Target Software Installation

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Flash memory partitions (APF9328)

Address range (index from FLASH physical @ 0x10000000) Type
0x000000 - 0x03FFFF ( 256KB ) U-Boot
0x040000 - 0x5FFFF ( 128KB ) U-Boot environment variables
0x060000 - 0x9FFFF ( 256KB ) FPGA bitfile
0x0A0000 - 0x21FFFF ( 1.5MB ) Linux kernel image
0x220000 - End of FLASH ( ~6 MB or ~14MB ) Root filesystem

Configure U-Boot

Environment variables

U-Boot can be customized in a flexible way with the use of "environment variables/scripts". The command printenv shows you most of them and their current value: 

BIOS> printenv
bootcmd=run jffsboot
bootdelay=20
baudrate=115200
ethaddr=00:0E:32:00:00:01
autoload=no
...

Use the command setenv to change these variables. For example, to set the IP address: 

BIOS> setenv ipaddr 192.168.0.3

Use the command saveenv to save the state of your environment variables in FLASH memory: 

BIOS> saveenv
Saving Environment to Flash...
. done
Un-Protected 1 sectors
Erasing Flash...
. done
Erased 1 sectors
Writing to Flash... done
. done
Protected 1 sectors

Network configuration

In order to use the U-Boot's network features, you have to set the network environment variables: 

BIOS> setenv netmask 255.255.255.0 (this default value should be fine in most situations)
BIOS> setenv ipaddr 192.168.0.3 
BIOS> setenv serverip 192.168.0.5 (the IP address of your tftp server/PC hosting the files to download)
BIOS> setenv rootpath "/tftpboot/root" (to boot Linux over NFS)

You can use the dhcp command to configure these variables from your DHCP server. You probably will have to adjust the serverip variable manually. 

BIOS> dhcp
dm9000 i/o: 0x15c00000, id: 0x90000a46
MAC: 00:0e:32:00:00:01
operating at 100M full duplex mode
BOOTP broadcast 1
DHCP client bound to address 192.168.0.3
BIOS> setenv serverip 192.168.0.5
BIOS> saveenv

Do not forget to save your changes in FLASH, to have them available at next power up: 

BIOS> saveenv

In case of troubles you can use the following U-Boot script to reset the variables to the "factory"/default settings: 

BIOS> run flash_reset_env

Linux kernel building and installation

  • configure your Linux kernel:
On your host:
[armadeus]$ make linux-menuconfig
  • save your configuration and then rebuild your kernel image:
[armadeus]$ make linux
  • check that your Armadeus kernel image size is smaller than the U-Boot partition (1,5MB):
[armadeus]$ ls -al buildroot/binaries/armadeus/
...
[armadeus]$ cp buildroot/binaries/armadeus/linux-kernel-2.6.23.1-arm.bin /tftpboot/
  • Load kernel image with U-Boot through network:
   BIOS> tftpboot 08000000 linux-kernel-2.6.23.1-arm.bin

or with the serial line: 

   BIOS> loadb 08000000
   Ctrl+Altgr+\+c to access kermit command line then...
   send pathtoyourhostedbuildrootdir/linux-kernel-2.6.23.1-arm.bin
   the you can type the c command to reconnect to the terminal

!!! WARNING !! If the loaded kernel image is too large, the following operation can destroy data that are stored after the partition limits (e.g. RootFS) !!!
Check that transfered size value is less than 1572864 (0x180000 hex) 

Bytes transferred = 1313216 (1409c0 hex)
  • You can test your new kernel image without flashing it with:
   BIOS> bootm 08000000
  • Unprotect flash sectors bank 1 sectors 0 to 127:
   BIOS> protect off 1:0-127
  • Flash kernel image with:
   BIOS> run flash_kernel
  • To make it easier next time, you can write a small U-Boot script:
BIOS> setenv kernel_img linux-kernel-2.6.23.1-arm.bin
BIOS> setenv update_kernel_tftp if tftp 08000000 \${kernel_img}\; then run flash_kernel\; fi
  • So next time you will only launch:
BIOS> run update_kernel_tftp
  • If you only want to try a new kernel without flashing the kernel image you can launch it directly from RAM:
BIOS> setenv bootargs ${console} ${mtdparts}; run addjffsargs addipargs; bootm

(the kernel image you want to try must have been loaded at 0x08000000)

Linux RootFS installation

  • check that your Armadeus RootFS image size is smaller than the RootFS partition :
[armadeus]$ ls -al buildroot/binaries/armadeus/
...
[armadeus]$ cp buildroot/binaries/armadeus/rootfs.arm.jffs2 /tftpboot/


  • Load RootFS image with U-Boot through network:
   BIOS> tftpboot 08000000 rootfs.arm.jffs2

or serial line: 

   BIOS> loadb 08000000
   Ctrl+Altgr+\+c to access kermit command line then...
   send pathtoyourhostedbuildrootdir/rootfs.arm.jffs2

then you can type the c command to reconnect to the terminal

  • Flash RootFS image with:
   BIOS> run flash_rootfs
  • Now you should be ready to test Linux:
   BIOS> boot
  • To make it easier next time, you can write a small U-Boot script:
BIOS> setenv rootfs_img rootfs.arm.jffs2
BIOS> setenv update_rootfs_tftp if tftp 08000000 \${rootfs_img}\; then run flash_rootfs\; fi
BIOS> saveenv
  • So next time you will only launch: 
BIOS> run update_rootfs_tftp

FPGA firmware installation

The FPGA firmwares are all located in the firmware/ directory of your Armadeus view: 

[armadeus]$ ls firmware/
apf_pkg  BRAMTest  bus_led  led  PS2  PS2_Opencore  servo  sram_test  wishbone_example  Xtools

You can make some trials with the firmware/PS2/ps2_top.bit file.

!!! Check that your bitfile size is smaller than the firmware partition size (256KB) before trying the following commands or you may corrupt your Linux kernel FLASH partition !!!


  • Load FPGA firmware image file with U-Boot through:

Ethernet: 

   BIOS> tftpboot 08000000 fpgafirmware.bit

fpgafirmware.bit is of course the name of your bitfile stored in your TFTP shared directory (/tftpboot/)

or serial line: 

   BIOS> loadb 08000000
   Ctrl+Altgr+\+c to access kermit command line then...
   C-Kermit> send path_to_your_tftp/fpgafirmware.bit

then you can type the c command to reconnect to the terminal

  • Flash your firmware image with:
   BIOS> run flash_firmware
  • Test your new FPGA firmware:
   BIOS> fpga load 0 ${firmware_addr} ${firmware_len}
  • When your are satisfied with your firmware you can make it "autoloaded" at power up:
   BIOS> setenv firmware_autoload 1
   BIOS> saveenv

Update U-Boot

There are two steps to update U-Boot:

  • 1] Load the new U-Boot code in RAM

You can use the following commands to download U-boot:
With Ethernet and a TFTP server: 

BIOS> tftpboot 08000000 /tftpboot_path_to_buildroot/u-boot.bin

With Ethernet and a NFS server: 

BIOS> nfs 08000000 host_ip_addr:/nfs_path_to_buildroot/u-boot.bin

With the kermit and a serial line 

BIOS> loadb 08000000
   <CTRL><ALT GR>\
   c
   send path_to_buildroot/u_boot.bin
   c
  • 2] Transfer code from RAM to Flash memory

There is a simple U-Boot command/script to do that: 

   BIOS> run flash_uboot

Advanced informations can be found at the BootLoader wiki page.

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