Kernel not booting

  • Hi,


    Just received the PicoCOM5 together with its evaluation board. WinCE works good, but I need Linux.
    All goes fine following the document PicoCOM5_Linux_V0.1.pdf. But then, the only thing I get is:





    And after that nothing anymore, no error, nothing. I would assume the output of the kernel boot process to appear on the same COM1 (bootargs=console=ttySAC1,38400 ...) right?


    I did the 'run bootlocal'. Even changing the bootargs to something bogus does not produce any error.


    In U-boot, iminfo gives Unkown image format for both 20000000 and 21000000. Bootm result in the same as above.



    I must be missing something, any help much appreciated.


    Thanks,
    Johan Hellemans

  • Hello,


    if you do:


    Code
    1. tftp 21000000 zImage_PicoCOM5_V0.1


    and then


    Code
    1. bootm


    you see same output like you posted?

    F&S Elektronik Systeme GmbH
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  • Hi,


    Thanks for the quick response.


    The output is indeed what I stated:



    I also rebuild the kernel but with the same result.
    Where is the output from the kernel boot to be seen? On the console; COM1 or on the touchscreen?


    PS: don't seem to find the PicoCOM5_Buildroot.pdf...

  • Hello,


    i get:



    Maybe you should return to chapter 3.1 Download U-Boot and erase the entire nand flash first. So to do so enter N-Boot by holding 's' while powering on the board. Then 'E' (erase flash) and after that 'd' to download uboot_PicoCOM5_V0.1 - after download press 'f' to save that U-Boot. Before you download zImage call >> mtdparts default << from U-Boot commandline.


    Buildroot.pdf will be available from the download area tomorrow.

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    As this is an international forum, please try to post in English.
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  • BTW, debug port (kernel boot print) is COM1.

    F&amp;S Elektronik Systeme GmbH
    As this is an international forum, please try to post in English.
    Da dies ein internationales Forum ist, bitten wir darum, Beiträge möglichst in Englisch zu verfassen.

  • Pls post your bootargs with the command >> printenv <<

    F&amp;S Elektronik Systeme GmbH
    As this is an international forum, please try to post in English.
    Da dies ein internationales Forum ist, bitten wir darum, Beiträge möglichst in Englisch zu verfassen.

  • Hi,


    This is the whole thing from scratch:



    On the board, I'm only using COM1 on J6, ethernet and 5V, no touchscreen attached.
    My PicoCOM5 is labelled WindowsCE, but from the documentation I understand it should not make a difference and be able to run linux right|?


    Could this be hardware related, I only have one set.


    Thx

  • Hi,

    Quote

    My PicoCOM5 is labelled WindowsCE, but from the documentation I understand it should not make a difference and be able to run linux right|?
    Could this be hardware related, I only have one set.


    You may do a quick check. Install EBoot instead of UBoot from NBoot and install WCE Image using NetDCUUSBLoader. Does this work?

  • Hi,


    Yes, after my first trial of getting Linux on the board, I verified that WinCE was working and it did.
    Do you really have to order a different PicoCOM for Linux?
    The PicoCOM5_Linux_V0.1 documentation states that you can switch from Windows Embedded CE to Linux.
    I did not flash the n-boot myself, but it seems I have the latest version.


    Code
    1. F&S Nand Loader CN13 built Jan 20 2012 17:21:52
    2. PicoCOM5 Rev. 1.00


    Thx

  • No, you need no special PicoCOM5 for Linux. Just as you said, you can replace E-Boot by U-Boot and flash Linux-Kernel and RootFS.

    F&amp;S Elektronik Systeme GmbH
    As this is an international forum, please try to post in English.
    Da dies ein internationales Forum ist, bitten wir darum, Beiträge möglichst in Englisch zu verfassen.

  • It look like you got the right N-Boot and the right U-Boot running. I can't reproduce that problem.
    You can send the board to us by RMA.

    F&amp;S Elektronik Systeme GmbH
    As this is an international forum, please try to post in English.
    Da dies ein internationales Forum ist, bitten wir darum, Beiträge möglichst in Englisch zu verfassen.

  • Hi,


    I tested with three more modules (labelled linux now) and 2 different evaluation boards, still have the same problem on all of them.
    So I suppose this is not a hardware issue, but a configuration / software issue. There must be something wrong in what I do, something missing in the documentation (PicoCOM5_Linux_V0.1.pdf), or in the images provided (zImage_PicoCOM5_V0.1), or …


    Could you reproduce exactly the steps I took (see earlier posts), starting from a completely erased device, and including a printenv? Maybe something was overlooked?


    Thx

  • Can you please try to install NBoot again. Download nbootc100_13.zip from the WinCE section of the PicoCOM5 download area and extract file nbootc100_13.bin from that archive. Then start your terminal program, go into nboot (pressing and holding 's' while rebooting) and press 'D' (upper case d). Then send this file to the board and save with 'f'. Now try again to start the kernel. Does it work now?

    F&S Elektronik Systeme GmbH
    As this is an international forum, please try to post in English.
    Da dies ein internationales Forum ist, bitten wir darum, Beiträge möglichst in Englisch zu verfassen.

  • Hi,


    It works now, when programmed on another PC. Although I already tested it on an XP machine instead of a win 7, I found it to work perfectly when programmed by yet another win xp machine.


    I will post more info if I find out more about this.


    Thanks for the support!