4.26.1.1. QNAP TS-433 NAS

barebox has support for TS-433 and TS-433eU. Further variants likely need only the appropriate device tree compiled into barebox.

4.26.1.1.1. Building

The build process needs two binary files which have to be copied from the rkbin https://github.com/rockchip-linux/rkbin repository to the barebox source tree:

cp $RKBIN/bin/rk35/rk3568_bl31_v1.45.elf firmware/rk3568-bl31.bin
cp $RKBIN/bin/rk35/rk3568_ddr_1560MHz_v1.23.bin arch/arm/boards/qnap-tsx33/sdram-init.bin

With these barebox can be compiled as:

make ARCH=arm rockchip_v8_defconfig
make ARCH=arm

If cross-compiling, CROSS_COMPILE needs to be additionally set.

Alternatively, if you enable barebox to boot an OS image with UEFI, use:

make ARCH=arm rockchip_v8_efiloader_defconfig
make ARCH=arm

4.26.1.1.2. Flashing via USB

The front USB port can be used to bootstrap the device over the maskrom protocol:

  • start with a completely powered off machine

  • remove at least the two left harddisk trays

  • put a jumper on the 2-pin MaskROM header

  • power on

  • remove the jumper as it shorts the eMMC

  • connect your PC and the front USB jack using a USB-A to USB-A cable

Afterwards, you should see the device with lsusb and be able to load barebox into RAM and flash it to the eMMC using fastboot:

scripts/rk-usb-loader images/barebox-qnap-ts433.img # or *-eu.img
fastboot flash bbu-emmc barebox-qnap-ts433.img

4.26.1.1.3. Repartitioning and environment partition

If you are wiping the disk anyway to repartition it to fit the distro that’s going to be installed, it’s recommended to add a barebox environment partition for holding persistent bootloader configuration:

Warning

This will delete the vendor system on the eMMC!

fastboot erase emmc     # wipes full eMMC including barebox!
fastboot oem exec "createnv -f /dev/mmc0"
fastboot flash bbu-emmc barebox-qnap-ts433.img # or *-eu.img

4.26.1.1.4. Known issues

  • eMMC can’t be operated at HS200 under Linux, when it should be possible.

  • eMMC accesses times out occasionally under barebox. If an error message is reported during flashing, retry the operation.

  • second USB port doesn’t work in barebox

  • Having multiple images per variant could be avoided by having barebox read the EEPROM early enough to determine correct device tree

4.26.1.1.5. Booting Debian

Flash the Debian netinstall image to a USB stick and insert it into the (first) front USB and power on the device after having flashed barebox to the eMMC as per the previous section.

It should then boot into a GRUB menu and from there into the Debian installer.

When the installer asks you at the end about whether to also install GRUB to the removable media path, say yes.

After installation is done, remove the USB drive and the system will automatically boot from the Debian system installed to the eMMC.

Refer also to https://wiki.debian.org/InstallingDebianOn/Qnap/TS-433 for more information on how to install Debian.