NixOS Wiki

NixOS on ARM/PINE A64-LTS: Difference between revisions

← Older edit
VisualWikitext
imported>Samueldr
m Updates Status section with location of hydra builds
m Dark mode support
 
(18 intermediate revisions by 3 users not shown)
Line 13: Line 13:
|-
|-
!Bootloader
!Bootloader
|Upstream u-boot<ref>https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/pull/32553#issuecomment-373915787</ref>
|Upstream U-Boot<ref>https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/pull/32553#issuecomment-373915787</ref>
|-
|-
!Boot order
!Boot order
Line 19: Line 19:
|-
|-
!Maintainer
!Maintainer
|[[User:samueldr|samueldr]]
|
|}
|}
</div>
</div>
Line 27: Line 27:


It can boot from SD or from an eMMC.
It can boot from SD or from an eMMC.
The [https://www.pine64.org/?page_id=1491 SOPINE board] from the same manufacturer, using the Baseboard "Model A" should be 100% compatible with the A64-LTS; the A64-LTS support is built using the device tree of the Baseboard "Model A". Though untested, this should mean that the Baseboard "Model A" will work with NixOS<sup>[testing needed]</sup>.


== Status ==
== Status ==


Upstream NixOS AArch64 image boots on the PINE A64-LTS, using the proper upstream u-boot.
Upstream NixOS AArch64 image boots on the PINE A64-LTS, using the proper upstream U-Boot.


U-boot support [https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/pull/32553#issuecomment-373915787 has been added 2018-03-18]. The bootloader with SPL can be downloaded from these location:
U-boot support [https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/pull/32553#issuecomment-373915787 has been added 2018-03-18]. The bootloader with SPL can be downloaded from this location:


* [http://cs.helsinki.fi/u/tmtynkky/sopine-u-boot-sunxi-with-spl.bin <code>sopine-u-boot-sunxi-with-spl.bin</code> built by Dezgeg.]
* [https://hydra.nixos.org/job/nixpkgs/trunk/ubootPine64LTS.aarch64-linux Nixpkgs unstable builds on hydra.]
* [https://hydra.nixos.org/job/nixpkgs/trunk/ubootSopine.aarch64-linux Trunk builds on hydra.]


== Board-specific installation notes ==
== Installation instructions ==


First follow the [[NixOS_on_ARM#Installation|generic installation steps]] to get the installer image on an SD card or the eMMC. A compatible eMMC to SD may be required to flash the eMMC. If you do not have one available, it is possible to boot another operating system on the A64-LTS and from there <code>dd</code> to the eMMC.
{{ARM/installation allwinner|variant=aarch64}}


U-Boot needs to be copied to specific sectors on the microSD card with <code>dd</code>. Download u-boot for the board (<code>sopine-u-boot-sunxi-with-spl.bin</code>), and copy it to the correct location with (again, replace <code>/dev/sdX</code> with the correct path to the SD card device):
Flashing U-Boot to the SD card can be skipped if it is installed to the [[#SPI_NOR_flash|SPI NOR flash]]


<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">sudo dd if=sopine-u-boot-sunxi-with-spl.bin of=/dev/sdX bs=1024 seek=8</syntaxhighlight>
These instructions can also be followed for installation on the eMMC module. A compatible eMMC writer may be required to flash the eMMC. If you do not have one available, it is possible to boot another operating system on the A64-LTS and from there <code>dd</code> to the eMMC.


Then, install using the [[NixOS_on_ARM#NixOS_installation_.26_configuration|installation and configuration steps]].
Then, continue installation using the [[NixOS_on_ARM#NixOS_installation_.26_configuration|installation and configuration steps]].


== Serial console==
== Serial console==


{{expansion|This needs to be documented and tested.}}
Follows a simplified drawing of the edge of the Pine A64-LTS, with two locations to tap for serial.<ref>http://wiki.pine64.org/index.php/PINE_A64-LTS/SOPine_Main_Page#PINE_A64-LTS_Board_Features</ref><ref>http://files.pine64.org/doc/Pine%20A64%20Schematic/Pine%20A64%20Pin%20Assignment%20160119.pdf</ref>
 
[[File:Pine-A64-LTS_partial-pinout.png|frameless|860px]]
 
{| class="table"
|-
!colspan="2" style="background: var(--color-inverted)"| EXP Connector
|-
! Pin
! Function
|-
| 7
| UART0_TX
|-
| 8
| UART0_RX
|-
| 9
| GND
|-
!colspan="2" style="background: var(--color-inverted)"| Euler "e" Connector
|-
! Pin
! Function
|-
| 29
| UART0_TX
|-
| 30
| UART0_RX
|-
| 33
| GND
|}


== Compatibility notes ==
== Compatibility notes ==


* Using the upstream kernel at 4.15, neither ethernet seems to have troubles. The interface is detected but seems to not work right.
{| class="table arm-compatibility"
* HDMI support is untested.
!colspan="2" style="background: var(--color-inverted)"| Mainline kernel
|-
! Ethernet
|
* Up to and including 4.19, ethernet seems to have troubles. The interface is detected but does not work right.
* Verified only starting with 4.20 (rc4 tested), ethernet seems to work sometimes. It may fail with <code>dmesg</code> messages like <code>dwmac-sun8i 1c30000.ethernet eth0: Could not attach to PHY</code> and <code>dwmac-sun8i 1c30000.ethernet eth0: stmmac_open: Cannot attach to PHY (error: -19)</code>.
|-
! HDMI
|
* Starting with 4.20 (rc4 tested), HDMI output works.
* Up to and including 4.19, HDMI output does not work.
|}
 
=== Downstream kernel ===
 
Using a kernel based on the downstream patches, it is possible to get both Ethernet and HDMI working.
 
* [https://github.com/CallMeFoxie/linux/tree/v4.14-pine64 CallMeFoxie/linux@v4.14-pine64]
* [https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=4931 Pine64 Forum post by CallMeFoxie]
 
{{note|Keep in mind that using non-upstream forks of the kernel always incurs some risk as far as security goes.}}
 
Follows an example derivation and overlay to build the known working fork.
 
<syntaxhighlight lang="nix">
# linux-pine64.nix
{ fetchFromGitHub, buildLinux, ... } @ args:
buildLinux (args // rec {
  version = "4.14.23";
  modDirVersion = "4.14.23";
  extraMeta.branch = "4.14";
  src = fetchFromGitHub {
    owner = "CallMeFoxie";
    repo = "linux";
    rev = "f0899693d21e15ce32df4d4702f236dfe3e0eba7";
    sha256 = "043q7v7c5w84dnbgsmz117q712ljqrgay5707pz4vnvxl53czk4h";
  };
  extraMeta.platforms = [ "aarch64-linux" ];
  structuredExtraConfig = {
    # Options for HDMI.
    # Fixes this:
    #  sun4i-drm display-engine: master bind failed: -517
    SUN8I_DE2_CCU = "y";
  };
} // (args.argsOverride or {}))
</syntaxhighlight>
 
<syntaxhighlight lang="nix">
# overlay.nix
self: super:
 
let
  inherit (super) callPackage kernelPatches;
in
{
  linux_pine64_4_14 = callPackage ./linux-pine64.nix {
    kernelPatches = [
      kernelPatches.bridge_stp_helper
      kernelPatches.modinst_arg_list_too_long
    ];
  };
  linuxPackages_pine64_4_14 = self.linuxPackagesFor self.linux_pine64_4_14;
}
</syntaxhighlight>
 
=== Clusterboard Ethernet ===
It appears that Ethernet with the [https://www.pine64.org/clusterboard/ pine64 clusterboard] requires [https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=10432 a slightly modified device tree to work].  There's some conflicting information about exactly what is needed to get Ethernet working but currently, mainline linux (5.4.58 at the time of testing) plus a modified device tree is sufficient to get a full speed 1gbps connection.
 
First create the device tree overlay.
<pre>
/* sopine-baseboard-ethernet.dts */
 
/dts-v1/;
/ {
model = "SoPine with baseboard";
compatible = "pine64,sopine-baseboard\0pine64,sopine\0allwinner,sun50i-a64";
fragment@0 {
target-path = "/soc/ethernet@1c30000";
__overlay__ {
allwinner,tx-delay-ps = <500>;
};
};
};
</pre>
 
Create the device tree binary from that.
<pre>
dtc -O dtb -o sopine-baseboard-ethernet.dtbo -b 0 sopine-baseboard-ethernet.dts
</pre>
 
And add it to your configuration.nix
<pre>
...
  hardware.deviceTree.enable = true;
  hardware.deviceTree.overlays = [
    "${/path/to/sopine-baseboard-ethernet.dtbo}"
  ];
...
</pre>


== SPI NOR flash ==
== SPI NOR flash ==
Line 62: Line 190:
The Pine A64-LTS is equipe with a 4MB SPI NOR flash chip. The CPU will read the bootloader from it, after trying the SD card and the eMMC.
The Pine A64-LTS is equipe with a 4MB SPI NOR flash chip. The CPU will read the bootloader from it, after trying the SD card and the eMMC.


Flashing u-boot to the SPI NOR flash will allow booting the <code>sd-image-aarch64.img</code> based images without further manipulating the image or the boot device (e.g. without embedding u-boot to the usb drive). It may also allow booting UEFI compliant AArch64 images, though this is unverified.
Flashing U-Boot to the SPI NOR flash will allow booting the <code>sd-image-aarch64.img</code> based images without further manipulating the image or the boot device (e.g. without embedding U-Boot to the usb drive). It may also allow booting UEFI compliant AArch64 images, though this is unverified.


The author did not find ways to flash the NOR flash from a running Linux system using the mainline kernel.
The author did not find ways to flash the NOR flash from a running Linux system using the mainline kernel.
Line 80: Line 208:
It is, then, possible to use <code>sunxi-fel</code> from <code>sunxi-tools</code> to flash the a bootloader to the SPI NOR flash.
It is, then, possible to use <code>sunxi-fel</code> from <code>sunxi-tools</code> to flash the a bootloader to the SPI NOR flash.


{{note|As of 2018-11-24, the <code>sunxi-tools</code> package is not up-to-date enough, and does not have the required <code>spiflash-write</code> sub-command.}}
{{note|As of 2018-11-24, the <code>sunxi-tools</code> package is not up-to-date enough, and does not have the required <code>spiflash-write</code> sub-command. See {{pull|51007}}.}}


<pre>
<pre>
Line 90: Line 218:
</pre>
</pre>


Once complete, unplug the power from the Pine A64-LTS, unplug the Pine A64-LTS from the host computer, and try booting without storage devices, but either serial or HDMI. When successful, u-boot will start, and eventually try to network boot.
Once complete, unplug the power from the Pine A64-LTS, unplug the Pine A64-LTS from the host computer, and try booting without storage devices, but either serial or HDMI. When successful, U-Boot will start, and eventually try to network boot.


{{note|Once a valid bootloader is on the SPI NOR flash, FEL mode will not be entered automatically. [http://linux-sunxi.org/FEL Follow instructions of the FEL page of the linux-sunxi wiki] for alternative ways to enter FEL mode.}}
{{note|Once a valid bootloader is on the SPI NOR flash, FEL mode will not be entered automatically. [http://linux-sunxi.org/FEL Follow instructions of the FEL page of the linux-sunxi wiki] for alternative ways to enter FEL mode.}}


== Flashing from u-boot ==
=== Flashing from U-Boot ===
 
{{outdated|Mainline U-Boot can now be used, since the <tt>sf</tt> command and support for the SPI NOR flash has been added}}


It is possible, through using a u-boot bootloader built from the u-boot-sunxi tree, to write to the SPI NOR flash. The [https://github.com/ayufan-pine64/bootloader-build ayufan-pine64/bootloader-build] has such a build. Using the released <code>.img</code> files, it is possible to write their custom build or erase their custom build. From their custom build, it is possible to write to the SPI NOR flash using the <code>sf</code> command<ref>https://github.com/ayufan-pine64/bootloader-build/blob/d7e891cbee8a559ea50cf25ee18aa9d7b4ea9d58/blobs/flash-spi.cmd#L11-L13</ref>.  
It is possible, through using a U-Boot bootloader built from the u-boot-sunxi tree, to write to the SPI NOR flash. The [https://github.com/ayufan-pine64/bootloader-build ayufan-pine64/bootloader-build] has such a build. Using the released <code>.img</code> files, it is possible to write their custom build or erase their custom build. From their custom build, it is possible to write to the SPI NOR flash using the <code>sf</code> command<ref>https://github.com/ayufan-pine64/bootloader-build/blob/d7e891cbee8a559ea50cf25ee18aa9d7b4ea9d58/blobs/flash-spi.cmd#L11-L13</ref>.  


<pre>
<pre>
Line 122: Line 252:


* [https://www.pine64.org/?page_id=46823 Official product page]
* [https://www.pine64.org/?page_id=46823 Official product page]
* [https://linux-sunxi.org/Xunlong_Orange_Pi_PC linux-sunxi wiki page]
Retrieved from "https://wiki.nixos.org/wiki/NixOS_on_ARM/PINE_A64-LTS"