1 ---------------------------------------------
2 Imximage Boot Image generation using mkimage
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5 This document describes how to set up a U-Boot image
6 that can be booted by Freescale MX25, MX35 and MX51
7 processors via internal boot mode.
9 These processors can boot directly from NAND, SPI flash and SD card flash
10 using its internal boot ROM support. They can boot from an internal
11 UART, if booting from device media fails.
12 Booting from NOR flash does not require to use this image type.
14 For more details refer Chapter 2 - System Boot and section 2.14
15 (flash header description) of the processor's manual.
17 This implementation does not use at the moment the secure boot feature
18 of the processor. The image is generated disabling all security fields.
22 ./tools/mkimage -l <mx u-boot_file>
23 to list the imx image file details
25 ./tools/mkimage -T imximage \
26 -n <board specific configuration file> \
27 -e <execution address> -d <u-boot binary> <output image file>
29 For example, for the mx51evk board:
30 ./tools/mkimage -n ./board/freescale/mx51evk/imximage.cfg \
31 -T imximage -e 0x97800000 \
32 -d u-boot.bin u-boot.imx
34 You can generate directly the image when you compile u-boot with:
38 The output image can be flashed on the board SPI flash or on a SD card.
39 In both cases, you have to copy the image at the offset required for the
40 chosen media devices (0x400 for both SPI flash or SD card).
42 Please check Freescale documentation for further details.
44 Board specific configuration file specifications:
45 -------------------------------------------------
46 1. This file must present in the $(BOARDDIR) and the name should be
47 imximage.cfg (since this is used in Makefile).
48 2. This file can have empty lines and lines starting with "#" as first
49 character to put comments.
50 3. This file can have configuration command lines as mentioned below,
51 any other information in this file is treated as invalid.
53 Configuration command line syntax:
54 ---------------------------------
55 1. Each command line is must have two strings, first one command or address
56 and second one data string
57 2. Following are the valid command strings and associated data strings:-
58 Command string data string
59 -------------- -----------
61 1 is for mx25/mx35/mx51 compatible,
62 2 is for mx53 compatible,
63 others is invalid and error is generated.
64 This command need appear the fist before
65 other valid commands in configuration file.
67 BOOT_FROM nand/spi/sd/onenand
70 DATA type address value
72 type: word=4, halfword=2, byte=1
73 address: physycal register address
74 value: value to be set in register
75 All values are in in hexadecimal.
76 Example (write to IOMUXC):
77 DATA 4 0x73FA88a0 0x200
79 The processor support up to 60 register programming commands for IMXIMAGE_VERSION 1
80 and 121 register programming commands for IMXIMAGE_VERSION 2.
81 An error is generated if more commands are found in the configuration file.
83 3. All commands are optional to program.
85 Setup a SD Card for booting
86 --------------------------------
88 The following example prepare a SD card with u-boot and a FAT partition
89 to be used to stored the kernel to be booted.
90 I will set the SD in the most compatible mode, setting it with
91 255 heads and 63 sectors, as suggested from several documentation and
92 howto on line (I took as reference the preparation of a SD Card for the
93 Beagleboard, running u-boot as bootloader).
95 You should start clearing the partitions table on the SD card. Because
96 the u-boot image must be stored at the offset 0x400, it must be assured
97 that there is no partition at that address. A new SD card is already
98 formatted with FAT filesystem and the partition starts from the first
99 cylinder, so we need to change it.
101 You can do all steps with fdisk. If the device for the SD card is
102 /dev/mmcblk0, the following commands make the job:
104 1. Start the fdisk utility (as superuser)
107 2. Clear the actual partition
109 Command (m for help): o
113 Command (m for help): p
114 Disk /dev/mmcblk0: 1981 MB, 1981284352 bytes
116 In my case, I have a 2 GB card. I need the size to set later the correct value
119 4. Go to expert mode:
121 Command (m for help): x
125 Expert command (m for help): h
126 Number of heads (1-256, default 4): 255
128 Expert command (m for help): s
129 Number of sectors (1-63, default 16): 63
130 Warning: setting sector offset for DOS compatiblity
132 We have set 255 heads, 63 sector. We have to set the cylinder.
133 The value to be set can be calculated with:
135 cilynder = <total size> / <heads> / <sectors> / <blocksize>
138 1981284352 / 255 / 63 / 512 = 239.x = 239
141 Expert command (m for help): c
142 Number of cylinders (1-1048576, default 60032): 239
144 6. Leave the expert mode
145 Expert command (m for help): r
147 7. Set up a partition
149 Now set a partition table to store the kernel or whatever you want. Of course,
150 you can set additional partitions to store rootfs, data, etc.
151 In my example I want to set a single partition. I must take care
152 to not overwrite the space where I will put u-boot.
154 Command (m for help): n
157 p primary partition (1-4)
159 Partition number (1-4): 1
160 First cylinder (1-239, default 1): 3
161 Last cylinder, +cylinders or +size{K,M,G} (3-239, default 239): +100M
163 Command (m for help): p
165 Disk /dev/mmcblk0: 1967 MB, 1967128576 bytes
166 255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 239 cylinders
167 Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
168 Disk identifier: 0xb712a870
170 Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
171 /dev/mmcblk0p1 3 16 112455 83 Linux
173 I have set 100MB, leaving the first 2 sectors free. I will copy u-boot
176 8. Write the partition table and exit.
178 Command (m for help): w
179 The partition table has been altered!
181 Calling ioctl() to re-read partition table.
183 9. Copy u-boot.imx on the SD card
187 dd if=u-boot.imx of=/dev/mmcblk0 bs=512 seek=2
189 This command copies the u-boot image at the address 0x400, as required
192 Now remove your card from the PC and go to the target. If evrything went right,
193 the u-boot prompt should come after power on.
195 ------------------------------------------------
196 Author: Stefano babic <sbabic@denx.de>