SD Monolitic image build and flashing steps for BPI R4.

_{Page development is in progress.}

Dependencies for sdcard flashing.
Bootloader:
Bananapi r4 follows a atf(arm-trusted firmware) flow for device bootup, by default flash memory is present in the device (BL1), and bl1 is depended on bl2 address which flow is mentiond below.

a)BL1: Bootloader one which will be part of flash memory of bpir4 , it will be holding address for bl2.
b)BL2: Bootloader two need to be generated and loaded in a specified sector so that bl1 can load bl2.
c)fip: Firmware image Package which contains firmware components eg bl31.
d)Kernel: Layer which will be acting between hardware and OS.
e)RDKB : RDKB stack or RDKB OS for user interaction.

"Kernel and rdkb rootfs will be generated as part BPIR4 build instructions"

Bootloader file generation

For generated bl2.img and fip.bin i used below mentioned git repo.
1) https://github.com/frank-w/u-boot/tree/2024-04-bpi → for generating uboot.bin files .
2) https://github.com/frank-w/u-boot/tree/mtk-atf → for generating atf flow bootloader files (bl2.img and fip.bin)

At initial i cloned mentioned git code https://github.com/frank-w/u-boot/tree/2024-04-bpi , and made below mentioned changes in uboot env file to make bootloader to load kernel and rdkb rootfs at initial bootup itself.

Bootloader changes wrt RDKB BPIR4 specific. Expand source

heam@Dell-OptiPlex-9020:~/bootloader/u-boot$ git diff
diff --git a/build.conf b/build.conf
index 217679e5393..d1ebe634a3f 100644
--- a/build.conf
+++ b/build.conf
@@ -2,12 +2,12 @@ uploaduser=$USER
 uploadserver=r2
 uploaddir=/var/lib/tftp
  
-board=bpi-r2
+#board=bpi-r2
 #board=bpi-r64
 #board=bpi-r2pro
 #board=bpi-r3
 #board=bpi-r3mini
-#board=bpi-r4
+board=bpi-r4
  
 #device=emmc
 #device=spi-nand
diff --git a/uEnv_r4.txt b/uEnv_r4.txt
index dc60a382cd2..0ca9b61df4a 100644
--- a/uEnv_r4.txt
+++ b/uEnv_r4.txt
@@ -1,82 +1,19 @@
 board=bpi-r4
 device=mmc
-partition=0:5
+partition_boot=0:3
 bootenv=uEnv.txt
 bootdevice=sd
-
-fit=bpi-r4.itb
-#bootconf="#conf-2"
-#initrd=rootfs.cpio.zst
-
-loadaddr=0x46000000
-uaddr=0x41e00000
 kaddr=0x46000000
-rdaddr=0x48000000
-
-root=/dev/mmcblk0p6 rootfstype=ext4 rootwait
-console=ttyS0,115200n1 earlycon=uart8250,mmio32,0x11000000
-bootopts=debug=7 mem=3G
-
-#version=-v0
-wifi_en=0
-sata_en=0
-
-usb_part=0:1
-
-nvme_boot=0:1
-nvme_root=/dev/nvme0n1p2
-
-#netboot
-ipaddr=192.168.0.19
-netmask=255.255.255.0
-serverip=192.168.0.10
-
-lstftp=if tftp ${loadaddr} ${serverip}:r4-itbfiles.lst;then setexpr listend ${loadaddr} + ${filesize};mw.b ${listend} 00 2;strings ${loadaddr};else echo "tftp download failed";fi
-askkernel=askenv kernelinput "enter kernel-name:";
-askbootnetfit=run lstftp askkernel;if printenv kernelinput; then setenv bootfile "${kernelinput}"; run bootnetfit;fi
-
-askbootnvme=run usenvme; if test "$device" = "nvme"; then run askkernel;if printenv kernelinput; then setenv fit $kernelinput;run newboot;fi;fi
-
-bootnetfit=run buildargs;if tftp $kaddr ${bootfile}; then bootm $kaddr;fi
-bootfile=bpi-r4.itb
-
-checkenv=test -e ${device} ${partition} ${bootenv}
-loadenvfile=if fatload ${device} ${partition} ${loadaddr} ${bootenv};then env import -t ${loadaddr} ${filesize};else echo "fatload (${bootenv}) failed";fi
-loadenv=if run checkenv;then run loadenvfile;fi
-resetenv=env default -a;printenv;
-
-loadkernel=fatload $device $partition $kaddr ${kernel}
-buildargs=setenv bootargs "board=${board} console=${console} root=${root} ${bootopts}
-
-useusb=if usb info; then usb reset;else usb start;fi; if ls usb $usb_part $usb_path; then setenv device usb;setenv partition $usb_part;fi
-usenvme=pci enum; nvme scan;nvme info; if ls nvme $nvme_boot;then setenv device "nvme";setenv partition $nvme_boot;setenv root $nvme_root;else echo "nvme partition not found";fi
-
-useinitrd=setenv bootopts "${bootopts} initrd=${rdaddr},100M";
-checkrd=if printenv initrd;then if fatload ${device} ${partition} ${rdaddr} ${initrd};then run useinitrd;fi;fi
-
-newboot=run checkrd; run setbootconf; run buildargs;if printenv fit;then setenv kernel ${fit};if run loadkernel; then bootm ${kaddr}${bootconf}; fi;fi;
-bootnetfit=run checkrd; run setbootconf;run buildargs;if tftp $kaddr ${bootfile}; then bootm ${kaddr}${bootconf};fi
-
-checkmmc=if mmc partconf 0; then echo "emmc available";mmcdev="emmc";else echo "sd available";mmcdev="sd";fi
-checksata=if test -n "$sata_en" && test $sata_en -eq 1;then setenv satacfg "#sata"; fi
-checkwifi=if test -n "$wifi_en" && test $wifi_en -eq 1;then setenv wificfg "#wifi"; fi
-setbootconf=run checkmmc checksata checkwifi;setenv bootconf "#conf-$mmcdev$version$wificfg$satacfg";printenv bootconf
-
-wrspimnand=if printenv bl2file;then if fatload $device $partition $loadaddr $bl2file;then mtd erase spi-nand0 0x0 0x100000;mtd write spi-nand0 $loadaddr 0x0 0x100000;else echo "loading bl2 $bl2file failed";fi;else echo "bl2file not defined";fi;if printenv fipfile;then if fatload $device $partition $loadaddr $fipfile;then mtd erase spi-nand0 0x580000 0x200000;mtd write spi-nand0 $loadaddr 0x580000 0x200000;else echo "loading fip $fipfile failed";fi;else echo "fipfile not defined";fi
-wremmc=if printenv bl2file;then mmc partconf 0 1 1 1;if fatload $device $partition $loadaddr $bl2file;then mmc erase 0x0 0x400;mmc write ${loadaddr} 0x0 0x400;else echo "loading bl2 $bl2file failed";fi;else echo "bl2file not defined";fi;mmc partconf 0 1 1 0;if printenv fipfile;then if fatload $device $partition $loadaddr $fipfile;then mmc erase 0x3400 0x1000;mmc write ${loadaddr} 0x3400 0x1000;else echo "loading fip $fipfile failed";fi;else echo "fipfile not defined";fi
-
-bootdelay=0
-bootcmd=setenv bootdelay 3; run loadenv;bootmenu;
-
-lskernel=ls ${device} ${partition};
-askkernel=askenv kernelinput "enter kernel name:";
-
-boot0=run lskernel;run askkernel;if printenv kernelinput ;then setenv fit ${kernelinput}; run newboot; fi;
-
-bootmenu_0=1. Enter kernel-name to boot from SD/EMMC.=run boot0
-bootmenu_1=2. Boot kernel from TFTP.=run askbootnetfit
-bootmenu_2=3. Boot from SD/EMMC.=run newboot
-bootmenu_3=4. Boot kernel from NVME.=run askbootnvme
+loadaddr=0x60000000
+bootenv=uEnv.txt
+kernel=fitImage
+fit=mt7988a-bananapi-bpi-r4-sd.dtb
  
-bootmenu_default=2
+bootmenu_0=1. Load image from sdcard .=run rdkb_bpir4
+bootargs=earlycon console=ttyS0,115200 root=/dev/mmcblk0p4 rootfstype=ext4 rw rootwait  debug=7
+rdkb_bpir4=run rdkb-kernel ;run rdkb-dtb ;run rdkb-run
+rdkb-dtb=fatload mmc 0\:3 ${loadaddr} ${fit}
+rdkb-kernel=fatload mmc 0\:3 ${kaddr} ${kernel} 
+rdkb-run=bootm ${kaddr} - ${loadaddr}
  
+bootcmd=setenv bootdelay 3 ;bootmenu;

After making changes just executed build.sh file, after complete execution of this script file. We can see u-boot.* files will be generated in specific folder.

File after build.sh script execution Expand source

In other terminal clone https://github.com/frank-w/u-boot/tree/mtk-atf, and copy all u-boot.* files from existing generated folder to this specific folder and make below mentioned changes, then execute build.sh script.

Changes in atf Expand source

After completion of script execution we can see bl2.img and fip.bin files will be generated in build/mt7988/release path.

heam@Dell-OptiPlex-9020:~/bootloader/atf/u-boot/build/mt7988/release$ ls
bl2 bl2.bin bl2.img bl31 bl31.bin fdts fip.bin lib libc libfdt libwrapper romlib

2)Generate kernel and rdkb rootfs by following below mentioned build instructions where bl2.img and fip.bin files will be include which were generated using above mentioned u-boot code

Build instructions for SD image for BPIR4.

BPIR4 build instructios for generating sdcard image. Expand source

repo init -u https://code.rdkcentral.com/r/manifests -b kirkstone -m rdkb-bpi-extsrc.xml
repo sync -j `nproc` --no-clone-bundle --no-tags
 
#Include PR mentioned changes to meta-cmf-bananapi PR: "https://github.com/rdkcentral/meta-cmf-bananapi/pull/27"
MACHINE=bananapi4-rdk-broadband source meta-cmf-bananapi/setup-environment-refboard-rdkb
 
#After giving machine command select the option based of your flashing mode.
# Option 1 to generate sdcard image.
 
jenkins@build-yocto-persistent-rdkm-hkumar343:~/jenkinsroot/workspace/Heam/BPIR4_SD$ MACHINE=bananapi4-rdk-broadband source meta-cmf-bananapi/setup-environment-refboard-rdkb
You had no conf/local.conf file. This configuration file has therefore been
created for you from /home/jenkins/jenkinsroot/workspace/Heam/BPIR4_SD/meta-rdk/conf/local.conf.sample
You may wish to edit it to, for example, select a different MACHINE (target
hardware). See conf/local.conf for more information as common configuration
options are commented.
You had no conf/bblayers.conf file. This configuration file has therefore been
created for you from /home/jenkins/jenkinsroot/workspace/Heam/BPIR4_SD/meta-rdk/conf/bblayers.conf.sample
To add additional metadata layers into your configuration please add entries
to conf/bblayers.conf.
The Yocto Project has extensive documentation about OE including a reference
manual which can be found at:
    https://docs.yoctoproject.org
For more information about OpenEmbedded see the website:
    https://www.openembedded.org/
 
Common targets are:
    core-image-minimal
    rdk-oss-image
    rdk-generic-hybrid-image
    rdk-generic-mediaclient-image
    rdk-generic-broadband-image
    rdk-generic-camera-image
    rdk-generic-broadband-tdk-image
    rdk-generic-broadband-dev-image
    rdk-generic-hybrid-dev-image
    rdk-generic-mediaclient-dev-image
You can also run generated qemu images with a command like 'runqemu qemuarm'
Configuration files have been created for the following configuration:
 DISTRO: rdkb
 MACHINE: bananapi4-rdk-broadband
Manifest Name = rdkb-bpi-extsrc.xml
kirkstone tune-cortexa53.inc
kirkstone whitelist.inc
#########################################################
### Which Format image you want to generate for BPIR4 ###
#########################################################
1) SD
2) EMMC
3) NOR
Choose image format(1-SD, 2-EMMC, 3-NOR): 1
 
 
bitbake rdk-generic-broadband-image

Image generating steps for BPIR4 -After completion of build go to deploy folder and execute "bpir4_sd_image_creater.sh" script file, to generate final sdcard image.

Script execution creating sdcard image. Expand source

bananapi4-rdk-broadband$ ./bpir4_sd_image_creater.sh
create bpi-r4_sdmmc_rdk-broadband-image.img
run losetup to assign image bpi-r4_sdmmc_rdk-broadband-image.img to loopdev /dev/loop24 (loop24)
Creating new GPT entries in memory.
Warning: The kernel is still using the old partition table.
The new table will be used at the next reboot or after you
run partprobe(8) or kpartx(8)
The operation has completed successfully.
Setting name!
partNum is 0
Warning: The kernel is still using the old partition table.
The new table will be used at the next reboot or after you
run partprobe(8) or kpartx(8)
The operation has completed successfully.
Setting name!
partNum is 1
Warning: The kernel is still using the old partition table.
The new table will be used at the next reboot or after you
run partprobe(8) or kpartx(8)
The operation has completed successfully.
Setting name!
partNum is 2
Warning: The kernel is still using the old partition table.
The new table will be used at the next reboot or after you
run partprobe(8) or kpartx(8)
The operation has completed successfully.
Setting name!
partNum is 3
Warning: The kernel is still using the old partition table.
The new table will be used at the next reboot or after you
run partprobe(8) or kpartx(8)
The operation has completed successfully.
480+1 records in
480+1 records out
246069 bytes (246 kB, 240 KiB) copied, 0.165271 s, 1.5 MB/s
562+1 records in
562+1 records out
288153 bytes (288 kB, 281 KiB) copied, 0.0626902 s, 4.6 MB/s
mkfs.fat 4.2 (2021-01-31)
mke2fs 1.46.5 (30-Dec-2021)
Discarding device blocks: done                            
Creating filesystem with 1689600 4k blocks and 422656 inodes
Filesystem UUID: 2ec68480-e1a2-4c40-aadb-b739a3edf4af
Superblock backups stored on blocks: 
    32768, 98304, 163840, 229376, 294912, 819200, 884736, 1605632
 
Allocating group tables: done                            
Writing inode tables: done                            
Creating journal (16384 blocks): done
Writing superblocks and filesystem accounting information: done 
 
539116+0 records in
539116+0 records out
276027392 bytes (276 MB, 263 MiB) copied, 2.14511 s, 129 MB/s
packing image...
heam@Dell-OptiPlex-9020:~/Downloads/BPIR4_latest_23_oct/bananapi4-rdk-broadband$ ls
atf
bpir4_sd_image_creater.sh
bpi-r4_sdmmc_rdk-broadband-image.img.gz
fitImage
fitImage-1-5.4.271+git0+feeb59687b_3fec063b05-r0-bananapi4-rdk-broadband-20241023065547.bin
fitImage-bananapi4-rdk-broadband.bin
fitImage-its-1-5.4.271+git0+feeb59687b_3fec063b05-r0-bananapi4-rdk-broadband-20241023065547.its
fitImage-its-bananapi4-rdk-broadband
fitImage-linux.bin-1-5.4.271+git0+feeb59687b_3fec063b05-r0-bananapi4-rdk-broadband-20241023065547.bin
fitImage-linux.bin-bananapi4-rdk-broadband
hash-summary
modules-1-5.4.271+git0+feeb59687b_3fec063b05-r0-bananapi4-rdk-broadband-20241023065547.tgz
modules-bananapi4-rdk-broadband.tgz
mt7988a-bananapi-bpi-r4-sd-1-5.4.271+git0+feeb59687b_3fec063b05-r0-bananapi4-rdk-broadband-20241023065547.dtb
mt7988a-bananapi-bpi-r4-sd-bananapi4-rdk-broadband.dtb
mt7988a-bananapi-bpi-r4-sd.dtb
rdkb-generic-broadband-image_rdk-next_20241023114221.bin.ext4
rdkb-generic-broadband-image_rdk-next_20241023114221.bin.manifest
rdkb-generic-broadband-image_rdk-next_20241023114221.bin.squashfs-xz
rdkb-generic-broadband-image_rdk-next_20241023114221.testdata.json
rdk-generic-broadband-image-bananapi4-rdk-broadband.ext4
rdk-generic-broadband-image-bananapi4-rdk-broadband.manifest
rdk-generic-broadband-image-bananapi4-rdk-broadband.squashfs-xz
rdk-generic-broadband-image-bananapi4-rdk-broadband-sysupgrade.bin
rdk-generic-broadband-image-bananapi4-rdk-broadband.testdata.json
heam@Dell-OptiPlex-9020:~/Downloads/BPIR4_latest_23_oct/bananapi4-rdk-broadband$ 

After completion of script execution final image will be generated with bpi-r4_sdmmc_rdk-broadband-image.img.gz image name.

Flashing Steps of BPIR4 image to sdcard.

-Image can be flashed to sdcard using dd command or balenaEtcher.

Script content used for final image generation

Image Generator script info Expand source

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Script content used for final image generation

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SD Monolitic image build and flashing steps for BPI R4.

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Script content used for final image generation

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