Missing inittab file

[Kadam]

I am going through the PrivateEyePi documents to configure the serial port:
http://projects.privateeyepi.com/home/h ... spberry-pi

but I don't have an inittab file, what the heck? So I took a giant step backward and formated this card and installed Pi on it without all the other things I had done on the other image. I have inittab on the other image, but I don't want to use that one because of seeing this, I am wondering if it is the source of my RF issues.

[AndyD]

With Raspbian Jessie, there is no inittab.

Instead, use raspi-config. In the Advanced options is

Code: Select all

A8 Serial Enable/Disable shell and kernel messages on the serial connection

[Kadam]

I enabled that rebooted, enabled again, rebooted. The file still does not show up.

[DougieLawson]

I enabled that rebooted, enabled again, rebooted. The file still does not show up.

/etc/inittab is part of sysvinit. With Jessie sysvinit is removed from the system and replaced with systemd. As part of that change /etc/inittab is removed (because it's not used and can't be used).

There are new and better ways to get things running at boot time and get things running on demand.

The serial console is ONLY defined in /boot/cmdline now. If that exists then systemd does some magic to get it running.

[Kadam]

Thank you for the reply and now I am thoroughly confused because I had installed Pi software which I'm sure was NOOBs on the Pi I got from Amazon and it had the inittab file.

I am trying to use wireless things (Ciseco) radios and haven't had luck with the config that had the inittab file. I borrowed my buddy's radios and they didn't work either. So it really boiled down to my config, which I've read through the instructions about 100 times. ok that was an exaggeration, 99 times.

These are the destructions (listed above, but copied for easy reference):
http://projects.privateeyepi.com/home/h ... spberry-pi

I have been through the PeP site, Wireless things, and they're the same obviously... they say the same, but I have been struggling with this for a month! I realize how fickle this is because of a . instead of a , makes a big diff, I have scrutinized all my stuff, but I have no serial comms.

[fruitoftheloom]

Thank you for the reply and now I am thoroughly confused because I had installed Pi software which I'm sure was NOOBs on the Pi I got from Amazon........

fyi: NOOBS is an installer / chooser IT IS NOT an Operating System, the Operating System installed it what you chose to install from the NOOBS Menu on first boot up.....

[Kadam]

right, I'm going to start over. Jesse is installed on this one, my other SD must have a different OS that has the inittab.

Back to the original problem of communications, vs my poor knowlege of the OS/installer names. So PeP seems to be based not on Jesse.

[fruitoftheloom]

right, I'm going to start over. Jesse is installed on this one, my other SD must have a different OS that has the inittab.

Back to the original problem of communications, vs my poor knowlege of the OS/installer names. So PeP seems to be based not on Jesse.

Raspbian Wheezy as stated uses Sysvinit

Raspbian Jessie uses SystemD

Maybe rather than using NOBS, install a standalone image of the version of Raspbian you need:

https://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads/raspbian

[RaTTuS]

viewtopic.php?f=44&t=51633&start=25#p828064 for connecting Pizero / A to a Model B
using jessie
this may help in your task

[Kadam]

Thank you thank you both for replying. This has been a pain. I did find on the ciseco site that Wheezy is the prefered OS. I was so new when I installed the first time that I used Wheezy (which was right for the radios, but still doesn't work). I formatted another card and thats when I "found" the missind file...

A person really has to dive in and do a lot of research about this. I don't think PEP specifies Wheezy, so that could be a pitfall. I have asked them about it and they did say they would look into updating for Jessie. Then the Ciseco site has links to their old site... so that's not fully helpful.

Jessie:
dwc_otg.lpm_enable=0 console=tty1 root=/dev/mmcblk0p2 rootfstype=ext4 elevator=deadline fsck.repair=yes rootwait
Wheezy:
dwc_otg.lpm_enable=0 console=tty1 root=/dev/mmcblk0p6 rootfstype=ext4 elevator=deadline rootwait

I see that the setup is virtually about the same, I know that if I copy the cmdLine.txt for Jessie and put it into a Wheezy OS then the thing bricks...

I am using Wheezy. I have configured the two files as you had in your outline and if I run miniterm I can type +++ and get OK, ATID and see 5AA5 so there is talking to the base transmitter. However, there are no comms back from remote radios. I have now tried my buddy's radios both base station and transmitters, they do not work on my Pi.

I have struggled with this for about a month and haven't had much fun past the first week or two of having the Pi... I have programming background, experience w Linux, networking, and electrical/electronics. This is very frustrating.

Thanks for all the input thus far guys! It is MUCH appreciated.

[QuietZone]

Note that it is supposed to be possible to uninstall systemd and (re-) install sysvinit. I need to try that one of these days on my Jessie system. It sounds like a good move. Should be the default.

systemd (despite what the cheerleaders on these forums say) is horrid.

[Kadam]

On further reading from Ciseco, they say that these things are sensitive and that makes sense. Seems that my Tx is working to get AT commands to work but maybe the Rx is pootched. This seems the most likely problem now because nothing else is working!

[RaTTuS]

...
Jessie:
dwc_otg.lpm_enable=0 console=tty1 root=/dev/mmcblk0p2 rootfstype=ext4 elevator=deadline fsck.repair=yes rootwait
Wheezy:
dwc_otg.lpm_enable=0 console=tty1 root=/dev/mmcblk0p6 rootfstype=ext4 elevator=deadline rootwait.....

bolded the possible thing you missed

[Kadam]

By missed do you mean I should delete that whole comment, just the bolded part, or?

This is my first "build" with configuring the UART so I'm really just following others instructions that may not reflect changes in the OS.

[AndyD]

By missed do you mean I should delete that whole comment, just the bolded part, or?

This is my first "build" with configuring the UART so I'm really just following others instructions that may not reflect changes in the OS.

If you are using Raspbian via NOOBS the Raspbian root partition is /dev/mmcblk0p6, if you are using the Raspbian (standalone) image the the root partition is /dev/mmcblk0p2. It has nothing to do with the difference between Jessie and Wheezy.

From the NOOBS github repository ... NOOBS partitioning explained and Standalone partitioning explained

[Kadam]

Oh yes, that's what I was pointing out, the difference and when I copied the folder for Jessie to Wheezy it bricks and rightfully so. I fixed it without issue.

[Kadam]

It occurred to me that I had it plugged into my computer because that was convenient but the wall charger would be much better. But could it cause any damage?

[Kadam]

Found out that the stock Wheezy image from here does not work. The image provided by ciseco is great!

Can anyone point me to where I can see how to send/receive commands/inputs from the RFs? (python coding)