Dangling link to Amlogic meson64 dtb with kernel package upgrade to 5.18

[BOFH]

The post-install script still looks for meson64_odroidhc4.dtb (like in the 5.16 package) but the new name in the 5.18 package seems to be: meson-sm1-odroid-hc4.dtb
This might cause issues on boot, as /boot/dtb-5.18.0-0.bpo.1-arm64 points to dtbs/5.18.0-0.bpo.1-arm64/amlogic/meson64_odroidhc4.dtb, which is a dangling symlink...

This pertains to Debian Bullseye on Odoid HC4 but probably affects all Odroid models:
linux-image-5.18.0-0.bpo.1-arm64 (5.18.2-1~bpo11+1) wird eingerichtet ...
/etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools:
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-5.18.0-0.bpo.1-arm64
Using DTB: amlogic/meson64_odroidhc4.dtb
Couldn't find DTB meson64_odroidhc4.dtb in /usr/lib/linux-image-5.18.0-0.bpo.1-arm64 or /etc/flash-kernel/dtbs
Installing amlogic into /boot/dtbs/5.18.0-0.bpo.1-arm64/amlogic/
Couldn't find DTB meson64_odroidhc4.dtb in /usr/lib/linux-image-5.18.0-0.bpo.1-arm64 or /etc/flash-kernel/dtbs
Installing amlogic into /boot/dtbs/5.18.0-0.bpo.1-arm64/amlogic/
flash-kernel: deferring update (trigger activated)
/etc/kernel/postinst.d/zz-flash-kernel:
Using DTB: amlogic/meson64_odroidhc4.dtb
Couldn't find DTB meson64_odroidhc4.dtb in /usr/lib/linux-image-5.18.0-0.bpo.1-arm64 or /etc/flash-kernel/dtbs
Installing amlogic into /boot/dtbs/5.18.0-0.bpo.1-arm64/amlogic/
Couldn't find DTB meson64_odroidhc4.dtb in /usr/lib/linux-image-5.18.0-0.bpo.1-arm64 or /etc/flash-kernel/dtbs
Installing amlogic into /boot/dtbs/5.18.0-0.bpo.1-arm64/amlogic/
flash-kernel: deferring update (trigger activated)
Trigger für flash-kernel (5:3.99+202204261225~bullseye) werden verarbeitet ...
Using DTB: amlogic/meson64_odroidhc4.dtb
Couldn't find DTB meson64_odroidhc4.dtb in /usr/lib/linux-image-5.18.0-0.bpo.1-arm64 or /etc/flash-kernel/dtbs
Installing amlogic into /boot/dtbs/5.18.0-0.bpo.1-arm64/amlogic/
flash-kernel: installing version 5.18.0-0.bpo.1-arm64
Generating boot script u-boot image... done.
Taking backup of boot.scr.
Installing new boot.scr.

[Dongjin Kim (tobetter)]

I think you are installing an incompatible kernel package to your OS setup that I have no idea how you installed it. Please share the image you have flashed or installed, also how your kernel package 5.18 is installed.

[BOFH (deb8an)]

The package sources are standard, as set up by the Odroid Petitboot install of Debian 11 via network. It seems you are absolutely right in your assumption: Debian has released a bullseye security backport kernel version newer than the one provided from ppa.linuxfactory.or.kr, so I had to increase the repo priority...

Kernel package used before the latest update:
# dpkg -l linux-image-5.16.0-odroid-arm64
Gewünscht=Unbekannt/Installieren/R=Entfernen/P=Vollständig Löschen/Halten
| Status=Nicht/Installiert/Config/U=Entpackt/halb konFiguriert/
         Halb installiert/Trigger erWartet/Trigger anhängig
|/ Fehler?=(kein)/R=Neuinstallation notwendig (Status, Fehler: GROSS=schlecht)
||/ Name Version Architektur Beschreibung
+++-===============================-=============================-============-====================================
ii linux-image-5.16.0-odroid-arm64 5.16.16-202204242219~bullseye arm64 Linux 5.16 for 64-bit ARMv8 machines
# apt-cache policy linux-image-5.16.0-odroid-arm64
linux-image-5.16.0-odroid-arm64:
  Installiert: 5.16.16-202204242219~bullseye
  Installationskandidat: 5.16.16-202204242219~bullseye
  Versionstabelle:
 *** 5.16.16-202204242219~bullseye 500
        500 http://ppa.linuxfactory.or.kr bullseye/main arm64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

Kernel package installed with latest apt update:
# dpkg -l linux-image-5.18.0-0.bpo.1-arm64
Gewünscht=Unbekannt/Installieren/R=Entfernen/P=Vollständig Löschen/Halten
| Status=Nicht/Installiert/Config/U=Entpackt/halb konFiguriert/
         Halb installiert/Trigger erWartet/Trigger anhängig
|/ Fehler?=(kein)/R=Neuinstallation notwendig (Status, Fehler: GROSS=schlecht)
||/ Name Version Architektur Beschreibung
+++-================================-================-============-=============================================
ii linux-image-5.18.0-0.bpo.1-arm64 5.18.2-1~bpo11+1 arm64 Linux 5.18 for 64-bit ARMv8 machines (signed)
# apt-cache policy linux-image-5.18.0-0.bpo.1-arm64
linux-image-5.18.0-0.bpo.1-arm64:
  Installiert: 5.18.2-1~bpo11+1
  Installationskandidat: 5.18.2-1~bpo11+1
  Versionstabelle:
 *** 5.18.2-1~bpo11+1 500
        100 http://httpredir.debian.org/debian bullseye-backports/main arm64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

After increasing the priority for ppa.linuxfactory.or.kr to 900 the issue is resolved:
# apt-cache policy linux-image-arm64
linux-image-arm64:
  Installiert: 5.16.16-202204242219~bullseye
  Installationskandidat: 5.16.16-202204242219~bullseye
  Versionstabelle:
     5.18.2-1~bpo11+1 500
        100 http://httpredir.debian.org/debian bullseye-backports/main arm64 Packages
 *** 5.16.16-202204242219~bullseye 900
        900 http://ppa.linuxfactory.or.kr bullseye/main arm64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     5.10.120-1 500
        500 http://security.debian.org/debian-security bullseye-security/main arm64 Packages
     5.10.106-1 500
        500 http://ftp-stud.hs-esslingen.de/debian bullseye/main arm64 Packages

That should probably be set as default in the Odroid images/packages:
# cat /etc/...

[Dongjin Kim (tobetter)]

Sorry, it won't work if your OS setup is based on Hardkernel or mine (ppa.linuxfactory.or.kr). If you want to try 5.18 kernel, install "linux-image-5.18.0-odroid-arm64" package instead of the official kernel package from Debian since it does not have the device tree "meson64_odroidhc4.dtb". Alternatively, you can install the official package "flash-kernel" from Bullseye so it read "meson-sm1-odroid-hc4.dtb".
https://packages.debian.org/bullseye/flash-kernel

[BOFH (deb8an)]

Thanks for the clarification!

I had no intention to try a newer kernel version - that package simply came as upgrade from bullseye-backports though the default package "linux-image-arm64" (without any manual activity from my side)... With the repo priority setting (or repo pinning, alternatively) that issue should be resolved for now, although I'd expect this affects any Odroid user who installed Debian 11 via Petitboot.

It is probably advisable to stick with your curated odroid kernel packages from ppa.linuxfactory.or.kr rather than using the generic Debian ones, right?

[Dongjin Kim (tobetter)]

Correct, I will look into the problem sometime soon and resolve it. Thanks.