User:Randname
From Gentoo Wiki
Non Native Speaker
English is not my mother tongue; I'm capable to make articles readable at least, but sorry if they contain misspellings, broken grammar, or strange expressions.
About me
Trying to run Gentoo on some weird devices.
- As challenges
- Despite these devices run Linux from factory, the software in the repos of distros are always too old that you have to compile stuff yourself
- They don't like to run other distros due to either kernel or userland issues
- You have to compile stuff yourself anyways. Why don't let portage handle them for you
My hardware
Here is a list of some of my hardware that I use to run Gentoo:
- Lenovo ThinkPad E490
- GreatWall QF722
- Apple Mac Pro Server '12 (Single Xeon X5690, 32GB DDR3 RECC)(VM)
- HUAWEI QingYun W515
Here is a list of some of my hardware that I don't currently run Gentoo on:
- HPE MircoServer Gen 8 (Windows Server 2022)
- Panasonic ToughPad FZ-G1 MkII (Windows 10/FydeOS)
- Lenovo E591s Thin Client (Windows Embedded PosReady 2009)
Stub
Here stores things that are way too stub to have their own pages.
W515
Boot Sequence
The boot sequence of this device is closer to an SBC rather than ARM SystemReady compliant desktop computers/servers.
- The first stage BootROM loads the payload from the UFS storage module, which is the UEFI environment as second stage bootloader.
- The second stage bootloader loads UEFI executables (GRUB etc.) as third stage bootloader.
- The third stage bootloader loads Linux.
Important
The second stage bootloader is prone to damage caused by improper disk operations, resulting in devices no longer able to boot, and very hard to recover considering there are literally no off-the-shelf devices that could read/write these UFS storage modules. Hence it's highly recommended to:
The second stage bootloader is prone to damage caused by improper disk operations, resulting in devices no longer able to boot, and very hard to recover considering there are literally no off-the-shelf devices that could read/write these UFS storage modules. Hence it's highly recommended to:
- Backup the content, including partition table of UFS storage module.
- Install Gentoo in extra SATA disks rather than replacing the OS in the UFS storage module.
- Accessories (cable and mounting tray) for SATA disks are optional and may not come with each device. In this case:
- If there is a DVD-ROM, it could be replaced with a laptop optical drive to 2.5 inch SATA disk tray converter.
- If there isn't a DVD-ROM, a mini 8-pin to SATA power cable and a disk mounting tray is required. This could be acquired either from HUAWEI customer support or third party.
- Accessories (cable and mounting tray) for SATA disks are optional and may not come with each device. In this case:
Warning
Despite having the same connector form factor, do not replace the UFS storage module with a regular M.2 SSD. This is not supported and may cause hardware damage as the electrical definition of the connector could be different.
Despite having the same connector form factor, do not replace the UFS storage module with a regular M.2 SSD. This is not supported and may cause hardware damage as the electrical definition of the connector could be different.
Tip
Technically speaking, the second stage bootloader could be trimmed out and boots Linux directly from first stage bootloader, similar to how postmarketOS boots. This is very risky and should only be taken out by expert users.
Technically speaking, the second stage bootloader could be trimmed out and boots Linux directly from first stage bootloader, similar to how postmarketOS boots. This is very risky and should only be taken out by expert users.
Warning
If any suspectible writing operation has been done to the UFS storage module, do not reboot to check it out - otherwise it will be too late to recover. Perform restore procedure immediately.
If any suspectible writing operation has been done to the UFS storage module, do not reboot to check it out - otherwise it will be too late to recover. Perform restore procedure immediately.