Build the Target images instead of squashfs vs ext4

For Developers
1

Ciao!

How are you?
If I install a firmware with ext4 target image, what will happen?

Thanks,
Patrik

2

You again forgot to specify, which device...

You need a file system that the bootloader (e.g. u-boot) of that device understands.

Most likely the device will not boot.

3

Ciao!

How are you?

The devices:
Linksys WRT 1900ACS and 3200ACM and D-Link DIR 860L B1.

Is it better with ext4 target images and is it install like that?
That would be awesome, because I always have to re-build the overlay.

I thought it would be just a settings, but it is only available with some devices. :frowning:

Thnaks,
Patrik

4

Based on:
https://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/linksys/wrt_ac_series
https://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/d-link/dir-860l

It shows it has u-boot.

So I just set it up with ext4 instead squashfs and then it's done?
The weird is that I cannot the device witch to I want to installl, like /dev/sda1 given I use swap as well at /dev/sda2 and /dev/sda3 is for backup and storage.

5

Or is it in make kernel_menuconfig ?
I need to specify the partition... :question:

6

@hnyman so if I have u-boot, can I put the firmware on the USB without overlay and ext-root?

7

No. I meant that you can only use such filesystems that the original equipment manufacturer has tailored the bootloader (e.g. u-boot) to understand. The bootloader expects the firmware to contain certain filesystem, and you can only use those. I have not looked into WRT3200ACM bootloader suorce code to see how Linksys has tailored it.

Are really installing so many packages to WRT3200ACM that you need extroot? Note that you can easily have the normal data files on normally mounted USB storage (without extroot). You only need extroot if you install so many packages that they do not fit into the primary flash.

And using swap sounds a bit peculiar.