[mythtv-users] Rethinking Xbox-Myth

[Dennis Cartier]

Duane Ellis wrote:
> 
> I think it is on a par with your steps (6 of one, half-dozen of the
> other). Can you detail more the process you go through to:
> 
> a) build this distribution and the associated tar files....

I have a version of Ed's 0.4.1 that I have updated with Myth's 
dependencies that acts as my build host. I have stripped out much of the 
unneeded packages.

This acts as a master that I keep static for each release (0.1, 0.2, 
0.3, etc). I take the result filesystem image and extract the myth 
portions for separate packaging. The leftover Linux portion gets 
packaged as the base filesystem.

I have also modified the initrd to add more mounting options 
(compressed, fatx_e, fatx_f, cdrom, etc.).

> 
> b) the complete install procedure - assuming you start with the mech
>    installer. Your existing setup assumes you know quite a bit of xbox
>    how-to already.

Yep, the docs suck. They also pre-dated the mech installer quite a bit. 
My version will work fine with the installer (or so I am told) but you 
have to know when to dump the files into the root of the E: partition. I 
don't use the installer myself, but many others do.

> 
> Certianly once an NFS ROOT solution is in place, enduser/newbie
> xbox-myth updating is a very simple process - basically - unpack the
> new distribution file(s) into a specific directory. Then perhaps use a
> symbolic or hard link to specify the "current" version to use.
> 
> Kernel updates - might be a bit tougher but I think there is less
> activity there, as they have to be dropped on the xbox by other means.
> However, that is a single file that needs to updated.

Off the top of my head, I would say writing a custom initrd that is 
driven of the fatx  E: and allows parameter passing in linuxboot.cfg is 
the way to go. That way your kernel is standard and does not have to be 
custom compiled for NFS ROOT. You just have to configure the network and 
mount the NFS root before doing a pivot_root. Not sure how easy it is to 
bring up networking this way though ... maybe forcing DHCP usage would 
save some ulcers.

> 
> richie: >> Incidentally, regarding ftp'ing to the box - when should
> 	   this be done?  Are you supposed to boot into emergency
> 	   linux after the mechinstaller has done its trick, and just
> 	   slap the files onto the /mnt/E drive?
> 
> Thats the part that has me confused too. The install procedure assumes
> you know quite a bit about how to install xbox linux 'from scratch'
> vrs an automated installer.

As mentioned, there were no automated installers at this time.

> 
> In my case, I need to tweak a number of these files to match my
> environment.... I think others do to. Hence, my 6-of-one view point.
> 
> dennis> Having said that, I would welcome more involvement from other
> 	people in the xbox frontend specific version.
> 
> Yes, I want to help do this - if not do this version my self.
> 

Great! If you want to email me we can discuss some of the idea's I have 
been mulling over for 0.4, after Myth 0.14 is released.

Quick synopsis:
- possibly direcfb based.
- install a barebones Debian and only install required packages (from 
Xebian) rather than using a too heavy Xebian default install.
- maybe even forgo Debian all together.

Dennis