Re: Step by step instructions

I've build the kernel of you kernel26.tar.bz file, downloaded the
initrd from the handheld.org X50 wiki page, changed that to include
the newly built modules and changed the linuxrc so it would load the
vsfb driver, mount the SD card (copied that part from the initrd in
your tmp space) and do a "dmesg > /mnt/mmc/kernel_log" as last command
in linuxrc.

No progress though... No framebuffer output (the system just seems to
crash, still the haret window open), no file written to the SD card.

I tried compiling the vsfb driver into the kernel (so not as a
module), but same results...

Damn! I really wanted to make some progress today, as I now understand
the kernel cross-building and the initrd thing...

Also, where should I get a rootfs.img? But I guess that's not yet
necesarry to get it to work.

Greetz,
JeDi

On 9/7/05, Richard Bateman <richard_at_labbies.net> wrote:
> On Tuesday 06 September 2005 18:11, JeDi wrote:
> > On 9/7/05, Richard Bateman <taxilian_at_zzt.net> wrote:
> > > well, the screen resolution of an x50v is 480x640 and the base memory
> > > address is 0x0c00_0000. these are all set correctly in the
> > > kernel26.tar.bz2 file on my site, which is why I sent you that link.
> >
> > Are the zImage and initrd files on your tmp site from the same kernel?
> > I mounted the initrd file and the vsfb module didn't seem to be there.
> > I haven't done a cross compile ever, so if I have to build the kernel
> > and/or modules from your archive, will "make menuconfig", "make" and
> > "make modules_install" just work? Or do I have to do something special
> > because it is for another device than my pc?
>
> Honestly, I don't know what the initrd and zImage files on my site are from.
> they probably don't work. I haven't had time to find my working kernel
> build. I'm sorry. I might have time this weekend.
>
> You need the cross-compile arm toolchain, which you can get from handhelds.org
>
> I didn't have to type anything special, once I had those in the path.
>
> > > it's easier to put haret, kernel, and initrd on an sd card, and then if
> > > you create a ext2 image called (I think) rootfs in the root of the sd
> > > card you can mount it from there rather than needing a full partition on
> > > the sd card.
> >
> > Yep, I read that in the linuxrc file of the initrd. I'll try that as
> > soon as I'm back at work (in a couple of hours :-)). I see that the SD
> > card gets mounted at /mnt/mmc. Is that writable? Because then I could
> > dump the kernel messages to a file on the SD card (dmesg >
> > /mnt/mmc/kernel_log), so I could at least verify that it tries to boot
> > the kernel.
>
> You may have to mount it yourself. it's something like /dev/mmc/??0 or
> someodd. it may mount automatically if you have it set to do so in your
> initrd
>
> > > Actually, the framebuffer is the easy part, and that's just because the
> > > 2700g controller is already initialized by wince. we're just directly
> > > accessing the video ram for our framebuffer.
> >
> > So I can get the kernel messages on screen too? That would be sweet.
> > As for the controller not being initialized by the driver: let's
> > tackle that later. First get linux decently running from wince ;-)
>
> Yes, the kernel messages go to the screen.. and yes, it's sweet =] biggest
> problem right now with making linux semi-usable is the touchscreen driver.
> of course, it still also has no networking.
>
> > > It'll take more than a bootprocess modification to get usb networking,
> > > bluetooth, and wifi working, automatically or otherwise.
> >
> > What about this guy?
> > http://handhelds.org/hypermail/aximx30-port/0/0067.html He says he's got a
> > wifi tcp/ip control connection running with the x50v. If that wasn't a
> > joke, maybe wifi is just working out of the box? I'll try that at work too
> > (plenty of access points).
>
> That was just using haret, with one of my early test builds. Haret runs in
> wince, so linux was not involved when his network was working.
>
> > > USB we seem to be missing some GPIOs for, so I suspect it is accessed
> > > through the Toshiba ASIC (which we know nothing about). bluetooth may
> > > be very easy to make work, but I don't know enough about it to try. as
> > > for wifi, we don't even know how it's interfaced. My guess would be
> > > that it's at one of the external memory locations. (see static memory
> > > addresses in cpu docs)
> >
> > I'm afraid I'm a software boy mainly. I don't even know what GPIOs and
> > ASIC is :-) But if I can help with anything, I'll do my best. Helping
> > with the kernel and modules will be more my thing I guess...
>
> Kernel and module work will require some basic understanding of the hardware,
> since it's the kernel and modules that control the hardware... i.e. drivers
>
> > > when the framebuffer is working, you still don't yet have the pxa keys
> > > working; this shouldn't be hard to make work, but I haven't tried it yet
> > > so I could be wrong. Also, the touchscreen doesn't work. we know what
> > > chip it is, and how it's interfaced, but for some reason we are unable
> > > to make a driver work for it; someone with more knowledge about
> > > touchscreens might be able to spot an ovious difference, or it may be
> > > something to do with that toshiba asic chip again.
> > >
> > > These are our challenges; this is what we need to figure out to make
> > > this usable.
> >
> > I have a good feeling about this. I'm still convinced that the first
> > thing we'll have to do is get a control connection other than a serial
> > one up and running (usb preferable, but as that seems to be hard right
> > now WiFi or bluethooth), cause then more people can join the effort.
> >
> > I'll give it another full-time working day tomorrow, and who knows
> > what will happen :-)
>
> There are definitely possibilities. bluetooth may even work (if you turn it
> on in wince before starting linux) with existing drivers. biggest problems
> now are:
>
> 1. figuring out usb host
> 2. figuring out touchscreen
>
> audio probably won't be hard; wireless network, I dont' even know where to
> start. :-/
>
> Richard
> --
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Received on Wed Sep 07 2005 - 08:40:30 EDT