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This is a page about Microchip's SAM9x5 family of Development Boards.
Availability
Boards:
SAM9G15-EK at Digi-Key
SAM9G25-EK at Digi-Key
SAM9G35-EK at Digi-Key
SAM9X25-EK at Digi-Key
SAM9X35-EK at Digi-Key
Comparison
From: http://www.atmel.com/tools/SAM9X25-EK.aspx?tab=documents -> "SAM9G15-EK, SAM9G25-EK, SAM9G35-EK, SAM9X25-EK, SAM9X35-EK User Guide" Table 4-1
Peripheral |
SO-DIMM Interface |
Connector |
SAM9G15 |
SAM9G25 |
SAM9G35 |
SAM9X25 |
SAM9X35 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LAN |
MII/RMII 10/100 with PHY |
ETH0 |
|
X |
X |
X |
X |
LAN |
RMII 10/100 with PHY |
ETH1 |
|
|
|
X |
|
USART/UART |
RS232 4 wires/RS485 Shared |
COM0 |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
USART/UART |
RS232 4 wires |
COM3 |
|
X |
|
X |
|
USART/UART |
RS232 2 wires |
DBGU |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
CAN |
CAN |
CAN0 |
|
|
|
X |
X |
CAN |
CAN |
CAN1 |
|
|
|
X |
X |
USB |
2 * USB 2.0 Host |
|
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
USB |
1 * USB 2.0 Host/Device |
|
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
SMD |
Software Modem Device |
|
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
Memory Card Support |
uSD Card Slot Onboard |
HSMCI0 |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
Memory Card Support |
MMC/MMC+/SD/SDIO/CE-ATA |
HSMCI1 |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
ISI |
|
|
|
X |
|
|
|
LCD/Touch Screen |
24-bit Output Mode |
|
X |
|
X |
|
X |
ZigBee |
|
|
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
SPI |
|
|
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
TWI |
|
|
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
DEBUG |
JTAG Test Access Point |
|
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
Vendor Documentation
- Microchip Documentation: https://www.microchip.com
- Microchip Linux4SAM: http://www.at91.com/linux4sam/
Basic Requirements
- Running a recent supported release of Debian, Fedora or Ubuntu on a x86 64bit based PC; without OS Virtualization Software.
- Many of the listed commands assume /bin/bash as the default shell.
- ARM Cross Compiler – Linaro: https://www.linaro.org
- Linaro Toolchain Binaries: https://www.linaro.org/downloads/
- Bootloader
- Das U-Boot – the Universal Boot Loader: http://www.denx.de/wiki/U-Boot
- Source: https://github.com/u-boot/u-boot/
- Linux Kernel
- Linus's Mainline tree: https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git
- ARM based rootfs
- Debian: https://www.debian.org
ARM Cross Compiler: GCC
This is a pre-built (64bit) version of GCC that runs on generic linux, sorry (32bit) x86 users, it's time to upgrade...
Download/Extract:
user@localhost:~$
wget -c https://releases.linaro.org/components/toolchain/binaries/6.5-2018.12/arm-eabi/gcc-linaro-6.5.0-2018.12-x86_64_arm-eabi.tar.xz tar xf gcc-linaro-6.5.0-2018.12-x86_64_arm-eabi.tar.xz export CC=`pwd`/gcc-linaro-6.5.0-2018.12-x86_64_arm-eabi/bin/arm-eabi-
Test Cross Compiler:
user@localhost:~$
${CC}gcc --version
Test Output:
arm-eabi-gcc (Linaro GCC 6.5-2018.12) 6.5.0 Copyright (C) 2017 Free Software Foundation, Inc. This is free software; see the source for copying conditions. There is NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
Bootloader: AT91Bootstrap
AT91Bootstrap – Microchip's first step bootloader: http://www.at91.com/linux4sam/bin/view/Linux4SAM/AT91Bootstrap
Source: https://github.com/linux4sam/at91bootstrap
Download:
user@localhost:~$
git clone https://github.com/linux4sam/at91bootstrap cd at91bootstrap/ git checkout v3.8.10 -b tmp
Configure and Build:
user@localhost:~/at91bootstrap$
make ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=${CC} distclean
make ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=${CC} at91sam9x5eksd_uboot_defconfig
make ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=${CC}
Bootloader: U-Boot
Das U-Boot – the Universal Boot Loader: http://www.denx.de/wiki/U-Boot
eewiki.net patch archive: https://github.com/eewiki/u-boot-patches
Download:
user@localhost:~$
git clone -b v2018.07 https://github.com/u-boot/u-boot --depth=1 cd u-boot/
Patches:
user@localhost:~/u-boot$
wget -c https://github.com/eewiki/u-boot-patches/raw/master/v2018.07/0001-at91sam9x5ek-uEnv.txt-bootz-n-fixes.patch patch -p1 < 0001-at91sam9x5ek-uEnv.txt-bootz-n-fixes.patch
Configure and Build:
user@localhost:~/u-boot$
make ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=${CC} distclean
make ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=${CC} at91sam9x5ek_mmc_defconfig
make ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=${CC}
Linux Kernel
This script will build the kernel, modules, device tree binaries and copy them to the deploy directory.
Download:
user@localhost:~$
git clone https://github.com/RobertCNelson/armv5_devel cd armv5_devel/
For v4.14.x (Longterm 4.14.x):
user@localhost:~/armv5_devel$
git checkout origin/v4.14.x -b tmp
For v4.19.x (Longterm 4.19.x):
user@localhost:~/armv5_devel$
git checkout origin/v4.19.x -b tmp
Build:
user@localhost:~/armv5_devel$
./build_kernel.sh
Root File System
Debian 10
User |
Password |
|---|---|
debian |
temppwd |
root |
root |
Download:
user@localhost:~$
wget -c https://rcn-ee.com/rootfs/eewiki/minfs/debian-10.4-minimal-armel-2020-05-10.tar.xz
Verify:
user@localhost:~$
sha256sum debian-10.4-minimal-armel-2020-05-10.tar.xz
sha256sum output:
2669f496afd6992688f620f30689ef385a8bde2b2a4cddc3582d79f8dad27d5f debian-10.4-minimal-armel-2020-05-10.tar.xz
Extract:
user@localhost:~$
tar xf debian-10.4-minimal-armel-2020-05-10.tar.xz
Setup microSD card
We need to access the External Drive to be utilized by the target device. Run lsblk to help figure out what linux device has been reserved for your External Drive.
Example: for DISK=/dev/sdX
lsblk NAME MAJ:MIN RM SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT sda 8:0 0 465.8G 0 disk ├─sda1 8:1 0 512M 0 part /boot/efi └─sda2 8:2 0 465.3G 0 part / <- Development Machine Root Partition sdb 8:16 1 962M 0 disk <- microSD/USB Storage Device └─sdb1 8:17 1 961M 0 part <- microSD/USB Storage Partition
Thus you would use:
export DISK=/dev/sdb
Example: for DISK=/dev/mmcblkX
lsblk NAME MAJ:MIN RM SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT sda 8:0 0 465.8G 0 disk ├─sda1 8:1 0 512M 0 part /boot/efi └─sda2 8:2 0 465.3G 0 part / <- Development Machine Root Partition mmcblk0 179:0 0 962M 0 disk <- microSD/USB Storage Device └─mmcblk0p1 179:1 0 961M 0 part <- microSD/USB Storage Partition
Thus you would use:
export DISK=/dev/mmcblk0
Erase partition table/labels on microSD card:
sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=${DISK} bs=1M count=50
Create Partition Layout:
With util-linux v2.26, sfdisk was rewritten and is now based on libfdisk.
Check the version of sfdisk installed on your pc
sudo sfdisk --version
Example Output
sfdisk from util-linux 2.27.1
sfdisk >= 2.26.x
sudo sfdisk ${DISK} <<-__EOF__
1M,48M,0xE,*
49M,,,-
__EOF__
sfdisk <= 2.25.x
sudo sfdisk --unit M ${DISK} <<-__EOF__
1,48,0xE,*
49,,,-
__EOF__
Format Partition:
for: DISK=/dev/mmcblkX
sudo mkfs.vfat -F 16 -n BOOT ${DISK}p1
sudo mkfs.ext4 -L rootfs ${DISK}p2
for: DISK=/dev/sdX
sudo mkfs.vfat -F 16 -n BOOT ${DISK}1
sudo mkfs.ext4 -L rootfs ${DISK}2
Mount Partition:
On most systems these partitions may be auto-mounted...
sudo mkdir -p /media/boot/
sudo mkdir -p /media/rootfs/
for: DISK=/dev/mmcblkX
sudo mount ${DISK}p1 /media/boot/
sudo mount ${DISK}p2 /media/rootfs/
for: DISK=/dev/sdX
sudo mount ${DISK}1 /media/boot/
sudo mount ${DISK}2 /media/rootfs/
Install Bootloader
Copy at91bootstrap/u-boot binaries to the boot partition
~/
sudo cp -v ./at91bootstrap/binaries/at91sam9x5ek-sdcardboot-uboot-3.8.10.bin /media/boot/BOOT.BIN sudo cp -v ./u-boot/u-boot.bin /media/boot/
uEnv.txt based bootscript
Create "uEnv.txt" boot script: (nano uEnv.txt)
Make sure to un-comment which board you have with the fdtfile variable otherwise /dtbs/at91sam9g25ek.dtb will be used by default.
~/uEnv.txt
#ariag25 board #fdtfile=/dtbs/at91-ariag25.dtb #SAM9G15-EK #fdtfile=/dtbs/at91sam9g15ek.dtb #SAM9G25-EK #fdtfile=/dtbs/at91sam9g25ek.dtb #SAM9G35-EK #fdtfile=/dtbs/at91sam9g35ek.dtb #SAM9X25-EK #fdtfile=/dtbs/at91sam9x25ek.dtb #SAM9X35-EK #fdtfile=/dtbs/at91sam9x35ek.dtb #Default u-boot settings: #console=ttyS0,115200 #optargs=console=tty0 #mmcroot=/dev/mmcblk0p2 ro #mmcrootfstype=ext4 rootwait fixrtc #Run custom u-boot commands early: #uenvcmd=
Copy uEnv.txt to the boot partition:
~/
sudo cp -v ./uEnv.txt /media/boot/
Install Kernel and Root File System
To help new users, since the kernel version can change on a daily basis. The kernel building scripts listed on this page will now give you a hint of what kernel version was built.
----------------------------- Script Complete eewiki.net: [user@localhost:~$ export kernel_version=5.X.Y-Z] -----------------------------
Copy and paste that "export kernel_version=5.X.Y-Z" exactly as shown in your own build/desktop environment and hit enter to create an environment variable to be used later.
export kernel_version=5.X.Y-Z
Copy Root File System
user@localhost:~$
sudo tar xfvp ./debian-*-*-armel-*/armel-rootfs-*.tar -C /media/rootfs/ sync sudo chown root:root /media/rootfs/ sudo chmod 755 /media/rootfs/
Copy Kernel Image
Kernel Image:
user@localhost:~$
sudo cp -v ./armv5_devel/deploy/${kernel_version}.zImage /media/boot/zImage
Copy Kernel Device Tree Binaries
user@localhost:~$
sudo mkdir -p /media/boot/dtbs/
sudo tar xfvo ./armv5_devel/deploy/${kernel_version}-dtbs.tar.gz -C /media/boot/dtbs/
Copy Kernel Modules
user@localhost:~$
sudo tar xfv ./armv5_devel/deploy/${kernel_version}-modules.tar.gz -C /media/rootfs/
File Systems Table (/etc/fstab)
user@localhost:~/$
sudo sh -c "echo '/dev/mmcblk0p2 / auto errors=remount-ro 0 1' >> /media/rootfs/etc/fstab" sudo sh -c "echo '/dev/mmcblk0p1 /boot/uboot auto defaults 0 2' >> /media/rootfs/etc/fstab"
Remove microSD/SD card
sync sudo umount /media/boot sudo umount /media/rootfs
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