GT-64260

Overview

Download

Readme

Installation instructions

Projects

Kimberlite Clustering Technology

In Memory Core Dump

Crash Core Analysis Suite

Kernel Compatibility Patches

Linux Support for Marvell's GT-64260 System Controller

dio

Using GNU/Linux On a Marvell Discovery Series System Controller

June 2001

Copyright © 2001 Mission Critical Linux, Inc.

Mission Critical Linux and Marvell have developed a Linux-based evaluation kit for the Marvell GT-64260 Discovery Series system controller. The CD-ROM included in the kit provides a system-level development platform for evaluating and developing Linux-based solutions for the Marvell GT-64260 chipset running in a PowerPC-based system. The Linux boot and runtime support software on the CD-ROM can significantly decrease the time necessary to develop Linux-based, next-generation communication systems that take advantage of the Discovery GT-64260.

This document describes how to boot GNU/Linux on the Discovery GT-64260. It includes information about the following:

Contents of the CD-ROM from Mission Critical Linux
Discovery GT-64260 ROM requirement
Host system requirements
Connecting the host system to the Discovery GT-64260
Exporting GNU/Linux from the host system
Configuring and booting the Discovery GT-64260
Using the Debian Package Management Commands

For information about Mission Critical Linux, see www.missioncriticallinux.com. For information about Marvell, see www.marvell.com.

Contents of the CD-ROM

The CD-ROM provided by Mission Critical Linux includes all the software you need to boot GNU/Linux on the Discovery GT-64260. The CD-ROM includes the following:

Tar file of a root disk for PowerPC
Binary kernel image for the MPC 7400 and GT-64260
Tar file of the Linux kernel sources
A ROM image for PPCBoot
Tar file of the PPCBoot sources

In addition, the Mission Critical Linux open source Web site, oss.mclx.com, contains updated Linux kernels, root file system images, and PPCBoot sources.

The CD-ROM includes a basic version of the Debian GNU/Linux V2.2 release, with a V2.4-based Linux development kernel. This version contains only the baseline installation and the minimum utilities needed for upgrading the system. After the system is running, you can retrieve additional software from the Debian archives. See Using the Debian Package Management Commands in this document for more information.

Discovery GT-64260 ROM Requirement

The instructions in this document describe how to use PPCBoot. This is a small and simple open source boot program that supports network booting and is suitable for embedded applications. You can obtain the PPCBoot ROM from Marvell. If you have a ROM Programmer, you can use the PPCBoot ROM images on the CD-ROM or the oss.mclx.com Web site to create your own boot ROMs.

It is also possible to boot the Linux kernel using the DINK monitor. Instructions can be obtained from the oss.mclx.com Web site or by calling Mission Critical Linux.

Host System Requirements

The host system will NFS export the directory that contains the Linux software to the Discovery GT-64260. Hardware and software requirements for the host system are as follows:

Linux or UNIX operating system
Configurable as an NFS server
Configurable as a TFTP server
At least 150 MB of free disk space on the partition that will contain the GNU/Linux kernel (if you want to build a kernel, you need 300 to 450 MB)
10/100 Ethernet, half or full duplex Ethernet connection between the host and the Discovery GT-64260
Serial port for a console connection to the Discovery GT-64260 (note that Power Mac systems require a USB to RS-232 converter for the serial line)

The specific command lines described in this document are based on a Linux system, although the general instructions are applicable to any system running Linux or UNIX.

In addition, because Power Mac systems are PowerPC based, cross compiling between the host system and the Discovery GT-64260 system is not necessary, and running kgdb over a serial line is simplified. If you use an Intel x86 system, you must either cross compile or build the kernel on the Discovery GT-64260 system.

Connecting the Host System to the Discovery GT-64260

To connect the host system to the Discovery GT-64260, perform the following tasks:

Use network cables to connect the host system and network port 0 on the Discovery GT-64260 to the same network subnet.
Use a serial cable to connect a serial port on the host system to serial port 0 on the Discovery GT-64260. Note that a Power Mac requires a USB to RS-232 converter for the serial connection.

You can now set up the exported directory on the host system.

Exporting GNU/Linux From the Host System

To export a directory with the GNU/Linux software from the host system to the Discovery GT-64260, perform the following tasks on the host system:

Be sure that the host system is configured as an NFS server. See your operating system documentation for more information.
Create the gevb_root directory, which will contain the root file system for the Discovery GT-64260. It is recommended that you do not create the directory directly under the root (/) directory. The directory must be on a partition that has at least 150 MB of free space. For example:
```
# mkdir /home/gevb_root
```
Edit the /etc/exports file on the host system and include a line specifying the directory you created in Step 2. You must obtain an IP address for the Discovery GT-64260 and specify it before the permissions. The following example uses 10.1.254.10 for an IP address:
```
/home/gevb_root  10.1.254.10(rw,no_root_squash)
```
Use the tar command to uncompress the gevb_root.tar.gz file on the CD-ROM and place the contents in the directory you created in Step 2. For example:
```
# cd /home/gevb_root
# mount -t iso9660 /dev/cdrom /mnt
# tar xvzf /mnt/gevb_root.tar.gz
```
Edit the sample resolv.conf and fstab configuration files in the etc directory in the exported root file system for the Discovery GT-64260 (for example, /home/gevb_root/etc). In the resolv.conf file, specify the domain name for your network and the address of your name server, replacing the text that is in the sample file. In the fstab file, specify the name of the system that is exporting the Discovery GT-64260 root file system and the exported directory.
Ensure that you can NFS mount the root file system (for example, /mnt/gevb_root) from a client system.

In addition, you must configure the host system as a TFTP server. To do this, perform the following tasks:

Edit the /etc/inetd.conf file on the host system. Locate the following line and delete the number sign (#):
```
#tftp dgram
```
Create the /tftpboot directory, unless it already exists. For example:
```
# mkdir /tftpboot
```
Copy the vmlinux kernel image file from the CD-ROM to the /tftpboot directory. For example:
```
# cp /mnt/vmlinux /tftpboot
```
If necessary, restart inetd as follows:
```
# killall -HUP inetd
```

You can now configure the Discovery GT-64260 and boot GNU/Linux.

Configuring and Booting the Discovery GT-64260

Before you can boot GNU Linux on the Discovery GT-64260, you must configure the serial port on the Discovery GT-64260 system to match the board configuration. In addition, you must assign an Ethernet hardware address to the Discovery GT-64260.

After using a serial cable to connect the host system to the Discovery GT-64260, invoke a console emulator program, such as minicom, on the host system and configure the serial port on the Discovery GT-64260. You must configure the serial port so that it matches the initial configuration of the Discovery GT-64260. Configure the serial port with the following characteristics:

38.4K baud
8-bit character
no-parity
1 stop bit ("8N1")
Hardware and software flow control must be disabled

After you configure the serial port, turn on power to the Discovery GT-64260 or reset the board. If the serial line is correctly configured, the host system will display output similar to the following:

ppcboot 0.8.2 (May 15 2001 - 16:15:37)

Initializing...
  CPU:   MPC7400 (altivec enabled) v2.9
  Board: EVB64260
  DRAM:  256 MB
  FLASH: 512 kB
  In:    serial
  Out:   serial
  Err:   serial

=>

After establishing communication over the serial port on the Discovery GT-64260, you must define several PPCBoot variables that specify how to download and boot the kernel. For the Ethernet address, you can use a fictitious address, such as 11:22:33:44:55:66. Avoid using all zeroes or all "f" letters in the address.

An example of setting the required variables and then saving them to flash is shown next.

=> setenv bootfile /tftpboot/vmlinux
=> setenv ethaddr 11:22:33:44:55:66
=> setenv gatewayip 10.1.254.1
=> setenv hostname gevb
=> setenv ipaddr 10.1.254.11
=> setenv netmask 255.255.255.0
=> setenv rootpath /home/gevb_root
=> setenv serverip 10.1.254.10
=> saveenv

You must reset the board to activate the new setting.

You can then boot the Discovery GT-64260 board. For example:

=> boot

Using the Debian Package Management Commands

Debian provides many software packages that can be used to install utilities or upgrade the system. After booting the Discovery GT-64260, you can use the Debian package management commands to obtain packages.

The following Debian commands can be used for package management:

apt-cache - Enables you to search the package lists. For example, use the following command to display the Apache-related packages:

# apt-cache search --names-only apache
apt-get - Installs and removes packages. For example, use the following command to install the apache package:
# apt-get install apache
dselect - Provides a console-based interface that can be used to examine the package lists, and install and remove packages. The interface has its own online help system.

For more information about the Debian GNU/Linux system, please see www.debian.org.

All trademarks and registered trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.

For support, call 877-MCLINUX or 978-606-0200, or contact www.missioncriticallinux.com/services.

Use of this website and the materials within are subject to the Terms and Conditions - any other use is strictly prohibited