I'd like to share some of my own scripts for Aarch64 now that there is a release candidate for 15.0.

There aren't any distribution files for Aarch64 but here is an sd image that boots the Raspberry Pi 4:
http://slackware.uk/slackwarearm/peo...64-rpi/images/

It should boot into the installer and is strictly for testing on the Raspberry Pi 4 model(s).

Any and all suggestions welcome!

Thanks.

NOTE: I failed to mention that to boot you need to run a few commands in U-boot to start it up:

Would you like to tinker/test with a Slackware AArch64 current installer? Same as the last one I sent you but this uses kernel 5.14.4 and is Raspberry Pi 4 specific.

The image i posted already has a 5.14.7 kernel, built from the sources published by Stuart. I can take a look at yours. Maybe I can glean something about the Pi 3s that will help, and mark those off the list.

I decided to do some playing around with your test images. I'm getting an error after running the above commands when booting 'rpi_arm64-sdimg_5.14.7_1.img' and 'rpi_arm64.sdimg_latest.img' disk images. Using a RPi4 [4GB] and there's nothing plugging in to it apart from an Ethernet cable, HDMI cable on port 1, and a USB2 keyboard. The U-boot output is...

This repeats quite a few times until i'm eventually back at the 'U-boot>' prompt.

It's been many years since I did anything with u-boot (2014-2015) and, most poignantly, I consider myself to be somewhat of a u-boot noob. So bear that in mind. A step-by-step, end-to-end, set of instructions would certainly be welcomed by me in order to facilitate success.

I do remember there was a uEnv.txt file that was used in order to preset environment variables/values before running 'bootcmd' which eliminated the need to enter manual commands beforehand. Is that still an option? If so, it might be prudent to implement such a feature IMHO.

Please advise and thanks for your time in advance.

There is a new image up with a 5.14.9 kernel and the most recent Slackware arm installer baked in (from Stuart). Ignore the rk3399 image / uboot for now, they are not current. The latest image should just be a symlink to the actual image:

rpi_arm64-sdimg_5.14.9_1.img.xz

Keep in mind, this is just the installer. I have only tested it with aarch64.

You can find out what your sdcard is recognized as with:

If you want to list the contents of the second partition on your SD card (mmc):

I am most interested in whether your sd card is recognized the same way as mine. If not, then there is some uboot scripting ahead for myself. The second partition is where all of the Slackware aarch64 kernel stuff is located.

You should only have to point "distro_bootpart" to the second partition like so, and run bootcmd var.

There isn't any reason to mess with a UEnv.txt, as it's not necessary for our purposes. You can, however, run "saveenv" in uboot and it should save the distro_bootpart variable so it will "Just Work" each reboot/reset.

Let me know how it goes! Everything is kind of hacked together and needs testing. Your input is very welcome.

Saving the setenv variables so it "just works" for user testing purposes is much preferred. For development purposes it's not preferrable, for obvious reasons.

So, using the commands above as instructed, when booting the 'rpi_arm64-sdimg_5.14.9_1.img' disk image it loads the kernel, finds the initrd OK, then gets so far into the boot process before it hangs indefinitely with a constantly flashing green LED on the RPi4 [4GB]. Although, there doesn't seem to be any errors flagging up and certainly no kernel panic.

Screenshot...

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Are you plugged into HDMI and Serial? The Slackware arm installer assumes you are running it over serial. The reason your HDMI attached screen stops output is because it's being sent to the serial console.

Try (with serial cable attached):
Also, what does this output on your computer when you are attached to serial cable?
It should list /dev/ttyUSB0 as active when the rpi is attached to the PC. Even if the Rpi is powered off.

An alternative to the serial adapter is to connect by SSH, like a head less install.

Here is the Rpi GPIO pinout: https://pinout.xyz/

You want to attach the Ground to the black pin, it doesn't matter which one. The TX line on the adaptor to the UART RX and the same goes with the RX line -> UART TX Gpio pin.

So, I'm finding that there is much, much more to know and do than just typing in 'setenv distro_bootpart 2' and 'run bootcmd' in order to boot successfully. Thank you for the suggestions and advice on IRC but as you know, I'm now sat at the rainbow screen and the bootloader is going no further. Learning only when we spoke that this was only intended as a test image "for developers only", I wasn't aware of this as it's intended purpose before you'd apprised me (as it was never made clear). I thought it was a test to boot into the Slackware AArch64 installer on a Raspberry Pi 4, as you stated in your original post. I also assumed it would work on my own RPi device as it purportedly did on your own. However, it seems that you're now stuck at the rainbow screen the same as I am. So, in order not to waste any more of my time on trying to test it for you, or even get it to load successfully, I will wait until you've sorted out whatever issues/elements need addressing and perhaps come back to it at a later date. For now, not knowing much about u-boot is putting me at a distinct disadvantage towards being successful. Not through the lack, or want, of trying.

The next u-boot configuration (no time to do so this weekend) will make editing u-boot variables unnecessary.

This is incorrect. Rewrite your SD image, edit the config.txt, boot it up on HDMI, then hold CTRL + ALT + F2 and you will get a shell after hitting enter in tty2. No serial connecting is necessary, BUT it is the default/preferred method of installation.

The config.txt should look like so:
I appreciate your effort to provide suggestions, but comments like these are unnecessary. If something is broken, report it, and maybe with a solution?

I'm not entirely understanding which of my comments are unnecessary, or why they are viewed as such. Perhaps you might offer some clarity by elaborating on your reasoning a little more in order to address any underlying perceptions that I am not aware of. If only to avoid any future disquietude.

Your disk images weres not working for me, but I cannot say if anything was broken. I reported it when I made you aware of my issue(s) here on LQ and asked for your advice. I've informed you that I was somewhat of a u-boot noob and that was my attempt at letting you know that I do not have the knowledge or experience to offer any kind of solution(s). Subsequently, you told me on IRC that a UART serial cable was needed for the Slackware installer to load successfully because that's how Stuart was doing it. This revelation was not documented or discussed at any point before then. My only whinge is not to have been made aware of this initially, as it may have saved me some considerable time on Google while scratching my head.

My only suggestion is/was that more complete information and/or instructions are provided in order to successfully test any "development" software, in order to save time and effort on behalf of those concerned. I do not think that is too much to hope for, or that it's an unfair request.

New image up. It is just the installer. It should not need anything in u-boot to be edited or have any commands to run.

https://slackware.uk/slackwarearm/pe...64-rpi/images/

Test the following:

If on HDMI, use the tty2 console (CTRL + ALT + F2) after boot to partition and launch the installer.

The second partition has been marked active, so the default u-boot will boot it first when searching for partitions in scripts. This should not be an issue for rk3399 stuff, for those who are testing on rockpro64 or pinebook pros.

It should load extlinux.conf and then the kernel bits on partition 2 once u-boot is finished with its thing.

On the Raspberry Pi 4 using HDMI, using this Slackware AArch64 installer disk image, these instructions are successful.

After fulfilling the keyboard map requirement I found myself at the command prompt. So, as a proof of concept test, this installer disk image works on the Raspberry Pi 4 up to that point.