Build and Install Debian Buster for SMARC-iMX8MM (Solo, Solo Lite, Dual, Dual Lite, Quad and Quad Lite Core)

This document provides instructions for advanced users how Embedian offers patches and builds Debian Buster for Embedian's SMARC-iMX8MM product platform and how to install the images to bring the evaluation board up and running. 

Our aim is to fully support our hardware through device drivers. We also provide unit tests so that testing a board is easy and custom development can start precisely. The recommended host environment is Ubuntu 16.04.

Availability

SMARC-iMX8MM from Embedian

Carrier Board

EVK-STD-CARRIER-S20 (universal carrier board for all SMARC 2.0 modules) from Embedian

Basic Resources

• AArch64 Cross Compiler
  • Linaro: https://launchpad.net/linaro-toolchain-binaries
• Bootloader
  • Das U-Boot – the Universal Boot Loader http://www.denx.de/wiki/U-Boot
  • Source – http://git.denx.de/?p=u-boot.git;a=summary
• Linux Kernel
  • Linus's Mainline tree: http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git;a=summary
  • Freescale Linux source tree: git://git.freescale.com/imx/linux-imx.git
  • Freescale BSP meta layer: git://git.freescale.com/imx/meta-fsl-bsp-release
  • OpenEmbedded/Yocto BSP layer for Freescale's ARM platform git://git.yoctoproject.org/meta-fsl-arm
  • Embedian SMARC-iMX8MM kernel source tree for linux smarc-8mm_imx_4.19.35_1.0.0: git@git.embedian.com:developer/smarc-fsl-linux-kernel.git
• ARM based rootfs
  • Debian Squeeze: http://www.debian.org/
    
    

Generating SSH Keys

We recommend you use SSH keys to establish a secure connection between your computer and Embedian Gitlab server. To download u-boot and kernel source codes from Embedian server. You need to register from Embedian's Gitlab server and put your ssh public key there. The steps below will walk you through generating an SSH key and then adding the public key to our Gitlab account.

Step 1. Check for SSH keys

First, we need to check for existing ssh keys on your computer. Open up Git Bash and run:

Check the directory listing to see if you have a file named either id_rsa.pub or id_dsa.pub. If you don't have either of those files go to step 2. Otherwise, you already have an existing keypair, and you can skip to step 3.

Step 2. Generate a new SSH key

To generate a new SSH key, enter the code below. We want the default settings so when asked to enter a file in which to save the key, just press enter.

Now you need to enter a passphrase.

Which should give you something like this:

Step 3. Add your SSH key to Embedian Gitlab Server

Copy the key to your clipboard.

Go to Embedian Git Server. At Profile Setting --> SSH Keys --> Add SSH Key 

Paste your public key and press "Add Key" and your are done.

Create build environment

Install required packages

On Ubuntu machine:

lvm2 dosfstools gpart binutils git lib32ncurses5-dev python-m2crypto gawk wget \
git-core diffstat unzip texinfo gcc-multilib build-essential chrpath socat libsdl1.2-dev \
autoconf libtool libglib2.0-dev libarchive-dev python-git xterm sed cvs subversion \
coreutils texi2html bc docbook-utils python-pysqlite2 help2man make gcc g++ \
desktop-file-utils libgl1-mesa-dev libglu1-mesa-dev mercurial automake groff curl \
lzop asciidoc u-boot-tools mtd-utils device-tree-compiler

Deploy Sources

 Download archive containing the build script and support files for building Debian Buster

This environment prepared to build.

Make Debian

Build all

 The internet connection in your host PC has to be available.

Build by parts

Build bootloader

Build kernel, dtb files and kernel modules

Build rootfs

Pack rootfs

Setup SD card Automatically

where "/dev/sdX" is the SD block device in your host system. Shunt the "TEST#" pin of your device to Ground. Insert the SD card and you will see SMARC-iMX8MM booting with Debian Buster. Console port is defined on SER3. 

Setup SD Card Manually

For these instruction, we are assuming: DISK=/dev/mmcblk0, "lsblk" is very useful for determining the device id.

Erase SD card:

Create Partition Layout: Leave 2MB offset for flash.bin.

With util-linux v2.26, sfdisk was rewritten and is now based on libfdisk.

Create Partitions:

Format Partitions:

Mount Partitions:

On some systems, these partitions may be auto-mounted...

Install Boot File

Users need to shunt cross the TEST# pin to ground. In this way, SMARC-iMX8MM will always boot up from SD card. 

Fuse flash.bin to the SD card. 

uEnv.txt based bootscript

Copy uEnv.txt to the boot partition:

Install Kernel Image

Copy Image to the boot partition:

Install Kernel Device Tree Binary

Install Root File System and Kernel Modules

Extract Root File System:

Remove SD card:

Build Results

The resulted images are locared in ~/smarc_mx8_debian/output directory:

Linux Console Access

Setup eMMC

Shunt TEST# pin to Ground and boot up from your SD card. Run the following command as root user.

Modify the kernel configuration

To modify the kernel configuration (add/remove features and drivers). Please follow the step below.