Vim4 Boot From NVME Drive?

VIM4
1

I’m starting over with my vim4 and want to know if it’s possible to boot from an attached nvme drive.

I had Ubuntu 22 installed on it, tried to move the home directory to the nvme, and managed to mess it up completely. So, I’m starting over fresh and would like everything to run on the nvme and nothing run on the emmc.

2

Hello @NullOrEmpty

Booting from NVMe SSD is not supported at this moment.

3

For the best performance, how would you recommend running ubuntu on the nvme?

Install it from oowow, then move the required directory(s) to the nvme?
install
move
update fstab
?

4

Hello @NullOrEmpty

Current u-boot doesn’t support NVMe SSD, we will check this issue on our side.

5

Thank you.

I’ve switched hardware for the project I’m working on, but I appreciate your team’s support!

6

Is it possible to boot from nvme now ?

7

Uboot does not support a direct path to NVMe boot.

You can use fstab and mount the drive at boot and it would function transparently. Boot using emmc.

Another option that I am using on a different vendor’s board is a hybrid boot, boot from emmc then point toward NVMe after it comes online.

Both methods work very well, until u-boot adds NVMe as a boot option this is the best way to go for now.

8

Thanks for your answer.
I’ve never used fstab so I don’t know how it works.
When using fstab to mount the drive at boot, does it means the OS starts to boot on the eMMC then continues on the nvme drive ?
Where is the OS installed ? On nvme drive and eMMC ?
What happens when the OS is updated ?

9

No, the drive will be just like a directory. You would first create a mount point (new directory)

$mkdir my_nvme

Then go into /etc/fstab and copy and paste a line and change the file path to be your my_nvme directory.

Also, make a .bak file of fstab BEFORE you touch it. AND before closing the file open up another console and

$sudo mount -a

If that generates an error you will not be able to reboot!! So be careful, no response means the file was correct format.

You will also need the UUID of the nvme, you can do a copy and past from gparted or disks tool.

emmc

Just like any other update.

10

Many thanks for your help.

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11

Just checked, nvme management is in u-Boot : NVMe Support — Das U-Boot unknown version documentation

Would be good to have an updated u-Boot for VIM4.

12

Vim4 is at very early stage of development on uboot plus it is more to do with the amlogic boot sequence than uboot.

If Amlogic allow nvme boot then it will be available on uboot.

The best method for now would be to have uboot and boot partition on emmc or sdcard and root partition on nvme. Assume uboot can atleast read nvme on boot.

This way it will have os on nvme but only uboot and boot partition will be on emmc.

I use exact same method on my rk3588 board.

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