psachin / linux-sunxi

Linux source for Allwinner/Boxchip F20 (sun3i), A10 (sun4i) and A12/A13 (sun5i) SoCs

STEPS TO BUILD KERNEL FOR AAKASH

For Kernel documentation please find README_kernel

COMPILING KERNEL

1. Clone the repository by

   git clone https://github.com/androportal/linux-sunxi.git
   

2. cd into linux-sunxi

   cd linux-sunxi
   

3. Checkout to desired branch, it this case sunxi-3.0:

   git checkout sunxi-3.0
   

4. Compile the a13_configuration

   make ARCH=arm a13_defconfig
   

5. A13-OLinuXino customization can be done using

   make ARCH=arm menuconfig
   

6. Install u-boot-tools:

   sudo apt-get install u-boot-tools
   

7. To compile kernel download and install Sourcery CodeBench Lite Edition, then issue:

   make ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=arm-none-linux-gnueabi- uImage
   

8. To make kernel modules

   make ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=arm-none-linux-gnueabi- INSTALL_MOD_PATH=out modules
   

9. To install modules in right path

   make ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=arm-none-linux-gnueabi- INSTALL_MOD_PATH=out modules_install
   

10. After successful compilation uImage will be available at arch/arm/boot/uImage and also find script.bin in the root of the directory(This section is subject to change)

KERNEL ON SDCARD

1. Insert sdcard in card reader or MMC reader available in laptops/netbooks

2. Backup all your sdcard data, and issue the following commands carefully, replace X in /dev/sdX with suitable letter(a lower case alphabet) alloted for your sdcard, remember X will never be a if you have a hard disk installed, so keep in mind it must be something like /dev/sdb or /dev/sdc etc. Please check twice and if you are still unsure leave this README right now otherwise you may end up with non bootable machine:

   sudo fdisk -u=sectors /dev/sdX
   

3. Then create partition for kernel and filesystem in your sdcard, from inside fdisk prompt type p to list all partitions

   Command (m for help): p
   

4. Now press d to delete your partition. If you have multiple partitions use partition number to delete each partition as shown by fdisk utility:

   Command (m for help): d
   

5. Type n for new partion(hit enter) and then mention p for primary partition, hit enter to continue with default starting sector(2048), enter again for last sector and mention +16M, this partition will be later formatted with vfat for kernel:

   Command (m for help): n
   Partition type:
      p   primary (0 primary, 0 extended, 4 free)
      e   extended
   Select (default p): p
   Partition number (1-4, default 1):
   Using default value 1
   First sector (2048-7744511, default 2048):
   Using default value 2048
   Last sector, +sectors or +size{K,M,G} (2048-7744511, default 7744511): +16M
   

6. The sdcard is assumed to be 4gb size, similarly create 2nd primary partition using remaining disk space which will serve as filesystem:

   Command (m for help): n
   Partition type:
      p   primary (1 primary, 0 extended, 3 free)
      e   extended
   Select (default p): p
   Partition number (1-4, default 2):
   Using default value 2
   First sector (34816-7744511, default 34816):
   Using default value 34816
   Last sector, +sectors or +size{K,M,G} (34816-7744511, default 7744511):
   Using default value 7744511
   

7. Now as we have created 2 primary partitions now let's write(w) the changes to disk. For that issue:

   Command (m for help): w
   

8. As partition is completed, we need to format them respectively, the first partition must be vfat so that uboot can read kernel:

   sudo mkfs.vfat /dev/sdX1
   

   For rootfs, create ext4 partition:

   sudo mkfs.ext4  /dev/sdX2
   

9. Now mount vfat partition to some mount point(directory):

   sudo mount -t vfat /dev/sdX1 /mnt/boot
   

   copy kernel to /mnt/boot, assuming that you are still in linux-sunxi directory:

   sudo cp arch/arm/boot/uImage /mnt/boot
   

   Also copy script.bin to same directory:

   sudo cp script.bin /mnt/boot
   

   Now, umount /mnt/boot, before that you may want to sync so that any remaining buffers are written to disks:

   sudo sync
   

   Finally unmount:

   sudo umount /mnt/boot
   

At this point we have a sdcard readly with kernel. Burn uboot and copy rootfs to make a usuable Linux for your tablet.