[beagleboard] Problems installing ubuntu

Tried and failed to install Ubuntu R3 on BB few times. Previousy R1
installed normally.

Yesterday setup_sdcard.sh wrote some error messages about xfce. I
guess new script is installing GUI by default? But it seemed to make
boot and rootfs partitions correctly.
Because of all those errors I tried to reinstall it today:

[i]
thunderbolt@th:~/ubuntu-10.04.1-r3-minimal-armel$ ./setup_sdcard.sh --
mmc /dev/sdc --uboot beagle --swap_file 50 --rootfs ext2

I see...
sudo sfdisk -l:
Disk /dev/sda: 9964 cylinders, 255 heads, 63 sectors/track
Disk /dev/sdb: 19457 cylinders, 255 heads, 63 sectors/track
Disk /dev/sdc: 1019 cylinders, 61 heads, 62 sectors/track

mount:
/dev/sda2 on / type ext2 (rw,errors=remount-ro)
/dev/sdb5 on /media/Stuff type fuseblk
(rw,nosuid,nodev,allow_other,blksize=4096,default_permissions)

Are you 100% sure, on selecting [/dev/sdc] (y/n)? y

1 / 7: Downloading X-loader and Uboot

2010-11-21 17:39:04 URL:http://rcn-ee.net/deb/tools/latest/bootloader
[769/769] -> "/home/thunderbolt/ubuntu-10.04.1-r3-minimal-armel/deploy/
bootloader" [1]
2010-11-21 17:39:05 URL:http://rcn-ee.net/deb/tools/MLO/MLO-
beagleboard-1.44+r16+gitr1c9276af4d6a5b7014a7630a1abeddf3b3177563-r16
[24296/24296] -> "/home/thunderbolt/ubuntu-10.04.1-r3-minimal-armel/
deploy/MLO-
beagleboard-1.44+r16+gitr1c9276af4d6a5b7014a7630a1abeddf3b3177563-
r16" [1]
2010-11-21 17:39:07 URL:http://rcn-ee.net/deb/tools/UBOOT/u-boot-
beagleboard-2010.03+r65+gitrca6e1c136ddb720c3bb2cc043b99f7f06bc46c55-
r65.bin [209712/209712] -> "/home/thunderbolt/ubuntu-10.04.1-r3-
minimal-armel/deploy/u-boot-
beagleboard-2010.03+r65+gitrca6e1c136ddb720c3bb2cc043b99f7f06bc46c55-
r65.bin" [1]

2 / 7: Unmountting Partitions

WARNING: DOS-compatible mode is deprecated. It's strongly recommended
to
switch off the mode (command 'c') and change display units to
sectors (command 'u').

Command (m for help): Command action
e extended
p primary partition (1-4)
Partition number (1-4): First cylinder (1-239, default 1): Last
cylinder, +cylinders or +size{K,M,G} (1-239, default 239):
Command (m for help): Partition number (1-4):
Command (m for help): Selected partition 1
Hex code (type L to list codes): Changed system type of partition 1 to
e (W95 FAT16 (LBA))

Command (m for help):
Disk /dev/sdc: 1973 MB, 1973420032 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 239 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0000fed0

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdc1 * 1 9 72261 e W95 FAT16
(LBA)

Command (m for help): The partition table has been altered!

Calling ioctl() to re-read partition table.

WARNING: If you have created or modified any DOS 6.x
partitions, please see the fdisk manual page for additional
information.
Syncing disks.

3 / 7: Formatting Boot Partition

When the above happens, the only work around is to reboot your desktop
pc.. Your current running kernel did not like the change of the
partition table for some unknown reason...

thunderbolt@th:~/ubuntu-10.04.1-r3-minimal-armel$
[/i]

Gparted shows unknown filesystem where boot should be, and there is no
rootfs. I don't see why this might happen. Tried 4 times - all the
same. Script just stops at point 3/7. Any ideas here?

Also - is there any chance to install Ubuntu without connecting LCD?
When I was installing previously I had to connect LCD just to select
keyboard layout, type username and pass and select network connection.
Any way to avoid this?

Read the notes on the elinux wiki, there's a command line switch for
'use default user, serial mode'

And finally - I've had lots of problems with Beagleboard file system.
Sometimes it gets "read only", throws out mistakes, requires several
e2fsck runs and so on. Last time Beagle forgot what 'sudo' is. I'm
guessing that it's because SD card fs. And I've tried several of them
- all brand new. I guess SD fs isn't reliable much?

Why are you using the ancient ext2 partition format?

Regards,

When the above happens, the only work around is to reboot your desktop
pc.. Your current running kernel did not like the change of the
partition table for some unknown reason...

No, I don't think so.. Have tried rebooting PC, deleting/formatting
partitions, deleting partition table.
With r1 all worked fine, so I assume It's not PC.

Weird, cause here's the diff between r1 and r3's setup_sdcard.sh

http://pastebin.com/cXX5sS6X

Mostly changes to make the output more debug friendly..

Read the notes on the elinux wiki, there's a command line switch for
'use default user, serial mode'

Yes, I had a thought about that - I just haven't tried yet.

Why are you using the ancient ext2 partition format?

Because it isn't journaling fs. I have to install approx. 1GB of
software and libs, then download a huge piece of source, compile it
and install it after that. And I only have 2GB card. Also journaling
kills SD card faster.

And you can't build this off target? nfs mount, or a usb spinning disk etc..

Here's a good read on the journaling issue from Ted...

Regards