[gentoo-user] Choosing the correct stage3 archive on ARM

[gentoo-user] Choosing the correct stage3 archive on ARM

[meino.cramer]

Hi,

for a little embedded system, which I want to set up with - of course ;) - 
Gentoo, I need a little help in choosing the correct stage3
image/archive (currently the board is on the way to me...).

The processor of the board is a AT91SAM9G25 (softloater, no FPU or
similiar) and the available stage3 images/archives are (as of my
knowledge):

lrwxrwxrwx    1 1000     1000            8 Nov 08 00:30 current-stage3-armv4tl -> 20141026
lrwxrwxrwx    1 1000     1000            8 Nov 08 00:30 current-stage3-armv5tel -> 20141025
lrwxrwxrwx    1 1000     1000            8 Nov 08 00:30 current-stage3-armv6j -> 20141025
lrwxrwxrwx    1 1000     1000            8 Nov 08 00:30 current-stage3-armv6j_hardfp -> 20141024
lrwxrwxrwx    1 1000     1000            8 Nov 08 00:30 current-stage3-armv7a -> 20141024
lrwxrwxrwx    1 1000     1000            8 Nov 08 00:30 current-stage3-armv7a_hardfp -> 20141023

The *hardfp* images/archives are not the correct ones...but the
armv<n> thingy makes me a little nervous: Up to now I didn't find a
clue, of what version the AT91SAM9G25 is...

What stage3 I should use?

Thank you very much for any help in advance!
Best regards,
Meino

Re: [gentoo-user] Choosing the correct stage3 archive on ARM

[Alec Ten Harmsel]

On 11/07/2014 10:31 PM, meino.cramer@gmx.de wrote:
> Hi,
>
> for a little embedded system, which I want to set up with - of course ;) - 
> Gentoo, I need a little help in choosing the correct stage3
> image/archive (currently the board is on the way to me...).
>
> The processor of the board is a AT91SAM9G25 (softloater, no FPU or
> similiar) and the available stage3 images/archives are (as of my
> knowledge):
>
> lrwxrwxrwx    1 1000     1000            8 Nov 08 00:30 current-stage3-armv4tl -> 20141026
> lrwxrwxrwx    1 1000     1000            8 Nov 08 00:30 current-stage3-armv5tel -> 20141025
> lrwxrwxrwx    1 1000     1000            8 Nov 08 00:30 current-stage3-armv6j -> 20141025
> lrwxrwxrwx    1 1000     1000            8 Nov 08 00:30 current-stage3-armv6j_hardfp -> 20141024
> lrwxrwxrwx    1 1000     1000            8 Nov 08 00:30 current-stage3-armv7a -> 20141024
> lrwxrwxrwx    1 1000     1000            8 Nov 08 00:30 current-stage3-armv7a_hardfp -> 20141023
>
> The *hardfp* images/archives are not the correct ones...but the
> armv<n> thingy makes me a little nervous: Up to now I didn't find a
> clue, of what version the AT91SAM9G25 is...
>
> What stage3 I should use?
>
> Thank you very much for any help in advance!
> Best regards,
> Meino
>
>
>
>
>

A quick scan of the datasheet reveals that this chip implements
ARMv5TEJ, so I'd guess go with the armv5tel stage3.

Unless you want to spend days installing/upgrading software, I'd suggest
running Arch, but that's just me.

Alec

Re: [gentoo-user] Choosing the correct stage3 archive on ARM

[Thomas Mueller]

> Hi Alec,

> Thanks for the information, which helps a lot! :)

> I didn't understand the second sentence of you posting...
> "running Arch"? What does it mean?

> Thanks a lot for your help ! 8)

> Best regards,
> Meino

You are not familiar with Arch Linux? 

archlinux.org

Tom

Re: [gentoo-user] Choosing the correct stage3 archive on ARM

[meino.cramer]

Alec Ten Harmsel <alec@alectenharmsel.com> [14-11-08 04:40]:
> 
> On 11/07/2014 10:31 PM, meino.cramer@gmx.de wrote:
> > Hi,
> >
> > for a little embedded system, which I want to set up with - of course ;) - 
> > Gentoo, I need a little help in choosing the correct stage3
> > image/archive (currently the board is on the way to me...).
> >
> > The processor of the board is a AT91SAM9G25 (softloater, no FPU or
> > similiar) and the available stage3 images/archives are (as of my
> > knowledge):
> >
> > lrwxrwxrwx    1 1000     1000            8 Nov 08 00:30 current-stage3-armv4tl -> 20141026
> > lrwxrwxrwx    1 1000     1000            8 Nov 08 00:30 current-stage3-armv5tel -> 20141025
> > lrwxrwxrwx    1 1000     1000            8 Nov 08 00:30 current-stage3-armv6j -> 20141025
> > lrwxrwxrwx    1 1000     1000            8 Nov 08 00:30 current-stage3-armv6j_hardfp -> 20141024
> > lrwxrwxrwx    1 1000     1000            8 Nov 08 00:30 current-stage3-armv7a -> 20141024
> > lrwxrwxrwx    1 1000     1000            8 Nov 08 00:30 current-stage3-armv7a_hardfp -> 20141023
> >
> > The *hardfp* images/archives are not the correct ones...but the
> > armv<n> thingy makes me a little nervous: Up to now I didn't find a
> > clue, of what version the AT91SAM9G25 is...
> >
> > What stage3 I should use?
> >
> > Thank you very much for any help in advance!
> > Best regards,
> > Meino
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> 
> A quick scan of the datasheet reveals that this chip implements
> ARMv5TEJ, so I'd guess go with the armv5tel stage3.
> 
> Unless you want to spend days installing/upgrading software, I'd suggest
> running Arch, but that's just me.
> 
> Alec
> 

Hi Alec,

Thanks for the information, which helps a lot! :)

I didn't understand the second sentence of you posting...
"running Arch"? What does it mean?

Thanks a lot for your help ! 8)

Best regards,
Meino

Re: [gentoo-user] Choosing the correct stage3 archive on ARM

[meino.cramer]

Thomas Mueller <mueller6726@bellsouth.net> [14-11-08 07:28]:
> 
> > Hi Alec,
> 
> > Thanks for the information, which helps a lot! :)
> 
> > I didn't understand the second sentence of you posting...
> > "running Arch"? What does it mean?
> 
> > Thanks a lot for your help ! 8)
> 
> > Best regards,
> > Meino
> 
> You are not familiar with Arch Linux? 
> 
> archlinux.org
> 
> Tom
> 
> 

Hi Tom

BUMMER! (Flat-hand-against-my-forehead-effect!)...

Because in my question I asked something ARCHitecture related,
I tried to find a context there for "running Arch"...

I do not know archlinux, thats right...will check that!
Thanks for clearification!

Best regards,
Meino

[gentoo-user] Re: Choosing the correct stage3 archive on ARM

[James]

 <meino.cramer <at> gmx.de> writes:


> Gentoo, I need a little help in choosing the correct stage3
> image/archive (currently the board is on the way to me...).

> The processor of the board is a AT91SAM9G25 (softloater, no FPU or
> similiar) and the available stage3 images/archives are (as of my
> knowledge):


Have you looked at the "boards section" of the gentoo embedded handbook.

It's a great place to find similar boards/processors where folks
have run embedded gentoo.

https://www.gentoo.org/proj/en/base/embedded/handbook/?part=4&chap=5#doc_chap2


Look in the beginning of each board for CPU similar to yours
to get some ideas.

> lrwxrwxrwx    1 1000     1000            8 Nov 08 00:30
current-stage3-armv4tl -> 20141026
> lrwxrwxrwx    1 1000     1000            8 Nov 08 00:30
current-stage3-armv5tel -> 20141025
> lrwxrwxrwx    1 1000     1000            8 Nov 08 00:30
current-stage3-armv6j -> 20141025
> lrwxrwxrwx    1 1000     1000            8 Nov 08 00:30
current-stage3-armv6j_hardfp -> 20141024
> lrwxrwxrwx    1 1000     1000            8 Nov 08 00:30
current-stage3-armv7a -> 20141024
> lrwxrwxrwx    1 1000     1000            8 Nov 08 00:30
current-stage3-armv7a_hardfp -> 20141023
> 
> The *hardfp* images/archives are not the correct ones...but the
> armv<n> thingy makes me a little nervous: Up to now I didn't find a
> clue, of what version the AT91SAM9G25 is...

http://www.atmel.com/devices/sam9g25.aspx?tab=documents

Atmel is pretty much a great company. Google for the specific version
of the CPU you have and the term "Atmel" and you should get
lots of stuff. Do not limit your searches with the gentoo keyword.




> What stage3 I should use?

Something with softfloat, if the cpu does not actuall have a hardware
Floating Point unit.

Also, on your local gentoo system go to /usr/portage/dev-embedded
and poke around:   dev-embedded/avarice for example might be
useful.

Also google for overlays.   Atmel likely has extensive 
information around the net. Even if you run "embedded gentoo"
on the hardware, other embedded (not necessarily embedded linux)
sites will contain a wealth of codes to compile on your board.

Also look at "cross-compiling" and emulators.

Last, "Linaro" is pretty much state of the art in most things arm.
They are focused on massively parallel 64 bit arm codes, but much
is being "back-ported" to the older (smaller) arm CPUs that is
very cool. Many Android sites will have codes for all sorts of
arm devices too.  It's like looking for the "leprecaun" that 
wants to be found......

Don't be reluctant to boot up a binary to get it up and running,
particularly a well defined, non-linux RTOS.

http://www.digikey.com/catalog/en/partgroup/at91sam9g25-evaluation-board/35531

You'll most likely find that other (smaller) companies have put
that specific Atmel-arm chip onto different dev boards with
a few differences, too.

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Free-Shipping-1pc-MDK9G25-development-board-AT91SAM9G25-USB-2-0-high-speed-Ethernet-audio/1377330746.html


https://eewiki.net/display/linuxonarm/AT91SAM9x5


Good Hunting!

James