Livingroom Controller: Ubuntu for Overo COM

Ubuntu for Overo COM

Intro

This guide will lead you to a custom built Ubuntu distribution with working WLAN, ready to run on your Overo Air COM.
LXDE will be used as window manager. Further different modules and drivers will be added to the system.

Please notice that this guide incluedes all steps of the process in a condensed form.
It describes one way which worked for me, but does not include all the rich information like the official guides from Gumstix.

THIS GUIDE IS UNDER DEVELOPMENT! Missing and empty steps will be updated during the next few weeks

Steps

This guide is split into following 6 steps:

Requirements

Overo COM

Gumstix Overo (Air)
Summit extension board
Power supply
USB Mini-B to Standard-A (computer host to overo device) cable
2GB microSD card (I suggest a larger one; 8GB should be enough)
microSD card adapter to connect your microSD card to your development machine.

Development machine

Platform

Since I use a MacBook Pro with OSX, I suggest a [http://www.virtualbox.org/|VirtualBox] with a current version of [http://www.ubuntu.com/|Ubuntu] (I used 9.04) for building the custom Ubuntu version for your Overo. Of course, a "real" Ubuntu installation works also flawless ;)

Required Packages

Use apt-get and install following packages:

git
git-core
subversion
gcc
patch
help2man
diffstat
texi2html
texinfo
libncurses5-dev
cvs
gawk
python-dev
python-pysqlite2
g++

sudo apt-get install git git-core subversion gcc patch help2man diffstat
texi2html texinfo libncurses5-dev cvs gawk python-dev python-pysqlite2 g++

References

This guide is based on my own experieces and the following sources:

Step 1: Overo-OE building system
Step 2: Article in John's Blog Short and Sweet
Step 3: Adapted from Creating a bootable microSD card, automated script written by Gregory Graeme.
Step 5: Every Flavour Beans: Update or Install Applications on Debian/Ubuntu Without an Internet Connection

Interactive

Comments

J notes on 01. Jun 2010 at 05:53

I was wondering if you knew what to put in the uboot variables to make the ubuntu image display on a HDTV, I dont seem to get any video from the hdmi port on the summit board for either a computer monitor with dvi in nor the HDTV. Thanks
Manuel Alabor means on 01. Jun 2010 at 10:33

actually i haven't done anything.

have you tried to follow the guide from John?
as far as i remember, he hasn't set any special parameter for video output.

could it be that your summit board has any hardware problems?
Akshay writes on 02. Jul 2010 at 07:38

Hi ,

I'm Akshay, working on getting ubuntu on gumstix overo. I followed the post
http://johnwoconnor.blogspot.com/2009/04/installing-ubuntu-on-gumstix-overo.html and did all the steps i.e.

1. Get the ubuntu image
2. Partition the memory card Fat and ext3 and put Mlo,uboot ,uImage in Fat and untar the buildroot on ext3.
3. Copy the lib/modules of angstrom on to the new build root
4. Since i don hav a HDMI TV, i also did your steps for getting ubuntu running on terminal by creating ttyS2 in etc/event.d with the stuffs u have mentioned.

When i put the memory card on to the overo, It just hangs up dispalying a message

" Starting kernel................. "

Can please tell have i missed out something. It is very important for me to get ubuntu running on overo.
Manuel Alabor means on 02. Jul 2010 at 08:48

hi akshay

you don't get any further information?
is the kernel image ok? because it seems that the system can't really interpret the image if it doesn't get further.
have you got any errors during building the images?
is it the first time you try to boot an OS from the sd card?

btw. which steps do you mean with creating "ttyS2 in etc/event.d"? can't remember that if written something similar ;)
Akshay writes on 02. Jul 2010 at 12:03

hi,

I have taken the MLO,Uboot, uImage from gumstix pre-built images.

I already have booted the gumstix from a SD card with Angstrom distribution.

So after having the Ubuntu build root on to memory and when i boot i get these and hangs up
Starting kernel ...

Uncompressing Linux.............................................. done, booting the kernel.
�t�b�$U
@ @ @D��` � �

about the ttyS2 these are the steps i followed

If you're interfacing with your Overo with the USB serial terminal, keep in mind that you won't see the 'login:' prompt after booting Ubuntu unless you configure getty to listen on /dev/ttyS2. You'll need to do this while your MicroSD card is still mounted on another host.

# cd /path/to/rootfs
# cat > etc/event.d/ttyS2 <
start on runlevel 2
start on runlevel 3
start on runlevel 4
start on runlevel 5

stop on runlevel 0

respawn
exec /sbin/getty 115200 ttyS2
EOF
Manuel Alabor notes on 05. Jul 2010 at 08:32

for me, it looks as there is something wrong with the compressed linux kernel ... had this one or two times...
you should see boot information after the "done, booting kernel" message.
have you tried to recompile the kernel?

aaah, i see. i never did a change like described in the event.d file. but nice to know :-)
Akshay writes on 05. Jul 2010 at 11:01

Hey,

Even my guess is the same. the issue might be with the kernel.

So can you please help me in getting proper images i.e.

1. MLO
2. U-boot.bin
3. uImage and
4. the ubuntu image

Can you please give the links which you have used. It is very important for me to install ubuntu on overo to move forward.

BTW, i haven't compiled the kernel i always use a pre-built image from gumstix.
Manuel Alabor says on 06. Jul 2010 at 09:02

follow these instructions for building the boot-images:
http://www.msites.net/lrc/step-1-build-overo-oe
i'll share my current images with you as soon as i'm back home :)

unfortunatly, i don't have any ubuntu-image at the moment. but please refer to this page for building it on your own:
http://johnwoconnor.blogspot.com/2009/04/installing-ubuntu-on-gumstix-overo.html
Akshay notes on 06. Jul 2010 at 09:12

Thanks for links. I will try to build the boot images. However, the second link is what i'm working on, was able to get the ubuntu image.

With this ubuntu image and the pre-built boot images gumstix didnt boot.

So, it would be helpful if u can share your images, i.e
1. MLO
2. U-boot.bin
3. uImage and
4. the ubuntu image

Thanks for replying. Will hope to get the images asap.
Manuel Alabor says on 06. Jul 2010 at 09:51

again: i don't have an ubuntu image. also my build-environment from then isn't up anymore.
i'm sorry. seems that you have to figure out the build right process by yourself.
Akshay means on 07. Jul 2010 at 10:46

Hi,

I was able to built the kernel and load the MLO,u-boot and uImage files along with the ubuntu image. It did pass the kernel starting and later in the boot process it hungs up saying

init: tty4 main process (620) terminated with status 1
init: tty4 main process ended, respawning
init: tty5 main process (621) terminated with status 1
init: tty5 main process ended, respawning
init: tty2 main process (622) terminated with status 1
init: tty2 main process ended, respawning
init: tty3 main process (623) terminated with status 1
init: tty3 main process ended, respawning
init: ttyS2 main process (624) terminated with status 1
init: ttyS2 main process ended, respawning
init: tty6 main process (625) terminated with status 1
init: tty6 main process ended, respawning
init: tty1 main process (626) terminated with status 1
init: tty1 main process ended, respawning

I guess its not able to run ubuntu on terminal. can you help me.

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J notes on 01. Jun 2010 at 05:53

I was wondering if you knew what to put in the uboot variables to make the ubuntu image display on a HDTV, I dont seem to get any video from the hdmi port on the summit board for either a computer monitor with dvi in nor the HDTV. Thanks

Manuel Alabor means on 01. Jun 2010 at 10:33

actually i haven't done anything.

have you tried to follow the guide from John?
as far as i remember, he hasn't set any special parameter for video output.

could it be that your summit board has any hardware problems?

Akshay writes on 02. Jul 2010 at 07:38

Hi ,

I'm Akshay, working on getting ubuntu on gumstix overo. I followed the post
http://johnwoconnor.blogspot.com/2009/04/installing-ubuntu-on-gumstix-overo.html and did all the steps i.e.

1. Get the ubuntu image
2. Partition the memory card Fat and ext3 and put Mlo,uboot ,uImage in Fat and untar the buildroot on ext3.
3. Copy the lib/modules of angstrom on to the new build root
4. Since i don hav a HDMI TV, i also did your steps for getting ubuntu running on terminal by creating ttyS2 in etc/event.d with the stuffs u have mentioned.

When i put the memory card on to the overo, It just hangs up dispalying a message

" Starting kernel................. "

Can please tell have i missed out something. It is very important for me to get ubuntu running on overo.

Manuel Alabor means on 02. Jul 2010 at 08:48

hi akshay

you don't get any further information?
is the kernel image ok? because it seems that the system can't really interpret the image if it doesn't get further.
have you got any errors during building the images?
is it the first time you try to boot an OS from the sd card?

btw. which steps do you mean with creating "ttyS2 in etc/event.d"? can't remember that if written something similar ;)

Akshay writes on 02. Jul 2010 at 12:03

hi,

I have taken the MLO,Uboot, uImage from gumstix pre-built images.

I already have booted the gumstix from a SD card with Angstrom distribution.

So after having the Ubuntu build root on to memory and when i boot i get these and hangs up
Starting kernel ...

Uncompressing Linux.............................................. done, booting the kernel.
�t�b�$U
@ @ @D��` � �

about the ttyS2 these are the steps i followed

If you're interfacing with your Overo with the USB serial terminal, keep in mind that you won't see the 'login:' prompt after booting Ubuntu unless you configure getty to listen on /dev/ttyS2. You'll need to do this while your MicroSD card is still mounted on another host.

# cd /path/to/rootfs
# cat > etc/event.d/ttyS2 <
start on runlevel 2
start on runlevel 3
start on runlevel 4
start on runlevel 5

stop on runlevel 0

respawn
exec /sbin/getty 115200 ttyS2
EOF

Manuel Alabor notes on 05. Jul 2010 at 08:32

for me, it looks as there is something wrong with the compressed linux kernel ... had this one or two times...
you should see boot information after the "done, booting kernel" message.
have you tried to recompile the kernel?

aaah, i see. i never did a change like described in the event.d file. but nice to know :-)

Akshay writes on 05. Jul 2010 at 11:01

Hey,

Even my guess is the same. the issue might be with the kernel.

So can you please help me in getting proper images i.e.

1. MLO
2. U-boot.bin
3. uImage and
4. the ubuntu image

Can you please give the links which you have used. It is very important for me to install ubuntu on overo to move forward.

BTW, i haven't compiled the kernel i always use a pre-built image from gumstix.

Manuel Alabor says on 06. Jul 2010 at 09:02

follow these instructions for building the boot-images:
http://www.msites.net/lrc/step-1-build-overo-oe
i'll share my current images with you as soon as i'm back home :)

unfortunatly, i don't have any ubuntu-image at the moment. but please refer to this page for building it on your own:
http://johnwoconnor.blogspot.com/2009/04/installing-ubuntu-on-gumstix-overo.html

Akshay notes on 06. Jul 2010 at 09:12

Thanks for links. I will try to build the boot images. However, the second link is what i'm working on, was able to get the ubuntu image.

With this ubuntu image and the pre-built boot images gumstix didnt boot.

So, it would be helpful if u can share your images, i.e
1. MLO
2. U-boot.bin
3. uImage and
4. the ubuntu image

Thanks for replying. Will hope to get the images asap.

Manuel Alabor says on 06. Jul 2010 at 09:51

again: i don't have an ubuntu image. also my build-environment from then isn't up anymore.
i'm sorry. seems that you have to figure out the build right process by yourself.

Akshay means on 07. Jul 2010 at 10:46

I was able to built the kernel and load the MLO,u-boot and uImage files along with the ubuntu image. It did pass the kernel starting and later in the boot process it hungs up saying

init: tty4 main process (620) terminated with status 1
init: tty4 main process ended, respawning
init: tty5 main process (621) terminated with status 1
init: tty5 main process ended, respawning
init: tty2 main process (622) terminated with status 1
init: tty2 main process ended, respawning
init: tty3 main process (623) terminated with status 1
init: tty3 main process ended, respawning
init: ttyS2 main process (624) terminated with status 1
init: ttyS2 main process ended, respawning
init: tty6 main process (625) terminated with status 1
init: tty6 main process ended, respawning
init: tty1 main process (626) terminated with status 1
init: tty1 main process ended, respawning

I guess its not able to run ubuntu on terminal. can you help me.