Installing debian to guruplug SD card

Posted on Jan 30, 2012

Before installing debian, You need to prepare tftp server and connect to guruplug via serial console.

Also You’ll need UTP cable for network connection and SD card for installing the base system.

Lets prepare debian install.
Download uImage and uInitrd images from debian site:
ftp://ftp.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/installer-armel/current/images/kirkwood/netboot/marvell/sheevaplug/

So, put those files to tftp server directory (on your pc).
I put to /tftproot/install/* directory.

Put SD card flash to guruplug, connect UTP cable and connect to it via serial cable.

Press any key, when you get:

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Hit any key to stop autoboot: 3

Network configuration before transferring files:

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Marvell>> setenv ipaddr 192.168.3.1
Marvell>> setenv serverip 192.168.3.2

tftp server and ‘serverip’ IP must be the same!
so, on tftp server:

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sudo ifconfig eth0 192.168.3.2

Lets get the files:

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tftpboot 0x0400000 install/uImage
tftpboot 0x0900000 install/uInitrd

Boot arguments for install:

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setenv bootargs console=ttyS0,115200 base-installer/initramfs-tools/driver-policy=most
bootm 0x0400000 0x0900000

On first window (before choosing language), press ‘Go back’
Choose menu item ‘change debconf priority’ and press ’low’.
Come back to main menu and go to part where you have to choose language.
All installation can go with default installation.
Just before last step (after ‘make system bootable’) choose ’execute shell’

Then in shell:

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chroot /target
scp /boot/uI* root@{server_ip}:/tftpd/boot
exit
exit

Then finish installation and go to marvel shell (press any key at booting prompt)

Debian Installation:
1_select_language_debian_install 2_main_menu_debian_install 3_change_debconf_priority_debian_install 4_come_back_to_choosing_language 5_choosing-country 6_configure_locales 7_detect_network_hardware 8_configure_debian_network 9_configure_network_interface_debian 10_configure_network_with_dhcp 11_configure_network_hostname_debian 12_configure_network_domain_name_debian_install 13_choose_mirror_of_debian_install 14_debian_version_to_install 15_setup_users_and_passwords_install_debian 16_partition_disks_debian_install 17_default_partitions_debian_install 18_install_base_system_debian_install 19_installing_debian_base_system_kernel 20_software_selection_debian_install 21_execute_shell_debian_install

After successful install and copying images to tftp dir, lets burn new kernel to guruplug.

As always, network first:

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setenv ipaddr 192.168.3.1
setenv serverip 192.168.3.2

Bruning images to kernel:

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tftp 0x1000000 boot/uImage
nand erase 0x100000 0x400000
nand write.e 0x1000000 0x100000 0x400000
tftp 0x1000000 boot/uInitrd
nand erase 0x400000 0xa00000
nand write.e 0x1000000 0x400000 0xa00000

And the last one - set boot parameters.

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setenv bootargs_deb 'setenv bootargs console=ttyS0,115200 root=/dev/sdb2'
setenv bt_n 'nand start; nand read.e 0x0a00000 0x100000 0x400000'
setenv bt_n2 'nand read.e 0x0e00000 0x400000 0xa00000'
setenv lets_boot 'bootm 0x0a00000 0x0e00000'
setenv bootcmd 'run bootargs_deb; run bt_n; run bt_n2; run lets_boot'
saveenv

And That’s it :) just press

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reset

You’re all done. Fresh debian install.