1 ---------------------------------------------
2 Imximage Boot Image generation using mkimage
3 ---------------------------------------------
5 This document describes how to set up a U-Boot image that can be booted
6 by Freescale MX25, MX35, MX51, MX53 and MX6 processors via internal boot
9 These processors can boot directly from NAND, SPI flash and SD card flash
10 using its internal boot ROM support. MX6 processors additionally support
11 boot from NOR flash and SATA disks. All processors can boot from an internal
12 UART, if booting from device media fails.
13 Booting from NOR flash does not require to use this image type.
15 For more details refer Chapter 2 - System Boot and section 2.14
16 (flash header description) of the processor's manual.
18 This implementation does not use at the moment the secure boot feature
19 of the processor. The image is generated disabling all security fields.
23 ./tools/mkimage -l <mx u-boot_file>
24 to list the imx image file details
26 ./tools/mkimage -T imximage \
27 -n <board specific configuration file> \
28 -e <execution address> -d <u-boot binary> <output image file>
30 For example, for the mx51evk board:
31 ./tools/mkimage -n ./board/freescale/mx51evk/imximage.cfg \
32 -T imximage -e 0x97800000 \
33 -d u-boot.bin u-boot.imx
35 You can generate directly the image when you compile u-boot with:
39 The output image can be flashed on the board SPI flash or on a SD card.
40 In both cases, you have to copy the image at the offset required for the
41 chosen media devices (0x400 for both SPI flash or SD card).
43 Please check Freescale documentation for further details.
45 Board specific configuration file specifications:
46 -------------------------------------------------
47 1. This file must present in the $(BOARDDIR) and the name should be
48 imximage.cfg (since this is used in Makefile).
49 2. This file can have empty lines and lines starting with "#" as first
50 character to put comments.
51 3. This file can have configuration command lines as mentioned below,
52 any other information in this file is treated as invalid.
54 Configuration command line syntax:
55 ---------------------------------
56 1. Each command line is must have two strings, first one command or address
57 and second one data string
58 2. Following are the valid command strings and associated data strings:-
59 Command string data string
60 -------------- -----------
62 1 is for mx25/mx35/mx51 compatible,
63 2 is for mx53/mx6 compatible,
64 others is invalid and error is generated.
65 This command need appear the fist before
66 other valid commands in configuration file.
70 This command is parallel to BOOT_FROM and
71 is preferred over BOOT_FROM.
73 value: Offset of the image header, this
74 value shall be set to one of the
75 values found in the file:
76 arch/arm/include/asm/\
77 imx-common/imximage.cfg
79 BOOT_OFFSET FLASH_OFFSET_STANDARD
81 BOOT_FROM nand/spi/sd/onenand/nor/sata
83 This command is parallel to BOOT_OFFSET and
84 is to be deprecated in favor of BOOT_OFFSET.
89 DATA type address value
91 type: word=4, halfword=2, byte=1
92 address: physycal register address
93 value: value to be set in register
94 All values are in in hexadecimal.
95 Example (write to IOMUXC):
96 DATA 4 0x73FA88a0 0x200
98 The processor support up to 60 register programming commands for IMXIMAGE_VERSION 1
99 and 121 register programming commands for IMXIMAGE_VERSION 2.
100 An error is generated if more commands are found in the configuration file.
102 3. All commands are optional to program.
104 Setup a SD Card for booting
105 --------------------------------
107 The following example prepare a SD card with u-boot and a FAT partition
108 to be used to stored the kernel to be booted.
109 I will set the SD in the most compatible mode, setting it with
110 255 heads and 63 sectors, as suggested from several documentation and
111 howto on line (I took as reference the preparation of a SD Card for the
112 Beagleboard, running u-boot as bootloader).
114 You should start clearing the partitions table on the SD card. Because
115 the u-boot image must be stored at the offset 0x400, it must be assured
116 that there is no partition at that address. A new SD card is already
117 formatted with FAT filesystem and the partition starts from the first
118 cylinder, so we need to change it.
120 You can do all steps with fdisk. If the device for the SD card is
121 /dev/mmcblk0, the following commands make the job:
123 1. Start the fdisk utility (as superuser)
126 2. Clear the actual partition
128 Command (m for help): o
132 Command (m for help): p
133 Disk /dev/mmcblk0: 1981 MB, 1981284352 bytes
135 In my case, I have a 2 GB card. I need the size to set later the correct value
138 4. Go to expert mode:
140 Command (m for help): x
144 Expert command (m for help): h
145 Number of heads (1-256, default 4): 255
147 Expert command (m for help): s
148 Number of sectors (1-63, default 16): 63
149 Warning: setting sector offset for DOS compatiblity
151 We have set 255 heads, 63 sector. We have to set the cylinder.
152 The value to be set can be calculated with:
154 cilynder = <total size> / <heads> / <sectors> / <blocksize>
157 1981284352 / 255 / 63 / 512 = 239.x = 239
160 Expert command (m for help): c
161 Number of cylinders (1-1048576, default 60032): 239
163 6. Leave the expert mode
164 Expert command (m for help): r
166 7. Set up a partition
168 Now set a partition table to store the kernel or whatever you want. Of course,
169 you can set additional partitions to store rootfs, data, etc.
170 In my example I want to set a single partition. I must take care
171 to not overwrite the space where I will put u-boot.
173 Command (m for help): n
176 p primary partition (1-4)
178 Partition number (1-4): 1
179 First cylinder (1-239, default 1): 3
180 Last cylinder, +cylinders or +size{K,M,G} (3-239, default 239): +100M
182 Command (m for help): p
184 Disk /dev/mmcblk0: 1967 MB, 1967128576 bytes
185 255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 239 cylinders
186 Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
187 Disk identifier: 0xb712a870
189 Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
190 /dev/mmcblk0p1 3 16 112455 83 Linux
192 I have set 100MB, leaving the first 2 sectors free. I will copy u-boot
195 8. Write the partition table and exit.
197 Command (m for help): w
198 The partition table has been altered!
200 Calling ioctl() to re-read partition table.
202 9. Copy u-boot.imx on the SD card
206 dd if=u-boot.imx of=/dev/mmcblk0 bs=512 seek=2
208 This command copies the u-boot image at the address 0x400, as required
211 Now remove your card from the PC and go to the target. If evrything went right,
212 the u-boot prompt should come after power on.
214 ------------------------------------------------
215 Author: Stefano babic <sbabic@denx.de>