NixOS on RISCV/VisionFive 2: Difference between revisions

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== Status ==
== Status ==
NixOS runs well on the Visionfive 2 with the current <code>nixos-hardware</code> module https://github.com/NixOS/nixos-hardware/tree/master/starfive/visionfive/v2 (used in the example below); this module bundles an older StarFive custom Linux kernel https://github.com/starfive-tech/linux and its custom firmware for the time being.  
See  https://rvspace.org/en/project/JH7110_Upstream_Plan for an overview of which features are already supported by the latest mainline kernel used by NixOS.  


However, this setup needs to be '''updated, build and tested separately''' from the other NixOS Linux kernel variations, '''which is a large, unmaintainable burden for the NixOS community''' when the VisionFive 2 board is not the only supported SoC; so we don't want that.
Please note that HDMI display patches haven't been merged yet.  


Instead '''we just want to maintain the generic, mainline "upstream" Linux kernel''' for all RISCV baords.
There's also a port of the UEFI reference implementation EDK2 available at https://github.com/starfive-tech/edk2 to support a future generic RISCV Linux image that can be booted from any RISCV device.


Luckily, the Visionfive 2 developers have pushed their Linux kernel patches quite early to the upstream mainline kernel and have gotten almost all merged already.
= Setup =
 
Precompiled SD-card images can be found [https://hydra.nichi.co/job/nixos/riscv/visionfive2 on the Hydra instance] my NickCao. Before flashing the image, use <code>unzstd</code> to unpack the downloaded archive.
'''See  https://rvspace.org/en/project/JH7110_Upstream_Plan for an overview of what device is supported in which Linux kernel version.'''
 
NixOS (more precisely nixpkgs) already has the generic '''Linux kernel 6.9 available, which supports almost everything you need out of the box''' (for a server as HDMI display patches haven't been merged into 6.9). This means NixOS should be able to run without a custom kernel once https://github.com/NixOS/nixos-hardware/pull/958 is merged.
 
Also the NixOS version of the popular boot-loader [https://github.com/u-boot/u-boot U-Boot], used by this board, has already received all required patches to fully support this board out-of-the-box.
 
= Building a SD-card image =


=== Manually build a SD-card image ===
This example assumes you have the latest revision of the board (v1.3) with 8GB memory. For other configurations please consult the [https://github.com/NixOS/nixos-hardware/blob/master/starfive/visionfive/v2/README.md nixos-hardware documentation on this board]. First create this [[Flake]] file
This example assumes you have the latest revision of the board (v1.3) with 8GB memory. For other configurations please consult the [https://github.com/NixOS/nixos-hardware/blob/master/starfive/visionfive/v2/README.md nixos-hardware documentation on this board]. First create this [[Flake]] file


{{file|flake.nix|nix|<nowiki>
{{file|flake.nix|nix|<nowiki>
{
{
   inputs.nixpkgs.url = "github:nixos/nixpkgs/nixos-23.11";
   inputs.nixpkgs.url = "github:nixos/nixpkgs/nixos-24.05";
   inputs.nixos-hardware.url = "github:nixos/nixos-hardware";
   inputs.nixos-hardware.url = "github:nixos/nixos-hardware";


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               };
               };


               system.stateVersion = "23.11";
               system.stateVersion = "24.05";
             };
             };
           inherit system;
           inherit system;
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</syntaxhighlight>
</syntaxhighlight>


After successfull build, flash the resulting file in the directory <code>results/sd-image</code> to the target device, in this example the SD-card (<code>/dev/mmcblk*</code>). Note that everything on the target device gets erased.
=== Flashing the SD-card image ===
After successfull build or unpack, flash the resulting file (build file is in the directory <code>results/sd-image</code>) to the target device, in this example the SD-card (<code>/dev/mmcblk*</code>). Note that everything on the target device gets erased.


<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
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</syntaxhighlight>
</syntaxhighlight>


== Using the Visionfive 2 as a remote builder to build native RISCV packages for e.g. the Visionfive 2 ==
== Tips and tricks ==
 
=== Using the Visionfive 2 as a remote builder to build native RISCV packages for e.g. the Visionfive 2 ===
Building an NixOS system image that can be flashed to an SD card or NVMe SSD requires to '''build RISCV binaries''', more specifically for the <code>"riscv64-linux"</code>platform. From a typical Intel/AMD computer we can either
Building an NixOS system image that can be flashed to an SD card or NVMe SSD requires to '''build RISCV binaries''', more specifically for the <code>"riscv64-linux"</code>platform. From a typical Intel/AMD computer we can either


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# '''flash that resulting image onto an SD card''' or NVMe SSD using a call similar to <code>zstdcat result/sd-image/nixos-sd-image-23.11.20230703.ea4c80b-riscv64-linux.img.zst | sudo dd of=/dev/mmcblk0 bs=100M status=progress</code> and place that card into the Visionfive 2.
# '''flash that resulting image onto an SD card''' or NVMe SSD using a call similar to <code>zstdcat result/sd-image/nixos-sd-image-23.11.20230703.ea4c80b-riscv64-linux.img.zst | sudo dd of=/dev/mmcblk0 bs=100M status=progress</code> and place that card into the Visionfive 2.


== Deploy and Update the Visionfive 2 NixOS system once it's running NixOS ==
=== Deploy and Update the Visionfive 2 NixOS system once it's running NixOS ===
Once the Pi 5 is running NixOS, you can update it with newer NixOS system configurations using e.g. the usual  <code>nix-rebuild</code>
Once the Pi 5 is running NixOS, you can update it with newer NixOS system configurations using e.g. the usual  <code>nix-rebuild</code>


Retrieved from "https://wiki.nixos.org/wiki/NixOS_on_RISCV/VisionFive_2"