I've managed to install Debian environment over OpenWRT, using chroot.

Omega2+ board can be used as a MIPS-based Linux workstation, for generic development tasks. To get access to a console port, you can use any USB-to-serial adapter.

From a user point of view, an OpenWRT environment is quite different from Linux. But it's possible to build a Debian-based environment, located on microSD card and used via chroot.

• No modification to OpenWRT system is required
• All additional files placed on SD card
• Full traditional Linux environment is provided

The following instructions assume you use Ubuntu on your host machine.

Step 1. Download a minimal root filesystem: http://ftp.vak.ru/pub/unix/debian-stretch-mini.tgz

Step 2. Prepare SD card. Create an empty Linux partition on SD card:

sudo umount /dev/mmcblk0p1
sudo sfdisk /dev/mmcblk0 << EOF
/dev/mmcblk0p2 : size=512M, type=82
/dev/mmcblk0p1 : type=83, bootable
EOF
sudo mke2fs /dev/mmcblk0p1
sudo mkswap /dev/mmcblk0p2

Unpack the downloaded package into the SD card:

sudo mount /dev/mmcblk0p1 /mnt
sudo tar xvzf debian-stretch-mini.tgz -C /mnt
sudo umount /mnt

Unmount the SD card from the host computer and insert it into your Omega2+ board.

Step 3. Connect the console port. Use Expansion Dock or any USB-to-serial adapter like FT232, CP2102 or CH340. Connect signals GND, TXD and RXD of the adapter to pins GND, P9, and P8. Attach USB adapter to the host compoter and start minicom or any other terminal application, and configure the connection at 115200 baud rate. Press "Reset" button - you should see the boot protocol, and finally a shell prompt.

Step 4. Configure a Wi-Fi or Ethernet network, as described in the manual (https://docs.onion.io/omega2-docs/first-time-setup-command-line.html#connect-to-the-omegas-command-line). Install a few filesystem utilities:

wifisetup
[...]
opkg update
opkg install swap-utils block-mount e2fsprogs

Step 5. Start the Debian environment. We use chroot utility to point the root filesystem to the SD card. Actually, when Wi-Fi or Ethernet interface had started, you don't need USB console anymore, you can log in via ssh (don't forget to set a password on root first).

swapon /dev/mmcblk0p2
mount --bind /dev /tmp/run/mountd/mmcblk0p1/dev
mount --bind /proc /tmp/run/mountd/mmcblk0p1/proc
mount --bind /sys /tmp/run/mountd/mmcblk0p1/sys
chroot /tmp/run/mountd/mmcblk0p1 /bin/bash

At this point you should get a shell prompt from Debian environment. It first run, it makes sense to install some useful packages:

apt-get update
apt-get install locales bison byacc flex libelf-dev libfuse-dev \
build-essential make autoconf automake libtool gdb fuse man-db \
groff less ed bmake git byacc flex exuberant-ctags libfuse-dev \
bmake git byacc flex exuberant-ctags libfuse-dev dialog \
openssh-client subversion le vim gettext iputils-ping locate procps

Now you have a full scale Debian Linux. You can download, compile and run any Linux software.

To free the SD card before removing it, you need exit from the Debian shell and run::

umount /tmp/run/mountd/mmcblk0p1/dev
umount /tmp/run/mountd/mmcblk0p1/proc
umount /tmp/run/mountd/mmcblk0p1/sys
umount /tmp/run/mountd/mmcblk0p1
swapoff /dev/mmcblk0p2

Enjoy!

@ameer1234567890 Here is a valid link: https://pub.sergev.org/unix/debian-stretch-mini.tgz

@Jimmy-Chan said in How to boot up Omega2+ with Ubuntu linux?:

Is there a way to have my Omega2+ boot up with Ubuntu via the external sd card?

I just want to use ubuntu because I want to make use of Swift.

Thanks!

It's possible to run Debian "on top" of preinstalled OpenWRT: http://community.onion.io/topic/2394/installing-debian-on-omega2-board

@Chris-Drake said in Installing Debian on Omega2+ board:

mkswap /dev/sda2

Oops, that's my fault: forgot to initialize swap partition. I'll update the intructions. Thank you, Chris.

@Douglas-Kryder Thank you! With Debian installed, Omega2 is no more limited in software resources. Essentially it becomes a rival to 'big brothers' like Raspberry Pi or Intel Edison.

I've managed to install Debian environment over OpenWRT, using chroot.

Omega2+ board can be used as a MIPS-based Linux workstation, for generic development tasks. To get access to a console port, you can use any USB-to-serial adapter.

From a user point of view, an OpenWRT environment is quite different from Linux. But it's possible to build a Debian-based environment, located on microSD card and used via chroot.

• No modification to OpenWRT system is required
• All additional files placed on SD card
• Full traditional Linux environment is provided

The following instructions assume you use Ubuntu on your host machine.

Step 1. Download a minimal root filesystem: http://ftp.vak.ru/pub/unix/debian-stretch-mini.tgz

Step 2. Prepare SD card. Create an empty Linux partition on SD card:

sudo umount /dev/mmcblk0p1
sudo sfdisk /dev/mmcblk0 << EOF
/dev/mmcblk0p2 : size=512M, type=82
/dev/mmcblk0p1 : type=83, bootable
EOF
sudo mke2fs /dev/mmcblk0p1
sudo mkswap /dev/mmcblk0p2

Unpack the downloaded package into the SD card:

sudo mount /dev/mmcblk0p1 /mnt
sudo tar xvzf debian-stretch-mini.tgz -C /mnt
sudo umount /mnt

Unmount the SD card from the host computer and insert it into your Omega2+ board.

Step 3. Connect the console port. Use Expansion Dock or any USB-to-serial adapter like FT232, CP2102 or CH340. Connect signals GND, TXD and RXD of the adapter to pins GND, P9, and P8. Attach USB adapter to the host compoter and start minicom or any other terminal application, and configure the connection at 115200 baud rate. Press "Reset" button - you should see the boot protocol, and finally a shell prompt.

Step 4. Configure a Wi-Fi or Ethernet network, as described in the manual (https://docs.onion.io/omega2-docs/first-time-setup-command-line.html#connect-to-the-omegas-command-line). Install a few filesystem utilities:

wifisetup
[...]
opkg update
opkg install swap-utils block-mount e2fsprogs

Step 5. Start the Debian environment. We use chroot utility to point the root filesystem to the SD card. Actually, when Wi-Fi or Ethernet interface had started, you don't need USB console anymore, you can log in via ssh (don't forget to set a password on root first).

swapon /dev/mmcblk0p2
mount --bind /dev /tmp/run/mountd/mmcblk0p1/dev
mount --bind /proc /tmp/run/mountd/mmcblk0p1/proc
mount --bind /sys /tmp/run/mountd/mmcblk0p1/sys
chroot /tmp/run/mountd/mmcblk0p1 /bin/bash

At this point you should get a shell prompt from Debian environment. It first run, it makes sense to install some useful packages:

apt-get update
apt-get install locales bison byacc flex libelf-dev libfuse-dev \
build-essential make autoconf automake libtool gdb fuse man-db \
groff less ed bmake git byacc flex exuberant-ctags libfuse-dev \
bmake git byacc flex exuberant-ctags libfuse-dev dialog \
openssh-client subversion le vim gettext iputils-ping locate procps

Now you have a full scale Debian Linux. You can download, compile and run any Linux software.

To free the SD card before removing it, you need exit from the Debian shell and run::

umount /tmp/run/mountd/mmcblk0p1/dev
umount /tmp/run/mountd/mmcblk0p1/proc
umount /tmp/run/mountd/mmcblk0p1/sys
umount /tmp/run/mountd/mmcblk0p1
swapoff /dev/mmcblk0p2

Enjoy!