TCube Info

This page describes how to load Linux on the T-Cube board.

Hardware Used

• Board Order Number: SEMC5701(T-Cube)/SHIMAFUJI
  • CPU
    • VR5701 (NEC VR5500A SOC chip) (333MHz)
• Memory
  • 64 Mbyte SDRAM
  • 16 Mbyte Flash
• Graphics controller
  • SMI (SM722GX )
• Other Feature
  • Timer x 4 ( VR5701 )
  • UART x2 ( VR5701 /16550 compatible)
  • PCI ( VR5701 ) -- no PCI connector/header on the baord
  • Sound AC97 ( VR5701 )
  • IDE/Compact Flash ( VR5701 )
  • RTC (RV 5C348B)
  • Ethernet ( Intel GD82559ERSL3DG )
  • USB(USB2) ( NEC uPD720101 )
  • CF

Software and Configuration Files Used

• PMON
  • setup
  • boot
• Toolchain
  • Mips Toolchain from Lineo
• kernel
  • celinux-040503.tar.bz2
• root filesystem
  • [unprepared]

General Outline for Bootstrapping using PMON

Preparing Target Hardware and Connections

• • Connections:
    • Host machine Ethernet to hub (I configured as 192.168.1.1)
    • T-Cube Ethernet to hub (I configured as 192.168.1.2)
    • Connect serial cable between T-Cube and host machine
      • Serial1 connector to interface module serial port
      • Other end of null-modem cable to first serial port (ttyS0) on the Linux host machine

Preparing Host Software

• Download and place files in /tftpboot
• Make sure tftpd is ready to run
• Confirm minicom is configured to access /dev/ttyS0, at 115K N81

Using PMON to Boot the Kernel

• Root filesystem is NFS

Building the Kernel

Here are some commands I used to build the kernel:

cd celinux-040503/
export PATH=/usr/local/bin:$PATH
cp arch/mips/defconfig-tcube .config
make ARCH=mips CROSS_COMPILE=mipsel-linux- menuconfig

disable XIP

make ARCH=mips CROSS_COMPILE=mipsel-linux- dep
make ARCH=mips CROSS_COMPILE=mipsel-linux-

Preparing the Kernel to Download

cp vmlinux /tftpboot/

Starting the NFS daemon

/etc/rc.d/init.d/nfs start

Setting Environment Variable and Write Environment Value on T-Cube

• minicom (set to /dev/ttyS0)
• Set environment variable
  • Set variable tty0 (I used "set tty0 115200")
  • Set variable netaddr (I used "set netaddr 192.168.1.2")
  • Set variable bootaddr (I used "set bootaddr 192.168.1.1")
  • Set variable bootfile (I used "set bootfile vmlinux")
• Write environment value
  • Employed "write_env" command

Downloading the Kernel to T-Cube

• minicom (set to /dev/ttyS0)
• Download the kernel
  • Employ "boot" command
  • As "boot" command completes, "Entry-address" appears.

Booting the Kernel

• Employ "go" command (I used "g -e Entry-address")