lk2nd handling improvements

Currently pmbootstrap flasher flash_lk2nd action is not completely thought through and is applied a bit inconsistently especially regarding how the correct lk2nd package from pmaports is installed (device package dependency, manually?)

CC @alikates @minlexx @ollieparanoid @Ultra-azu

Quotes from Matrix chat:

@z3ntu:

Regarding pmbootstrap flasher flash_lk2nd, how do you think it would be best for the correct lk2nd package to be installed when running this action? Currently a few device packages (8974, 8953) have a dependency on the lk2nd package which would mean if you have the device selected (and I guess pmbootstrap install'ed) then you can run flash_lk2nd and it has the correct image. However you really only need this at flashing time so it's not super fitting as dependency. Another way we discussed in the team meeting is adding a deviceinfo variable that contains the lk2nd package name so that flash_lk2nd just installs the package when needed but it doesn't have to be there at device runtime. What do you think? Or I'm open to any other way too really, just want to have some unified way to use this action

@minlexx

well, boot.img is also present at device runtime, but only needed during flashing (and kernel upgrades)? lk2nd.img can also be "flashed" during package upgrade, so maybe having it as package is not bad idea?

I don't think adding more and more deviceinfo variables is good..

@alikates

Like Alexey Min said, I also think it would be nice to have some install hook to have it flashed on package upgrade. One concern I have though is people smashing their current boot partition when trying to upgrade from their PCs, because now flash_lk2nd doesn't distinguish between the stock bootloader or lk2nd and flashing to the boot partition from lk2nd erases it (for upgrading lk2nd from itself you can run fastboot flash lk2nd lk2nd.img)

Regarding keeping lk2nd as a dependency, one way can be creating some kind of package that handles flashing and upgrading from the chroot. Then unify both lk2nd packages and have that new flashing package manage a compatibility list for the supported devices.

@ollieparanoid

if it is used only at "pmbootstrap flasher" time and not after postmarketOS is installed, then I would handle it in a deviceinfo variable (just like we decide based on deviceinfo variables whether to install fastboot/heimdall etc. for flashing). If there will be code to upgrade it from the package after installing postmarketOS, it makes sense to add the dependency. We should also consider upgrading it from fwupd.

@z3ntu

This could be solved I think by a simple fastboot getvar something and check if it's lk2nd running, then use flash lk2nd, otherwise flash boot? One thing I didn't check is whether flash_lk2nd works without having done pmbootstrap install before, so just pmbootstrap init with the correct device and then pmbootstrap flasher flash_lk2nd, maybe not since the device package + dependencies will not be installed?

added status::confirmed type::bug labels

So everybody here fine now with adding the lk2nd package as dependency to the device package? I'll make a MR then for some of my devices where it's relevant.

I guess I'll also look a bit into how we could make the usability of pmbootstrap flasher flash_lk2nd better but this is somewhat separate.

By Luca Weiss on 2023-04-21T22:10:57

Sorry for not responding earlier.

Yes, I think lk2nd as a dependency would be the better solution.

By Ultra on 2023-04-21T22:28:38

mentioned in merge request !4077 (merged)

By Luca Weiss on 2023-05-13T09:42:14

Opened pmaports MR !4077 (merged) for msm8974 and sent pmbootstrap patch to improve the flash_lk2nd action: https://lists.sr.ht/~postmarketos/pmbootstrap-devel/patches/41111

By Luca Weiss on 2023-05-13T12:07:33

mentioned in commit pmbootstrap@68231d93

By Luca Weiss on 2023-06-05T11:44:52

I have a new msm8226 device, which I think needs the appended DTB, should I be adding lk2nd-msm8226-appended as a dependency to my device then?

By Bryant Mairs on 2023-10-20T14:53:54

Likely the normal lk2nd-msm8226 package should work, at least nothing is mentioned in the readme at https://github.com/msm8916-mainline/lk2nd#lk2nd-msm8226

The -appended subpackage is just for a few quirky devices where the bootloader is weird.

By Luca Weiss on 2023-10-20T14:53:54

I'm not certain if it's related to this also, but one thing I've noticed is that the flashing instructions after a pmb install are incorrect for my device:

[19:38:10] *** FLASHING INFORMATION ***
[19:38:10] Run the following to flash your installation to the target device:
[19:38:10] * pmbootstrap flasher flash_rootfs
[19:38:10]   Flashes the generated rootfs image to your device:
[19:38:10]   /home/susurrus/.local/var/pmbootstrap/chroot_native/home/pmos/rootfs/samsung-milletwifi.img
[19:38:10]   (NOTE: This file has a partition table, which contains /boot and / subpartitions. That way we don't need to change the partition layout on your device.)
[19:38:10] * pmbootstrap flasher flash_kernel
[19:38:10]   Flashes the kernel + initramfs to your device:
[19:38:10]   /home/susurrus/.local/var/pmbootstrap/chroot_rootfs_samsung-milletwifi/boot
[19:38:10]   (NOTE: fastboot also supports booting the kernel/initramfs directly without flashing. Use 'pmbootstrap flasher boot' to do that.)

In fact I only need to do the first command. I think this can't be inferred right now, because my deviceinfo file has the heimdall values, but if it can be specified that this is actually an lk2nd device, then these commands could factor that in and provide more accurate instructions. At least, I think that should be the case, right?

By Bryant Mairs on 2023-10-20T14:57:42

This is a super generic message that of course doesn't apply to a lot of installation situations.

I'd say we should try to refer people to the wiki page of the device for installation instructions, if anything special is needed. For example there then it could mention you only flash rootfs and lk2nd automatically gets the kernel from there. But I don't think we should disallow flashing directly when lk2nd is supported because surely some people will want to boot directly for whatever reason.

Feel free to send a patch for pmbootstrap adjusting the text a bit, or open an issue in pmbootstrap (I think that's a better location for that)

By Luca Weiss on 2023-10-20T14:57:42

I think everything I had planned is implemented by now, closing.

By Luca Weiss on 2023-10-20T14:57:58

closed

added status::fixed label and removed status::confirmed label