How to build and deplay Debian using flexbuild

Build Debian using flexbuild

Github page for tn_debian_flexbuild

Build Environment

• Cross-build in Debian Docker container hosted on x86 Ubuntu or any other distro for arm64 target
• Cross-build on x86 host machine running Debian 12 for arm64 target
• Native-build on ARM board running Debian for arm64 target

Get source code

$ git clone https://github.com/TechNexion/tn_debian_flexbuild.git
$ cd tn_debian_flexbuild

Setup docker for build env

Host:

$ . setup.env
$ bld docker   (create or attach to docker)

in docker:
( check if the prompt is [root@fbdebian tn_debian_flexbuild])

$ . setup.env
$ bld host-dep (install docker dependent packages)

Select one of the following:

A. build debian12 of target board automatically

===EDM-G-IMX8MP===

$ bld -m imx8mp-edm-g

===EDM-G-IMX8MM===

$ bld -m imx8mm-edm-g

B. step by step build debian12

General RootFS

1. download RootFS
2. build NXP-specific components(apps)
3. merge
4. pack RootFS

# create general rootfs with NXP-specific components all IMX platforms
$ bld rfs -p IMX               # create rootfs with debian desktop, for other rootfs: [-r debian:server | -r debian:base | -r poky:tiny ]
$ bld apps -p IMX              # create NXP-specific components(apps) for all IMX platforms, depends on rootfs created above
$ bld merge-apps -p IMX        # merge NXP-specific components(apps) to rootfs.
$ bld packrfs -p IMX           # pack rootfs to 'build_lsdk2412>/images/'

Boot partition

# create all boot image for all IMX platforms
$ bld boot -p IMX              # create boot partitions for all IMX pltforms to 'build_lsdk2412>/images/'

Bootable firmware

# create all firmware image for all IMX platforms
$ bld fwall -p IMX             # create all fw for all IMX platforms to 'build_lsdk2412>/images/'

C. using others build command:

Check in Github page

Deploy (flex-installer) into device:

Each debian image in flexbuild contain 3 files, all of them presents in build_lsdk2412/images/ if you follow the build step above.

1. bootable firmware (firmware_<machine>_sdboot.img)
2. boot partition (boot_IMX_arm64_<machine>_lts_6.6.52.tar.zst)
3. General RootFS (rootfs_lsdk2412_debian_desktop_arm64.tar.zst)

Go to build image folder

$ cd build_lsdk2412/images/

Flash directly to block device(/dev/sd):

Format block device

$ flex-installer -i pf -d /dev/sd<x>

== For EDM-G-IMX8MP ==

$ flex-installer -m imx8mp-edm-g -d /dev/sd<X> -b boot_IMX_arm64_imx8mp-edm-g_lts_6.6.52 -f firmware_imx8mp-edm-g_sdboot.img -r rootfs_lsdk2412_debian_desktop_arm64.tar.zst

== For EDM-G-IMX8MM ==

$ flex-installer -m imx8mm-edm-g -d /dev/sd<X> -b boot_IMX_arm64_imx8mm-edm-g_lts_6.6.52 -f firmware_imx8mm-edm-g_sdboot.img -r rootfs_l2412_debian_desktop_arm64.tar.zst

Create sdcard image (8GB size image named sdcard.wic):

== For EDM-G-IMX8MP ==

$ flex-installer -m imx8mp-edm-g -i mkwic -b boot_IMX_arm64_imx8mp-edm-g_lts_6.6.52 -f firmware_imx8mp-edm-g_sdboot.img -r rootfs_lsdk2412_debian_desktop_arm64.tar.zst

== For EDM-G-IMX8MM ==

$ flex-installer -m imx8mm-edm-g -i mkwic -b boot_IMX_arm64_imx8mm-edm-g_lts_6.6.52 -f firmware_imx8mm-edm-g_sdboot.img -r rootfs_lsdk2412_debian_desktop_arm64.tar.zst

Swap the uboot/ kernel

Modify the config file:

$ vim configs/technexion.yml

Change the repository(url:) and version (tag: or branch: or commit:)

Delete the previous repository and build result if needed:

# linux
$ bld clean-linux -p IMX
$ rm -rf build_lsdk2412/images/boot_IMX_arm64_*
$ rm -rf components_lsdk2412/linux/linux/

# uboot
$ bld clean-bsp -p IMX
$ rm -rf build_lsdk2412/images/firmware_*
$ rm -rf components_lsdk2412/bsp/uboot/

modify the patches if needed

When you change the kernel/uboot, you might face the patch conflict issue.
You might need to adjust or remove the patches in these folder:

$ ls -la patch/linux/
$ ls -la patch/uboot/

Trouble shooting

Custom board can't boot into uboot

Might facing the nameing check in src/bsp/imx_mkimage.mk cause generate flash.bin not correctly.

Build failed for machine learning(ml) components

As for ml Makefile, NXP does not fully isolated the build environment.
Leads to build failed in some of the computers.

For now, disable the ml by applying this patch:

$ wget https://ftp.technexion.com/development_resources/NXP/debian/0001-flexbuild-disable-ml-component.patch
$ git am 0001-flexbuild-disable-ml-component.patch