EasyOS version 1.0.4 for Rock64

Lots of "messing around", and plenty still to do. However, now have something quite usable.

Download from here:

http://distro.ibiblio.org/easyos/aarch64/releases/pyro/1.0.4/

The kernel source is drawn from Ayufan's repository, and I have applied the aufs patch and modified the .config. Available here:

http://distro.ibiblio.org/easyos/source/kernel/4.4.154-rock64

There are some things that you need to know, and manually fix:

1. The temperature applet in the tray does not work, but there is a fix. Edit /usr/bin/pmcputemp.sh and change this line:
   if [ "${arch:0:3}" != "arm" ];then
   to this:
   if [ "${arch:0:3}" != "arm" -a "${arch:0:7}" != "aarch64" ];then
   ...next time desktop starts, it should be working.
2. Sound works, however, the volume control in the tray, and the mixer, do not. Volume is stuck at "loud", do not know how to adjust it. I only tested using the audio socket.
   
3. No Internet in containers. At least, testing with ethernet. This seems to be limitation in the ethernet driver/interface. There is a fix, go to the menu "Filesystem -> Easy Container Management" and you will see a button labelled "Edit configuration file". For each container, modify the configuration with this:
   EC_NS_UNSHARE_NETWORK='false' 
   

At first bootup, the QuickSetup window will display. As usual, select locale, timezone and keyboard layout. Also tick the checkboxes for "Firewall enabled", "Time from Internet" and "Recompress easy.sfs". It is particularly important to sync date/time from Internet, as the Rock64 does not have a battery-powered RTC.

EasyOS for the Rock64 is built with 'initrd' inside the kernel. Note, the kernel is named 'Image', not 'vmlinuz'. The 'BOOT_SPECS' file is now outside of initrd, and is named 'BOOT_SPECS-gen1' -- the "-gen1" postfix is there so that when the initrd searches for it, it won't find some other 'BOOT_SPECS' file.

Building the initrd into the kernel is just an experiment, and I probably won't stay with it. It did simplify u-boot booting, but u-boot can work with a separate initrd.

The current scenario with initrd inside the kernel, does complicate rollback and roll-forward mechanism, another reason that I probably won't stay with it.

SeaMonkey plays 480p videos at youtube.com, but struggles with 720p -- and I succeeded in hanging it, or rather, SM was probably just taking a very long time to respond. 

Tags: easy