Architectures/ARM/PlatformSheevaplug

How To: Running Fedora-ARM on Sheevaplug

Introduction

The SheevaPlug is a development platform, targeted for use as a plug computer, and designed to run network-based software services. It features a Kirkwood Series SoC with an embedded Marvell Sheeva™ CPU core running at 1.2 GHz.

Technical Specifications

• Power: 2.3w idle no attached devices, 7.0w running at 100% CPU utilization
• CPU: Marvell Kirkwood 88F6281 ARM Based, 1Ghz - 2Ghz processor
• Memory: 512MB SDRAM, 512MB Flash
• Display: none
• Connectivity: USB 2.0, SD, Gigabit Network,JTAG mini USB
• Dimensions: 110 x 69.5 x 48.5 (mm)

Setup Kernel Image

You can either simply use a pre-built kernel image or build your own from source.

Pre-built Kernel Image

You can get one of the following pre-built kernel images for ARM: 1. Include link XXX

Build Kernel Image From Source

You will need to have an ARM cross-compiler. If you do not have one, download one from CodeSourcery's web-site, install it and ensure that is it in your path.

export arch=ARM
export CROSS_COMPILE=arm-none-linux-gnueabi-

You can also use the Fedora cross toolchain that we provide.

Download the Linux kernel (I have tested with 2.6.30), and build it for kirkwood_defconfig.

$ cd linux-2.6/
$ make kirkwood_defconfig
$ make uImage

Setup Root File System

Download the latest root filesystem from http://ftp.linux.org.uk/pub/linux/arm/fedora/rootfs/

Download the latest root filesystem tarball from http://ftp.linux.org.uk/pub/linux/arm/fedora/rootfs/ and untar it.

This assumes that you untarred the root file system in /mnt/ARM_FS. We need to export it through NFS. Add the following in your /etc/exports.

/mnt/ARM_FS/ *(rw,sync,no_root_squash)

Now, restart the NFS service.

/sbin/service nfs restart

Kernel cmdline parameters for NFS setup

While booting the kernel, pass the following cmdline options to ensure bootup over NFS. This assumes that you have the root filesystem in /mnt/ARM_FS/

root=/dev/nfs rw nfsroot=<hostip>:/mnt/ARM_FS/ ip=dhcp