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PPP multi-distro-image: additional info on rk2aw and u-boot
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x1y authored Mar 1, 2024
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This article explains how to install a multiple linux distribution enviroment on your PinePhone Pro that is bootable from microSD card.
This article explains how to install a multiple linux distribution enviroment on your PinePhone Pro that is bootable from a microSD card.

== Pre-requisite: rk2aw on SPI flash
== Install rk2aw

Make sure your phone has link:/documentation/PinePhone_Pro/Software/Bootloaders/#rk2aw[rk2aw bootloader] on SPI flash. For older PinePhone Pro editions you can install it on your own, using terminal CLI from the device's stock sofware or throught a SSH connection from a Linux machine via USB cable or Wi-Fi.
Make sure your phone has the link:/documentation/PinePhone_Pro/Software/Bootloaders/#rk2aw[rk2aw pre-loader] installed to SPI flash. PinePhone Pro models ordered after November 2023 are shipped with rk2aw pre-installed. Otherwise, follow the instructions in this section to install it.

Please note that this pre-loader and the userspace utility to flash it are free, but not open-source. rk2aw is licensed under MIT license and Copyright 2023 Ondřej Jirman <megi@xff.cz>
TIP: The multi-boot image _can_ function without rk2aw, but you may need to hold down the **RE** button during boot.

Open a terminal window on you PinePhone Pro and make sure phone’s ssh server is up and running.
Please note that rk2aw and the userspace utility to flash it are free, but not open-source. They are supplied to the end user in binary form under the MIT license.

Open the terminal application on your PinePhone Pro's stock operating system and make sure the phone’s SSH server is up and running.

sudo apt install ssh
sudo systemctl enable --now sshd
ip address # phone's ip address
whoami # user name

Open terminal window on your linux machine
Open a terminal window on your Linux machine.

ssh USER@PHONEIP # start ssh connection
mkdir -p ~/rk2aw
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=== Install U-Boot to the microSD card

Download the following U-Boot build. The source code can be found https://xff.cz/git/u-boot/tree/?h=ppp-2023.07[here].

cd ~/rk2aw
curl -O https://xff.cz/kernels/bootloaders-2024.04/ppp.tar.gz
tar -xzf ppp.tar.gz

NOTE: This is the same `ppp.tar.gz` from the <<install_rk2aw>> section; if you already have a copy of it on your Linux machine then you don't have to download it again.

NOTE: If you are interested in building this U-Boot image yourself, you will need to copy the `ppp/foss/.config` file from the archive above to the root of your U-Boot source directory.

Write the U-Boot image to the microSD card.

sudo dd if=ppp/foss/u-boot-rockchip.bin of=/dev/[DEVICE] bs=512 seek=64
sudo sync


=== Building partition for each linux distribution

Download, decompress and mount the distribution image on your linux machine. Copy root filesystem and boot to needed partition. Replace/create `/boot/extlinux/extlinux.conf` and `/etc/fstab` files. Make sure you use an updated image from link:/documentation/PinePhone_Pro/Software/Releases[relases download link] for each distribution. This guide has been tested with following images:
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