Embedded Linux Workshop

on
Blueboard-AT91

B. Vasu Dev
[email protected]

Enabling the Embedded Learning in INDIA

Bootloader

Enabling the Embedded Learning in INDIA

 BOOT Sequence of BB_AT91
Boot Sequence:

* BMS Pin selects (AT91RM9200 Manual, 10.3.2.4, p.127)

o high: internal ROM (see [below])
o low: external 16bit non-volatile memory (see Manual)

* when using Internal ROM (AT91RM9200 Manual, 7. p.87)

o Sequence:
1. try to load and execute tiny program from SPI DataFlash
2. try to load and execute tiny program from TWI EEPROM
3. try to load and execute tiny program from from 8bit parallel non-volatile memory
4. otherwise use "DBGU serial interface" and "USB Device Port" to let someone
(Xmodem or DFU protocol) load and execute a tiny program.

o tiny program means: program may be up to 12KByte (16K-4K)

o the program is loaded into internal sram and immediately started there.
o the tiny program can be
+ a standalone application
+ on BB_AT91 it is Darrel Loader

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BOOT Sequence of BB_AT91

Enabling the ARM Learning in INDIA

Data Flash Layout Example

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NAND Flash Layout Example

Enabling the ARM Learning in INDIA

 Bootloader
• The bootloader is a piece of code responsible for
– Basic hardware initialization
– Loading of an application binary, usually an operating system
kernel, from flash storage, from the network, or from another
type of non-volatile storage.
– Possibly uncompression of the application binary
– Execution of the application
• Besides these basic functions, most bootloaders provide a shell
with various commands implementing different operations.
– Loading of data from storage or network, memory inspection,
hardware diagnostics and testing, etc.

Enabling the Embedded Learning in INDIA

 Bootloaders

• There are several open-source generic bootloaders.

Here are the most popular ones:
– U-Boot, the universal bootloader by Denx
The most used on ARM, also used on PPC, MIPS, x86, m68k,
NIOS, etc. Clearly the most widely used community solution.
http://www.denx.de/wiki/U-Boot
– RedBoot, based on RedHat eCos
http://sources.redhat.com/redboot/
• There are also a lot of other open-source or proprietary bootloaders,
often architecture-specific

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 U-Boot
U-Boot is a typical free software project

• Freely available at http://www.denx.de/wiki/U-Boot

• Documentation available at
http://www.denx.de/wiki/U-Boot/Documentation
• The latest development source code is available in a Git
repository:
http://git.denx.de/cgi-bin/gitweb.cgi?p=u-boot.git;a=summary
• Development and discussions happen around an open mailing-list
http://lists.denx.de/pipermail/u-boot/
• Since the end of 2008, it follows a fixed-interval release schedule.
Every two months, a new version is released. Versions are named
YYYY.MM.

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 U-Boot Structure

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 U-Boot Porting
Create a new set of directories and files to mimic the existing configuration.
The necessary directories and files are:
u-boot/board/<boardname>
u-boot/include/configs/<boardname>.h
u-boot/Makefile

Then copy files, and make changes to Makefile and platform specific files to
retarget the code for board.
include, cpu, lib_arch, and board are the directories dependent upon a particular
architecture and the board. All other directories remain the same for any architecture.

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 U-Boot Porting
The include directory:
The include directory contains all header files globally used by u-boot. In this directory we

need to generate or change following files for a specific cpu and board:

1) Configs/<boardname>.h

This file includes hardware configuration for memory map and peripherals. It contains

the chip configuration, flash boot configuration, nor and NAND flash configuration,

SDRAM memory configuration, serial configuration, u-boot configuration, I2C

configuration, Linux configuration, Network and Ethernet configuration etc.

2) <core>.h (for example arm920t.h)

This file contains the processor specific definitions required for u-boot to access the

CPU. This includes the register definitions.

Enabling the ARM Learning in INDIA

 U-Boot Porting
The cpu directory:

The cpu directory contains initialization routines for internal peripherals.

1) <core>/cpu.c
This file contains the cpu specific code. It performs operations like read and write to
control register, reset cpu, I/D cache enable/disable, Setup the stacks for IRQ and
FIQ etc.
2) <core>/interrupt.c
This file contains the function related to interrupt and timer. Like enable interrupts,
disable interrupts, timer related operations etc.
3) <core>/start.S
This file contains startup code for ARM920T cpu core.

Enabling the ARM Learning in INDIA

 U-Boot Porting
The lib_<arch> directory :

4) board.c
This file performs the following functions:
* memory map initialization
Logical memory map configuration
dynamic memory allocation routines(malloc)
* u-boot peripheral initialization

5) <arch>linux.c for example armlinux.c

This file contains Implementation of bootm command, that is used to places the kernel
image into RAM. This command passes the architecture number and boot parameters to
the kernel and starts the kernel execution by giving a control to kernel image.

6) div0.c
This file contains division-by zero exception handler

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 U-Boot Porting
The board directory:
An individual directory for each board configuration supported by u-boot is found in the
board directory. This sub-directory includes board specific configuration routines.
7) < boardname >/flash.c
This file contains the function related to flash memory like flash Initialization, Reset flash,
print flash information, Erase flash, Write to flash

8) < boardname >/ < boardname >_emac.c

This file initializes EMAC and performs EMAC related operations like receive packet and send packet.

9) < boardname >/ < boardname >.c

This file contains functions like board initialization routine, Initialize Timer configuration
register, Serial Port initialization, NAND flash initialization etc.

10) < boardname >/ soc.h

This file contains peripheral base addresses, Interrupt event ids etc.

11) < boardname >/ platform.S

This file contains the PLL, power domain initialization, SDRAM Memory configuration
register like SDRAM control register, refresh rate control register, initialization or SDRAM etc.

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 U-Boot Porting
Modify the top level makefile to specify the new configuration.
All the configurations are listed under various titles.

<boardname>_config : unconfig
@./mkconfig $(@:_config=) <architecture> <core> <boardname>

e.g, For ECB_AT91 board,

ecb_at91_config : unconfig
@$(MKCONFIG) $(@:_config=) arm arm920t ecb_at91

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 U-Boot Compiling
• Get the source code from the website, and uncompress it
• The include/configs/ directory contains one configuration file
for each supported board
– It defines the CPU type, the peripherals and their configuration,
the memory mapping, the U-Boot features that should be
compiled in, etc.
– It is a simple .h file that sets pre-processor constants. See the
README file for the documentation of these constants.
• Assuming that your board is already supported by U-Boot, there
should be one file corresponding to your board, for example
include/configs/ecb_at91.h.

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 U-Boot Compiling
• U-Boot must be configured before being compiled
– make BOARDNAME_config    
– Where BOARDNAME is the name of the configuration file in
include/configs/, without the .h
– make ecb_at91_config

Make sure that the cross-compiler is available in PATH

export PATH=<CROSS_COMPILER_PATH>:$PATH
• Compile U-Boot, by specifying the cross-compiler prefix.
make CROSS_COMPILE=<CROSS_CROSS_COMPILER_PREFIX>

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 U-Boot Loading on BB_AT91
• On sucess of compilation of U-Boot u-boot.bin is generated which
need to loaded on the target.
– Reset the target and press enter key as soon you 
see the darrel loader screen.
– Select option 2  'Target will wait for u­
boot.bin on X­Modem'
– Transfer the u­boot.bin from host 'minicom / 
hyperterminal'
– Press Enter at end, which writes the data in 
flash.

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 Running U-Boot
• Connect the target to the host through a serial console
• Power-up the board. On the serial console, you will see something
like:
U­Boot 1.1.6 (Aug  3 2004 ­ 17:31:20)
RAM Configuration:
Bank #0: 00000000  8 MB
Flash:  4 MB
In:    serial
Out:   serial
Err:   serial
u­boot # 

• The U-Boot shell offers a set of commands. We will study the most
important ones, see the documentation for a complete reference or
the help command.
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U-Boot Commands

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 U-Boot Commands

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 U-Boot Commands

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 U-Boot Commands

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 U-Boot Env Variables
U-Boot takes all the configurable data from the environment variables.

The most frequently used variables are:

1. bootcmd : Command executed to boot the kernel

2. bootargs : Boot arguments passed to the kernel

3. bootdelay: Delay before the kernel booting once uboot starts

4. ipaddr : IP address of the target

5. serverip : IP address of the server

6. filename : file name used while tftp download

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 U-Boot Env Variables
To boot from Kernel on Flash and Rootfs on SD Card:
ecb_at91> setenv bootargs 'mem=32M rootfstype=ext3 root=/dev/mmcblk0p1
console=ttyS0,115200n8 rootdelay=2'

ecb_at91> setenv bootcmd 'bootm 0xC0021840'

ecb_at91> saveenv

To boot from Kernel over TFTP and Rootfs over NFS:

ecb_at91> setenv bootargs 'mem=32M root=/dev/nfs nfsroot=192.168.0.128:/srv/nfsroot/rootfs

ip=192.168.0.135:192.168.0.128:192.168.0.1:255.255.255.0::eth0: rootdelay=2'

ecb_at91> setenv bootcmd 'tftp:bootm 0x20200000'

ecb_at91> saveenv

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 TFTP SETUP
1. Remove any other version of tftpd

sudo apt-get remove tftpd atftpd

2. Install the tftpd-hpa package


sudo apt-get install tftpd-hpa

3. Configure the tftp server


vi /etc/default/tftpd-hpa

Change RUN_DAEMON=”no” to RUN_DAEMON=”yes”

Change the default location /var/lib/tftpboot to /tftpboot

4.Create the TFTP directory in root


sudo mkdir /tftpboot

sudo chmod 777 /tftpboot

5. Restart the TFTP Server

sudo /etc/init.d/tftpd-hpa restart

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 NFS SERVER SETUP
1. Install the NFS Server packages
sudo apt-get install nfs-kernel-server nfs-common portmap

2. While portmap installation prompt appears for

“loopback” option set it to no. OR change it later
sudo dpkg-reconfigure portmap; sudo /etc/init.d/portmap restart

3. Configure the NFS Server

sudo mkdir /srv/nfsroot; sudo chmod 777 /srv/nfsroot

sudo vi /etc/exports
Add this line to specify the shared folder
/srv/nfsroot *(rw,sync,no_subtree_check)

4. Restart the NFS Server

sudo /etc/init.d/nfs-kernel-server restart
5. Test: mkdir nfstest; sudo mount localhost:/nfsroot nfstest

Enabling the ARM Learning in INDIA

Enabling the ARM Learning in INDIA
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Enabling the ARM Learning in INDIA