Discussion of issues relevant to all ARM-based NetBSD ports

Dave Burgess | 21 May 2012 17:58

current-user lurker wants help with Mini-2440 project.

I normally lurk on current-users,. but saw a message from this group and 
thought I'd bother you for a minute.

I've recently started trying to build a new prototype for my "room 
status" device.  It going to be doing a bunch of stuff, and I've 
recently purchased a Mini2440 as the processor of choice for the actual 
implementation.

I'm having trouble getting started installing/netbooting NetBSD on the 
thing.  Most of the programs that come with this beast are in Chinese, 
which would be OK if I read Chinese.....

I've got the TFTP directory set up and ready to use (I already use it 
for netbootking diskless workstations and phones) and have (I think) all 
of the software I need to get it working.  If anyone has any experience 
setting these things to light, I'd love to hear about it.

--

-- 
Dave Burgess
Manager
Cynjut Consulting Services, LLC
402-403-4434 (Phone, FAX, and Cell)

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Paul Fleischer | 21 May 2012 23:04

Re: current-user lurker wants help with Mini-2440 project.

Hi Dave,

2012/5/21 Dave Burgess <burgess <at> cynjut.com>:
> I've got the TFTP directory set up and ready to use (I already use it for
> netbootking diskless workstations and phones) and have (I think) all of the
> software I need to get it working.  If anyone has any experience setting
> these things to light, I'd love to hear about it.

I have a couple of tips and tricks on how to get started with NetBSD
on the MINI2440 at
http://xpg.dk/projects/netbsd-support-for-the-mini2440/nb-mini2440-ht/
If that does not help you, please let me know so that we can get you
up and running (and correct/extend the page).

Best regards,
Paul

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Dave Burgess | 23 May 2012 00:34

Re: current-user lurker wants help with Mini-2440 project.

I started out at the Mini2440 page you recommended.  I understand 
everything until you say "From the U-Boot Prompt".  The only thing I've 
found that sounds like a U-Boot prompt has all of the text entirely in 
Chinese, which is why I'm apparently unable to get started.  The rest of 
the steps seem straightforward enough - I just can't figure out how to 
get to U-Boot.

--

-- 
Dave Burgess
Manager
Cynjut Consulting Services, LLC
402-403-4434 (Phone, FAX, and Cell)

headers

Paul Fleischer | 23 May 2012 08:42

Re: current-user lurker wants help with Mini-2440 project.

Hi again,

2012/5/23 Dave Burgess <burgess <at> cynjut.com>:
> I started out at the Mini2440 page you recommended.  I understand everything
> until you say "From the U-Boot Prompt".  The only thing I've found that
> sounds like a U-Boot prompt has all of the text entirely in Chinese, which
> is why I'm apparently unable to get started.  The rest of the steps seem
> straightforward enough - I just can't figure out how to get to U-Boot.

Ohh, I see. So, I would recommend that you flash a new version of
U-Boot onto the Mini2440. First start off by trying U-Boot from RAM
(following the description in "Run U-Boot without flashing it to
NAND"). Unfortunately, you will need a tool, which to me best
knowledge is only available on Linux and Windows. It's called DNW for
Windows and USBPush (Boot USB) for Linux, and is available from
http://www.friendlyarm.net/downloads. You might be able to do xmodem
transfer as well to Supervivi, but I haven't tried that myself.

If U-Boot from ram seems to work fine for you, you can follow the
instructions outlined in "Flashing U-Boot to NAND" to get it into
NAND. Alternatively, U-Boot can also be used to place U-Boot in NAND,
as described in section "Loading / Flashing the first U-Boot" at
http://code.google.com/p/mini2440/wiki/MiniBringup.

I hope this helps you.

Best regards,
Paul

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