Re: [gentoo-embedded] x86 SBC Gentoo Embedded HowTo version 0.06 (almost finished)

Hi Yuri, Heath, Gentoo-embedded folks:

I've taken your suggestion, Heath, and built a 2.6 kernel (instead of
the 2.4 I made by accident), and I've followed version 0.6 of your HOWTO
with Yuri's comments.

Grub loads, finds the kernel, and booting starts, but it doesn't go all
the way:

 	warning: unable to open an initial console
 	kernel panic: no init found

(That's not an exact quote). I've checked that my kernel's .config
includes consoles, and that /dev/console exists and is linked to
character device 5,1.

I haven't done a whole lot of research into this yet but wonder if
anything springs to your collective minds.

As usual, any comments appreciated and any suggestions entertained.

Michael


On Mon, 6 Jun 2005, Yuri Vasilevski wrote:

> Hi,
>
> On Mon, 6 Jun 2005 10:03:26 -0500
> Heath H Holcomb <liquidcable@×××××.com> wrote:
>
>> Version 0.06
>> Please add, delete, modify. Thanks!
>
> Just some things that came to my mind with respect to this
> version.
>
>> This procedure produces a working embedded rootfs, that boots form a hard
>> drive on a Geode based SBC (single board computer); at least on my
>> development 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 0.06
>> # 2005.6.6
>> #
>> # Heath Holcomb (heath at bulah.com)
>> # Ned Ludd (embedded Gentoo project lead, original commands posted)
>> # Lloyd Sargent (contributor)
>> # Yuri Vasilevshi (contributor)
>
> It's Vasilevski :-)
>
>> # Mike George (contributor)
>> # Kammi Cazze (contributor)
>> # Marius Schaefer (contributor)
>> #
>> # Definitions and Terms
>> # system_rootfs = your regular rootfs
>> # 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-uclibc-2005.0.tar.bz2
>>
>> # Untar the stage to the development_rootfs.
>> tar -xvjf stage1-x86-uclibc-2005.0.tar.bz2 -C /opt/i586-gentoo-uclibc-linux/
>
> it should be tar -xvjpf ...
> where -p stands for --preserve-permissions
>
>>
>> # 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 uclibc mmx"
>
> The uclibc USE flag was obsoleted, see:
> http://www.mail-archive.com/gentoo-embedded@l.g.o/msg00140.html
>
>> 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.
>> rm /etc/make.profile
>
> This are equivalent but I would use:
> unlink /etc/make.profile
> for clarity's sake.
>
>> ln -s /usr/portage/profiles/uclibc/x86 /etc/make.profile
>>
>> # Start the bootstrap script.
>> cd /usr/portage/scripts
>> ./bootstrap.sh -p -v
>> ./bootstrap.sh
>>
>> # Workaround 1
>> # Failure compiling uclibc (gcc-config error: Could not run/locate "gcc")?
>> # If you get a failure while bootstrap is compileing uclibc here are the steps
>> # to work around the problem.
>> gcc-config 1
>> source /etc/profile
>> ./bootstrap.sh
>>
>> # Emerge the system ebuild for the development_rootfs.
>> emerge -e system
>>
>> # Workaround 2
>> # During emerge -e system, python-fchksum failes complaing about
>> # gcc-config error: Could not run/locate "i386-gentoo-linux-uclibc-gcc"
>> # The following commands work around this problem.
>> emerge python
>> 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 3
>> # 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.
>
> I have not used it, but form the ebuild it looks like
> if you emerge busybox with make-symlinks in USE flags
> it'll just make them for you. I think the proper way
> may be (gain, this is just by looking at the ebuild):
> VERY_BRAVE_OR_VERY_DUMB=yes USE=make-symlinks emerge -B busybox
> (this will just make the package without installing it
> to the system and consequently without braking it with
> the symlinks)
> ROOT=/embedded_rootfs emerge -K busybox
> (at this point the busybox binary package should have
> the symlinks in it)
>
>> 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 program to you target SBC you will
>> # have to run the grub on the command line to write to the master boot record
>> # (MBR).
>> # Ncurses is needed by grub, if you are not using gurb then you don't need
>> # ncurses. For some reason not all of /boot/grub is copied over to the
>> # embedded_rootfs, so a extra manual copy step is needed.
>> ROOT=/embedded_rootfs emerge -K ncurses
>> emerge grub
>> ROOT=/embedded_rootfs emerge -K grub
>> cp -R /boot/grub /embedded_rootfs/boot/
>
> Why not installing grub with static USE flag?
> I think ncurses is to expensive (big) to have if it is used
> just by grub.
> Another option will be to install install grub with:
> ROOT=/embedded_rootfs emerge -K --nodeps grub
> rm -f /embedded_rootfs/sbin/grub
> As we can still use grub-install that doesn't need ncurses.
>
>>
>> # 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
>> ROOT=/embedded_rootfs passwd
>>
>> # 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
>> */
>>
>> #---- 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 foobar*
>> ROOT=/embedded_rootfs emerge -K foobar*
>>
>>
>> #---- 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
>> 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 us 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/transfer
>> cp -adpR /mnt/transfer/* /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.
>
> Yuri.
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>
>
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