Allow linux installation from windoze.

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Most final users do not have linux installed. We need a way to install
linux entirely from windoze.

At the moment the kernel can be booted using USB_Boot.exe from Ingenic.
However, linux is still needed to prepare the ext2/ext3 root filesystem.

Possible solutions:

1- Use an ext2/ext3 image file on a miniSD FAT partition. A minimal
initramfs would mount read/write the FAT partition, setup a loop device
bound to the ext2/ext3 image file, and mount root on the loop device.

Pros: relatively easy to implement.
Cons: we lose the safety of the ext3 journaling, since it sits on top of a
FAT mount.

2- Use a cramfs image file on a miniSD FAT partition, mounted just like the
ext2/ext3 case but read-only. Use unionfs or mini_fo (prefered,
lightweight) to merge a read/write FAT filesystem and thus allow to add
files. Question: does unionfs/mini_fo allow merging FAT filesystems?.

Pros: relatively easy to implement, the base rootfs cannot be killed since
it is mounted read-only.
Cons: though files can be added in the merged read/write partition, no
symbolic links can be made, which might be needed for example when adding
libraries.

3- Autoinstall: require a two partition miniSD, provide a zImage with an
embedded initramfs that when first booted would change the second partition
type to "linux", format it as ext3 and decompress the rootfs.

Pros: elegant, ends up with a true ext2/ext3 root filesystem.
Cons: linux not entirely stored in the ext2/ext3, still need to leave
zImage in the FAT partition since u-boot does not speak ext2/ext3 yet.

Original issue reported on code.google.com by igga...@gmail.com on 29 May 2009 at 12:41

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Original comment by igga...@gmail.com on 14 Jun 2009 at 3:16

• Added labels: Priority-High, Type-Enhancement
• Removed labels: Priority-Medium, Type-Defect

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Original comment by igga...@gmail.com on 21 Jul 2009 at 7:48

• Changed state: Done
• Added labels: ****
• Removed labels: ****