The image you are using was made with the following builder: https://github.com/pyavitz/rpi-img-builder

I've made lots of changes to the builder since that img was created, one of those changes is in relation to firmware, how its installed and where its located. I don't use the firmware provided by Debian, Devuan or Ubuntu as its usually outdated and incomplete.

The firmware used --> https://github.com/pyavitz/firmware
The firmware function --> https://github.com/pyavitz/rpi-img-buil … ersal#L291
The line now added to the /boot/cmdline.txt --> firmware_class.path=/lib/firmware/updates/brcm

The script used to update kernels, firmware and userland: fetch -h

The gist of it in my opinion is that the imgs on the site need to be updated. I have no access and did not make those imgs myself, so there isn't anything I can do except point out the problem.

The reason the deb install is failing is because the firmware wasn't installed using apt, so you would need to remove the firmware by hand and then run the apt install.

Thanks for the explanation, and the pointers.

cheers
Jim

I've made lots of changes to the builder since that img was created, one of those changes is in relation to firmware, how its installed and where its located. I don't use the firmware provided by Debian, Devuan or Ubuntu as its usually outdated and incomplete.

The firmware used --> https://github.com/pyavitz/firmware
The firmware function --> https://github.com/pyavitz/rpi-img-buil … ersal#L291
The line now added to the /boot/cmdline.txt --> firmware_class.path=/lib/firmware/updates/brcm

The script used to update kernels, firmware and userland: fetch -h

The gist of it in my opinion is that the imgs on the site need to be updated. I have no access and did not make those imgs myself, so there isn't anything I can do except point out the problem.

The reason the deb install is failing is because the firmware wasn't installed using apt, so you would need to remove the firmware by hand and then run the apt install.

Still leaves this problem. I suspect a packaging problem. One should be able to upgrade the firmware successfully.

Jim

As for why it hit an error is due to the fact the firmware is already in place and apt doesn't like to replace files that it didn't install its self.

I have am image based on

  devuan_beowulf_3.1.0_arm64_rpi4.img.zip

at https://arm-files.devuan.org/

that works on an RPI4 8GB board, bought in May 2020. But when used to boot a recently
purchased RPI4 2GB board the kernel crashes. Booting succeeds  right upto ...

...
[   11.459490] bcmgenet fd580000.ethernet: configuring instance for external RGMII (RX delay)
[   11.484802] bcmgenet fd580000.ethernet eth0: Link is Down
[   13.127133] EXT4-fs (mmcblk0p2): re-mounted. Opts: commit=600,errors=remount-ro
[   13.533298] bcmgenet fd580000.ethernet eth0: Link is Up - 100Mbps/Full - flow control rx/tx
[   17.211573] Unable to handle kernel paging request at virtual address ffffffc01234b5b8
[   17.235293] Mem abort info:
[   17.243637]   ESR = 0x96000007
[   17.252762]   EC = 0x25: DABT (current EL), IL = 32 bits
[   17.268657]   SET = 0, FnV = 0
[   17.277781]   EA = 0, S1PTW = 0
[   17.287163] Data abort info:
[   17.295766]   ISV = 0, ISS = 0x00000007
[   17.307232]   CM = 0, WnR = 0
[   17.316096] swapper pgtable: 4k pages, 39-bit VAs, pgdp=000000000109a000
[   17.336160] [ffffffc01234b5b8] pgd=000000007ffff003, p4d=000000007ffff003, pud=000000007ffff003, pmd=00000000403e7003, pte=0000000000000000
[   17.373692] Internal error: Oops: 96000007 [#1] PREEMPT SMP
...

I reckoned that maybe it need newer firmware, so back on the RPI4 8GB I attempted to upgrade the firmware which failed ...

# apt-get install raspi-firmware
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  raspi-firmware
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 29 not upgraded.
Need to get 4514 kB of archives.
After this operation, 22.2 MB of additional disk space will be used.
Get:1 http://deb.devuan.org/merged beowulf-backports/non-free arm64 raspi-firmware arm64 1.20210303+ds-2~bpo10+1 [4514 kB]
Fetched 4514 kB in 2s (2846 kB/s)         
Selecting previously unselected package raspi-firmware.
(Reading database ... 58859 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../raspi-firmware_1.20210303+ds-2~bpo10+1_arm64.deb ...
Unpacking raspi-firmware (1.20210303+ds-2~bpo10+1) ...
dpkg: error processing archive /var/cache/apt/archives/raspi-firmware_1.20210303+ds-2~bpo10+1_arm64.deb (--unpack):
trying to overwrite '/lib/firmware/brcm/brcmfmac43430-sdio.txt', which is also in package firmware-brcm80211 1:20190114-1+rpt11
dpkg-deb: error: paste subprocess was killed by signal (Broken pipe)
Errors were encountered while processing:
/var/cache/apt/archives/raspi-firmware_1.20210303+ds-2~bpo10+1_arm64.deb
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
...

Anyone any ideas how I fix this firmware upgrade error? Or is it a bug?

cheers
Jim