[Wiltshire] Kernel won't run on this SBC

[John Larkworthy]

Hi,

I think this is more of a problem with the installer trying to ensure you have a system suitable for the Ubuntu distribution. 

When I am loading systems for execution on an embedded (ARM) processor I put the disk into my desktop system - usually using a USB to SATA bridge board. Copy the loaders, kernel and format the drive for the root file system using a custom script. 

The system I instal is cross compiled using 'buildroot' project. This when configured generates a tool chain for cross compiling and the basic system based on busybox. I use a vanilla kernel with added support for our hardware.(and yes our clients do have access to the source so they can publish it themselves). The on chip bootstrap is unique so you need to understand your board bootstrap process. We use the on chip loader to read "U-boot" from disk which then loads the kernel to start the system but U-Boot is intended to load ARM and PPC embedded systems. You probably need to use GRUB. I guess the Grub executable needs to be placed in the correct location on you boot disk so that it is started by the BIOS on start up. Grub will then need to find its configuration file. Once GRUB has found the configuration it should be able to load and execute your kernel image.

LILO was a bit of a bodge and needed careful configuring. If I recall the executable was placed in sector 0 below the partition table but needed patching to include the location of the main code. If you omitted to run the patch process, you got the legendary LILO boot hang.

You may have more success using something like Puppy Linux or DSLinux. You might like to consider using the 'repair mode' of Ubuntu and copy the relevant parts to the disk. It may be hard work initially but if you create scripts as you go you should be able to automate the process so that the second attempt is less painful. 


Cheers,

John.

--- On Thu, 21/5/09, David Fletcher <dave at thefletchers.net> wrote:

> From: David Fletcher <dave at thefletchers.net>
> Subject: [Wiltshire] Kernel won't run on this SBC
> To: wiltshire at mailman.lug.org.uk
> Date: Thursday, 21 May, 2009, 3:52 PM
> Can anybody please point me to a
> Linux distribution that will run on this:-
> 
> Vortex A9100 CPU
> 
> It's a PC/104 board.
> 
> It boots an installer CD such as the Ubuntu alternate
> installer, but when I 
> select the install option I get
> 
> This kernel requires the following features not present on
> the CPU:
> 0:0
> Unable to boot - please use a kernel appropriate for your
> CPU
> 
> 
> I don't want any desktop, just a basic command line
> install.
> 
> Ta for any help.
> 
> Dave
> 
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