Latest XU4 Kernel seems to break install

Troubleshooting
1

Latest XU4 kernel “27072017” 3.10.105+ came through apt update today, gave me a warning about not loading some modules and would reassemble the list on reboot. Did a reboot and get the panic blinking light of doom, no SSH connection.

Flashed a new MMC card, started a plain install and managed to get to the dietpi installer, ran the installer after the first dietpi-update and behold the blinking death light and no SSH connection again.

Preparing to unpack .../linux-image-3.10.105+_3.10.105-20170727-XU3_armhf.deb ..                                                              .
The directory /lib/modules/3.10.105+ still exists. Continuing as directed.
Examining /etc/kernel/preinst.d/
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/preinst.d/remove-old-on-upgrade 3.10.105+ /boot/vmlinuz-3.10.105+
Done.
Unpacking linux-image-3.10.105+ (3.10.105-20170727-XU3) over (3.10.105-20170611-XU3) ...
Examining /etc/kernel/postrm.d .
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postrm.d/initramfs-tools 3.10.105+ /boot/vmlinuz-3.10.105+
Preparing to unpack .../debian-archive-keyring_2017.5~deb8u1_all.deb ...
Unpacking debian-archive-keyring (2017.5~deb8u1) over (2014.3) ...
Setting up debian-archive-keyring (2017.5~deb8u1) ...
Removing obsolete conffile /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/debian-archive-squeeze-automatic.gpg ...
Removing obsolete conffile /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/debian-archive-squeeze-stable.gpg ...
(Reading database ... 14629 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../multiarch-support_2.19-18+deb8u10_armhf.deb ...
Unpacking multiarch-support (2.19-18+deb8u10) over (2.19-18+deb8u9) ...
Setting up multiarch-support (2.19-18+deb8u10) ...
(Reading database ... 14629 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../locales_2.19-18+deb8u10_all.deb ...
Unpacking locales (2.19-18+deb8u10) over (2.19-18+deb8u9) ...
Setting up debconf-utils (1.5.56+deb8u1) ...
Setting up libgnutls-deb0-28:armhf (3.3.8-6+deb8u7) ...
Setting up libgnutls-openssl27:armhf (3.3.8-6+deb8u7) ...
Setting up libisc-export95 (1:9.9.5.dfsg-9+deb8u13) ...
Setting up libdns-export100 (1:9.9.5.dfsg-9+deb8u13) ...
Setting up libexpat1:armhf (2.1.0-6+deb8u4) ...
Setting up libffi6:armhf (3.1-2+deb8u1) ...
Setting up libisccfg-export90 (1:9.9.5.dfsg-9+deb8u13) ...
Setting up libirs-export91 (1:9.9.5.dfsg-9+deb8u13) ...
Setting up uboot (20170522-5+deb8u2) ...
30+0 records in
30+0 records out
15360 bytes (15 kB) copied, 0.0642831 s, 239 kB/s
28+1 records in
28+1 records out
14592 bytes (15 kB) copied, 0.0294374 s, 496 kB/s
541+1 records in
541+1 records out
277500 bytes (278 kB) copied, 1.10235 s, 252 kB/s
512+0 records in
512+0 records out
262144 bytes (262 kB) copied, 0.814054 s, 322 kB/s
32+0 records in
32+0 records out
16384 bytes (16 kB) copied, 0.0575653 s, 285 kB/s
Setting up linux-image-3.10.105+ (3.10.105-20170727-XU3) ...

 Hmm. There is a symbolic link /lib/modules/3.10.105+/build
 However, I can not read it: No such file or directory
 Therefore, I am deleting /lib/modules/3.10.105+/build


 Hmm. The package shipped with a symbolic link /lib/modules/3.10.105+/source
 However, I can not read the target: No such file or directory
 Therefore, I am deleting /lib/modules/3.10.105+/source

Running depmod.
Examining /etc/kernel/postinst.d.
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/apt-auto-removal 3.10.105+ /boot/vmlinuz-3.10.105+
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/copy_dtb 3.10.105+ /boot/vmlinuz-3.10.105+
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools 3.10.105+ /boot/vmlinuz-3.10.105+
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-3.10.105+
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/uInitrd 3.10.105+ /boot/vmlinuz-3.10.105+
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/zImage 3.10.105+ /boot/vmlinuz-3.10.105+

I will shortly be trying a reinstall but marking the DietPi version of the kernel for holding with apt to see if that makes a difference.

2

Withholding the package with apt appears to have let it the install continue functioning and reboot successfully. Evidently it doesn’t like something the update is or isn’t doing just can’t be sure what.

3

how can i set the package on hold ?

4

Could you please give us more details on how you did this? I have a ‘dead’ XU4 too. :cry: :cry:

Edit: I figured it out myself.

apt-mark hold linux-image-3.10.105+

Use this command to withhold the broken kernel until it gets fixed.

5

Good to see that you figured it out and that I’m not the only one that had a broken install! It seems to be some issue with the modules/symlinks detected as it begins the upgrade, not sure if it’s a DietPi specific problem?

6

mount sd/mmc
edit boot.ini
change: exynos5422-odroidxu4.dtb to: exynos5422-odroidxu3.dtb
profit.

7

I’ll check this out, not really sure why this isn’t done as part of the upgrade though, seems a bit counter-intuitive for users coming from say a Pi3 where kernels just upgrade without any problems :wink:

EDIT:
This workaround seems to work, since mnc so helpfully told us the filepath to boot.ini I will repeat it here for good measure. :sunglasses:
Changed the instances of exynoss5422-odroidxu4.dtb to exynos5422-odroidxu3.dtb in both

/boot/boot.ini

and

/DietPi/boot.ini

as I wasn’t sure whether one, the other or both were needing the edit. Both had the same line, so I changed it in both and seemed to work.

8

If you end up here you probably already “bricked” your setup, so if you’ll mount the sd/mmc on another device there is only the boot partition you will see, hence this is the filelocation.

9

Glad, that this simple edit solved the boot issue - had the same issue.

10

Or, alternatively, I already bricked the install and wiped the MMC card and reflashed it, put the package on hold and reported the issue :wink:

11

Odroid-XU4
Thanks for all your tips, but I still cannot get DietPi to run.
I tried a while back and it did, sort of, but with some major problems, so I left it for a day when I had some spare time.
I downloaded a new image today, and using Etcher, flashed a 32GB SD card, which I’ve done 5 times today. Each time when I get to update and upgrade, it tries to reboot, but fails. There is no blue light! (I think that means that it cannot boot from the SD card)
I’ve checked the equusgrevyi suggestion that boot.ini has exynos5422-odroidxu3.dtb, which it does. Not xu4.
I’ve tried the trikster suggestion of apt-mark hold linux-image-3.10.105+ before the update/upgrade step, but to no avail.
I’ve also tried a total of 3 SD cards, also to no avail, just loading one desktop only as the only software. LXDE on one and MATE on another SD card to minimise the problems.
My conclusion is that this current DietPi image cannot be used on the XU4. (DietPi_v154_OdroidXU4-armv7-(Jessie))
Oh well, back to Ubuntu Mate 16.04 and Android 7. They work with only very minor niggles.

12

There are a Problem with the last Update…use “apt-mark hold uboot” before update to so solve the Problems.

https://github.com/Fourdee/DietPi/issues/1105#issuecomment-321542109

13

Thanks Lanxon, that worked. I’m up and running, sort of :wink: