linux on arm,PandaBoard

This is a page about TI's Cortex-A9 based; PandaBoard and PandaBoard ES.

Availability

Boards:

Basic Requirements

Running a recent supported release of Debian, Fedora or Ubuntu on a x86 64bit based PC; without OS Virtualization Software.

Many of the listed commands assume /bin/bash as the default shell.

ARM Cross Compiler: GCC

This is a pre-built (64bit) version of Linaro GCC that runs on generic linux, sorry (32bit) x86 users, it's time to upgrade...

Download/Extract:

user@localhost:~$

wget -c https://releases.linaro.org/components/toolchain/binaries/6.5-2018.12/arm-linux-gnueabihf/gcc-linaro-6.5.0-2018.12-x86_64_arm-linux-gnueabihf.tar.xz

tar xf gcc-linaro-6.5.0-2018.12-x86_64_arm-linux-gnueabihf.tar.xz

export CC=`pwd`/gcc-linaro-6.5.0-2018.12-x86_64_arm-linux-gnueabihf/bin/arm-linux-gnueabihf-

Test Cross Compiler:

user@localhost:~$

${CC}gcc --version

Test Output:

arm-linux-gnueabihf-gcc (Linaro GCC 6.5-2018.12) 6.5.0

Copyright (C) 2017 Free Software Foundation, Inc.

This is free software; see the source for copying conditions. There is NO

warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

Bootloader: U-Boot

Das U-Boot – the Universal Boot Loader:

user@localhost:~$

git clone https://github.com/u-boot/u-boot

cd u-boot/

git checkout v2019.04 -b tmp

Patches:

user@localhost:~/u-boot$

wget -c https://github.com/eewiki/u-boot-patches/raw/master/v2019.04/0001-omap4_common-uEnv.txt-bootz-n-fixes.patch

patch -p1 < 0001-omap4_common-uEnv.txt-bootz-n-fixes.patch

Configure and Build:

user@localhost:~/u-boot$

make ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=${CC} distclean

make ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=${CC} omap4_panda_defconfig

make ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=${CC}

Linux Kernel

This script will build the kernel, modules, device tree binaries and copy them to the deploy directory.

Download:

user@localhost:~$

git clone https://github.com/RobertCNelson/armv7-multiplatform

cd armv7-multiplatform/

For v4.19.x (Longterm 4.19.x):

user@localhost:~/armv7-multiplatform$

git checkout origin/v4.19.x -b tmp

For v4.19.x-rt (Longterm 4.19.x + Real-Time Linux):

user@localhost:~/armv7-multiplatform$

git checkout origin/v4.19.x-rt -b tmp

For v5.0.x (Stable):

user@localhost:~/armv7-multiplatform$

git checkout origin/v5.0.x -b tmp

For v5.0.x-rt (Stable + Real-Time Linux):

user@localhost:~/armv7-multiplatform$

git checkout origin/v5.0.x-rt -b tmp

Build:

user@localhost:~/armv7-multiplatform$

./build_kernel.sh

Root File System

Debian 10

User

Password

debian

temppwd

root

root

Download:

user@localhost:~$

wget -c https://rcn-ee.com/rootfs/eewiki/minfs/debian-10.2-minimal-armhf-2019-11-23.tar.xz

Verify:

user@localhost:~$

sha256sum debian-10.2-minimal-armhf-2019-11-23.tar.xz

sha256sum output:

2b2c9f44a8823c772105840725ccc340fafc59545b710f5a0e0a909d6dc4c798 debian-10.2-minimal-armhf-2019-11-23.tar.xz

Extract:

user@localhost:~$

tar xf debian-10.2-minimal-armhf-2019-11-23.tar.xz

Ubuntu 18.04 LTS

User

Password

ubuntu

temppwd

Download:

user@localhost:~$

wget -c https://rcn-ee.com/rootfs/eewiki/minfs/ubuntu-18.04.3-minimal-armhf-2019-11-23.tar.xz

Verify:

user@localhost:~$

sha256sum ubuntu-18.04.3-minimal-armhf-2019-11-23.tar.xz

sha256sum output:

7135e04fbecb5af40ab8baac368816c59af701facbd622c4505f5cdd127e3e27 ubuntu-18.04.3-minimal-armhf-2019-11-23.tar.xz

Extract:

user@localhost:~$

tar xf ubuntu-18.04.3-minimal-armhf-2019-11-23.tar.xz

Setup microSD card

We need to access the External Drive to be utilized by the target device. Run lsblk to help figure out what linux device has been reserved for your External Drive.

Example: for DISK=/dev/sdX

lsblk

NAME MAJ:MIN RM SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT

sda 8:0 0 465.8G 0 disk

├─sda1 8:1 0 512M 0 part /boot/efi

└─sda2 8:2 0 465.3G 0 part /

sdb 8:16 1 962M 0 disk

└─sdb1 8:17 1 961M 0 part

Thus you would use:

export DISK=/dev/sdb

Example: for DISK=/dev/mmcblkX

lsblk

NAME MAJ:MIN RM SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT

sda 8:0 0 465.8G 0 disk

├─sda1 8:1 0 512M 0 part /boot/efi

└─sda2 8:2 0 465.3G 0 part /

mmcblk0 179:0 0 962M 0 disk

└─mmcblk0p1 179:1 0 961M 0 part

Thus you would use:

export DISK=/dev/mmcblk0

Erase partition table/labels on microSD card:

sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=${DISK} bs=1M count=10

Install Bootloader:

user@localhost:~$

sudo dd if=./u-boot/MLO of=${DISK} count=1 seek=1 bs=128k

sudo dd if=./u-boot/u-boot.img of=${DISK} count=2 seek=1 bs=384k

Create Partition Layout:

With util-linux v2.26, sfdisk was rewritten and is now based on libfdisk.

Check the version of sfdisk installed on your pc

sudo sfdisk --version

Example Output

sfdisk from util-linux 2.27.1

sfdisk >= 2.26.x

sudo sfdisk ${DISK} <

4M,,L,*

__EOF__

sfdisk <= 2.25.x

sudo sfdisk --unit M ${DISK} <

4,,L,*

__EOF__

Format Partition:

for: DISK=/dev/mmcblkX

sudo mkfs.ext4 -L rootfs ${DISK}p1

for: DISK=/dev/sdX

sudo mkfs.ext4 -L rootfs ${DISK}1

Mount Partition:

On most systems these partitions may will be auto-mounted...

sudo mkdir -p /media/rootfs/

for: DISK=/dev/mmcblkX

sudo mount ${DISK}p1 /media/rootfs/

for: DISK=/dev/sdX

sudo mount ${DISK}1 /media/rootfs/

Install Kernel and Root File System

To help new users, since the kernel version can change on a daily basis. The kernel building scripts listed on this page will now give you a hint of what kernel version was built.

-----------------------------

Script Complete

eewiki.net: [user@localhost:~$ export kernel_version=4.X.Y-Z]

-----------------------------

Copy and paste that "export kernel_version=4.X.Y-Z" exactly as shown in your own build/desktop environment and hit enter to create an environment variable to be used later.

export kernel_version=4.X.Y-Z

Copy Root File System

user@localhost:~$

sudo tar xfvp ./*-*-*-armhf-*/armhf-rootfs-*.tar -C /media/rootfs/

sync

sudo chown root:root /media/rootfs/

sudo chmod 755 /media/rootfs/

Set uname_r in /boot/uEnv.txt

user@localhost:~$

sudo sh -c "echo 'uname_r=${kernel_version}' >> /media/rootfs/boot/uEnv.txt"

Device Tree Binary

PandaBoard EA1->A3

sudo sh -c "echo 'dtb=omap4-panda.dtb' >> /media/rootfs/boot/uEnv.txt"

PandaBoard A4->+ (non ES)

sudo sh -c "echo 'dtb=omap4-panda-a4.dtb' >> /media/rootfs/boot/uEnv.txt"

PandaBoard ES

sudo sh -c "echo 'dtb=omap4-panda-es.dtb' >> /media/rootfs/boot/uEnv.txt"

PandaBoard ES Rev B3

sudo sh -c "echo 'dtb=omap4-panda-es-b3.dtb' >> /media/rootfs/boot/uEnv.txt"

Copy Kernel Image

Kernel Image:

user@localhost:~$

sudo cp -v ./armv7-multiplatform/deploy/${kernel_version}.zImage /media/rootfs/boot/vmlinuz-${kernel_version}

Copy Kernel Device Tree Binaries

user@localhost:~$

sudo mkdir -p /media/rootfs/boot/dtbs/${kernel_version}/

sudo tar xfv ./armv7-multiplatform/deploy/${kernel_version}-dtbs.tar.gz -C /media/rootfs/boot/dtbs/${kernel_version}/

Copy Kernel Modules

user@localhost:~$

sudo tar xfv ./armv7-multiplatform/deploy/${kernel_version}-modules.tar.gz -C /media/rootfs/

File Systems Table (/etc/fstab)

sudo sh -c "echo '/dev/mmcblk0p1 / auto errors=remount-ro 0 1' >> /media/rootfs/etc/fstab"

WiFI

Install Firmware:

~/

git clone git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/firmware/linux-firmware.git --depth=1

sudo mkdir -p /media/rootfs/lib/firmware/ti-connectivity

sudo cp -v ./linux-firmware/ti-connectivity/* /media/rootfs/lib/firmware/ti-connectivity

Remove microSD/SD card

sync

sudo umount /media/rootfs

FAQ

PandaBoard ES Rev B3: New Memory Timings

Note: the U-Boot patch on this wiki has this fix already applied...

Error:

U-Boot SPL 2013.04-00015-gfe81c6a (Apr 24 2013 - 14:35:14)

OMAP4460 ES1.1

SDRAM: identified size not same as expected size identified: 0

expected: 40000000

/* Disable for PandaBoard ES Rev B3 #define CONFIG_SYS_EMIF_PRECALCULATED_TIMING_REGS */

PandaBoard A4 (with "M" Micron memory)

Note: the U-Boot patch on this wiki has this fix already applied...

U-Boot SPL 2014.04-dirty (Apr 18 2014 - 13:51:58)

OMAP4430 ES2.3

SDRAM: identified size not same as expected size identified: 1000 expected: 40000000

SPL: Please implement spl_start_uboot() for your board

SPL: Direct Linux boot not active!

reading u-boot.img

reading u-boot.img

/* #define CONFIG_SYS_EMIF_PRECALCULATED_TIMING_REGS */

#define CONFIG_SYS_EMIF_PRECALCULATED_TIMING_REGS

Comments

Any questions or comments please go to our TechForum: