here, but the backup/restore of the image takes quite a while.
• DM800se, DM8000HD or DM7020HD.
• An image with most recent second stage loader in flash memory.
• A functioning internet connection.
• Bios of the Dreambox needs to be configured correctly.
• A media device larger than 1GB.
• Create Bootlog, if the boot fails.
• The media device needs to be formated in FAT32.
• Use other media device, if the boot fails. Mainly USB Sticks can be problematic.
• Media-Boot uses a plugged media device. Problems occur when plugging additional devices into the Dreambox. As a result the device names move and booting is no longer possible. This problem can only be solved by making a Bootlog and editing the autoexec_*.bat.
• Take a look at Tips & Tricks.

Bios configuration

Bios - DM 8000 HD PVR

Bios - DM 800 HD se

You need to prepare the Bios to be able to boot via a removable media containing the FAT filesystem.
The following chapter shows you the needed preparation for the different kind of Dreamboxes.

The USB support needs to be activated for all Boxes.

Changing the Bios Like flashing the Bios via Webbrowser you can connect to the Bios. After you see "STOP" at the display you can connect via telnet ip_of_dreambox to the Bios. Than you can change the needed values. Further informations about accessing the BIOS can be found in Wiki article Dreambox Bios (en).

Choose Boot Source If you cannot change the values at Boot Source between Flash / CF / USB, then use the Page Up or Page Down keys at your keyboard. Mac users can use the following combination Fn+Shift+↑/↓. The following picture shows how these keys can look ;)

DM 500 HD

Primary boot source: usb [/autoexec_dm500hd.bat]
 
Secondary boot source: flash
 
Enable USB support: [ENABLED]

DM 800HD se

Primary boot source: usb [/autoexec_dm800se.bat]
 
Secondary boot source: flash
 
Enable USB support: [ENABLED]

DM 7020HD

Primary boot source: usb [/autoexec_dm7020hd.bat]
 
Secondary boot source: flash
 
Enable USB support: [ENABLED]

DM 8000HD PVR

Primary boot source: usb [/autoexec_dm8000.bat]
 
Secondary boot source: flash
 
Enable USB support: [ENABLED]

Configure Media-Boot

Download the wanted script from Media-Boot Thread unpack and copy the file with FTP onto the Dreambox in the directory /home/root.

Make sure the script has the correct rights, otherwise it can not be executed. Use the following command when connected via telnet or ssh. Attention this command is for the script for the DMM exp. Image. If you use the script for Merlin, you need to replace media-boot by merlin-media-boot!

chmod 755 media-boot

Media-Boot Script

Informations

Informations about Media-Boot can be displayed as follows.

root@dm800se:~# ./media-boot --help
 
media-boot: is a script to install dreambox image (OE2) on extern device >= 1GB
 
NOTE:   this script is only for advanced users!
        Make sure the selected device is not your harddisk!!
 
Usage: media-boot -i /dev/sd<a-z>
        install image on selected device /dev/sd<a-z>
 
Usage: media-boot -d
        shows avaible devices on box
 
root@dm800se:~#

List the available media devices

With the following command you can list the available devices. In the example (output reduced) a hard disk and a USB Stick with 8GB is found. The name of the device is important for starting the Media-Boot script in the next step. In this example the USB Stick has the name /dev/sdb.

root@dm800se:~# ./media-boot -d
 
media-boot: found following devices on box:
 
Disk /dev/sda: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
 
   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks  Id System
/dev/sda1               1       60801   488384028+ 83 Linux
 
Disk /dev/sdb: 8006 MB, 8006926336 bytes
84 heads, 6 sectors/track, 31028 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 504 * 512 = 258048 bytes
 
   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks  Id System
/dev/sdb1               5       31025     7817216   b Win95 FAT32

Execute Media-Boot

Boot from CF/SD card in a DM8000HD Before executing media-boot, you must execute the next command in the console. export EXTRA_DEV_ON_BOOT=sdx sdx has to match with the device nameof the CF or SD card.

Media-Boot is started with the following command. Make sure you use the correct device name, pay attention you don't make a mistake and specify your hard disk. Be patient, the initializing, downloading and unpacking of the image takes a while.

root@dm800se:~# ./media-boot -i /dev/sdb
 
media-boot: installing on device: /dev/sdb
media-boot: stoping automount reboot to get back
media-boot: stoping udev
.
.
.

Afterwards the box restarts automatically, and the image from the stick is booted. You can check the available memory with following command.

df -h

Install Chkbootmedia

After booting the Dreambox successfully from the media device the additional package (chkbootmedia_x.xx_all.ipk) needs to be installed. This is needed to prevent overwriting the autoexec_*.bat when kernel updates are installed. This would lead to a failed boot of the media device.

Download the package from here and copy the file with FTP onto the Dreambox in the directory /tmp. Install the package with the following commmand.

opkg install /tmp/chkbootmedia*

Backup / Restore Image

You can create or restore a backup with the following commands. The example uses again the media device /dev/sdb. The name of the media device can be found with the command fdisk -l.

Backup Image

When the image is running from the media device you can make a backup with the dd command. In this example the path for the backup refers to the hard disk and the file name is my_backup.img. The size of the backups is the same size as the used media device. The process takes a while, please be patient and wait until the command line shows a prompt again.

dd if=/dev/sdb of=/media/hdd/my_backup.img

Restore Image

Start the Dreambox from Flash memory and use the following command for restoring. Make sure the device name is correct. Again use the command fdisk -l to double check!

Make sure you use a media device which is at least the same size as the backup file (*.img). The process takes a while, please be patient and wait until the command line shows a prompt again.

dd if=/media/hdd/my_backup.img of=/dev/sdb

DM8000HD with SATA SSD device

SSD Power

Media-Boot can also install the Image onto a SATA SSD device. Advantage: the Image can boot very fast from this medium. As device you can use e.g. the DeLOCK SATA 2GB Flash Module (vertical). The device fits (in height) perfectly in the DM 8000HD PVR and can be connected to the power supply of the Dreambox with the delivered cable.

The BIOS of the Dreambox must also be changed for the SATA SDD device. but not as described in the article. The Dreambox only boots from a SATA device, when the Kernel Command Line is activated and set correctly. Keep in mind you can only boot from Flash, when the Kernel Command Line is deactivated again. Otherwise the Image from the SSD device will still be booted.

Also important to know: the Dreambox can actually not boot directly from SATA, but only from USB. With this setup the Flashkernel boots and subsequently the forced Kernel command line will load the root partition from the SSD device. Therefore it's extremely important to have the same image in Flash as on the SSD device. And of course make sure to update both Images - in Flash and on the SSD - when a kernelupdate occurs.

Connect SATA SSD Device

SSD - 8K old Revision

SSD - 8K new Revision

Use both pictures when connecting the SSD device.

Adapting the BIOS

This section shows the BIOS adjustments for Dreamboxes. In the BIOS you activate the Change Command Line (enabled) and change the Kernel Command Linie as described. For root=/dev/sdX3 the X should be replaced with the correct character. Use the media-boot script or the command fdisk -l, to find out the SSD device.

Change Command Line      [ENABLED ]
 
Kernel Command Line      [console=ttyS0,115200 rootdelay=10 root=/dev/sdX3 rootfstype=ext4 rw]

Execute Media-Boot

Start the Media-Boot Script as described before. The package Chkbootmedia is not needed, because the autoexec_.bat is not read.

Tips & Tricks

Install the GP3.2 Plugin

The script offers the possibility to install the GP3.2 Plugin, GP3 Addons or GP3-Skins. This way the BluePanel and the additional plugins and Skins are available immediately after booting the media device.

Attention: an OE 2.0 Image is required in Flash for this feature.

Edit the script and search the following lines:

EXTRA=""
 
#EXTRA="geminiplugin geminidreamnetcast geminijukebox geminirezapp geminiweather gemininetcastwebif geminirssreader"

You should add the wanted packages at EXTRA="" between the quotes. The line for installing the GP3.2 Plugin, NFS Server and Gemini Jukebox looks like the following example.

EXTRA="geminiplugin gemininfs geminijukebox"

If you don't know the package name you can list the name when using an image with the GP3 Plugin using the following command. But before using the command do opkg update. The first command shows all GP3 packages, the second only the GP3 Skins.

opkg list *gemini* 
opkg list *gp-skin*

If you use the Merlin script, you should remove the Quickbutton Plugin with the command opkg remove enigma2-plugin-extensions-quickbutton.

Support thread

If you need help with Media-Boot, follow the Link ;)

Media-Boot