Getting started with vivi

Janghoon Lyu

        
      

This is a short introduction about the vivi.

Revision History
Revision v0.12002-10-21Revised by: jl
Initial public release. very very short descriptions. (with foolish sentences -_-;;)
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1. Definitions
2. Compiling the vivi
2.1. Pre-Requirements
2.2. Straight-forward compilation
2.3. SA-1110-Based machines with the NOR flash
2.4. S3C2410-Based machines with the NAND flash
3. Using the vivi
3.1. Interface between an user and the vivi
3.2. Built-in user commands
3.2.1. load command
3.2.2. part command
3.2.3. param command
3.2.4. boot command
3.2.5. flash command

1. Introduction

This document explains to you:

  1. compiling the vivi

  2. interface an user and the vivi

  3. avaliable user commands

1.1. Definitions

vivi

The vivi is one of arm boot loaders.

Autoboot mode

The vivi has two modes. one of these is autoboot mode. This is a default mode. In this mode, The vivi automatically boot-up the linux kernel when a delay time is expired.

Prompt mode

One of vivi's modes is prompt mode. In this mode, An user is able to command to the vivi doing something.

Host platform

Generally, an engineer develop the software on the powerful destktop computer (not on the embedded machines). This descktop called host platform.

Target platform

Target platform means developemnt boards or embedded machines.

2. Compiling the vivi

This section describes how to compile the vivi.

2.1. Pre-Requirements

Here is a list of the minimum levels of software necessary to compile the vivi.

  • Gnu C: 2.95.3

  • Gnu make: 3.79.1

  • binutils: 2.11.2

And then, your host platform are installed these tools.

  • You have a cross-compiler and tool-chains.

  • You have a Baurne-Again shell. (/bin/bash)

  • You have a ncurses library.

2.2. Straight-forward compilation

The compiliation(configuration) environment of the vivi is simlilar to the environment of the linux kernel. So, you can do make distclean , make clean, make oldconfig , make menuconfig, and make config. General compiling sequence sequence is:

  1. make distclean

  2. make menuconfig

  3. make

Note that If you change configurations, run make clean and make. Next two sections describes compilation of two examples.

2.3. SA-1110-Based machines with the NOR flash

I will take an example about the vivi compliation. I assumed that a target platform's core block is composed like this:

  • CPU: SA-1110 processor

  • ROM: 32MB Intel Strata Flash (32-bit wide)

  • RAM: 32MB DRAM

These features make sense to you. Many platforms I have met is designed core block like above. For instance, KINGS, GILL, and ENDA's core block is designed like this. Therefore, you refer to vivi/arch/def-configs/kings , vivi/arch/def-configs/gill, and vivi/arch/def-configs/enda

If you want to compile vivi for KINGS(i.e. a configuration of a target board, alredy exist in the vivi/arch/def-cofnigs), just do like this: 
# make kings
Other machines can complie same ways.

2.4. S3C2410-Based machines with the NAND flash

Here, I will take an example about a S3C2410-Based machine. The SMDK-2410 (a development board by SAMSUNG) is a S3C2410-Based machine. The core block of SMDK-2410 is composed like this:

  • CPU: S3C2410

  • ROM: 64MB SMC (NAND Flash)

  • RAM: 64MB DRAM

A configuration for SMDK-2401 will be found at vivi/arch/def-configs/smdk2410. To compile for SMDK-2410, do like this: (As I described above) 
# make smdk2410

3. Using the vivi

3.1. Interface between an user and the vivi

The vivi uses the serical communication for user interface. Therefore, to connect the vivi, you 1) connect a serial cable between host paltform and target platform. 2) already have a serial communication program like the minicom. 3) properly make the vivi binary to support a UART port when you configure the vivi.

If all of above is ok, you can see messages on the screen printed by the vivi. For example, below messages catched from the SMDK-2410 
VIVI version 0.1.4 (nandy@nandy.mizi.com) (gcc version 2.95.2 20000516 (release) 
[Rebel.com]) #0.1.4 ¼ö 10¿ù 16 16:19:11 KST 2002
MMU table base address = 0x33DFC000
Succeed memory mapping.
NAND device: Manufacture ID: 0xec, Chip ID: 0x75 (Samsung KM29U256T)
Found saved vivi parameters.
Press Return to start the LINUX now, any other key for vivi

See the last line on the screen. (As I mentioned section 1.1) the vivi has two mode: an autoboot mode and a prompt mode. The vivi wait for a key input. If an user want to enter the prompt mode, press andy key (except Enter key). And then you can see the "vivi>" prompt. Otherwise, the vivi try boot the linux kernel after waiting a few seconds or minutes.

3.2. Built-in user commands

This is not full-described built-in user comamnd. But following commands is enough to use the vivi (as far as I know).

3.2.1. load command

A load command is loading binaries to the flash or the ram.

Usage: 
load <media_type> [ <partname> | <addr> <size> ] <x|y|z>

<media_type>

This argument is where to load. Availabe values are flash and ram.

[ <partname> ] or [ <addr> <size> ]

This arguement determines location where to load a binary. If you want to use pre-defined mtd partiton informations, just type a partition name. Otherwise you specify an address and a size.

<x|y|z>

This arguement determines the file transfer protocol. I shy that the vivi only supprot xmodem curruntly. So, Available value is "x".

For exampe, you load zImage to flash memroy. 
vivi > load flash kernel x
or you specify an address and a size. 
vivi > load flash 0x80000 0xc0000 x

3.2.2. part command

The vivi has mtd partiton informations for the vivi. This informatin not related to mtd partition informations of mtd device drivers. The vivi uses partition informations when load a binary, boot the linux kernel, erase flash memroy, etc...

Avalilable commands are:

Display mtd partition informations. 
part show

Add a new mtd partition. 
part add <name> <offset> <size> <flag>

<name>

is name of a new mtd partiton.

<offset>

is offset in the mtd device.

<size>

is a size of a mtd parition.

<flag>

is flags of a mtd parition. Available valuse are JFFS2, LOCKED, and BONFS.

Delete a mtd partiton. 
part del <partname>

Reset mtd partitions to default values. 
part reset

Save paramter valuse and mtd parition informations to flash permanently. 
part save

3.2.3. param command

The vivi has some parameter values. For example, the "boot_delay " paramter determines how long wait keystroek when the vivi is in the autoboot mode. I'm sorry that this feature is in progress. So all listed parameter is not available.

Here, I give several tips for you.

If you change the "linxu command line", 
vivi> param set linux_cmd_line "you wish.."

If you want to see paramters, 
vivi> param show

If you want to wait a long time when recevie file via xmodem, 
vivi> param set xmodem_initial_timeout 3000000

If you want to boot imediately when a hardware reset, 
vivi> param set boot_delay 100000

3.2.4. boot command

A boot command is boot the linux kernel which is stored in the flash memroy or ram. Usage: 
boot <media_type> [ <partname> | <addr> <size> ]

<media_type>

This argument is where to store the linux kernel image. Availabe values are ram, nor and smc.

[ <partname> ] or [ <addr> <size> ]

This arguement determines location where to store the linux kernel. If you want to use pre-defined mtd partiton information, just type a partition name. Otherwise you shuld specify an address and a size.

Note that all argument is optional. If you omit all argument (just type boot), all arguments is parsing from pre-defined mtd parititon information called "kernel" For example, 
vivi> boot
the vivi read the linux kernel binary from the "kernel" mtd parititons. 
vivi> boot nor 0x80000
the vivi read the linux kernel binary form the nor flash memory. the offset is 0x80000 and the size is default value (0xc0000).

Ocassionally, you want to test the kernel on the ram (not store kernel to flash). you can do it on the vivi On the SA-1110 based machine, 
vivi> load ram 0xc0008000 x
vivi> boot ram
On the S3C2410 based machine, 
vivi> load ram 0x30008000 x
vivi> boot ram
On the PXA-240 based machine, 
vivi> load ram 0xA0008000 x
vivi> boot ram
the vivi boot the linux kernel from the ram.

3.2.5. flash command

A flash comamnd manages the flash memory. If you want to erase flash memory, 
flash erase [ <partname> | <offset> <size> ]