ECE497 Project: Multiple Partitions via U-boot

Team members: Michael J. Yuhas, Jack Ma

Executive Summary

The goal of this project is to give the U-boot boot-loader the ability to mount different partitions on start-up. This would allow the user to dual-boot the beagle board by controlling the boot sequence with a user button or RS-232 link.

Currently we have discovered how to create mmc-cards with multiple partitions, and discovered a way to mount the different partitions as root during start-up using built in U-boot commands. Currently we are developing a command to allow the user to select the partitions from which to boot.

Plans for the duration of the project includes finishing development of the multiboot command and modification of the boot script to allow partition selection using the user button. We would also like to discover how to create a FAT boot partition from scratch. Finally, if time permits, we also intend to research booting from USB devices.

Installation Instructions

If you do not yet have git installed see the instruction on EBC Exercise 07.

Open a terminal on your host machine and pull our git repository:

host$ git clone git@github.com:albertlee5/project.git

To compile the code for our project you will have to source two shell scripts that set certain environmental variables:

host$ source  ~/.oe/environment-oecore
host$ host$ ~/.oe/crossCompileEnv.sh

Now you should be able to run make to compile U-boot.

host$ make

Next copy the resulting MLO, uboot.img, and uboot.bin to the boot partition of your mmc-card and rename the corresponding existing files so they don't interfere at startup. The beagle should now boot with our modified bootloader.

User Instructions

Not yet available

Highlights

Not yet availble

Theory of Operation

The current plan of attack for our project is to write a script that will run automatically in U-boot, allowing the user to select between different partitions.

Work Breakdown

Task	Completion Date	User
Create Project Page	Jan 23, 2012	Yuhas
Research loading multiple partitions / u-boot scripting language	Feb 6, 2012	Yuhas & Ma
Determine schedule for project	Feb 6, 2012	Yuhas & Ma
Create SD card with multiple root partitions	Feb 7, 2012	Yuhas & Ma
Test U-boot to multiboot using command-line	Feb 7, 2012	Ma

Conclusions

Not yet available.