CM-QS600: Linux: Getting started

Preparation steps

• Obtain a Linux PC workstation (host).
• Make sure a fastboot utility is installed on the host machine. For more details about the fastboot utility refer to Getting Fastboot section of the CM-QS600: Linux: Kernel article.
• Download the Linux package and the proprietary firmware archive for CM-QS600 from Compulab website.
• Please note that downloading the proprietary firmware archive requires signing the CompuLab - Qualcomm EULA.
• Unzip both packages to a directory on your host workstation.
• All image files mentioned below can be found in images subdirectory of the Demo package.
• Connect the host PC to the SB-QS600 base-board micro USB port (P7) via the USB to micro USB cable supplied with the evaluation kit.
• Connect the host PC to the SB-QS600 base-board mini USB port (P16) via the USB to mini USB cable supplied with the evaluation kit.
• Make sure the new /dev/ttyUSBx device file is created by using the ls /dev/ttyUSB* command. x is the last number of the ttyUSB device.
• Start the terminal emulation software on your PC's /dev/ttyUSBx. Set baud rate to 115200 bps, 8 bit per frame, 1 stop bit, no parity, no flow control.
• Turn on the CM-QS600 evaluation system. The application boot-loader (LK) will start and you will get a command prompt.

Boot into the installation environment (ramfs)

The first step in CM-QS600 Linux installation is starting the installation environment (boot image containing Linux kernel and Ramfs image).

• Run the following fastboot command on the host machine:

fastboot boot /path/to/cm-qs600-linux/images/bootramfs-cm-qs600.img

• Continue to the Install Linux Images section.

Install Linux Images

After the ramdisk image is loaded the Linux login prompt will appear. Login as root into the system.

compulab login: root

Mount the installation source media

The next step is installing the Debian Linux images. The following media can be used as a source for installation:

• Micro SD Card
• USB storage device
• NFS drive

Mount a micro SD Card

• Copy the boot-cm-qs600.img and the debian-image.tar.bz2 from the Linux package for CM-QS600 to the root directory of any partition on the micro SD card. The partition can be formatted either ext2/3/4 or FAT file system. Additionally, copy the directory containing the proprietary firmware cm-qs600-qcom-linux-firmware to the same location.
• Insert the micro SD card into the SD socket (P5) on the SB-QS600 prior to booting into the installation environment.
• The micro SD card is mounted automatically under /media/mmcblk1pX. Where X is the partition number.
• If for some reason the micro SD card hasn't been mounted automatically, use the following mount command:

root@compulab:~# mkdir -p /media/mmcblk1pX && mount /dev/mmcblk1pX /media/mmcblk1pX

• Continue to the Install Images section.

Mount a USB Storage Device

• Copy the boot-cm-qs600.img and the debian-image.tar.bz2 from Linux package for CM-QS600 to the root directory of any partition on the USB storage device. Additionally, copy the directory containing the proprietary firmware cm-qs600-qcom-linux-firmware to the same location.
• Plug the USB storage device to any USB host port (P13 or P14) on the SB-QS600.
• The USB device is mounted automatically under /media/sdXY. Where X is the device letter and Y is the partition number.
• If for some reason the USB storage device hasn't been mounted automatically, use the following mount command:

root@compulab:~# mkdir -p /media/sdXY && mount /dev/sdXY /media/sdXY

• Continue to the Install Images section.

Mount an NFS drive

• Connect the CM-QS600 Ethernet port (P13) to your local network.
• Copy the boot-cm-qs600.img and the debian-image.tar.bz2 from the Linux package for CM-QS600 to a directory exported through NFS. Additionally, copy the directory containing the proprietary firmware cm-qs600-qcom-linux-firmware to the same location.
• Obtain an IP address for the CM-QS600:
  • Using DHCP:

    root@compulab:~# ifup `basename /sys/class/net/eth?`

  • If you do not have a DHCP server, you can set a static IP address using ifconfig:

    root@compulab:~#  ifconfig `basename /sys/class/net/eth?` <ip address>

• Mount the NFS share containing the boot-cm-qs600.img and the debian-image.tar.bz2 files:

root@compulab:~#  mount -o nolock <host ip>:/path/to/nfs/share /mnt/net

• Continue to the Install Images section.

Install Images

Once the ramfs image is loaded and the media containing the CM-QS600 Debian Linux image is mounted, the installation can proceed:

• In this subsection the term /mount/point can be:
  • /mnt/net if NFS is used
  • /media/mmcblk1pX if a micro SD card is used, where X is the partition number
  • /media/sdXY if USB storage is used, where X is the USB drive letter and Y is the partition number.

• Copy the boot image containing Linux Kernel to the eMMC partition number 7 named boot:

root@compulab:~# dd if=/mount/point/boot-cm-qs600.img of=/dev/mmcblk0p7

• Format the eMMC partition number 13 named userdata:

root@compulab:~# mkfs.ext4 /dev/mmcblk0p13

• Mount the userdata partition:

root@compulab:~# mkdir -p /media/mmcblk0p13 && mount /dev/mmcblk0p13 /media/mmcblk0p13

• Extract the content of debian-image.tar.bz2 onto the /media/mmcblk0p13:

root@compulab:~# tar --numeric-owner -xpf /mount/point/debian-image.tar.bz2 -C /media/mmcblk0p13 && sync

• Copy the proprietary firmware to the /media/mmcblk0p13/lib/firmware:

root@compulab:~# cp -a /mount/point/cm-qs600-qcom-linux-firmware/* /media/mmcblk0p13/lib/firmware/ && sync

• Unmount the userdata partition:

root@compulab:~# umount /media/mmcblk0p13

• Reboot the CM-QS600 evaluation system.

root@compulab:~# reboot

See also

• CM-QS600: Linux: Debian
• CM-QS600: Linux: Kernel
• Linux: Development for ARM modules
• Linux: Debian: Minimal ARM filesystem