[Buildroot] buildroot for Freescale P2020RDB board

[Buildroot] buildroot for Freescale P2020RDB board

[Marcus Tangermann]

Hello,

I try to get a working kernel and image for a Freescale PowerPC P2 based
board P2020RDB using buildroot 2010.05.
In menuconfig I've chosen a PowerPC generic architecture with uClibc 0.9.30
and gcc 4.4.4.
The compiled images (kernel and ext2 rootfs) don't work. After loading them
via tftp and u-boot, the machine simply stops (=crashes).
To test the rootfs I've manually compiled a kernel using the Freescale
toolchain. The kernel works but the rootfs crashes the machine after
loading.
So I guess there is something fundamental wrong ;-)

So, I would be glad if someone has some hints regarding my problem:
1. Is it possible to generate a working image for an P2020RDB or are there
problems with the e500v2 core?
2. Is it possible to integrate the external toolchain from Freescale
(gcc-4.3.74-eglibc-2.8.74-dp-2) ? The toolchain type seems to fit neither
glibc nor eglibc style.

Thanks!
Marcus
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[Buildroot] buildroot for Freescale P2020RDB board

[Thomas Petazzoni]

Hello Marcus,

On Mon, 7 Jun 2010 18:41:29 +0200
Marcus Tangermann <marcus.tangermann@gmail.com> wrote:

> I try to get a working kernel and image for a Freescale PowerPC P2
> based board P2020RDB using buildroot 2010.05.
> In menuconfig I've chosen a PowerPC generic architecture with uClibc
> 0.9.30 and gcc 4.4.4.
> The compiled images (kernel and ext2 rootfs) don't work. After
> loading them via tftp and u-boot, the machine simply stops (=crashes).

The kernel is very specific to each board, so if you don't configure
the kernel compilation process in Buildroot, you'll end up having a
kernel that very likely isn't designed to run on your hardware.

It's also very likely that the support for your board isn't available
in the mainline kernel, so you'd probably have to tell Buildroot to
apply a few patches to the kernel.

As no-one has contributed support for your board to Buildroot, you will
definitely not be able to generate a working kernel image ? out of the
box ?. Some work will be needed.

> To test the rootfs I've manually compiled a kernel using the Freescale
> toolchain. The kernel works but the rootfs crashes the machine after
> loading.

? crash ? is unfortunately a relatively poor description of what's
going on. Do you have the boot log ?

> So, I would be glad if someone has some hints regarding my problem:
> 1. Is it possible to generate a working image for an P2020RDB or are
> there problems with the e500v2 core?

I'm not a PowerPC expert, so I can't say.

> 2. Is it possible to integrate the external toolchain from Freescale
> (gcc-4.3.74-eglibc-2.8.74-dp-2) ?

Depends whether their toolchain supports sysroot or not. Is this
toolchain publicly available ?

> The toolchain type seems to fit neither glibc nor eglibc style.

Well, according to the toolchain name you provided, it is very likely
based on eglibc.

Regards,

Thomas
-- 
Thomas Petazzoni, Free Electrons
Kernel, drivers, real-time and embedded Linux
development, consulting, training and support.
http://free-electrons.com

[Buildroot] buildroot for Freescale P2020RDB board

[Marcus Tangermann]

Hello,

thank you for your reply. Please see my comments below.

Am 07.06.2010 um 20:44 schrieb Thomas Petazzoni <thomas.petazzoni@free-electrons.com 
 >:

> Hello Marcus,
>
> On Mon, 7 Jun 2010 18:41:29 +0200
> Marcus Tangermann <marcus.tangermann@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> I try to get a working kernel and image for a Freescale PowerPC P2
>> based board P2020RDB using buildroot 2010.05.
>> In menuconfig I've chosen a PowerPC generic architecture with uClibc
>> 0.9.30 and gcc 4.4.4.
>> The compiled images (kernel and ext2 rootfs) don't work. After
>> loading them via tftp and u-boot, the machine simply stops  
>> (=crashes).
>
> The kernel is very specific to each board, so if you don't configure
> the kernel compilation process in Buildroot, you'll end up having a
> kernel that very likely isn't designed to run on your hardware.
>
> It's also very likely that the support for your board isn't available
> in the mainline kernel, so you'd probably have to tell Buildroot to
> apply a few patches to the kernel.
>
> As no-one has contributed support for your board to Buildroot, you  
> will
> definitely not be able to generate a working kernel image ? out of t 
> he
> box ?. Some work will be needed.
>
The board is supported by recent kernels as I've managed to build a  
working 2.6.33 from kernel.org using the toolchain provided by  
Freescale. So maybe my problems result from the toolchain generated  
within buildroot.


>> To test the rootfs I've manually compiled a kernel using the  
>> Freescale
>> toolchain. The kernel works but the rootfs crashes the machine after
>> loading.
>
> ? crash ? is unfortunately a relatively poor description of what's
> going on. Do you have the boot log ?

Sorry, I know. Unfortunately there is no further information. The  
board simply stops, no console output.

>
>> So, I would be glad if someone has some hints regarding my problem:
>> 1. Is it possible to generate a working image for an P2020RDB or are
>> there problems with the e500v2 core?
>
> I'm not a PowerPC expert, so I can't say.
>
>> 2. Is it possible to integrate the external toolchain from Freescale
>> (gcc-4.3.74-eglibc-2.8.74-dp-2) ?
>
> Depends whether their toolchain supports sysroot or not. Is this
> toolchain publicly available ?

You can download the whole BSP from Freescale:  http://www.freescale.com/webapp/sps/site/prod_summary.jsp?code=P2020&fpsp=1&tab=Design_Tools_Tab

Freescale uses LTIB. But the used packages are quiet old.

>
>> The toolchain type seems to fit neither glibc nor eglibc style.
>
> Well, according to the toolchain name you provided, it is very likely
> based on eglibc.
>

Yes, sounds reasonable ;-) Any chance to use eglibc based external  
toolchains?


> Regards,
>
> Thomas
> -- 
> Thomas Petazzoni, Free Electrons
> Kernel, drivers, real-time and embedded Linux
> development, consulting, training and support.
> http://free-electrons.com
> _______________________________________________
> buildroot mailing list
> buildroot at busybox.net
> http://lists.busybox.net/mailman/listinfo/buildroot

[Buildroot] buildroot for Freescale P2020RDB board

[Thomas Petazzoni]

On Mon, 7 Jun 2010 21:18:03 +0200
Marcus Tangermann <marcus.tangermann@gmail.com> wrote:

> The board is supported by recent kernels as I've managed to build a  
> working 2.6.33 from kernel.org using the toolchain provided by  
> Freescale. So maybe my problems result from the toolchain generated  
> within buildroot.

Ah, great. You'll still have to tell how the kernel should be
configured, anyway.

> Sorry, I know. Unfortunately there is no further information. The  
> board simply stops, no console output.

Ok, so it might be a non-working userspace or an incorrect console=
configuration in the kernel command line.

> You can download the whole BSP from Freescale:
> http://www.freescale.com/webapp/sps/site/prod_summary.jsp?code=P2020&fpsp=1&tab=Design_Tools_Tab

Which one exactly ? Those are multi-GB downloads, I'd prefer to pick
the right one from the beginning. Or maybe, better, you can put the
toolchain only online ?

> Yes, sounds reasonable ;-) Any chance to use eglibc based external  
> toolchains?

If they support --sysroot, then yes. If then don't, then no.

What does CROSS-gcc -v from your toolchain returns ?

Thomas
-- 
Thomas Petazzoni, Free Electrons
Kernel, drivers, real-time and embedded Linux
development, consulting, training and support.
http://free-electrons.com