Getting Started with a uCsimm

Training the GNU generation

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Congrats on getting a uCsimm.

Now how do you install the development environment ?

Once you get past this stage and I hope you will have as much fun with it as everyone else.

You have to use this on a Linux system. The cdrom is quite old now so there are some minor problems when installing on later systems. I use RH 7.2 as an example here for the host system. mount the cd

                                         
     mount /mnt/cdrom            

On the CD there should be a directory /mnt/cdrom/RPMS/libc6

                                         
     ls /mnt/cdrom/RPMS/libc6      

There will be a file called "Makefile" in that directory.

If you are working with a RedHat distribution then you will need to remove the genromfs that came with the distribution

as root type

                                         
     rpm -e genromfs

then type the following

                                         
     cd /mnt/cdrom/ROMS/libc6

     make

you will see the following output

                                         
rpm -i m68k-coff-binutils-2.9.1-1.i386.rpm
rpm -i m68k-coff-gcc-2.7.2.3-1.i386.rpm
rpm -i m68k-pic-coff-binutils-2.9.1-1.i386.rpm
rpm -i m68k-pic-coff-gcc-2.7.2.3-1.i386.rpm
rpm -i uC-libc-0.9.1-1.i386.rpm
rpm -i uC-libm-0.9.1-1.i386.rpm
rpm -i uClinux-2.0.38.1pre5-2.i386.rpm
rpm -i uC-src-0.9.2-2.i386.rpm
error: failed dependencies:
       libc.so.5 is needed by uC-src-0.9.2-2

We have to ignore this error so type

                                         
rpm -i --nodeps uC-src-0.9.2-2.i386.rpm
rpm -i genromfs-0.3-1.i386.rpm
rpm -i romdisk-0.9.1-1.i386.rpm

The development environment has now been installed

su to a normal user

                                         
     su - train

make a working directory and move to it

                                         
     mkdir work
     cd work

type the buildenv command

                                         
     buildenv

type make

                                         
     make

The system will then start to build an image for you.

To download that image you will need to use the minicom terminal emulator set the baud rate to 9600,8,N,1 and connect a serial cable (not a NULL modem) cable to the uCsimm and the development computer.

You must turn HW flow control OFF and select /dev/ttyS0 as the serial device try minicom -s ( as root) and change "serial port setup" once the serial port is set up use the "Save as dfl" option

Then exit minicom and re run it (as root ) with the -o option
                                         
     minicom -o

this stops it trying to set the uCsimm up as a modem

Now when you type return you should see a

                                         
     B$ 

prompt.

If you type

                                         
     B$ go

You should see the uCsimm boot into uClinux

If you want to download your new image

press the uCsimm reset and get back to the bootloader prompt

set the system to work in fast mode

                                         
     B$ fast

Now use CTL-A P to set minicom up for 115200 baud once this is done you should see the B$ prompt again.

Now I set up the file to send in minicom even though the uCsimm is not going to receive the file yet. I do this to save the file spec in minicom's memory.

type CTL-A S to bring up the "send file" menu on Minicom select "xmodem" and press return press return again and type in your new image

                                         
     /home/train/work/image.bin

The xmodem upload screen will then display the file download status screen

You press CTL-C to quit this

Now give the xmodem receive command to the uCsimm

                                         
     B$ rx

type CTL-A S and select xmodem press, return and your file should be in the minicom window. Press return again and you should start downloading.

When this finishes you should see the B$ prompt again. At this time program the new image into the uCsimm.

                                         
     B$ program

When this is done (it takes a few seconds) you can select "go" but do not be alarmed if the system seems to hang

                                         
     B$ go

The uCsimm has reset the baud rate to 9600 so use CTL-A P to reset the minicom baud rate back to 9600

Now your new image is booting.

It may hang trying to detect the ethernet cable so make sure you have one plugged in.

Then it will pause for a while trying to mount 192.168.1.11:/home/jeff/kit

You will have to change the file /home/train/work/romdisk/etc/rc on your development system to point to a different system and directory or just comment out that line by placing a "#" at the beginning of the line.

Now after this you are into uClinux world.
Scan the mailing lists and use google to get up to speed with the rest of the system.


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