RE: [gentoo-embedded] x86 SBC Gentoo Embedded HotTo version 0.07

[Marcel Romijn]

Hi,

I'm using VMware as virtual machine for development.
Theoretically, VMware could also be used as target machine to test a
compiled kernel and system image.
However, the hardware that VMware emulates is of course not the same as
the VIA Epia boards. So a running system on a VMware session is no
guarantee for a running system on the real hardware.

I have no experience with qemu. I see on their site that it can emulate
a number of processors (or use the host processor), but I don't see (or
haven't looked closely enough) what hardware it simulates.

Marcel

-----Original Message-----
From: Pierre Cassimans [mailto:kammicazze@×××××××.com] 
Sent: Friday, 12 August, 2005 11:20
To: gentoo-embedded@l.g.o
Subject: RE: [gentoo-embedded] x86 SBC Gentoo Embedded HotTo version
0.07

I saw these errors also yesterday, but did not find enough time to
submit 
the comments yet :(

I still had problems with the python-fchksum stuff and groff compiling.

emerge python did the trick for the first thing and USE="-sandbox"
emerge -e 
system did it for the second.

Those commands were available in howto version 0.6, not in the 0.7.  But

they are still needed.

For what package is the USE="-sandbox" needed? I thought sandbox was a 
FEATURE flag?

I'm also working on a VIA epia M9000 system. What i would like to do is
test 
the image (booting etc) on qemu before putting it on a compact flash. It

would be nice if we could bring together some info on that part too (Or
on 
other emulator soft). I will try to write it down while i work on this
part 
and will post it here. If people already did this stuff, please post ;)

Pierre Cassimans

>From: "Marcel Romijn" <MRomijn@×××××××××××××××.com>
>Reply-To: gentoo-embedded@l.g.o
>To: <gentoo-embedded@l.g.o>
>Subject: RE: [gentoo-embedded] x86 SBC Gentoo Embedded HotTo version
0.07
>Date: Fri, 12 Aug 2005 02:39:00 -0400
>
>Hello Heath,
>
>Nice writedown! I haven't made it to the end yet (lack of time), but
I'm
>getting there...
>
>I noticed some issues along the way (not counting grub begin spelled as
>"grug" or "gurb" ;-) )
>
>In step 3 you write:
>
><snip>
># Set root password for the embedded_rootfs
>chromm /embedded_rootfs
>passwd
>rm /embedded_rootfs/etc/passwd-
>Exit
></snip>
>
>I presume 'chromm' should have been 'chroot' ?
>If it is indeed 'chroot' then you should either do "rm /etc/passwd-"
>before the "exit" or the "exit" before the "rm
>/embedded_rootfs/etc/passwd-".
>
>A few lines down, you write:
>
><snip>
>rm -R /embedded_rootfs/var/db/pkg/ *
></snip>
>
>As a reletive newbie, doing a quick copy/paste of this command late in
>the evening as root in '/', this wiped out all files, except the ones
>that were firmly locked.
>Fortunately, I'm going through you HowTo in VMWare, so I could restore
a
>previous snapshot ;-)
>
>I presume the space before the '*' should have been omitted?
>
><snip>
>rm -R /embedded_rootfs/var/db/pkg/*
></snip>
>
>
>My aim is to create an embedded Gentoo for a Via Epia ME6000, which
>reads the kernel and a ramdisk image from CF and then runs completely
>from RAM.
>If I'm not mistaken, you were heading for a Via Epia as well?
>
>Regards,
>
>Marcel Romijn
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Heath Holcomb [mailto:liquidcable@×××××.com]
>Sent: Monday, 08 August, 2005 4:17
>To: gentoo-embedded@l.g.o
>Subject: [gentoo-embedded] x86 SBC Gentoo Embedded HotTo version 0.07
>
>Version 0.07
>Please add, delete, modify. Thanks!
>
>Several fixes.  Root password now works.  Several work arounds are no
>longer
>need, as the embedded Gentoo team has fixed them (I'm guess because I
no
>
>longer get those errors).  There is still one problem when "emerge -e
>system"
>for groff.  Bug 98187 (http://bugs.gentoo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=98187).
>Check
>out the bug report for the temp fix/work around (USE="-sandbox" emerge
>-e
>system).
>
>I've update my website with this version also.
>http://www.bulah.com/embeddedgentoo.html
>
>
>#----------------------------------------------------------------------
-
>---------
># Embedded Gentoo How-To for x86
>#
># A how-to guide to setup a Gentoo embedded environment, you must be
>root.
># These commands are to be run on your development system,
># any x86 Gentoo Linux computer will do.  The system should be fast,
># to speed development.  The target can be any x86 based SBC.  I'm
># using a Geode based SBC.  Latter I'll use a Via based SBC.
>#
># version 0.07
># 2005.8.7
>#
># Heath Holcomb (heath at bulah.com)
># Ned Ludd (original commands posted)
># Lloyd Sargent (contributor)
># Yuri Vasilevski (contributor)
># Mike George (contributor)
># Kammi Cazze (contributor)
># Marius Schaefer (contributor)
>#
># Definitions and Terms
># system_rootfs = your regular rootfs, development computer
># development_rootfs = what you use to build the embedded_rootfs
># embedded_rootfs = rootfs you deploy to the target system
># SBC = single board computer (here it's an x86 based)
>#
># References
># http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/handbook/index.xml
># http://www.epiawiki.org
># http://epia.kalf.org
># Gentoo embedded mailing list (gentoo-embedded@l.g.o)
>#
>#
># Overview of process (steps)
># 1 - Prepare the development_rootfs from your system_rootfs
># 2 - Build the development_rootfs
># 3 - Build the embedded_rootfs
># 4 - Build and install non-system programs to the embedded_rootfs
># 5 - Build and install a kernel to the embedded_rootfs
># 6 - Deploy embedded_rootfs to target
>#
>#----------------------------------------------------------------------
-
>---------
>
>#----- Step 1 - Prepare the development_rootfs from your system_rootfs
>-------
>
># You must be root.
>su -
>
># Create the development_rootfs.
># I use i586 because of target is a Geode processor.
>mkdir -p /opt/i586-gentoo-uclibc-linux/usr/portage
>
># Download the latest stage 1 tarball.
>wget \
>http://gentoo.osuosl.org/experimental/x86/embedded/stages/stage1-x86-uc
l
>ibc-2005.0.tar.bz2
>
># Untar the stage to the development_rootfs.
>tar -xvjpf stage1-x86-uclibc-2005.0.tar.bz2 -C
>/opt/i586-gentoo-uclibc-linux/
>
># Mount the proc and portage directories to your development_rootfs.
># Makes your system_rootfs's proc and portage directory available from
>inside
># of your development_rootfs (after chrooting).
>mount --bind /proc /opt/i586-gentoo-uclibc-linux/proc/
>mount --bind /usr/portage /opt/i586-gentoo-uclibc-linux/usr/portage
>
># Copy over DNS information to the development_rootfs.
>cp /etc/resolv.conf /opt/i586-gentoo-uclibc-linux/etc/resolv.conf
>
># Chroot into the development_rootfs.
>chroot /opt/i586-gentoo-uclibc-linux /bin/bash --login
>
>
>#----- Step 2 - Build the development_rootfs
>---------------------------------
>
># Create new environment and load variables into memory.
>env-update
>source /etc/profile
>
># Modify make.conf file to your liking/needs.
>nano -w /etc/make.conf
># This is for my target, Geode x86 processor.
>/*
>USE="bitmap-fonts minimal truetype-fonts mmx"
>CHOST="i586-gentoo-linux-uclibc"
>CFLAGS="-march=i586 -Os -pipe -fomit-frame-pointer -mmmx"
>CXXFLAGS="${CFLAGS}"
>FEATURES="buildpkg"
>
>VIDEO_CARDS="chips"
>UCLIBC_CPU="586MMX"
>*/
>
># Set profile to use 2.6 kernel.
># The current stage uses 2.4 by default, and for most cases you are
>going
># to want a 2.6.x kernel.
>cd /etc/
>unlink make.profile
>ln -s ../usr/portage/profiles/uclibc/x86 make.profile
>
># Start the bootstrap script.
>cd /usr/portage/scripts
>./bootstrap.sh -p -v
>./bootstrap.sh
>
># Emerge the system ebuild for the development_rootfs.
>emerge -e system
>
>#----- Step 3 - Build the embedded_rootfs
>------------------------------------
>
># Create the embedded_rootfs directory.
>mkdir /embedded_rootfs
>
># Emerge baselayout-lite into embedded_rootfs.
># This gives your system a basic file structure.
># 1.0_pre1 is the only one that is stable, right?
>cd /usr/portage/sys-apps/baselayout-lite/
>ROOT=/embedded_rootfs emerge baselayout-lite-1.0_pre1.ebuild
>
># Workaround 1
># Baselayout-lite is still beta, so a few fixes are needed.
># There needs to be a directory "log" in /var.
># Inittab calls for /usr/bin/tail, but it needs to /usr/bin.
>mkdir /embedded_rootfs/var/log
>nano -w /embedded_rootfs/etc/inittab
>/*
>#tty3::respawn:/usr/bin/tail -f /var/log/messages
>tty3::respawn:/bin/tail -f /var/log/messages
>*/
>
># Emerge uclibc into the embedded_rootfs.
># Use the -K option because we don't get the extra files created by the
># build/emerge process into our embedded rootfs which needs to be as
># small as possible.
>ROOT=/embedded_rootfs emerge -K uclibc
>
># Emerge busybox into the embedded_rootfs.
># First you must emerge it into your development_rootfs.
># This does not create the symlinks in our development embedded rootfs.
>emerge busybox
>ROOT=/embedded_rootfs emerge -K busybox
>
># Create the symlinks for busybox in the embedded_rootfs.
>mkdir /embedded_rootfs/proc
>mount -o bind /proc/ /embedded_rootfs/proc/
>chroot /embedded_rootfs /bin/busybox --install -s
>umount /embedded_rootfs/proc
>
># Set time zone in your embedded_rootfs.
># See http://leaf.sourceforge.net/doc/guide/buci-tz.html for details.
># For central standard time in the US, use "CST6CDT".
>nano -w /embedded_rootfs/etc/TZ
>/*
>CST6CDT
>*/
>
># Install a boot loader (usually grug or lilo).
># Once you copy/deploy your embedded_rootfs to your target SBC you will
># have to run grub on the command line to write to the master boot
>record
># (MBR).
># For some reason not all of /boot/grub is copied over to the
># embedded_rootfs, so a extra manual copy step is needed.
># The --nodeps gets rip of the run time need of ncurses.
>emerge --nodeps grub
>ROOT=/embedded_rootfs emerge -K --nodeps grub
>cp -R /boot/grub /embedded_rootfs/boot/
>
># Modify your boot configure file.
># The example below is for a gurb, for a boot partition on /dev/hda1
and
>only
># one partition on the target SBC system.
>nano -w /embedded_rootfs/boot/grub/grub.conf
>/*
>default 0
>timeout 10
>splashimage=(hd0,0)/boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz
>
>title=Linux 2.6.x
>root (hd0,0)
>kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.x root=/dev/hda1 vga=792
>*/
>
># Set root password for the embedded_rootfs
>chromm /embedded_rootfs
>passwd
>rm /embedded_rootfs/etc/passwd-
>exit
>
># Modify fstab.
># Below is mine, yours may vary.
>nano -w /embedded_rootfs/etc/fstab
>/*
>/dev/hda1		/		reiserfs	defaults
>0 0
>none			/proc		proc		defaults
>0 0
>none			/sys		sysfs		defaults
>0 0
>none			/dev/shm	tmpfs	defaults	0 0
>*/
>
># Clean up the embedded_rootfs.
># Don't know why these files are there in the first place, so if anyone
># can tell me why.....
>rm -R /embedded_rootfs/var/db/pkg/ *
>rm -R /embedded_rootfs/var/lib/portage/
>
>#---- Step 4 - Build and install non-system programs to the
>embedded_rootfs --
>
># Emerge other software you need for you embedded target.
># This is very wildly depending on your needs.
># Also your proprietary application will be done here.
>emerge foo*
>ROOT=/embedded_rootfs emerge -K foo*
>
>
>#---- Step 5 - Build and install a kernel to the embedded_rootfs
>-------------
>
># Install a kernel into embedded_rootfs.
># First we will emerge it into our development_rootfs, then configure
>and
># build it.
>emerge vanilla-sources
>cd /usr/src/
>cd linux
>make menuconfig
># Configure your kernel for your TARGET SBC here.  I HIGHLY suggest you
># configure the kernel to compile everything into the kernel, and
>nothing
># as a module.
>make
>ROOT=/embedded_rootfs make modules_install
>cp /usr/src/linux/arch/i386/boot/bzImage
>/embedded_rootfs/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.x
>
># A few notes on compiling your kernel.
># If deploying to Compact Flash/DiskOnChip/SD use ext2, as the
>journaling
># filing systems "write" to much for a flash device.
># If deploying to a hard drive use a journaling filing system, such as
># ext3 or reiserfs.
>
>
>#---- Step 6 - Deploy embedded_rootfs to target
>------------------------------
>
># Prepare a Gentoo (or any Linux distro) system on the target SBC using
>a
># harddrive.  This is known as the target development rootfs.
># We will create a partition (/embedded_rootfs) that will server as our
># "test" partition to deploy our embedded_rootfs that we generate on
our
># development_system.
>#
># I use the following partitions to speed development (yours may vary):
># /dev/hda1 - /embedded_rootfs - 1 GB
># /dev/hda2 - /boot - 100 MB
># /dev/hda3 - swap - (size varies, 512 MB is a good number)
># /dev/hda4 - / - (what is left, at least 1.5 GB per 2005.0 install
>guide
>specs)
>#
># Copy over your embedded_rootfs from you development system to your
>target
># system and the directory /embedded_rootfs.  This needs to be done via
>NFS as
># need to preserve the permissions.
>#
>#The following commands are done from the
># target development rootfs.
>mount -t reiserfs /dev/hda1 /mnt/embedded_rootfs
>mount -t nfs\
>192.168.0.10:/opt/i586-gentoo-uclibc-linux/embedded_rootfs\
>/mnt/nfs_embedded_rootfs
>cp -adpR /mnt/nfs_embedded_rootfs/* /mnt/embedded_rootfs
>
>
># Modify your target system's gurb.conf (or lilo.conf) for allow you to
>boot
># to the embedded_rootfs partition.
>#
># Reboot, and if all goes well you'll be greeted with a login prompt.
>#
># Fin.
>
>
>
>--
>heath holcomb
>liquidcable at bulah.com
>www.bulah.com
>--
>gentoo-embedded@g.o mailing list
>
>
>
>--
>gentoo-embedded@g.o mailing list
>


-- 
gentoo-embedded@g.o mailing list



-- 
gentoo-embedded@g.o mailing list