Linux on Palm Zire 72 How-To
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DISCLAIMER
Before starting testing GNU/Linux on your Palm Zire 72 backup your data as actually there's no garanty that after a soft reset your PalmOS data and applications are preserved and/or not corrupted. The only way to restore the contents is to backup before starting testing linux, hard reset and restore your handheld data with a hotsysnch or with a backup tool(some applications may need to be reinstalled).
NOTE: the support for Palm Zire 72 is actually in a very early stage, so expect to see every kind of problems and kernel errors.
Step by step guide without building
Go to downloads and download latest release
GPE
Binary images available on http://ossfans.org/angstrom/
OPIE
not now
Tools needed
to build the kernel:
In order to build the kernel you need a cross-compiler that generates code for the arm processor. Cross-compilers are often distributed as toolchains, packages that contain all the tools needed to cross compile. Depending on your linux distro, you may find different toolchains binaries. Have a look at this page (DevelopmentToolchains) to have more information.
Some installations known as working:
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Gentoo: crossdev (emerge crossdev and run crossdev -t arm-unknown-linux-uclibc)
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Debian:
![[WWW]](/moin/handhelds/img/moin-www.png)
scratchbox
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Mandriva 2006: arm-linux-gcc-3.4.1.tar.bz2 package at ftp://ftp.handhelds.org/projects/toolchain
Debian cross compiler from packages:
into /etc/apt/sources.list add following lines:
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#Cross toolchain
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deb http://www.emdebian.org/debian/ unstable cross-unstable
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deb http://www.emdebian.org/debian/ testing main
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deb http://www.emdebian.org/debian/ unstable main
then
$ apt-get update
$ apt-get install gcc-4.1-arm-linux-gnu
to build garux:
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palmos-sdk - PalmOS header files
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prc-tools - cross-compiler for m68k and ARM platforms
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pilot-link - application to upload files to PDA from Linux
to create the initrd:
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buildroot - for building custom initrd
Building the kernel
The kernel containing the latest changes for the Palm Zire 72 is actually hosted by the project Hack&Dev on SourceForge, so
-
check out the latest sources: svn co https://svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/hackndev/linux4palm/linux/trunk
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$ cd trunk
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$ export CFLAGS="-mcpu=xscale -Wa,-mfpu=fpa11"
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$ export ARCH=arm
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$ export CROSS_COMPILE='arm-linux-gnu-'
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$ make palmz72_defconfig
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$ make
Now kernel image is trunk/arch/arm/boot/zImage
Create initrd
touch initrd; gzip initrd; copy initrd.gz to root of card
Building Root FS
http://www.angstrom-distribution.org/building-angstrom
Building Garux
Uploading to PDA
-
via USB: PILOTPORT=/dev/ttyUSB0 pilot-xfer -i garux-20060401.prc
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via serial port: PILOTPORT=/dev/ttyS0 pilot-xfer -i garux-20060401.prc
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copy zImage.20060421 to root of card as zImage
Some distribution may automatically create a link /dev/pilot, so you can transfer with
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pilot-xfer -p /dev/pilot -i garux.prc
Return to PalmOS
Run reboot from interface or terminal. Or turn reset button on back side.
NOTE: backup your data as actually there's no garanty that after a soft reset your PalmOS data and applications are preserved and/or not corrupted. The only way to restore the contents is to backup before starting testing linux, hard reset and restore your handheld data with a hotsysnch or with a backup tool(some applications may need to be reinstalled).
