Has anyone successfully created a recovery disc from the files that go on a recovery disc? I ask because I'm interested in messing around with and patching the files on a recovery disc for use on my franken-alpha. In the past I had found where the part I wanted to patch was located in my iso and made the changes with a hex-editor (leaving the rest of the iso in tact). If I recall correctly, the recovery is an xiso in an el-torito container so to speak. With the 4400 source code floating around, I'm wondering if it would be possible to compile the included recovery with eeprom and flash checks disabled and see how far I can get it to boot just for fun. Obviously a lot of the retail kernel is going to deal with the flash (writing to it and booting from it), unlocking the hard drive with the eeprom (not available on an alpha kit). In fact, there's no way it would be able to install much other than some files on the hard drive. With that said, I know it wouldn't really be all that useful, I just think it would be fun to mess around with.
Not sure what your main goal should be, either creating a recovery yourself or getting a 4400 version kernel running. Both is alott, and I think you should start with recompiling the 4400 first to work on a frankenalpha. (if that would be posible at all) Prepare filesystem, copy required dash files and get a kernel running. now swap the working kernel with your 4400 one (and supporting files) and you should be golden... BUT, big but here.... the 4400 compiles for retail hardware, so you must replace code, make old patches undone to work on franken alpha code. There is ram initializing code for alpha, but there is work to do. not sure how succesfull you are in C(pp) but im not very handy at this level. Its alott more than just drivers, it would be "easier" to get the dashfiles work on a retail kit I think. But hey, take a look at the source, maybe compile it and run on a retail.. if you are succesfull in that progress, maybe the Alpha would be a nice next step. (building a recovery would not be the hard part) apply lots of salt.
I guess my goal is a little of both I guess. Being able to create recovery images myself would allow for easier patching of the alpha kernel. I'd also like to get the 4400 kernel to boot to a debuggable point on alpha hardware. These two things are so far apart, I'm not sure why I even brought them into the same thread. I understand that I'd need to rewrite the existing bootloader, preloader, and rom decryption as all of the existing code deals with hardware that an alpha kit wouldn't have (like the eeprom or the remapping of certain addresses after the 1bl). I'm not going to make any outlandish claims saying that I'm capable of doing this, or that it is even possible. I just think it's an interesting topic.
I see, oke I wish many good lucks and Ill see how I can help (many other things to do, but some overlap code on this very subject. And I do wish to setup my Alpha again somewhere this year. Maybe to do some kernel debugging aswell.
