Building a rootfs, without building a kernel

Building a rootfs, without building a kernel

[Philip Balister]

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I am trying to build a powerpc root file system for a xilinx ml403 
board. Since we do not have a working kernel build for this machine, I 
tried commenting out the PREFERRED_PROVIDER for virtual/linux. The build 
then tries to build linux-rt. I tried ASSUME_PROVIDED for the kernel 
when the preferred provider is not commented out and it still tries to 
build the kernel.

Looking at the dependency graphs seems to suggest the requirement comes 
from the do_rootfs task.

Does anyone know how to build an image, without building a kernel for a 
machine?

Philip

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Re: Building a rootfs, without building a kernel

[Koen Kooi]

Philip Balister wrote:
> I am trying to build a powerpc root file system for a xilinx ml403
> board. Since we do not have a working kernel build for this machine, I
> tried commenting out the PREFERRED_PROVIDER for virtual/linux. The build
> then tries to build linux-rt. I tried ASSUME_PROVIDED for the kernel
> when the preferred provider is not commented out and it still tries to
> build the kernel.
>
> Looking at the dependency graphs seems to suggest the requirement comes
> from the do_rootfs task.
>
> Does anyone know how to build an image, without building a kernel for a
> machine?

bitbake -b foo-image.bb is what I use, since I'm lazy ;)

Re: Building a rootfs, without building a kernel

[Philip Balister]

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Koen Kooi wrote:
> Philip Balister wrote:
>> I am trying to build a powerpc root file system for a xilinx ml403
>> board. Since we do not have a working kernel build for this machine, I
>> tried commenting out the PREFERRED_PROVIDER for virtual/linux. The build
>> then tries to build linux-rt. I tried ASSUME_PROVIDED for the kernel
>> when the preferred provider is not commented out and it still tries to
>> build the kernel.
>>
>> Looking at the dependency graphs seems to suggest the requirement comes
>> from the do_rootfs task.
>>
>> Does anyone know how to build an image, without building a kernel for a
>> machine?
> 
> bitbake -b foo-image.bb is what I use, since I'm lazy ;)

Sadly, this does not build all the dependencies needed for the image and 
I am really lazy.

Philip

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Re: Building a rootfs, without building a kernel

[Welch, Martyn (GE EntSol, Intelligent Platforms)]

Philip Balister wrote:
> I am trying to build a powerpc root file system for a xilinx ml403
> board. Since we do not have a working kernel build for this machine, I
> tried commenting out the PREFERRED_PROVIDER for virtual/linux. The
> build 
> then tries to build linux-rt. I tried ASSUME_PROVIDED for the kernel
> when the preferred provider is not commented out and it still tries to
> build the kernel.
> 
> Looking at the dependency graphs seems to suggest the requirement
> comes 
> from the do_rootfs task.
> 
> Does anyone know how to build an image, without building a kernel for
> a 
> machine?
> 

How about just including a kernel recipe for a similar device?

That's what I tend to do just to get a root filesystem which I can use
for development.

Martyn

----
Martyn Welch MEng MPhil MIET
Principal Software Engineer

GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms
Tove Valley Business Park, Towcester,
Northants, NN12 6PF, United Kingdom

Telephone: +44 (0) 1327 359444
Direct Dial: +44 (0) 1327 322748
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email: martyn.welch@gefanuc.com
web: www.gefanuc.com

GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms Ltd, registered in England and Wales
(3828642) at 100 Barbirolli Square, Manchester, M2 3AB, VAT GB 729 849
476

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Re: Building a rootfs, without building a kernel

[Michael 'Mickey' Lauer]

Am Dienstag 24 Juni 2008 22:04:15 schrieb Philip Balister:
> Does anyone know how to build an image, without building a kernel for a
> machine?

Can't you just include a dummy kernel recipe?

:M:

Re: Building a rootfs, without building a kernel

[David Baird]

2008/6/24 Philip Balister <philip@balister.org>:
> I am trying to build a powerpc root file system for a xilinx ml403 board.
> Since we do not have a working kernel build for this machine, I tried
> commenting out the PREFERRED_PROVIDER for virtual/linux. The build then
> tries to build linux-rt. I tried ASSUME_PROVIDED for the kernel when the
> preferred provider is not commented out and it still tries to build the
> kernel.
>
> Looking at the dependency graphs seems to suggest the requirement comes from
> the do_rootfs task.
>
> Does anyone know how to build an image, without building a kernel for a
> machine?

I have been using this pattern in my BBMASK:

    BBMASK = "(linux-ml403-slab-2.6.x_git[.].*)"

and then I made up my own task and image .bb files to establish what
files I want in my rootfs.  I would also appreciate suggestions on a
better way to do what to do this.

Re: Building a rootfs, without building a kernel

[Philip Balister]

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David Baird wrote:
> 2008/6/24 Philip Balister <philip@balister.org>:
>> I am trying to build a powerpc root file system for a xilinx ml403 board.
>> Since we do not have a working kernel build for this machine, I tried
>> commenting out the PREFERRED_PROVIDER for virtual/linux. The build then
>> tries to build linux-rt. I tried ASSUME_PROVIDED for the kernel when the
>> preferred provider is not commented out and it still tries to build the
>> kernel.
>>
>> Looking at the dependency graphs seems to suggest the requirement comes from
>> the do_rootfs task.
>>
>> Does anyone know how to build an image, without building a kernel for a
>> machine?
> 
> I have been using this pattern in my BBMASK:
> 
>     BBMASK = "(linux-ml403-slab-2.6.x_git[.].*)"
> 
> and then I made up my own task and image .bb files to establish what
> files I want in my rootfs.  I would also appreciate suggestions on a
> better way to do what to do this.

I pushed changes to linux-ml403-slab (I think I renamed the recipe 
linux-xilinx-slab) so the compile completes. I don't do anything to 
prepare the kernel for actual use. This lets the images build. When I 
finally figure out how to build kernels for Xilinx FPGA based PPC 
boards, I'll worry about creating a bootable kernel. (Unless someone 
beats me to it)

Possibly, we should create a dummy kernel bb file since this may be the 
best solution for the general case of people building images without a 
working kernel bb file.

Philip

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Re: Building a rootfs, without building a kernel

[Ben Lau]

On Wed, Jul 2, 2008 at 2:14 AM, Philip Balister <philip@balister.org> wrote:
> David Baird wrote:
>>
>> 2008/6/24 Philip Balister <philip@balister.org>:
>>>
>>> I am trying to build a powerpc root file system for a xilinx ml403 board.
>>> Since we do not have a working kernel build for this machine, I tried
>>> commenting out the PREFERRED_PROVIDER for virtual/linux. The build then
>>> tries to build linux-rt. I tried ASSUME_PROVIDED for the kernel when the
>>> preferred provider is not commented out and it still tries to build the
>>> kernel.
>>>
>>> Looking at the dependency graphs seems to suggest the requirement comes
>>> from
>>> the do_rootfs task.
>>>
>>> Does anyone know how to build an image, without building a kernel for a
>>> machine?
>>
>> I have been using this pattern in my BBMASK:
>>
>>    BBMASK = "(linux-ml403-slab-2.6.x_git[.].*)"
>>
>> and then I made up my own task and image .bb files to establish what
>> files I want in my rootfs.  I would also appreciate suggestions on a
>> better way to do what to do this.
>
> I pushed changes to linux-ml403-slab (I think I renamed the recipe
> linux-xilinx-slab) so the compile completes. I don't do anything to prepare
> the kernel for actual use. This lets the images build. When I finally figure
> out how to build kernels for Xilinx FPGA based PPC boards, I'll worry about
> creating a bootable kernel. (Unless someone beats me to it)
>
> Possibly, we should create a dummy kernel bb file since this may be the best
> solution for the general case of people building images without a working
> kernel bb file.
>
> Philip
>

I am not quite understand why OpenEmbedded force to generate kernel
and the dependence would force it to be installed in the user land. As
the kernel is usually installed on another partition. It should not be
a part of the file system image.

Therefore, I usually comment out few lines in task-base and task-boot
to avoid the dependence.

Re: Building a rootfs, without building a kernel

[Welch, Martyn (GE EntSol, Intelligent Platforms)]

Ben Lau wrote:
>> Possibly, we should create a dummy kernel bb file since this may be
>> the best solution for the general case of people building images
>> without a working kernel bb file. 
>> 
>> Philip
>> 
> 
> I am not quite understand why OpenEmbedded force to generate kernel
> and the dependence would force it to be installed in the user land. As
> the kernel is usually installed on another partition. It should not be
> a part of the file system image.
> 

But any drivers, etc. built as modules would need to be included in the
system's image and that at least would be a dependence.

Martyn

----
Martyn Welch MEng MPhil MIET
Principal Software Engineer

GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms
Tove Valley Business Park, Towcester,
Northants, NN12 6PF, United Kingdom

Telephone: +44 (0) 1327 359444
Direct Dial: +44 (0) 1327 322748
Fax: +44 (0) 1327 322800
email: martyn.welch@gefanuc.com
web: www.gefanuc.com

GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms Ltd, registered in England and Wales
(3828642) at 100 Barbirolli Square, Manchester, M2 3AB, VAT GB 729 849
476

GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms Confidential and Proprietary. If you
have received this message in error please notify us immediately and
permanently remove it from your system and destroy any printed
hardcopies.  

Re: Building a rootfs, without building a kernel

[Philip Balister]

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Welch, Martyn (GE EntSol, Intelligent Platforms) wrote:
> Ben Lau wrote:
>>> Possibly, we should create a dummy kernel bb file since this may be
>>> the best solution for the general case of people building images
>>> without a working kernel bb file. 
>>>
>>> Philip
>>>
>> I am not quite understand why OpenEmbedded force to generate kernel
>> and the dependence would force it to be installed in the user land. As
>> the kernel is usually installed on another partition. It should not be
>> a part of the file system image.
>>
> 
> But any drivers, etc. built as modules would need to be included in the
> system's image and that at least would be a dependence.

Agreed. The image recipes have most modules included as RECOMMENDS so 
the image builds even if the module is not present. The technique I am 
using is for cases when you need a rootfs, before you have a working 
kernel recipe. You can copy the modules onto the rootfs if needed.

Philip

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Re: Building a rootfs, without building a kernel

[Rodrigo Vivi]

I'm using
ASSUME_PROVIDED += "linux virtual/kernel"

It is enough when you don't want to build a package like iptables that has
RRECOMMENDS = "kernel-module-ip-tables kernel-module-iptable-filter"

But I believe that in this case you could add this recommends to
assume_provided.

On Thu, Jul 3, 2008 at 2:20 PM, Philip Balister <philip@balister.org> wrote:
> Welch, Martyn (GE EntSol, Intelligent Platforms) wrote:
>>
>> Ben Lau wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Possibly, we should create a dummy kernel bb file since this may be
>>>> the best solution for the general case of people building images
>>>> without a working kernel bb file.
>>>> Philip
>>>>
>>> I am not quite understand why OpenEmbedded force to generate kernel
>>> and the dependence would force it to be installed in the user land. As
>>> the kernel is usually installed on another partition. It should not be
>>> a part of the file system image.
>>>
>>
>> But any drivers, etc. built as modules would need to be included in the
>> system's image and that at least would be a dependence.
>
> Agreed. The image recipes have most modules included as RECOMMENDS so the
> image builds even if the module is not present. The technique I am using is
> for cases when you need a rootfs, before you have a working kernel recipe.
> You can copy the modules onto the rootfs if needed.
>
> Philip
>
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>
>



-- 
Rodrigo Vivi
INdT - Instituto Nokia de Tecnologia
Blog: http://blog.vivi.eng.br
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