Sam460LE - linux Debian / Ubuntu instalation questions

@Spectre660
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I will try, thanks!

@smarkusgQuote:

very nice idea, thanks! I am looking forward for some news or tips

I managed to install Debian on sam460 under Qemu up to the sid version (actually Trixie) - Rolling release.
On a real hardware should also work.
Maybe someone will find it useful.

The best method is to install Debian Jessie with the minimum number of packages - just the base.
After the installation you can encrypt Debian to Buster using snapshot.debian.org and the debian-ports archive.
You need to aim for the day after the release of Buster where the stable packages land into the development version. Buster was released on 6 July 2019 so the date 7 July 2019 would be correct.

Add to /etc/apt/sources.list
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After the accouterment to Bullseye, it is time for an update to Bullseye. Metpoda same - release date 14 August 2021 - our date is 15 August 2021

add to /etc/apt/sources.list

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Now the important bit !!! - if you already have Bullseye and want to further upgrade your system, it is mandatory to install the ‘usrmerge’ package before proceeding.
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Also add an entry to the apt configuration
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Now add the Debian sid repository with debian-port to apt/sources.list t
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Upgrade the system
If all goes well, we have installed the latest development version of Debian ppc on Sam460 - see Sam460 in 2024
Now we can install any other packages we need, such as a desktop environment. Clean up /etc/apt/sources.list of unnecessary package sources.
I don't have a real Sam460 and Radeon - whether everything works will have to be checked by someone who has that hardware and is interested in the subject.

When installing, you can add debian-keyring or manually ‘key’ - but this should not be necessary.


Kernel compilation topic. It would be useful to update it from version 3.9 as it is to 5.4 or 5.10. You could also update to the latest. Even sma systemd will work better.
The kernel and patch configuration itself is in the package that Spectre660 made.
The compiler if someone doesn't want to install from cross binary packages.
https://github.com/narke/gcc-cross-compiler

Standard
make ARCH=powerpc CROSS_COMPILE=ppc-linux-gnu- menuconfig
make ARCH=powerpc CROSS_COMPILE=ppc-linux-gnu- uImage
make ARCH=powerpc CROSS_COMPILE=ppc-linux-gnu- INSTALL_MOD_STRIP=1 INSTALL_MOD_PATH=/tmp/ppc modules_instal
make ARCH=powerpc CROSS_COMPILE=ppc-linux-gnu- canyonlands.dtb

The uImage and canyonlands.dtb core is in ./arch/powerpc/boot/uImage
The modules are placed in /tmp/ppc

The kernel must be reasonably small - it is best to use -Os for selection and set anything unnecessary as kernel modules.
If the kernel is small, you can use -O2, but note that the size of the kernel itself cannot be smaller than 8MB.

You can see how under QEMU it works in a quick video - > https://youtu.be/w4PefDTT6Og



There is another issue regarding QEMU on PPC/LE and virtio-gpu-gl-pci. VIRTIO_GPU_FEATURE_VIRGL is disabled in Linux kernels and for LE systems.
https://www.uwsg.indiana.edu/hypermail ... /kernel/1509.2/04780.html
This state has been in place for 9 years are current kernel releases.

For those interested - enjoy

@smarkusg

GREAT info man!!!

About GFX cards, you use SM502 AFAIK, main problem is that post SAM460ex they don't have such gfx card embbedded.

Does kernel have some "old" Radeon HD4000 or HD5000 or HD6000 (or maybe X1900) driver that can be used with VirtIOGPU (or whatever is called)?

My "big" issue on real HW was that my PCIe plugged gfx wasn't used/detected, thus had to use embbedded SM502 gfx. And don't have physical space on my desk for a 2nd monitor (and the one I have has already VGA with ESXi-VM).

IIRC Specter660 tried everything when building SAM460 kernels, but it always stopped on "radeon ring buffer" thing ¿:-/


Anyway, Keep the good work mate!!!


EDIT1: just re-read thread and found #14 some HDxxxx gfx cards do work. I have /use RX550 so maybe some day I can try to change to my "old" HD6750 (or r7-250) and try, but...buf to lazy now.

@smarkusg is there a way that you can create a (minimal) bootable image of your SAM460's linux system so we can try it from an USB? (yep I'm that kind of lazy guy)

@smarkusg

Oh! It is absolutely excellent!
I must try it!
At least upgrade where Spectre660's last kernel ( 4.9.38 ) is modern enough.

I am afraid, that to compile newer kernel I can't handle. Maybe with instructions for blondes only.
Some years ago I tried it for Pegasos 2, and no success.

But newer version of Samba, for example is definitely great. Thanks!

@jabirulo

VirtIOGPU is only useful for emulation. It is only used because Linux allows it. It has nothing to do with real hardware.
I think there was a recent update to uboot under sam460 that allowed Radeon RX cards to initiate graphics mode on startup.

OT: Many thanks to ACube for making the change available according to the license and links to the uboot source code.

If this happens it should be possible to use fbdev with Linux. I am guessing because I have no way of checking this.
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yes, it can be done

@smarkusg

Yep, with latest uboot update users with RadeonRX(HD can see output on monitor (before we needed a serial/terminal to see uboot options/stuff)