anything before RVA23, we all running out of chances to do better.
But anything after RVA23 from 2026, we will be doing our hardest in pre-silicon
upstreaming to set a record as X86 with the resources far less.
We would like to invite more upstreaming experience maintainers and developers
to join us in accomplishing this together in making RISCV greater. And we will
sponsor hardware resources for free.
please pay attention to our official announcement!
> From: "Blizzard Finnegan"<blizzardfinne...@gmail.com>
> Date: 2025年9月12日 (周五) 04:54
> Subject: Re: Deep Computing DC-ROMA ii won't boot
> To: "梁宇宁"<yuning.li...@deepcomputing.io>
> Cc: "debian-boot"<debian-boot@lists.debian.org>,
> "debian-riscv"<debian-ri...@lists.debian.org>
> For what it's worth, its not DeepComputing's fault. This is how new hardware
> and architectures go, and if hardware developers like SpacemiT and
> Imagination don't dump a ton of money, time, and effort into upstreaming
> (ideally before the hardware releases like Intel, AMD, and NVidia do), it's
> gonna keep sucking. SpacemiT has a decent clip at upstreaming, but
> Imagination has had 5 years since the release of the B-series GPUs (according
> to Wikipedia) and they *just* merged BXM drivers (both the K1/M1 and the
> JH7110 use the BXE design, which is different enough to mean that it most
> likely won't work).
>
> Furthermore, in fairness to Imagination, their OSS driver according to the
> kernel mailing list appears to be from the ground up, and they're working
> from one design and fanning out to similar designs as they go. I can't
> exactly say I'd be doing a better job in their position.
>
> 11 Sept 2025 20:25:55 梁宇宁 <yuning.li...@deepcomputing.io>:
> >
absolutely agree on everything Blizzard said.
> >
We unreservedly apologised on the pain our customers going through.
> >
> >
> >
most of our RISCV SoC suppliers understand the problem but with upstream
unfriendly like GPU. No mass production software quality is guaranteed in non
designated version LTS kernel.
> >
> >
> >
For those non display like integrated GPU related features, we seeing
the light of the tunnel once K1 upstreaming is done on CPU related as per
https://github.com/spacemit-com/linux/wiki , any external RISCV support GPU
will see the tunnel light too.
> >
> >
> >
For any display like integrated GPU remains unresolved, thé best we can
do will probably be a huge no-guarantee display related patch on top of the
mainline kernel like We did in JH7110s Framework RISCV mainboard.
> >
> >
> >
Many thanks
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
From: "Blizzard Finnegan"<blizzardfinne...@gmail.com>
> >
Date: 2025年9月12日 (周五) 03:09
> >
Subject: Re: Deep Computing DC-ROMA ii won't boot
> >
To: <debian-boot@lists.debian.org>, <debian-ri...@lists.debian.org>
> > Hello again,
> > I'll explain below, but TLDR is between the accessibility requirements and
> > the weird nature of the hardware, this is, in no uncertain terms, not the
> > laptop for you. I would highly recommend waiting, at least until the rest
> > of the K1 SOC is fully upstreamed; the wiki page for this I will link again
> > here: https://github.com/spacemit-com/linux/wiki
> >
> >
> > Firstly, you ***cannot*** use a custom kernel for this device, at time of
> > writing. The hardware developer has a custom kernel that you *must* use for
> > this device, v6.6. While there is work in progress, a newer kernel that is
> > not distributed by the hardware developer will not work.
> >
> >
> > Next, let's talk u-boot vs UEFI. U-boot requires a lot more than UEFI, as
> > has been mentioned previously. However, there is a lot more information
> > hidden in that statement than you might think. For example, you can't just
> > move the dtb file to the right location. The "dtb" extension stands for
> > DeviceTree Binary, and is directly tied to the kernel version being run.
> > Simply moving the binary into the right location will cause a version
> > mis-match and cause the hardware to not boot properly. Also, with the
> > version of U-boot the DC ROMA II uses, the entire boot stack is stored on
> > the storage medium (be it SD card or NVMe). This is opposed to UEFI, where
> > you just have flash on the motherboard that is smart enough to reach out to
> > the storage to find your bootloader to get the process started. If you look
> > in the installer ISO for Debian, in /boot/dtbs I believe, it lists all the
> > compatible chips, and SpacemiT is not in there. Until it is, the Debian ISO
> > will not work, and given the pace of the SpacemiT crew, I'd hesitantly say
> > expect that to be added in Forky.
> >
> >
> > To reiterate, simply using Debian Trixie on this device at this point in
> > time *will*. *not*. *work*. The standard Debian kernel does not support the
> > hardware yet, and the SpacemiT kernel you will likely have to rebuild from
> > scratch to get the modules you need for accessibility purposes running,
> > which in my experience is *very* hit or miss getting it to boot afterwards.
> >
> >
> > I own this laptop, and as a person who is lucky enough to not need any
> > accessibility settings, it is frankly a nightmare to use in it's current
> > state. Simply running system updates is not an option, and I've had to
> > completely reinstall the operating system on mine several times because I
> > forgot. I've tried off-and-on since I bought it at least a year ago, and
> > it's currently gathering dust next to my other K1/M1 system while I wait
> > for the upstreaming effort to finish. Even after the CPU gets upstreamed,
> > owners of this laptop will probably need to use DeepComputing's custom ISO
> > while Imagination Technologies (the GPU vendor) gets their act together and
> > finally merges their changes to mesa into upstream.
> >
> >
> > I would highly recommend reading through the issues in the DC ROMA II
> > Github page (see here:
> > https://github.com/DC-DeepComputing/DC-ROMA_Gen2_LAPTOP_K1_RV-L2A ), just
> > to get a sense for the state of the device as a whole. It's clunky, it's
> > not ready, and it's largely been forgotten by DeepComputing as far as I can
> > tell while they figure out their Framework Mainboard endeavour. The JH7110
> > SOC is kinda the only good RISC-V chip to recommend right now for anything
> > outside the absolute most niche cases, because it's been almost entirely
> > upstreamed, and therefore is supported by the Debian installer natively.
> > RISC-V is a really cool technology, and I love it a lot, but the hardware
> > ecosystem right now is about the same as the Raspberry Pi 2 was when it
> > came out, and I mean that both from a software support standpoint and from
> > a hardware performance perspective.
> >
> >
> > To be perfectly frank, if I could talk to my past self, I would say to not
> > buy this laptop and save myself the migraines. In a few years, it will be
> > better, but the hardware barely runs on the hardware manufacturer blessed
> > distro images. The fact that anyone tried to cram this chip in a laptop is
> > a testament to the arrogance of man, because a laptop appeals to normal
> > people, and this laptop is at best a marketing stunt to drum up good PR for
> > RISC-V on the whole.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
On Thu, 11 Sept 2025 at 18:01, Kirk Reiser <k...@reisers.ca> wrote:
> > >
Hello folks: Thank you for the responses.
> > >
> > >
> > >
The laptop did infact come with ubuntu-24.04 installed, except it was
> > >
a greatly reduced package, they say because it wasn't expected that a
> > >
lot of people would login. It was kind of bogus in my mind.
> > >
> > >
> > >
I upgraded the OS to their most recent version of 24.04.3 except it
> > >
craps out when trying to upgrade to their idea of the latest kernel
> > >
6.14.0. The distro as shipped has kernel 6.6.36 except with many
> > >
kernel modules missing. The upgrade of the kernel dies while trying to
> > >
copy the dtb files from a nonexistant spacemit directory in /boot. I
> > >
have tried many things to attempt to spoof the new kernel from copying
> > >
over the installed dtbs to a new 6.14.0 directory with no joy.
> > >
> > >
> > >
Oh, and yes, it is using u-boot.
> > >
> > >
> > >
Unfortunately Some of the kernel modules which are missing are the
> > >
speakup modules which I must have to provide speech in text console
> > >
mode. That has also made it much more difficult because it means I
> > >
have to have a sighted person here to help me install/break/reinstall
> > >
various packages.
> > >
> > >
> > >
Upon examining the two debian images I tried to boot I realized that
> > >
the netinst is grub based so wouldn't boot. The dvd however does
> > >
appear to be u-boot based so I am still at a loss for the reason it
> > >
won't boot.
> > >
> > >
> > >
I don't really understand the booting mechanism of u-boot, even after
> > >
reading what I've been able to find.
> > >
> > >
> > >
Anyway, the spacemit is an 8-core SOC called K1X I believe. The
> > >
processor is a M1-8571. Here is the cpu line from dmesg on the system:
> > >
> > >
> > >
spacemit-socinfo soc:socinfo@0: Spacemit: CPU[M1-8571] REV[C] DRO[127]
Detected
> > >
> > >
> > >
So thank you and if you have any other recommendations I would
> > >
appreciate them.
> > >
> > >
> > >
Kirk
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
On Thu, 11 Sep 2025, Greg Sterling wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > >
> Hello!
> > >
>
> > >
> My boss thought I might be able to get you contact with the
devboards community for help. If you’re interested, you might be able to get
some help by sending an email to devboard-commun...@riscv.org. There are a lot
of helpful people out there who may have experienced similar problems and may
be able to offer some help or suggestions.
> > >
>
> > >
> Thanks and have a great day!
> > >
>
> > >
> Greg Sterling (RISC-V International)
> > >
> Phone: +1 603 321 7320
> > >
> E-mail: g...@riscv.org
> > >
>
> > >
>> On Sep 10, 2025, at 8:04 PM, Jeff Scheel <j...@riscv.org> wrote:
> > >
>>
> > >
>> You might want to try and connect with Kirk with the DevBoard
community to see if someone can help here...
> > >
>>
> > >
>> --
> > >
>> Jeff Scheel (he/him/his)
> > >
>> Director of Technical Programs, RISC-V International
> > >
>>
> > >
>> Join me at RISC-V Summit NA (link
<https://events.linuxfoundation.org/riscv-summit/>)
> > >
>>
> > >
>>
> > >
>> ---------- Forwarded message ---------
> > >
>> From: Lucy Mielke <lucymie...@icloud.com
<mailto:<lucymie...@icloud.com>lucymie...@icloud.com>>
> > >
>> Date: Wed, Sep 10, 2025 at 4:40 PM
> > >
>> Subject: Re: Deep Computing DC-ROMA ii won't boot
> > >
>> To: Kirk Reiser <k...@reisers.ca
<mailto:<k...@reisers.ca>k...@reisers.ca>>
> > >
>> Cc: <debian-boot@lists.debian.org
<mailto:<debian-boot@lists.debian.org>debian-boot@lists.debian.org>>,
<debian-ri...@lists.debian.org
<mailto:<debian-ri...@lists.debian.org>debian-ri...@lists.debian.org>>,
<el...@ravensong.ca <mailto:<el...@ravensong.ca>el...@ravensong.ca>>,
<k...@reisers.ca <mailto:<k...@reisers.ca>k...@reisers.ca>>
> > >
>>
> > >
>>
> > >
>> Good evening Mr. Reiser,
> > >
>>
> > >
>> unfortunately, DeepComputing hasn't released any downloadable
images, or documentation regarding the boot process.
> > >
>>
> > >
>> The description for your issue makes me believe that the FML13V03
board (your DC-ROMA gen II model) probably needs something like u-boot, similar
to the FML13V01 board (the previous revision).
> > >
>>
> > >
>> That would explain why the two "generic" Debian images won't boot
once flashed on any medium. AFAIK, the Gen II model is not supported by Debian
yet either. Hopefully we can, once documentation and hardware is more readily
available.
> > >
>>
> > >
>> Have you tried what distro DeepComputing shipped with the device
(if they did)? If so, what CPU name is reported by fastfetch/neofetch/System
Info under Settings?
> > >
>>
> > >
>> That info might possibly be able to clear up some stuff, and open
the door to another port.
> > >
>>
> > >
>>
> > >
>> Thanks and best regards,
> > >
>> Lucy Mielke
> > >
>>
> > >
>>> Am 10.09.2025 um 22:03 schrieb Kirk Reiser <k...@reisers.ca
<mailto:<k...@reisers.ca>k...@reisers.ca>>:
> > >
>>>
> > >
>>> Hello folks: I have tried to boot with the CD image and the netinst
> > >
>>> images on my dc-roma ii laptop computer with no luck. I would
> > >
>>> certainly appreciate any clews or suggestions people could provide
> > >
>>> me. In both cases the machine acts like the images are not even
> > >
>>> there. I have dd'd the images to an sdcard because that seems to be
> > >
>>> the only choice available other than the built-in nvme drive.
> > >
>>>
> > >
>>> The images I've attempted to boot from are:
> > >
>>> debian-testing-riscv64-DVD-1.iso
> > >
>>> debian-testing-riscv64-netinst.iso
> > >
>>>
> > >
>>> Thank you for your consideration.
> > >
>>> Kirk
> > >
>>>
> > >
>>
> > >
>
> > >
>
