NanoPI NEO PLUS2 - eflasher with custom image

[kennybertone]

Hi all,

I am using this nanopi for different projects without big issues, but since I am going to need to install many boards with the same functionalities, I would like to create an already configured version of the friendly-elec (Ubuntu 16.04.3) to avoid having all the time to first flash it to emmc and then install all the needed software...

Is there a way to modify the classic eflasher image so that I can put another image within it other than the 2 standard FriendlyCore-Xenial and nas?

My idea is to:
1) Flash to emmc a standard FriendlyCore-Xenial
2) Configure it with all the SW running and test it
3) Create an image based on the configured version
4) Include somehow the new image in the eflasher to have the option to flash it
5) Flash it in many boards reducing deployment time

I have been looking around and I either found very difficult documents or nothing very clear.


Thanks

[igorp]

Hi all,

I am using this nanopi for different projects without big issues, but since I am going to need to install many boards with the same functionalities, I would like to create an already configured version of the friendly-elec (Ubuntu 16.04.3) to avoid having all the time to first flash it to emmc and then install all the needed software...

Is there a way to modify the classic eflasher image so that I can put another image within it other than the 2 standard FriendlyCore-Xenial and nas?

My idea is to:
1) Flash to emmc a standard FriendlyCore-Xenial
2) Configure it with all the SW running and test it
3) Create an image based on the configured version
4) Include somehow the new image in the eflasher to have the option to flash it
5) Flash it in many boards reducing deployment time

I have been looking around and I either found very difficult documents or nothing very clear.


Thanks

This way you create a custom image:
https://docs.armbian.com/Developer-Guid ... gurations/
A kernel is in better shape (for H5 chips is not fully stable yet - it does not exist yet) and userspace far more polished and optimized.

and flash your boards with this eMMC flasher:
https://github.com/zador-blood-stained/fel-mass-storage

You can find support for the build tools here:
https://forum.armbian.com/forum/12-armb ... framework/

[kennybertone]

Hi all,

I am using this nanopi for different projects without big issues, but since I am going to need to install many boards with the same functionalities, I would like to create an already configured version of the friendly-elec (Ubuntu 16.04.3) to avoid having all the time to first flash it to emmc and then install all the needed software...

Is there a way to modify the classic eflasher image so that I can put another image within it other than the 2 standard FriendlyCore-Xenial and nas?

My idea is to:
1) Flash to emmc a standard FriendlyCore-Xenial
2) Configure it with all the SW running and test it
3) Create an image based on the configured version
4) Include somehow the new image in the eflasher to have the option to flash it
5) Flash it in many boards reducing deployment time

I have been looking around and I either found very difficult documents or nothing very clear.


Thanks

This way you create a custom image:
https://docs.armbian.com/Developer-Guid ... gurations/
A kernel is in better shape (for H5 chips is not fully stable yet - it does not exist yet) and userspace far more polished and optimized.

and flash your boards with this eMMC flasher:
https://github.com/zador-blood-stained/fel-mass-storage

You can find support for the build tools here:
https://forum.armbian.com/forum/12-armb ... framework/

Thanks for the infos. I will try to dig in and understand how to do it.

Nevertheless, if I would like to stick with FriendlyCore instead of armbian, is there some magical way to copy one already configured nanopi (configured in the emmc) to other ones?
Something like, using "dd" to copy the whole emmc content to an image and then again "dd" to copy it back to another nanopi emmc?

[igorp]

Hi all,

I am using this nanopi for different projects without big issues, but since I am going to need to install many boards with the same functionalities, I would like to create an already configured version of the friendly-elec (Ubuntu 16.04.3) to avoid having all the time to first flash it to emmc and then install all the needed software...

Is there a way to modify the classic eflasher image so that I can put another image within it other than the 2 standard FriendlyCore-Xenial and nas?

My idea is to:
1) Flash to emmc a standard FriendlyCore-Xenial
2) Configure it with all the SW running and test it
3) Create an image based on the configured version
4) Include somehow the new image in the eflasher to have the option to flash it
5) Flash it in many boards reducing deployment time

I have been looking around and I either found very difficult documents or nothing very clear.


Thanks

This way you create a custom image:
https://docs.armbian.com/Developer-Guid ... gurations/
A kernel is in better shape (for H5 chips is not fully stable yet - it does not exist yet) and userspace far more polished and optimized.

and flash your boards with this eMMC flasher:
https://github.com/zador-blood-stained/fel-mass-storage

You can find support for the build tools here:
https://forum.armbian.com/forum/12-armb ... framework/

Thanks for the infos. I will try to dig in and understand how to do it.

Nevertheless, if I would like to stick with FriendlyCore instead of armbian, is there some magical way to copy one already configured nanopi (configured in the emmc) to other ones?
Something like, using "dd" to copy the whole emmc content to an image and then again "dd" to copy it back to another nanopi emmc?

This is probably the best way since your end result is clean and reproducible, but ofc there are other ways. eMMC is just another SD card and DD will work. Just make sure to read(compare) what you wrote.