Bug#1092809: USB hard drive not found on Banana Pi BPI-M1

[Andreas Barth]

Package: installation-reports

Boot method: sdcard
Image version: trixie
http://ftp2.de.debian.org/debian/dists/trixie/main/installer-armhf/current/images/netboot/SD-card-images/firmware.BananaPi.img.gz
http://ftp2.de.debian.org/debian/dists/trixie/main/installer-armhf/current/images/netboot/SD-card-images/partition.img.gz
Date: 2024-12-27 (download date)

Machine: Banana Pi BPI-M1
Processor: armhf ARM Cortex-A7
Memory: 1 GB
Partitions: n/a

Base System Installation Checklist:
[O] = OK, [E] = Error (please elaborate below), [ ] = didn't try it

Initial boot: [O]
Detect network card: [O]
Configure network: [O]
Detect media: [O]
Load installer modules: [O]
Detect hard drives: [E]


Comments/Problems:

I connected an usb hard drive (with external power). That hard drive
was not found. Also e.g. an USB mouse was not powered within d-i.

After installation on an sdcard, the resulting debian system booted
fine and found the USB hard drive without any hassle. Also, the hard
drive seems to be found within u-boot.

This is not a regression in trixie, as this hit me first with the
stable installer, and then I tryed if that was fixed with the trixie
version.

If there is anything that would help finding out, please say so. I'm
also happy to try different things if useful (and I'm also available
on IRC).


Andi

[Pascal Hambourg]

Post by Andreas Barth
If there is anything that would help finding out, please say so. I'm
also happy to try different things if useful (and I'm also available
on IRC).

#debian-boot on OFTC is dedicated to the Debian installer.

Disclaimer: my experience with ARM is very limited, I have just played
with a board based on a similar Allwinner A20 SoC for a few hours.

First I would compare the installer logs in /var/log/installer/syslog
and the kernel log when the installed system boots, the list of loaded
modules shown by lsmod in the installer and the installed system after
the USB drive is connected.

[Diederik de Haas]

Post by Andreas Barth
Package: installation-reports
Boot method: sdcard
Image version: trixie
Date: 2024-12-27 (download date)
Machine: Banana Pi BPI-M1
Processor: armhf ARM Cortex-A7
[O] = OK, [E] = Error (please elaborate below), [ ] = didn't try it
Detect hard drives: [E]
I connected an usb hard drive (with external power). That hard drive
was not found. Also e.g. an USB mouse was not powered within d-i.
After installation on an sdcard, the resulting debian system booted
fine and found the USB hard drive without any hassle. Also, the hard
drive seems to be found within u-boot.
This is not a regression in trixie, as this hit me first with the
stable installer, and then I tryed if that was fixed with the trixie
version.

My guess would be that the appropriate module needs to be added to the
*kernel* configuration in debian/installer/modules/armhf-armmp/

Looking at ``arch/arm/boot/dts/allwinner/sun7i-a20-bananapi-m1-plus.dts``
shows ``arch/arm/boot/dts/allwinner/sun7i-a20.dtsi`` as being the most
relevant one and when I ran my (VERY crude*) script on it to detect
which kernel modules would be needed, then ``USB_MUSB_SUNXI`` is the one
that stands out for me in this case.
It would also need PHY modules, but I _think_ that ``PHY_SUN4I_USB``
should be included due to
``debian/installer/modules/usb-modules:21:drivers/phy/*/phy-*-usb* ?``

(and the phy driver is ``drivers/phy/allwinner/phy-sun4i-usb.c``)

It's unlikely I'd be able to give further assistence, but hopefully this
will (still) help.

Cheers,
Diederik

*) My script looks up the "compatible = XYZ" in the DeviceTree
Specification and tries to find the kernel module which is probably
needed for that piece (in this case USB) to work (by grepping the
upstream kernel source). Normally I'd use the (attached) output as a
*starting* point and check whether they indeed make sense and try to
find manually the ones my script didn't find. I do not care enough (and
don't have time for it), to do such an enhancement for the BPi-M1.