aarch64 MoodleBox booting from USB - Pi4

geev03

In the light of this https://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=63&t=274595 , will it not be useful to get MoodleBox boot up from a USB drive?

` apt update && apt upgrade -y

The following is after a rebooting ,after inserting arm_64bit=1 in the '/boot/config.txt` ,,

root@moodlebox OS: Raspbian 10 buster Kernel: aarch64 Linux 4.19.97-v8+ Uptime: 1h 18m Packages: 613 Shell: 3355 CPU: BCM2835 @ 4x 1.5GHz GPU: DRM RAM: 209MiB / 3857MiB root@moodlebox:~#
The dashboard info is
MoodleBox information Parameter Information Wi-Fi settings Wi-Fi network name MoodleBox Wi-Fi SSID visibility Visible Wi-Fi channel 11 Wi-Fi regulatory country CH Wi-Fi password moodlebox DHCP clients (number of clients: 1) Client IP address and name 10.0.0.214 (Galaxy-Tab-A) Cabled network interface Interface name eth0 IP address 192.168.1.171 Default gateway 192.168.1.254 System information Raspberry Pi model Raspberry Pi 4B (4 GB RAM) Free space on SD card 25.5GB (87.6%) CPU load 0.02, 0.01, 0 CPU temperature 42.842 °C CPU frequency 1500 MHz System uptime 1 hour 40 mins Software versions Raspbian version Raspbian GNU/Linux 10 (buster) Kernel version Linux 4.19.97-v8+ aarch64 MoodleBox version 3.6.0 (2020-02-12) MoodleBox plugin version 2.5.0 (2020020800) Moodle version 3.8.1+ (Build: 20200207)

Nicolas

AFAIK, 64bit architecture and USB boot are two independent things.

I myself cannot see any benefit to boot a MoodleBox via USB mass storage. What do you think about it? Can you describe some use cases? (Excluding the fact that you need an external drive, since this is already possible.)

Note that 64bit kernel is different as 64bit userland, which is not available (yet) in Raspbian. So you'll still be stuck with 32bit version of PHP.

geev03

I thought it will be useful in our OER - https://oer.marthomacentre.org.uk/ -- project to have MoodleBoix with RACHEL etc on a USB SSD / USB flash disk .It can then easily copied and distributed to users for use at home .

I have it now running from USB --
Software versions Raspbian version Raspbian GNU/Linux 10 (buster) Kernel version Linux 5.4.42-v8+ aarch64 MoodleBox version 3.6.0 (2020-02-12) MoodleBox plugin version 2.5.0 (2020020800) Moodle version 3.8.1+ (Build: 20200207)
An existing MoodleBox can be upgraded, by those who wish to do so, in a few steps.
As rpi-update is missing, the first step is, sudo apt install rpi-update.
The rest of the steps are there in the (above) Raspberry Pi Forum post /discussion.

moodlebox@moodlebox:~ $ neofetch bash: warning: setlocale: LC_ALL: cannot change locale (en_GB).::///+:/-. --///+//-:moodlebox@moodlebox `+oooooooooooo: `+oooooooooooo: ------------------- /oooo++//ooooo: ooooo+//+ooooo. OS: Raspbian GNU/Linux 10 (buster) aarch6 `+ooooooo:-:oo- +o+::/ooooooo: Host: Raspberry Pi 4 Model B Rev 1.1 `:oooooooo+ .oooooooo+- Kernel: 5.4.42-v8+:++ooo/. :+ooo+/.Uptime: 22 mins ... .----. .. Packages: 614 (dpkg) .::::-:::::::::.-:::- Shell: bash 5.0.3
-:::-.:::::::- -:::- Terminal: /dev/pts/0::. .--. `.---..::CPU: (4) @ 1.500GHz .:::::::: -:::::::: Memory: 165MiB / 3797MiB
.::.:::::::::-::::::::::::. -:::` ::::::::::. ::::::::::.`:::- :::: -::::::::. `-:::::::: :::: -::- .-:::-......-::-. -::- .. .::::::::. ....
-:::--:::::::::: .:::::::::::: -:::::::::::::::::. .::::::: -::::::::. ::::::::-:::::..--. ::::::.
... ...--.. ...
.::::::::::
.-::::-

moodlebox@moodlebox:~ $
`

Nicolas

geev03 An existing MoodleBox can be upgraded, by those who wish to do so, in a few steps.
As rpi-update is missing, the first step is, sudo apt install rpi-update.
The rest of the steps are there in the (above) Raspberry Pi Forum post /discussion.

If you can write some simple and straight-forward (and self-contained) instructions on how to update an existing MoodleBox to boot on USB, i'll be glad to publish it on the MoodleBox website.

geev03

Nicolas

MoodleBox -updates for USB booting.

MoodleBox need the following updates/upgrades before the system can boot directly froma USB device.

#rpi-update is missing but it is required for updates
sudo apt install rpi-update

#update your RPI
sudo apt update -y
sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo rpi-update

#install the rpi-eeprom
sudo apt install rpi-eeprom
#Edit the rpi-eeprom and replace "critical" to "beta"
#FIRMWARE_RELEASE_STATUS="beta"
sudo nano /etc/default/rpi-eeprom-update

#Update/Install the beta eeprom
sudo rpi-eeprom-update -d -f /lib/firmware/raspberrypi/bootloader/beta/pieeprom-2020-05-15.bin

#Final checks
sudo reboot

#optional (useful to check kernel /hardware etc)
sudo apt install neofetch -y
neofetch

#shut down and booting from USB
sudo poweroff

#Place the sd card in a usb adapter and plung to one of the USB ports
#power on and check the result
#The SD card can be copied to a USB device ,e.g. USB SSD /flash disk with the SD Card Copier utility found on the Raspberry Pi Desktop.

Nicolas

geev03 Thank you! I'll test this (this will take some time, as I'm quite busy these days).

Ian

geev03 Hi. I tried to follow the steps as laid out above but I don't seem to be able to boot from the usb. Are all the steps typed correctly? Thanks

geev03

Ian

There is good news that the stable update was released a couple of days ago. There is no more need for any typing ( other than 'sudo apt install rpi-eeprom' ) . After the updates , rPi4 (4GB & 8GB) MoodleBox boots from USB

Ian

geev03 Thanks. So if it is 4gb and 8gb then I assume the 2gb won't work? any idea why?

geev03

Ian
Guess it should work on all versions of rPi4 with MoodleBox. I only tried the two types mentioned in my earlier reply as I don't have the rPi4 IGB & 2GB versions.