Ben's notes

This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong.
=====PC Engines ALIX.2d13 - Debian 12, Bookworm=====
My 15 year old (2008) ALIX2D13, a 500MHz single x86 CPU, 256MB memory board, is still working! And Debian 12, is still supported! So let's install Debian 12 8-)

{{::img_1881.jpg?nolink&400|}}

====Documentation sources====
  * [[https://www.pcengines.ch/alix2d13.htm|Alix 2D13]]
  * [[https://www.pcengines.ch/pdf/alix2.pdf|Alix 2 manual]]

====Connect and configure BIOS====
  * First we need to get the board out of the case to unplug the CF card
  * Connect a serial console, power up and boot the board
  * Enter the BIOS settings, by pressing ''s''
  * Set the console baud rate to 115200
  * Exit and save the settings

====Prepare the CompactFlash card====
  * Unplug the CF card from the board, and connect it to your host machine.
  * Partition the CF card:<code>
# Make sure you've got the the right blockdevice here.
CFDRIVE=/dev/sd?

# Unmount partitions if they are automounted.
umount ${CFDRIVE}{1,2}

# Remove partition table
dd if=/dev/zero of=${CFDRIVE} bs=512 count=1 conv=notrunc

# Make a new partion table for /boot and the / root filesystem.
parted --script $CFDRIVE              \
    mklabel msdos                     \
    unit mib                          \
    mkpart primary ext4 1MiB 500MiB   \
    toggle 1 boot                     \
    mkpart primary ext4 500MiB 100%

# Create the filesystems
mkfs.ext4 -L boot ${CFDRIVE}1
mkfs.ext4 -L root ${CFDRIVE}2

# Mount the filesystems
mount ${CFDRIVE}2 /mnt
mkdir /mnt/boot
mount ${CFDRIVE}1 /mnt/boot</code>

====Install Debian Bookworm====
  * Install Debian Bookworm with debootstrap:<code>debootstrap --verbose --arch i386 bookworm /mnt http://ftp.nl.debian.org/debian</code>

====Enter the chroot====
  * Bind mount some special filesystems and enter the chroot:<code>
mount --bind /dev/pts /mnt/dev/pts
mount --bind /proc /mnt/proc
mount --bind /sys /mnt/sys
mount --bind /dev /mnt/dev

LANG=C linux32 chroot /mnt /bin/bash</code>

====Configure Debian Bookworm====

  * Still in the chroot:<code>

# Configure /etc/fstab
cat > /etc/fstab <<EOF
# file system    mount point   type    options                      dump pass
/dev/sda2         /             ext4    noatime,noatime,commit=120   0    1
/dev/sda1         /boot         ext4    ro,nosuid,nodev              0    2
EOF

# Configure apt
cat > /etc/apt/sources.list <<EOF
deb http://ftp.nl.debian.org/debian bookworm main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
#deb-src http://ftp.nl.debian.org/debian bookworm main contrib non-free non-free-firmware

deb http://ftp.nl.debian.org/debian bookworm-updates main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
#deb-src http://ftp.nl.debian.org/debian bookworm-updates main contrib non-free non-free-firmware

deb http://security.debian.org/ bookworm-security main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
#deb-src http://security.debian.org/ bookworm-security main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
EOF

# Update the packages
apt update
apt upgrade

# Install needed packages
apt install linux-image-686 grub-pc dnsutils ssh vim dialog locales htop tmux systemd-timesyncd systemd-resolved

# Install grub, change the blockdevice to your own
grub-install --boot-directory=/boot --modules=part_msdos /dev/sd?

# Modify GRUB settings (for serial console) in /etc/default/grub
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT=""
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="console=tty0 console=ttyS0,115200n8"
GRUB_TERMINAL=serial
GRUB_SERIAL_COMMAND="serial --speed=115200 --unit=0 --word=8 --parity=no --stop=1"

# Generate a new GRUB config
grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

# Add user and set passwords for user and root
useradd -d /home/user -m -s /bin/bash user
passwd user
passwd root

# Set hostname
echo alix2d13 > /etc/hostname
echo "127.0.0.1 alix2d13" >>/etc/hosts

# Configure the first network interface (as DHCP client)
cat > /etc/systemd/network/enp0s9.network <<EOF
[Match]
Name=enp0s9

[Network]
DHCP=ipv4
EOF

# Exit the chroot and unmount filesystems
exit
umount /mnt/sys
umount /mnt/dev
umount /mnt/dev/pts
umount /mnt/proc
umount /mnt/boot
umount /mnt
sync</code>

====Boot the alix2d13 board====
{{:img_1880.jpg?nolink&400|}}

  * Insert the CF card and power it up.
  * Log in as root and enable networking:<code>systemctl enable --now systemd-resolved systemd-networkd</code>
  * Set the timezone:<code>timedatectl set-timezone Europe/Amsterdam</code>
  * Configure locales<code>dpkg-reconfigure locales</code>
  * Enable time synchronization:<code>systemctl enable --now systemd-timesyncd</code>
====LED's====
The LED's are supported out of the box.

  * Install sysfsutils:<code>apt install sysfsutils</code>
  * Add to /etc/sysfs.conf:<code>
devices/platform/leds-gpio/leds/alix:1/brightness = 1
devices/platform/leds-gpio/leds/alix:2/trigger = disk-activity
devices/platform/leds-gpio/leds/alix:3/trigger = netdev
devices/platform/leds-gpio/leds/alix:3/rx = 1
devices/platform/leds-gpio/leds/alix:3/tx = 1
devices/platform/leds-gpio/leds/alix:3/device_name = enp0s9
</code>
  * Restart sysfsutils (or reboot) to test:<code>systemctl restart sysfsutils</code>

====nftables firewall====
  * Configure nftables (examples in /usr/share/doc/nftables/examples):<code>cat >/etc/nftables.conf <<EOF
#!/usr/sbin/nft -f

flush ruleset

table inet filter {
        chain input {
                type filter hook input priority 0;

                # accept any localhost traffic
                iif lo accept

                # accept traffic originated from us
                ct state established,related accept

                # activate the following line to accept common local services
                tcp dport 22 ct state new accept

                # ICMPv6 packets which must not be dropped, see https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc4890#section-4.4.1
                meta nfproto ipv6 icmpv6 type { destination-unreachable, packet-too-big, time-exceeded, parameter-problem, echo-reply, echo-request, nd-router-solicit, nd-router-advert, nd-neighbor-solicit, nd-neighbor-advert, 148, 149 } accept
                ip6 saddr fe80::/10 icmpv6 type { 130, 131, 132, 143, 151, 152, 153 } accept

                # count and drop any other traffic
                counter drop
        }
}
EOF
</code>
  * Enable nftables:<code>systemctl enable --now nftables</code>
  * Check loaded rules:<code>nft list ruleset</code>

{{tag>[hardware pcengines alix alix2d13 debian bookworm]}}