building linux kernel and modules

[jbevren]

No, not yet. At first I focus on keeping kernel as is and add stuff only via modules if possible.

I already ordered SOIC8 test clip for spi flash programming (for other reasons, not leaptv) and 2 leaptv game cartridges from ebay so I plan to test this too some time in future. However currently I focus on hacking current system as is and keep games working. I'd like to see e.g. HalfLife running via Xash3D on LeapTV with USB gamepad.

But definitely booting ubuntu or debian with custom kernel just by inserting game cartridge and turning leaptv on would be really useful, so please keep up with what you are doing, really great stuff :-)

Also any linux distribution in chroot with compiler working directly on the device would be good enough too for quick development. I already have loop images on my android tablet with jessie and ubuntu LTS chroots so I guess I just copy it over to device and try them, thanks for the idea of building natively.

A test clip isn't necessary if you don't mind soldering leads to some test points on the board.  Have a look at my de-brick thread.  To recovery an error in NOR flash (the 8pin chip), I just connected to the test points near the flash by soldering wires to the pcb.

The NOR should be safe from modification as well, unless you want to begin development on u-boot.  The kernel is stored on the internal MMC, in partition 2.  The recovery partition (partition 1) is loaded when the full reset is requested, and it does have a shell in it that starts up before you confirm the factory reset.  This can be used to recover any issues with a bad kernel in partition 2.

I've found that running Debian in the internal MMC is a day-and-night difference in speed, possibly because I'm using an older/cheap SD card for storing my Debian partition.

As it is, my fake factory cart does have the ability to chroot into debian, and even launch sshd after running dhclient to get ethernet online.  I'm honestly unsure if the wifi is supported in the surgeon boot.  I hadn't tried since I have an ethernet switch on my worktable.

My next step will be building headers for serial console and NOR flash to the edge of the shell so I can put it back together and protect the little solder joints I had to make to get the connections, and then reproducing the work of running debian on the system.

By the way, Debian uses systemd.  That requires cgroupFS to be enabled in the kernel.  As the glasgow kernel doesn't have cgroupFS I chose Devuan, which is a fork that came about when systemd became standard in Debian.  You can chroot into a Debian chroot, but you can't rely on systemd to start services.