Difference between revisions of "Prepare a bootable MicroSD Card"

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(General case process:)
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==='''<span class="mw-headline">General case process:</span>'''===
 
==='''<span class="mw-headline">General case process:</span>'''===
===='''<span class="mw-headline">Finding your device</span>'''====
 
<span class="mw-headline">[[File:1.png|733x318px]]</span>
 
  
 
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{| class="contenttable sortable"
 
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|-
===='''<span class="mw-headline">Create the MSDOS Partition Table </span>'''====
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!|
<span class="mw-headline">The next step it's create the msdos table partition for it you should click in the "Device" menu and then in the "Create Partition Table" option. </span>
+
=====GENERAL CASE=====
 
+
!|
 
+
=====NXP PROCESSORS=====
<span class="mw-headline">[[File:2.png|733x345px]]</span>
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|-
 
+
||'''1- '''Select the corresponding device
 
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||'''1- '''Select the corresponding device
 
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|-
===='''<span class="mw-headline">Erasing all data</span>'''====
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||<span class="mw-headline">[[File:1.png|429x186px]]</span>
<span class="mw-headline">Check the default option it's create a msdos partition table.</span>'''<span class="mw-headline"><br /></span>'''
+
||<span class="mw-headline">[[File:1.png|413x179px]]</span>
 
+
|-
After that you can '''Apply'''.
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||'''2- '''Create a partition table
 
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||'''2- '''Create a partition table
 
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|-
<span class="mw-headline">[[File:SD4.png|717x494px]]</span>
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||<span class="mw-headline">[[File:2.png|430x202px]]</span><span class="mw-headline">[[File:SD4.png|433x298px]]</span>
 
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||<span class="mw-headline">[[File:2.png|418x197px]]</span><span class="mw-headline">[[File:SD4.png|431x297px]]</span>
 
+
|-
 
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||'''<span class="mw-headline">3- </span>'''<span class="mw-headline">Create a FAT32 '''boot '''partition</span>
===='''<span class="mw-headline">Creating the boot partition</span>'''====
+
||<span class="mw-headline">'''3- '''Create a FAT32 '''boot '''partition '''leaving 8MB before'''</span>
<span class="mw-headline">The Next step it's create the partitions for it you should go to the partition menu and select the "New" option then the application show a window like this:</span>
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|-
 +
||
 +
<span class="mw-headline">[[File:2.png|432x203px]]</span>[[File:fat32_c121.png|429x293px]]
  
 
We will configure the partition as:
 
We will configure the partition as:
  
 +
* Free Space Preceding: 1MB
 
* Primary Partition
 
* Primary Partition
 
* File system/ Format: FAT32
 
* File system/ Format: FAT32
* Size: 100 MegaBytes
+
* Size: 100 MB
* Label: Boot
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* Label: '''Boot'''
 
* '''Align to: cylinder'''
 
* '''Align to: cylinder'''
  
 +
||
 +
<span class="mw-headline">[[File:2.png|432x203px]]</span>[[File:im_1.png|425x290px]]
  
[[File:SD5.png|721x324px]]
+
We will configure the partition as:
 
 
* It is recommended to '''apply changes''' now or you might get an error later.
 
 
 
 
 
===='''<span class="mw-headline">Creating the new partition</span>'''====
 
<span class="mw-headline">The Next step it's create the root file system partition.<br />First you should select the unallocated partition area and then you should go to the partition menu and select the "New" option then the application show a window like this:</span>
 
 
 
 
 
[[File:SD6.png|710x334px]]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
===='''<span class="mw-headline"><span id="result_box" class="short_text" tabindex="-1" lang="en"><span class="">Characterizing</span></span> the Rootfs</span>'''====
 
<span class="mw-headline">We will configure the rootfs partition as:<br /></span>
 
  
 +
* Free Space Preceding: '''8MB'''
 
* Primary Partition
 
* Primary Partition
* Format: EXT4
+
* File system/ Format: FAT32
* Size: All the Rest
+
* Size: 100 MB
* Label: Rootfs'''<br />'''
+
* Label: '''Boot'''
* Other spaces such as the defaults ones
+
* '''Align to: cylinder'''
 
 
At end we will click on "Add" button.
 
 
 
 
 
[[File:SD7.png|715x319px]]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
===='''<span class="mw-headline">Applying changes</span>'''====
 
<span class="mw-headline">Click on apply button in the main menu after that gparted show a window like this for confirm all operations </span>
 
 
 
[[File:SD8.png|715x321px]]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
* <span class="mw-headline">We should click on apply button to confirm<br /></span>
 
 
 
 
 
[[File:SD9.png|722x323px]]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
===='''Loading'''====
 
When the process finish we can see all changes applied 
 
 
 
 
 
[[File:SD10.png|724x326px]]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
===='''<span class="mw-headline">Selecting boot flag</span>'''====
 
<span class="mw-headline">Now we must select the boot flag for the first partition for it we use the right mouse button over the boot partition and select "Manage Flags" option</span>'''<span class="mw-headline"><br /></span>'''
 
 
 
 
 
[[File:SD12.png|719x337px]]
 
  
 +
|-
 +
||'''<span class="mw-headline">4- </span>'''<span class="mw-headline">Create a ext4 '''rootfs '''partition</span>
 +
||'''<span class="mw-headline">4- </span>'''<span class="mw-headline">Create a ext4 '''rootfs '''partition</span>
 +
|-
 +
||[[File:fat32_c2.png|407x279px]]'''7-''' Check the results are similar to the followings:
 +
||[[File:fat32_c2.png|407x279px]]
 +
|-
 +
||'''<span class="mw-headline">5- </span>'''<span class="mw-headline">Apply changes<br /></span>
 +
||'''<span class="mw-headline">5- </span>'''<span class="mw-headline">Apply changes</span>
 +
|-
 +
||'''<span class="mw-headline">[[File:fat32_c3.png|411x279px]]</span>'''
 +
||[[File:im_2.png|403x275px]]
 +
|-
 +
||'''<span class="mw-headline">6- </span>'''<span class="mw-headline">Set boot flag to boot partition</span>
 +
||'''<span class="mw-headline">6- </span>'''<span class="mw-headline">Set boot flag to boot partition</span>
 +
|-
 +
||
 +
[[File:fat32_c4.png|411x278px]]
  
 +
[[File:fat32_c5.png|432x291px]]
  
Now we have the microsd prepared for copy the boot files
+
||
 +
[[File:IM_25.png|414x281px]]
  
 +
[[File:fat32_c5.png|431x291px]]
  
 +
|-
 +
||'''7-''' Check the results are similar to the followings:
 +
||'''7-''' Check the results are similar to the followings:
 +
|-
 +
||[[File:fat32_c6.png|434x294px]]
 +
||[[File:im_3.png|438x301px]]
 +
|}
  
  
 +
'''<span class="mw-headline">By doing that we will have ready the microSD Card in order to copy our files.</span>'''
  
 
==='''<span class="mw-headline">NXP case process:</span>'''===
 
==='''<span class="mw-headline">NXP case process:</span>'''===

Revision as of 14:16, 11 May 2018

Introduction

This page explain how to create a microSD card to boot IGEP boards with  software distributions ( yocto, Ubuntu, Debian ...).

  • Now we can see an image of which are the steps to boot any module.

With a general processor all start with MLO file and U-Boot.img. Also it is the same procedure for Freescale- NXP. If you want to see how to create these files follow this link.

Next step is that once the processor is initialized,call the linux kernel making the execution of  your operative system available.

Finally your OS runs and you can initialize the board correctly 


How to SD.PNG


General Processors

Inside General processors we can find Texas Instruments

  • The microsd card must be content at latest 2 partitions.
  • The first one must be primary partition with the boot flag mark and formated using FAT(16 or 32) file system.
  • All names used in this partition must be msdos names (applies to OLD OMAP35xx processor).
  • The processor must load a first program called MLO, this program must reside in the first partition, this program it's also called x-loader or uboot-spl.

The processor when boot ONLY load and execute the MLO program and ignore all the rest it's the X-loader(MLO) the program responsible to load the next programs such kernel or uboot if you use this last one approach.


Information.jpg Freescale has a different structure


Freescale-NXP Processors

  • The microsd card must be content at latest 1 partitions.
  • The primary partition can be formatted with any filesystem that u-boot can mount.
  • The Processor will load the u-boot.imx it include the SPL and u-boot.

After load this u-boot.imx, u-boot will be ready for boot the kernel.

Therefore, we are going to setup a microSD card with these requirements and install a custom software distribution into it.


Prerequisites

  • PC with Linux (We use for this how to Ubuntu 16.04 LTS)
  • MicroSD Card (4 Gbytes - class 4) or bigger ...
  • Tools such, fdisk, mkfs.ext3, mkfs.vfat, gparted ...
  • Cross Toolchain included in Ubuntu 16.04 LTS gcc version 4.9.3 (Ubuntu/Linaro 4.9.3-13ubuntu2).


ToolChain


In order to start developing with an IGEP PROCESSOR BOARD we can use a microSD Card to flash our system and boot from it. Most of the cases is the easiest way to boot a board.

The following steps details how to prepare a booteable MicroSD Card

Prepare a SD to boot

Information.jpg The following steps has been tested using an Ubuntu 16.04
First of all it is important to detect which device is our microSD Card. In order to do that we can follow this instructions in a Linux terminal:
1- Clean the dmesg information:
sudo dmesg -c
2- Insert the microSD Card and show the dmesg information:
dmesg
The result have to be similar to this:

SD1 .png

We can see the name of our device in the system: /dev/sdX where X is the character assigned by our system, in this case /dev/sde.
Now we have to ensure that the MicroSD Card is completely clean. We can use the following command to do that:
sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sdX bs=1024 count=1024
Where X is the character returned previously by your system, for example, in the previous situation:
sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sde bs=1024 count=1024
Now we are ready to create the corresponding partitions in our MicroSD Card.

How to partition the MicroSD card

There are several ways to partition a MicroSD Card. In this post we are using the GParted tool that can be installed as:
sudo apt-get install gparted

Other tools as sfdisk and mkfs are useful too.

It is important to difference between a MicroSD Card for a NXP processor and the other cases. The process of partition is similar but, in the case of NXP chips, there exists some differences. 

General case process:

GENERAL CASE
NXP PROCESSORS
1- Select the corresponding device 1- Select the corresponding device
1.png 1.png
2- Create a partition table 2- Create a partition table
2.pngSD4.png 2.pngSD4.png
3- Create a FAT32 boot partition 3- Create a FAT32 boot partition leaving 8MB before

2.pngfat32 c121.png

We will configure the partition as:

  • Free Space Preceding: 1MB
  • Primary Partition
  • File system/ Format: FAT32
  • Size: 100 MB
  • Label: Boot
  • Align to: cylinder

2.pngim 1.png

We will configure the partition as:

  • Free Space Preceding: 8MB
  • Primary Partition
  • File system/ Format: FAT32
  • Size: 100 MB
  • Label: Boot
  • Align to: cylinder
4- Create a ext4 rootfs partition 4- Create a ext4 rootfs partition
fat32 c2.png7- Check the results are similar to the followings: fat32 c2.png
5- Apply changes
5- Apply changes
fat32 c3.png im 2.png
6- Set boot flag to boot partition 6- Set boot flag to boot partition

fat32 c4.png

fat32 c5.png

IM 25.png

fat32 c5.png

7- Check the results are similar to the followings: 7- Check the results are similar to the followings:
fat32 c6.png im 3.png


By doing that we will have ready the microSD Card in order to copy our files.

NXP case process:

Finding your device

1.png


Create the MSDOS Partition Table

The next step it's create the msdos table partition for it you should click in the "Device" menu and then in the "Create Partition Table" option. 


2.png


Erasing all data

Check the default option it's create a msdos partition table.

After that you can Apply.


SD4.png


Creating the boot partition

This Step it's only for iMX6 processor based IGEP boards.

The Next step it's create the partitions for it you should go to the partition menu and select the "New" option.

We will configure the partition as:

  • Primary Partition
  • Format: FAT32
  • Free Space Preceding: 8 MiB
  • Size: 100 MegaBytes
  • Label: Boot
  • Align to: cylinder

It is recommended to apply changes now or you might get an error later.


SD IMX 1.png


Creating the new partition

The Next step it's create the root file system partition.
First you should select the unallocated partition area and then you should go to the partition menu and select the "New" option then the application show a window like this:


SD IMX 2.png


Characterizing the Rootfs

We will configure the rootfs partition as:

  • Primary Partition
  • File system/Format: EXT4
  • Size: All the Rest
  • Label: Rootfs
  • Other spaces such as the defaults ones

At end we will click on "Add" button.


SD IMX 3.png


Applying changes

Click on apply button in the main menu after that gparted show a window like this for confirm all operations 


SD IMX 4.png


  • We should click on apply button to confirm

SD IMX 5.png


Loading

When the process finish we can see all changes applied 


SD IMX 7.png


Selecting boot flag

Now we must select the boot flag for the first partition for it we use the right mouse button over the boot partition and select "Manage Flags" option


SD IMX 8.png


SFDISK

IMX6

sudo sfdisk /dev/ <<EOF
label: dos
16065,128520,0x0C,*
144585,,,-
EOF

Example

sudo sfdisk /dev/sdc <<EOF
label: dos
16065,128520,0x0C,*
144585,,,-
EOF

SFDISK NORMAL1.png

Explanation

sudo mkfs.vfat -F32 /dev/ -n boot

Example

sudo mkfs.vfat -F32 /dev/sdc1 -n boot

SFDISK IMX2.png


Explanation

sudo mkfs.ext4 /dev/ -L rootfs

Example

sudo mkfs.ext4 /dev/sdc2 -L rootfs

SFDISK IMX3.png

 

Here the result

SFDISK NORMAL4.png



NORMAL

Explanation

sudo sfdisk /dev/ <<EOF
label: dos
63,144522,0x0C,*
160650,,,-
EOF

Example

sudo sfdisk /dev/sdc <<EOF
label: dos
63,144522,0x0C,*
160650,,,-
EOF

SFDISK NORMAL1.png


Explanation

sudo mkfs.vfat -F32 /dev/ -n boot

Example

sudo mkfs.vfat -F32 /dev/sdc1 -n boot

SFDISK IMX2.png


Explanation

sudo mkfs.ext4 /dev/ -L rootfs

Example

sudo mkfs.ext4 /dev/sdc2 -L rootfs


SFDISK NORMAL3.png


The result

SFDISK NORMAL5.png




sudo dd if=./u-boot.imx of=/dev/sdc bs=512 seek=2; sync ?????



How to boot each part

Now we will see where to put each part and how to.

U-Boot

General processors

After build or download the MLO and u-boot you should follow the next steps:

  • Copy MLO and u-boot.img to primary boot partition
$ cp MLO u-boot.img /media/user/boot

You can follow this link if you want build the MLO and u-boot


Freescale processors

  • Copy u-boot.imx using dd before primary partition in raw mode as
sudo dd if=/home/user/u-boot-imx/u-boot.imx of=/dev/sde bs=512 seek=2

Where /dev/sde is your microsd card


You can follow this link you want build the u-boot.imx


Root file System

In this tutorial we will use the linaro headless (soft floating) image as rootfs but you can use your favorite rootfs also.


 
  Here there are many articles about how to get many other [index.php/Category:Software_distributions software distributions].


Here you've the linaro nano 11.09 (soft floating) available for download from the ISEE server.

Notes: You must build your programs with the hard floating if your rootfs is build with it.

Notes: IGEPv5 must use Hard floating Rootfs


Create the Rootfs mount point

Go to /media directory and create one sub-folder called "binary"

cd /media

sudo mkdir binary

Mount the RootFS partition

Mount the rootfs partition using the 'binary' directory

$ media > sudo mount /dev/mmcblkp2 /media/binary

Untar the rootfs package

Copy "linaro-m-headless-tar-20101108-2.tar.gz" file inside the /media directory and untar the file

$ media > sudo tar xvfz linaro-m-headless-tar-20101108-2.tar.gz


Now you should see inside your rootfs partition a similar structure like this.

Install the kernel modules

Now you should install your kernel modules inside your root file system.

$ media > cd /home/jdoe/linux-omap-2.6

$ /home/jdoe/linux-omap-2.6> sudo make ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=arm-linux-gnueabi- modules_install INSTALL_MOD_PATH=/media/binary

Alternatively if you downloaded the binary package uncompress it inside the directory /media/binary

Install the kernel Image

Just copy the zImage inside your boot partition, remember before that you must mount your mmc boot partition.

$ /home/jdoe/linux-omap-2.6> sudo cp arch/arm/boot/zImage /media/boot/
if you're using dtb kernel as 3.8.y you must copy the dtb too.
$ /home/jdoe/linuz-omap-2.6> sudo cp arch/arm/boot/dtbs/omap5-igep0050.dtb /media/boot

After that you can unmount the boot & rootfs partitions.

Now we're ready for test our new microsd card

Kernel & Modules

You can follow this other howto about [index.php/The_Linux_kernel how compile and install the Linux Kernel].


Test your new MicroSD

You can test your new microSD card with a Serial client such as PuTTy. [index.php/Using_serial_debug_port_to_communicate Here] is an explanation about how to configure it.

(Note that speed should be configured to 115200 bauds).

If you already have configured it or you are using another Serial client and you have connected the Serial cable to the IGEPv2 board, then you are ready to test your microSD.

Insert the microSD in your IGEPv2 board and power up the board.