How to use the armv7a-be TC2 demonstrator image

You will need

  • A Versatile Express with V2P-CA15_A7 Cortex A15 daughter board.
  • A USB stick of at least 2GB. The Versatile's USB controller has been seen to be picky about devices; some won't work.
  • USB A to USB full-size B cable to upload kernel to flash.
  • A serial cable for the console.
  • baserock-8-armv7a-be.tar.bz2 operating system archive from http://download.baserock.org/baserock/baserock-8-armv7a-be.tar.bz2

Steps

  1. Partition the USB stick if necessary to contain just one partition covering the whole device, and then format it with mkfs.ext3.

  2. Unpack the baserock-8-armv7a-be.tar.bz2 file onto the newly formatted USB stick. Be sure to do this as root as the tar contains device nodes and permissions.

  3. Plug the Versatile Express into your computer using the A-B lead. This should appear as a mass storage device.

  4. Copy the file "boot/kernel.bin" from the USB stick into the "SOFTWARE" folder of the Versatile Express's mass storage device. Sync, unmount Versatile and USB stick, and unplug the USB A-B lead.

  5. Plug the USB stick with the Baserock image unpacked onto it in to a USB port on the back of the Versatile Express.

  6. With the serial console attached (38400/8n1) apply power to the Versatile Express, and then press the power button on the back.

  7. The Versatile Express's boot monitor should detect that the contents of the boot Flash differ from the kernel we just installed, and it will update it.

  8. Once flashed, type the following at the M:> prompt:

    flash linux boot kernel console=ttyAMA0,38400 rootdelay=5 root=/dev/sda1 rw

  9. Once the system has booted, log in as 'root'. The password is "insecure".