There is a way to create extra Multiboot Slots on the SD-card of the sf8008, or create extra Multiboot Slots on a USB-device of the sf8008m.
Creating extra Multiboot Slots means that you have to create extra partitions (the right way) on the SD-card or USB-device.
You can have 7 extra Multiboot Slots for every 16GB, or less if you also want to use the USB-device for data storage.(picons, epg, .....)
There is a script now that creates the partitions automatically.
More about that later, first some more info about extra Multiboot Slots for the sf8008m.
This USB-device MUST be in usb port sda, in this case the (white) usb2.0 port.
If you already have a USB-device in usb port sda, it's better to save the content because the USB device will be erased when the extra Multiboot Slots are created.
Or you can use a different USB-device for the test. (if you have an other USB-device)
For this example i used a 16GB Sandisk mini USB-device and created 6 extra Multiboot Slots (Slot 5-10).
After creating the extra slots and rebooting the box, you can install images in the new Slots via Flash Online and select the new slots in the Multiboot Menu.
Limits of the Recovery Menu:
If you use the Recovery Menu, you can only select 4 slots for startup and Network Multiboot Upgrade.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]73243[/ATTACH]
If you want to have extra Multiboot slots for sf8008 or sf8008m, you can use the same script.
You have to start the script in a Flash image (slot1-4)
The script shows information on the screen with OSD (On Screen Display) message boxes, instead of information in the Console screen.
That's why the script has ".hidden" in the name. (for starting the script via a ButtonSetup (and ppanel installed), more about that later)
If you have extra Multiboot Slots (and data) on the SD-card of the sf8008, it's better make an Image Backup of the images in Slot 5 and 6, because the SD-card will be erased when the extra Multiboot Slots are created.
If you also have other data stored on the SD-card, it's better to save the data to an other place.
Or you can use an other SD-card for the test. (if you have an other SD-card)
Scripts till version 1.3 have 4 user settings, and script version 1.4 has 5 user settings that can be changed to your personal preferences.
For this example Large Multiboot slots of 2GB are used, more about that later.
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1. Line 15 and 16 of the script:
15 RESERVE=1025050
16 #RESERVE=1050
This way you can have 6 extra Multiboot Slots on a 16GB SD-card or USB-device and the rest of the memory (about 2GB) is used to create a userdata partition.
If you don't want/need a (big) userdata partition, you can have 7 extra slots on a 16GB SD-card or USB-device.
In that case you have to change line 15 and 16 like this:
15 #RESERVE=1025050
16 RESERVE=1050
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2. Line 22 and 23 of the script:
22 USERDATA_FS=fat32
23 #USERDATA_FS=ext4
Here you can choose how the userdata partition should be formatted, fat32 is standard.
If you want the userdata partition formatted in the linux ext4 format, you have to change lines 22 and 23 like this:
22 #USERDATA_FS=fat32
23 USERDATA_FS=ext4
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3. Line 26 of the script:
26 USERDATA_MOUNTPOINT=/media/userdata
Here you can choose the name for the userdata mount.
If you want to use the userdata partition as usb, you can change line 26 like this:
26 USERDATA_MOUNTPOINT=/media/usb
If you want to use the userdata partition as hdd (for recording), you can change line 26 like this:
26 USERDATA_MOUNTPOINT=/media/hdd
!! Important !!
When the userdata is created, a mount line is written in /etc/fstab
For example: UUID=B4B8-2963 /media/hdd ext4 defaults 0 0 ### sda17
If you want to use the (hdd) userdata partition in other multiboot images, you have to copy the mount line to the /etc/fstab file of those images manually and reboot the box to activate the mount.
There have been reports about sertain types/brands of SD-cards have problems when they are used as HDD.
More info here: SanDisk Ultra microSDXC Class 10 UHS-I U1 A1 400GB | OpenBh Team Board
And here: SF8008 UHD MicroSDcard as media/hdd (SanDisk Ultra microSDXC Class 10 UHS-I U1 A1 400GB) | Digitalworldz
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4. Line 29 of the script:
29 MB_SLOTSLIMIT=15
Here you can set a limit for extra Multiboot Slots, 15 is standard (if you have a 32GB/64GB SD-card or USB-device).
For the script it doesn't matter if you set a higher number like this:
EXTRA_MB_SLOTSLIMIT=40
The script checks the size of the device and will just create the maximum amount of Multiboot Slots that are possible on the device.
The setting in the script is only there, incase someome wants to create less Multiboot Slots then the maximum amount of Multiboot Slots on the device.
If you only want 4 extra Multiboot Slots on your SD-card or USB-device, change line 29 like this:
29. MB_SLOTSLIMIT=4
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This new option is available in version 1.4
5. Line 32 to 34 of the script:
32 #MULTIBOOT_SLOT_SIZE=Small
33 #MULTIBOOT_SLOT_SIZE=Medium
34 MULTIBOOT_SLOT_SIZE=Large
Here you can set the size of the Multiboot Slots (Root partition): Small (1GB), Medium (1.5GB) or Large (2GB). (Default = Large)
If you want to create Small Multiboot Slots (1GB), change line 32 to 34 like this:
32 MULTIBOOT_SLOT_SIZE=Small
33 #MULTIBOOT_SLOT_SIZE=Medium
34 #MULTIBOOT_SLOT_SIZE=Large
If Small Multiboot Slots are selected with a RESERVE of 1025050Kib, it's posssible to create 13 Multiboot Slots on a 16GB SD-card or USB-device.
If Small Multiboot Slots are selected with a RESERVE of 1050Kib, it's posssible to create 14 Multiboot Slots on a 16GB SD-card or USB-device.
If Medium Multiboot Slots are selected with a RESERVE of 1025050Kib, it's posssible to create 9 Multiboot Slots on a 16GB SD-card or USB-device.
If Medium Multiboot Slots are selected with a RESERVE of 1050Kib, it's posssible to create 9 Multiboot Slots on a 16GB SD-card or USB-device.
If Large Multiboot Slots are selected with a RESERVE of 1025050Kib, it's posssible to create 6 Multiboot Slots on a 16GB SD-card or USB-device.
If Large Multiboot Slots are selected with a RESERVE of 1050Kib, it's posssible to create 7 Multiboot Slots on a 16GB SD-card or USB-device.
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Important information for installing a Recovery Image !!!
When you have created extra Multiboot slots on the SD-card or USB-device, you have also extra STARTUP files in: /boot
The box needs the STARTUP files to find the location of the Multiboot slots.
The files STARTUP_1 to STARTUP_4 are for the Multiboot slots in the flash memory.
The files STARTUP_5, STARTUP_6, .... are for the Multiboot slots on the SD-card or USB-device.
When you install a Recovery image, your box will not see the extra Multiboot slots on the SD-card or USB-device anymore.
That is because the files STARTUP_5, STARTUP_6, .... are missing in: /boot
If you copy the file /boot to your pc before the Recovery Image is installed, you can always copy the files STARTUP_5, STARTUP_6, .... back to your box after the Recovery Image is installed.
After a reboot your box will see the extra Multiboot slots on the SD-card or USB-device again.
You can also download the STARTUP files 5 to 30 here.
You only need the STARTUP files for the Multiboot slots that are created on the SD-card or USB-device.
Not many people will need file STARTUP_30, but you don't get problems if you add STARTUP files for Multiboot slots that you don't have.
If you use a part of the SD-card or USB-device for data storage (picons, epg, ...), the partition is mounted.
you will loose the mount (name) and it has to be mounted with the right name again after the Recovery Image is installed.
The device/partition mounts are stored in file: /etc/fstab
So, you can also copy the fstab file to your pc before the Recovery Image is installed, and copy the fstab file back to the box after the Recovery Image is installed.
After a reboot, you will have the mount(s) back again.
Thanks to @ahmedmoselhi (Octagon forum) for the question and feedback about installing a Recovery Image.
A Special Thanks to: @Betacentauri for helping me with the setup of the partitions, and @Pike_Bishop for helping me with upgrading the script(s)
I made a complete HowTo manual on the OpenEight forum: Extra Multiboot slots for sf8008 and sf8008m [HowTo] | Octagon Forum (octagon-forum.eu)
Update 31-07-2021 version1.3:
- One of the build in safeties has been improved.
- Version number has been added.
- Add date/time to the logfile name.
- Cleanup unnecessary empty lines in the fstab file afer mounting the userdata partition.
Update 17-12-2021 version 1.4:
- Add variable to set the size of the Multiboot Slot (root partition).
- Changed the mount line for the userdata partition in /etc/fstab to improve remounting when the script is used multiple times for the same device.
- Existing STARTUP files are also recreated to fix a rare issue (corrupt file) that is not caused by the partitioning or the script.
Thanks to @fullkiller for the questions about smaller Multiboot Slots and making a Polish version of the script.
Update 04-02-2022 version 1.5:
- Fix for running the script with higher bash versions.
- Removed old unused code from a previous version.
Thanks to @maxious for the feedback and tests.
regards
Lucifer
