IOT-GATE-IMX8PLUS and SBC-IOT-IMX8PLUS: Yocto Linux: Installation

Overview

This article provides instructions needed to install the Yocto Linux live image onto the Compulab IOT-GATE-IMX8PLUS / SBC-IOT-IMX8PLUS internal storage.
The recommended installation procedure is using a host PC with a Debian-based operating system.

Preparing the workstation

• Obtain a Debian-based workstation with a free USB port.
• Install bmap-tools package if not installed
• Obtain a USB flash drive. Any commercially available USB flash drive of 4GB (or larger) may be used for the installation.
• Plug the USB flash drive into the host PC. From now we assume the device name of the flash drive on your Linux PC is /dev/sdX.

Preparing the Yocto Linux live image

• The Yocto Linux live image and block map file (bmap), mentioned below, are generated during the Building IOT-GATE-IMX8PLUS / SBC-IOT-IMX8PLUS Yocto process:

• Live image: imx-image-full-iot-gate-imx8plus.rootfs.wic.zst
• Block map file: imx-image-full-iot-gate-imx8plus.rootfs.wic.bmap

Preparing Installation Media

• Flash the image file to the USB flash drive by the means of bmaptool utility:

sudo bmaptool copy /path/to/imx-image-full-iot-gate-imx8plus.rootfs.wic.zst --bmap /path/to/imx-image-full-iot-gate-imx8plus.rootfs.wic.bmap /dev/sdX

Run Yocto Linux live image

• Insert the USB flash drive into one of the USB ports. It's recommended to use USB3.0 port
• Power on the device, stop in U-Boot and issue:

  run distro_bootcmd

• Wait for the GRUB menu

Installing Yocto images onto the internal storage

• In the GRUB menu choose Install NXP i.MX Release Distro option

                           GNU GRUB  version 2.12

 ┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
 │ Boot Linux Image-6.6.3-1.0-gf0f789e68d79                                   │ 
 │*Install NXP i.MX Release Distro 6.6-scarthgap (scarthgap)                  │
 │ Advanced Boot Options                                                      │
 │                                                                            │
 │                                                                            │
 │                                                                            │
 │                                                                            │
 │                                                                            │
 │                                                                            │
 │                                                                            │
 │                                                                            │ 
 └────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

      Use the ▲ and ▼ keys to select which entry is highlighted.          
      Press enter to boot the selected OS, `e' to edit the commands       
      before booting or `c' for a command-line.                           

• The installer will start running automatically:

          +--------cl-deploy will get started in 5 seconds-----------+
          | Configuration file /etc/cl-auto.conf parameters:         |
          | --------------------------------------------------       |
          | # Destination is the module inthernal media.             |
          | # Autoinstaller how to:                                  |
          | ## cp /usr/share/cl-deploy/cl-auto.conf.sample           |
          | /etc/cl-auto.conf                                        |
          | ## cl-auto -A                                            |
          | DST=/dev/mmcblk2                                         |
          | QUIET=Yes                                                |
          | UDEV=No                                                  |
          | --------------------------------------------------  91%  |
          +----------------------------------------------------------+
          |                 <Stop Auto Installer>                    |
          +----------------------------------------------------------+

• When installation is complete, the following message will show up:

              +-------------------Success----------------------+
              | Remove installation media & Press Enter        |
              |                                                |
              |                                                |
              +------------------------------------------------+
              |                 <Press Enter>                  |
              +------------------------------------------------+

• Remove the USB flash drive from the unit
• Press Enter to reboot the unit