[Other TouchPad Development] castrwilliam:
nsboot - NinjaSwag Bootloader/Installer

WILL REPLACE smackme2 and kexecboot!

Source: https://github.com/willcast/nsboot

Kernel source: https://github.com/willcast/ubuntu-kernel-tenderloin/tree/kexec (kexec branch, not Ubuntu)

Binary: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4WUjKii92l2Ukl4TE1EM1pjTDg/edit?usp=sharing

I have been working on this for about 2 weeks...

Features

Touch screen based interface

Able to boot kexec kernels

Able to install Android and Native Linux OSes, kexec tar files, and uImage kernels

Able to back up entire volumes as .tar.gz (with permissions & ownership)

Directly compatible with smackme and kexecboot config files

Can replace moboot entirely with the touch of a button.

Integrated file browser

Software touch keyboard available

Haptic feedback

uImage is < 4 MiB

Loads 3x faster than kexecboot

Has integrated ADB server so you can push and pull files from any mounted FS, or run a local shell.

Known issues so at this time

Colors are messed up in included TWRP recoveries

Things still to be tested

nothing as of now

kexec images for reference

webOS 3.0.5: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4WUjKii92l2WU9fdkNZa0V5NUk/edit?usp=sharing

Arch Linux ARM: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4WUjKii92l2YWRFUWJoMkpXRzg/edit?usp=sharing

Ubuntu: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4WUjKii92l2MXlEVmxQUHoyUzg/edit?usp=sharing

Slackware: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4WUjKii92l2MnRwMGRyTmRQcW8/edit?usp=sharing

Fedora untested: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4WUjKii92l2S3pVUkZNNzNSQUU/edit?usp=sharing

Android 2.2 Froyo: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4WUjKii92l2d2cwQlBtVVd4aGM/edit?usp=sharing

Android 2.3 Gingerbread: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4WUjKii92l2UGtETzBwNnNvckU/edit?usp=sharing

Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4WUjKii92l2UDc2cVZ2TjBWM2s/edit?usp=sharing

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4WUjKii92l2d3g0U3p6c0l4NFk/edit?usp=sharing

Android 4.2 Jelly Bean: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4WUjKii92l2dlFzcFBacThSVXc/edit?usp=sharing

How to test

novacom boot mem:// < uImage.nsboot

To install, copy it to /boot (/dev/mmcblk0p13). It can also install itself if you put a copy of it on the SD card, and go Installer menu -> install uImage and navigate to it.

Screenshots are attached.

YouTube demo of a earlier version with only the boot working and a simpler menu: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oQhSa4sqPU

Updates:

All OSes now boot (At least on my TP.)

Those which have had their kexec archives revised on GDrive since the first post are in italic.

Android 4.2

Android 4.1

Android 4.0

Android 2.3

Android 2.2

Android Recovery (included with all Android kexec archives)*

webOS

Ubuntu

Slackware

Arch Linux

Fedora

* The colors are still out of whack in recovery. It's mostly unneeded at this point with Built-In ADB support and zip installation, but I included it for those who want its more obscure or advanced features, or are more comfortable with its UI. Testing it specifically is appreciated because I don't have any plans to develop a test suite for it.

Compatibility list

Android ROMs

4.2

There is currently an issue with installing later Android 4.2 ROMs. The following 4.2 ROMs will install and boot:

Evervolv nightly 05-15-2013

The following 4.2 ROMs get stuck in a fairly serious bootloop (logcat shows at least surfaceflinger, mediaserver, and zygote segfaulting). I have tried different kernels.

CM 10.1 unofficial nightly 06-02-2013

Schzoid 2.0 nightly 04-23-2013

Other 4.2 ROMs are untested.

4.1

The following Android 4.1 ROMs have been tested and work:

JCSullins' CM 10 preview, 12-16-2012

Schzoid 1.2, 03-06-2013

4.0

The following Android 4.0 ROMs have been tested and work: CM 9 nightly, 01-06-2013

2.3

The following Android 2.3 ROMs have been tested: CM 7 Alpha 3.5

Issue: When the screen is woken up in CM7, nothing shows up on the display. The backlight does turn on.

2.2

The following Android 2.2 ROMs have been tested and work: my Froyo kang, version 0.4 and 0.3 (0.4 is on google drive on top of 0.3)

Native Linux

Ubuntu

The following Ubuntu releases have been tested and work: Ubuntu 13.04 final, Ubuntu 12.10 final.

Others are welcome to be tested, but I will probably not take issue with anything before 12.10 beta not working.

Arch Linux

Arch Linux boots, and seems to work. Wi-Fi has not been tested.

Slackware

Slackware boots and seems to work. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth have not been tested.

Debian/Bodhi

I am unable to locate any tar.gz archives to test for this distribution, nor a kernel of any sort. If anyone wishes to step up and send one to me or even host it, I would be grateful and also I'd probably get it booting within a day.

Fedora

These haven't yet been tested. They are theorerically installable with the new "tar.gz to custom LV" feature, but I would need to find a way to free more space on my TP to install them (my media partition is currently about 10 GB, 6 GB used for music, and 2.5 GB used for testing files.