1 ---------------------------------------------
2 Imximage Boot Image generation using mkimage
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5 This document describes how to set up a U-Boot image that can be booted
6 by Freescale MX25, MX35, MX51, MX53 and MX6 processors via internal boot
9 These processors can boot directly from NAND, SPI flash and SD card flash
10 using its internal boot ROM support. MX6 processors additionally support
11 boot from NOR flash and SATA disks. All processors can boot from an internal
12 UART, if booting from device media fails.
13 Booting from NOR flash does not require to use this image type.
15 For more details refer Chapter 2 - System Boot and section 2.14
16 (flash header description) of the processor's manual.
18 This implementation does not use at the moment the secure boot feature
19 of the processor. The image is generated disabling all security fields.
23 ./tools/mkimage -l <mx u-boot_file>
24 to list the imx image file details
26 ./tools/mkimage -T imximage \
27 -n <board specific configuration file> \
28 -e <execution address> -d <u-boot binary> <output image file>
30 For example, for the mx51evk board:
31 ./tools/mkimage -n ./board/freescale/mx51evk/imximage.cfg \
32 -T imximage -e 0x97800000 \
33 -d u-boot.bin u-boot.imx
35 You can generate directly the image when you compile u-boot with:
39 The output image can be flashed on the board SPI flash or on a SD card.
40 In both cases, you have to copy the image at the offset required for the
41 chosen media devices (0x400 for both SPI flash or SD card).
43 Please check Freescale documentation for further details.
45 Board specific configuration file specifications:
46 -------------------------------------------------
47 1. This file must present in the $(BOARDDIR) and the name should be
48 imximage.cfg (since this is used in Makefile).
49 2. This file can have empty lines and lines starting with "#" as first
50 character to put comments.
51 3. This file can have configuration command lines as mentioned below,
52 any other information in this file is treated as invalid.
54 Configuration command line syntax:
55 ---------------------------------
56 1. Each command line is must have two strings, first one command or address
57 and second one data string
58 2. Following are the valid command strings and associated data strings:-
59 Command string data string
60 -------------- -----------
62 1 is for mx25/mx35/mx51 compatible,
63 2 is for mx53/mx6 compatible,
64 others is invalid and error is generated.
65 This command need appear the fist before
66 other valid commands in configuration file.
68 BOOT_FROM nand/spi/sd/onenand/nor/sata
71 DATA type address value
73 type: word=4, halfword=2, byte=1
74 address: physycal register address
75 value: value to be set in register
76 All values are in in hexadecimal.
77 Example (write to IOMUXC):
78 DATA 4 0x73FA88a0 0x200
80 The processor support up to 60 register programming commands for IMXIMAGE_VERSION 1
81 and 121 register programming commands for IMXIMAGE_VERSION 2.
82 An error is generated if more commands are found in the configuration file.
84 3. All commands are optional to program.
86 Setup a SD Card for booting
87 --------------------------------
89 The following example prepare a SD card with u-boot and a FAT partition
90 to be used to stored the kernel to be booted.
91 I will set the SD in the most compatible mode, setting it with
92 255 heads and 63 sectors, as suggested from several documentation and
93 howto on line (I took as reference the preparation of a SD Card for the
94 Beagleboard, running u-boot as bootloader).
96 You should start clearing the partitions table on the SD card. Because
97 the u-boot image must be stored at the offset 0x400, it must be assured
98 that there is no partition at that address. A new SD card is already
99 formatted with FAT filesystem and the partition starts from the first
100 cylinder, so we need to change it.
102 You can do all steps with fdisk. If the device for the SD card is
103 /dev/mmcblk0, the following commands make the job:
105 1. Start the fdisk utility (as superuser)
108 2. Clear the actual partition
110 Command (m for help): o
114 Command (m for help): p
115 Disk /dev/mmcblk0: 1981 MB, 1981284352 bytes
117 In my case, I have a 2 GB card. I need the size to set later the correct value
120 4. Go to expert mode:
122 Command (m for help): x
126 Expert command (m for help): h
127 Number of heads (1-256, default 4): 255
129 Expert command (m for help): s
130 Number of sectors (1-63, default 16): 63
131 Warning: setting sector offset for DOS compatiblity
133 We have set 255 heads, 63 sector. We have to set the cylinder.
134 The value to be set can be calculated with:
136 cilynder = <total size> / <heads> / <sectors> / <blocksize>
139 1981284352 / 255 / 63 / 512 = 239.x = 239
142 Expert command (m for help): c
143 Number of cylinders (1-1048576, default 60032): 239
145 6. Leave the expert mode
146 Expert command (m for help): r
148 7. Set up a partition
150 Now set a partition table to store the kernel or whatever you want. Of course,
151 you can set additional partitions to store rootfs, data, etc.
152 In my example I want to set a single partition. I must take care
153 to not overwrite the space where I will put u-boot.
155 Command (m for help): n
158 p primary partition (1-4)
160 Partition number (1-4): 1
161 First cylinder (1-239, default 1): 3
162 Last cylinder, +cylinders or +size{K,M,G} (3-239, default 239): +100M
164 Command (m for help): p
166 Disk /dev/mmcblk0: 1967 MB, 1967128576 bytes
167 255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 239 cylinders
168 Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
169 Disk identifier: 0xb712a870
171 Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
172 /dev/mmcblk0p1 3 16 112455 83 Linux
174 I have set 100MB, leaving the first 2 sectors free. I will copy u-boot
177 8. Write the partition table and exit.
179 Command (m for help): w
180 The partition table has been altered!
182 Calling ioctl() to re-read partition table.
184 9. Copy u-boot.imx on the SD card
188 dd if=u-boot.imx of=/dev/mmcblk0 bs=512 seek=2
190 This command copies the u-boot image at the address 0x400, as required
193 Now remove your card from the PC and go to the target. If evrything went right,
194 the u-boot prompt should come after power on.
196 ------------------------------------------------
197 Author: Stefano babic <sbabic@denx.de>