BeagleBoardUbuntu

This page is about running a (ARM EABI) Ubuntu distribution at BeagleBoard. BeagleBoard will boot the (ARM EABI) Ubuntu distribution from SD card.

KNOWN ISSUES

2.6.29-oer* USB still flaky on the RevC ehci port.. --RobertCNelson 18:17, 6 May 2009 (UTC)

Kernel Problems:

Please email me (gmail), or post to the beagleboard google group, with a pastebin dump of your complete serial bootup. (I'm unable to use irc at work..)
Any builds listed in this wiki have been tested with RevB & RevC boards.. (however with not every single u-boot combination.)

Ubuntu gcc package build settings

Ubuntu 9.04 - Released : April 23rd, 2009

Default gcc settings:

-march=armv5t -mtune=cortex-a8 -mfpu=vfp -mfloat-abi=softfp

Ubuntu 9.10 - Karmic - pre-alpha:1

Possible gcc settings:

-march=armv6 -mtune=cortex-a8 -mfpu=vfp -mfloat-abi=softfp
gcc-4.4 by default? it's what got pulled into my schroot via deboostrap.

Ref: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gcc-4.3/+bug/303232

Recommended Beagle Software

xloader xxxx Upgrade

U-Boot 2009.03+r22 Upgrade: http://elinux.org/BeagleBoardUbuntu#Upgrade_U-Boot

Warning note: RevB board + RevC Validation U-boot + 2.6.29-oer30 = NO USB (USB worked fine with 2.6.28)

Ubuntu Rootfs Install

Use Oliver's <ogra> script located here: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ARM/RootfsFromScratch

PC: Build Root File System

Note: Use latest debootstrap, if the one posted here is no longer available.

Requirements:

sudo apt-get install qemu

wget http://ports.ubuntu.com/pool/main/d/debootstrap/debootstrap_1.0.13~jaunty1_all.deb
sudo dpkg -i debootstrap_1.0.13~jaunty1_all.deb
wget http://people.ubuntu.com/~ogra/arm/build-arm-rootfs
sudo chmod u+x build-arm-rootfs 

General

sudo ./build-arm-rootfs --fqdn <hostname> --login <rootuser> --password <rootuserpasswd> --imagesize <qemu image size> --seed <packages>

Basic small image

sudo ./build-arm-rootfs --fqdn beagleboard --login ubuntu --password temppwd --imagesize 2G --seed 

lxde Destktop

sudo ./build-arm-rootfs --fqdn beagleboard --login ubuntu --password temppwd --imagesize 2G --seed lxde,gdm 

Xubuntu Desktop

sudo ./build-arm-rootfs --fqdn beagleboard --login ubuntu --password temppwd --imagesize 2G --seed xubuntu-desktop

Ubuntu Desktop

sudo ./build-arm-rootfs --fqdn beagleboard --login ubuntu --password temppwd --imagesize 3G --seed ubuntu-desktop

PC: Format SD Card

You will need a 1GB SD card or greater.

Standard System : ~xxxMB
+ Desktop environment (GNOME) : ~x.xGB

Starting with an empty SD card and using gparted, create:

50 MiB Primary Partition, fat32
Rest as ext2/ext3

Gparted Example: http://nishanthmenon.blogspot.com/2008/08/how-to-boot-beagle.html

PC: Setup SD uboot/uImage Partition

Mount your SD card fat32 partition. (/media/disk/)

Note: Depending on how your system mounts the cards, you may have to run as sudo.

Old-Stable
cd /media/disk/
sudo wget http://www.rcn-ee.com/deb/kernel/CC-v2.6.28-79d042a-oer17
sudo mv CC-v2.6.28-79d042a-oer17 uImage

Testing
cd /media/disk
sudo wget http://www.rcn-ee.com/deb/kernel/CC-beagle-v2.6.29-58cf2f1-oer31.1
sudo mv CC-beagle-v2.6.29-58cf2f1-oer31.1 uImage

Tested: 2.6.29-oer31 install RevB5 & RevC2 --RobertCNelson 19:54, 24 April 2009 (UTC)

Scripted: latest u-boot this is disabled, so it must be done manually later: #Beagleboard:_Setup_U-boot_for_boot

ext3
wget http://www.rcn-ee.com/deb/kernel/boot-scr/ubuntu-ext3.scr
mv ubuntu-ext3.scr boot.scr

ext2
wget http://www.rcn-ee.com/deb/kernel/boot-scr/ubuntu-ext2.scr
mv ubuntu-ext2.scr boot.scr

Need a different resolution or other setting in the *.scr's? See : #U-Boot_Script_Files

Note: CC-v2.6.28-79d042a-oer17 & CC-beagle-v2.6.29-58cf2f1-oer31.1 uImage was built with most/all available usb wifi/ethernet adapter built in to get the beagleboard to connect to the internet. For most people this is all you'll need, however it is recommended to install one of the kernel image deb packages. (script is provided.)

PC: Setup SD ext2/ext3 Partition

Mount your SD ext2/ext3 partition. (/media/disk/)

sudo tar xfp armel-rootfs-[date].tgz -C /media/disk

PC or Beagleboard: System Setup on the (ext2/ext3) Partition

Enable Network Access

Modify /etc/network/interfaces

auto eth0
iface eth0 inet dhcp

Manual: From the Command line

sudo ifconfig eth0 up
sudo dhclient eth0

Login thru Serial Port

Create file /etc/event.d/ttyS2

# ttyS2 - getty
#
# This service maintains a getty on tty6 from the point the system is
# started until it is shut down again.

start on runlevel 2
start on runlevel 3

stop on runlevel 0
stop on runlevel 1
stop on runlevel 4
stop on runlevel 5
stop on runlevel 6

respawn
exec /sbin/getty -L 115200 ttyS2

Note: ubuntu normaly doesn't have a 'root' user, however if you add one, make sure too add ttyS2 to /etc/securetty (by default ttyS0 & ttyS1 are already there)

Beagleboard: Setup U-boot for boot

Using a terminal program, stop u-boot and add these commands:

For Linux Kernel 2.6.28 using DSS2

setenv bootcmd 'mmcinit; fatload mmc 0:1 0x80300000 uImage; bootm 0x80300000'
setenv bootargs 'console=ttyS2,115200n8 console=tty0 root=/dev/mmcblk0p2 rootdelay=2 rootfstype=ext3 ro omap-dss.def_disp=lcd omapfb.video_mode=1280x720MR-16@60'
saveenv
boot

For Linux Kernel 2.6.29 and higher using DSS2

setenv bootcmd 'mmcinit; fatload mmc 0:1 0x80300000 uImage; bootm 0x80300000'
setenv bootargs 'console=ttyS2,115200n8 console=tty0 root=/dev/mmcblk0p2 rootwait rootfstype=ext3 ro omapfb.mode=dvi:1280x720MR-16@60'
saveenv
boot

You shall adapt the resolution to you screen as following :

omapfb.mode=dvi:1280x720MR-24@60
Modes:
"1024x768MR-24@60""800x600-MR24@60" ...

Here is more explanation on dss video options : [1]

Beagleboard: Install Kernel Image

Script File

Note: this will be updated from time to time. (tested off course, may need "sudo apt-get install wget")

wget http://www.rcn-ee.com/deb/kernel/ubuntu-update-kernel.sh
sudo /bin/bash ubuntu-update-kernel.sh

Note: vmlinuz symbolic link (yes <or> no)... Still not sure this matters, i select <yes>...

Manual Method

You can open/edit the ubuntu-update-kernel.sh to see latest version.

sudo apt-get install uboot-mkimage 
wget http://www.rcn-ee.com/deb/kernel/beagle/jaunty/v2.6.28-79d042a-oer17/linux-image-2.6.28-oer17_1.0jaunty_armel.deb
(or any listed here: http://www.rcn-ee.com/deb/kernel/beagle/jaunty/ )
sudo dpkg -i linux-image*

Extract linux-image's vmlinuz-* (we need this to create the uImage, uboot uses to boot)

dpkg -x linux-image* ./temp

Mount fat32 partition

sudo mount /dev/mmcblk0p1 /mnt

Build uboot compatible image and copy to fat32 boot partition

sudo mkimage -A arm -O linux -T kernel -C none -a 0x80008000 -e 0x80008000 -n "Linux" -d ./temp/boot/vmlinuz-*  /mnt/uImage

unmount fat32 partition

sudo umount /mnt

Clean up

rm -rfd temp

Reboot with your new uImage

Advanced

Upgrade U-Boot

Using gparted, create a new 50MB Primary fat32 Partition on a blank SD card, or use your existing fat32 partition.

cd /media/disk
sudo wget http://rcn-ee.homeip.net:81/dl/omap/uboot/u-boot-beagleboard-2009.03+r22+gitr2dea1db2a3b7c12ed70bbf8ee50755089c5e5170-r22.bin
sudo mv u-boot-beagleboard-2009.03+r22+gitr2dea1db2a3b7c12ed70bbf8ee50755089c5e5170-r22.bin u-boot-f.bin

Tested --RobertCNelson 16:37, 24 April 2009 (UTC) RevB5 + 2.6.29-oer31 & RevC2 + 2.6.29-oer31

Insert SD Card, boot Beagleboard and stop U-Boot from booting

mmcinit
fatload mmc 0 0x80200000 u-boot-f.bin
nand unlock
nandecc sw
nand erase 80000 160000
nand write.i 0x80200000 80000 160000
reset

U-Boot Script Files

uboot-mkimage package is required

contents of ubuntu-ext3.cmd

setenv bootcmd 'mmcinit; fatload mmc 0:1 0x80300000 uImage; bootm 0x80300000'
setenv bootargs 'console=ttyS2,115200n8 console=tty0 root=/dev/mmcblk0p2 rootdelay=2 rootfstype=ext3 ro omap-dss.def_disp=lcd omapfb.video_mode=1280x720MR-24@60'
boot

Create *.scr file

mkimage -A arm -O linux -T script -C none -a 0 -e 0 -n "Boot Time Label" -d ubuntu-ext3.cmd ubuntu-ext3.scr