How to make your own SD-bootable ROM
Contents
1 Make Image Files for RK3399
Refer to this repo: https://github.com/friendlyarm/sd-fuse_rk3399
2 Make Image Files for S5P4418
Refer to this repo: https://github.com/friendlyarm/sd-fuse_s5p4418
3 Make Image Files for S5P6818
Refer to this repo: https://github.com/friendlyarm/sd-fuse_s5p6818
4 Make Image Files for H3
If you have a customized U-boot, Linux kernel and file system and want to use them to make a customized Linux image file(we call it "ROM" in the following sections) you can do it this way: use the "dd" command to copy all the data and files from an existing SD card with a Linux ROM, replace the U-boot, kernel or file system with your customzied files and use the "dd" command again to combine these files to a ROM. However this is inefficient. We suggest you use our rom-maker-lite utility to do it, which can be downloaded at rom-maker-lite.
The rom-maker-lite utility is a general tool to make a ROM. It currently supports making a Linux based sd/eflasher ROM for FriendlyElec's H3/H5 boards .Making an Android image is not supported yet.
- Run ./mkimage.sh to check usage info:
$ ./mkimage.sh Usage: $ apt-get install tree exfat-utils dosfstools python3-tk $ ./mkimage.sh -c <filesystem type> -m <partmap> -d "<misc dir>;<partition1 dir>;<partition2 dir>;..." -c <filesystem type>: 1: misc(bootloader) + fat32 boot.img + ext4 rootfs.img 2: misc(bootloader) + fat32 boot.img + ext4 rootfs.img + exfat friendlyarm.img 3: misc(bootloader) + ext4 boot.img + ext4 rootfs.img
Parameter Comment -c <filesystem type> -c specifies file systems' formats for the partitions in a ROM Image. Specifically for an H3/H5 based board:
-c 1 stands for "misc(bootloader) + fat32 boot.img + ext4 rootfs.img" and this applies to an sd ROM of FriendlyCore/Ubuntu/Debian/OpenWrt;
-c 2 stands for "misc(bootloader) + fat32 boot.img + ext4 rootfs.img + exfat friendlyarm.img" and this applies to an eflasher ROM.-m <partmap> -m specifies a partmap file for making a ROM.
A partmap file is used to specify the files and their sizes included in a ROM. ROMs made for different boards or BSPs may need different partmap files.-d "<misc dir>;<partition1 dir>;<partition2 dir>;..." -d specifies file system's path and each path is separated by a ";". Specifically for an H3/H5 based board:
<misc dir>: specifies the bootloader's path;
<partition1 dir>: specifies the boot partition's path;
<partition2 dir>: specifies the rootfs partition's path;
"..." means more paths can be defined. When you make an eflasher ROM you need to include the friendlyarm partition's path;
- Preparations
We tested the following Ubuntu versions that worked with a PC host:
1) ubuntu-16.04.5-desktop-amd64.iso
2) ubuntu-18.04.1-desktop-amd64.iso
If you cannot make a ROM under a Linux system with your PC host you'd better use either one of the above two systems we tested.
Before proceed make sure you have installed the following packages:
$ apt-get install tree exfat-utils dosfstools python3-tk
You need the root access right to make a ROM:
$ su root
- Make an SD card bootable image based on Uboot-2017 + Linux-4.14 for H3, e.g. FriendlyCore/Debian/OpenWrt...
FriendlyElec's BSP based on Uboot-2017 + Linux-4.14 applies to all FriendlyElec's H3 boards. Therefore the steps to make an image for all H3 boards are the same.
Here are the steps to make an SD card image of FriendlyCore. The steps to make an SD card image of Debian or OpenWrt are similar.
Suppose you already have an SD card with a FriendlyCore system. The SD card has applications and configuration files in the "rootfs" directory. Insert this card to a host PC and mount its rootfs directory(in our test the directory was "rom-maker-lite/part2/h3/4.14/friendlycore/rootfs/"). Run the following command to generate an image file.:
$ ./mkimage.sh -c 1 -m partmap/h3_linux-4.14/partmap.txt -d "misc/uboot-2017_h3/;part1/boot_linux-4.14_h3/;part2/h3/4.14/friendlycore/rootfs/"
You can replace the files under the "misc/uboot-2017_h3" and "part1/boot_linux-4.14_h3" directories with your wanted files too. FriendlyElec will release the latest files when necessary. You can command "tree" to check all the available files:
$ tree misc/uboot-2017_h3/ part1/boot_linux-4.14_h3/ misc/uboot-2017_h3/ └── u-boot-sunxi-with-spl.bin part1/boot_linux-4.14_h3/ ├── boot.cmd ├── boot.scr ├── rootfs.cpio.gz ├── sun8i-h2-plus-nanopi-duo.dtb ├── sun8i-h3-nanopi-duo2.dtb ├── sun8i-h3-nanopi-m1.dtb ├── sun8i-h3-nanopi-m1-plus.dtb ├── sun8i-h3-nanopi-neo-air.dtb ├── sun8i-h3-nanopi-neo-core.dtb ├── sun8i-h3-nanopi-neo.dtb └── zImage
For all FriendlyElec's H3 based boards that support Linux-4.14 BSP they use the same partmap file "partmap/h3_linux-4.14/partmap.txt".
After mkimage.sh is executed successfully an "out/SD-bootable-1" directory and the following files will be generated:
$ tree out/ out/ ├── SD-bootable-1 │ └── your_company │ ├── boot.img │ ├── info.conf │ ├── partmap.txt │ ├── rootfs.img │ └── u-boot-sunxi-with-spl.bin ├── SD-bootable-1.img
The "part1/boot_linux-4.14_h3/" directory will be converted to a boot.img. The "part2/h3/4.14/friendlycore/rootfs/" will be converted to a rootfs.img. The SD-bootable-1.img will be an SD card ROM image. For example FriendlyElec's nanopi-[h3]_sd_friendlycore-xenial_4.14_armhf_YYYYMMDD.img.zip image file is an SD card ROM image. You can use the win32diskimager utility or the "dd" command to flash the SD-bootable-1.img to an SD card.
- Make an SD card bootable image based on Uboot-2011 + Linux-3.4 for H3, e.g. FriendlyCore/Debian/OpenWrt...
The basic steps to make an image for all FriendlyElec's H3 based boards are very similar. We take the NanoPi M1 as an example to show how to make an SD card FriendlyCore image. The steps apply to Debian and OpenWrt too.
Run the following command:
$ ./mkimage.sh -c 1 -m partmap/h3_linux-3.4/partmap.txt -d "misc/uboot-2011_m1/;part1/boot_linux-3.4_m1/;part2/m1/3.4/friendlycore/rootfs"
The SD-bootable-1.img will be an SD card ROM image. For example FriendlyElec's nanopi-m1_sd_friendlycore-xenial_3.4_armhf_YYYYMMDD.img.zip image file is an SD card ROM image.You can replace the corresponding files with your wanted files.For all FriendlyElec's H3 based boards that support Linux-3.4 BSP they use the same partmap file "partmap/h3_linux-3.4/partmap.txt".
To make an SD card image for the NanoPi M1 Plus you can run the following command:
$ ./mkimage.sh -c 1 -m partmap/h3_linux-3.4/partmap.txt -d "misc/uboot-2011_m1-plus/;part1/boot_linux-3.4_m1-plus/;part2/m1-plus/3.4/friendlycore/rootfs"
The SD-bootable-1.img will be an SD card ROM image. For example FriendlyElec's nanopi-m1－plus_sd_friendlycore-xenial_3.4_armhf_YYYYMMDD.img.zip image file is an SD card ROM image.This applies to the NanoPi NEO and the NanoPi NEO Air.
- Make an eflasher image based on Uboot-2017 + Linux-4.14 for H3 based boards
To make an eflasher ROM image you need to have an SD card image ready.We take a FriendlyCore system based on Uboot-2017 + Linux-4.14 as an example:
$ tree out/ out/ ├── SD-bootable-1 │ └── your_company │ ├── boot.img │ ├── info.conf │ ├── partmap.txt │ ├── rootfs.img │ └── u-boot-sunxi-with-spl.bin
If you have an SD card with an eflasher image insert this card to a host PC, mount its rootfs directory(in our test the directory was "part2/h3/4.14/eflasher/rootfs") and run the following command to generate an eflasher ROM image:
$ ./mkimage.sh -c 2 -m partmap/h3_eflasher-4.14/partmap.txt -d "misc/uboot-2017_h3/;part1/boot_linux-4.14_h3/;part2/h3/4.14/eflasher/rootfs;out/SD-bootable-1/"
After mkimage.sh is executed an "out/SD-bootable-2" directory and the following files will be generated:
$ tree out/ out/ ├── SD-bootable-1 │ └── your_company │ ├── boot.img │ ├── info.conf │ ├── partmap.txt │ ├── rootfs.img │ └── u-boot-sunxi-with-spl.bin ├── SD-bootable-1.img ├── SD-bootable-2 │ └── your_company │ ├── boot.img │ ├── friendlyarm.img │ ├── info.conf │ ├── partmap.txt │ ├── rootfs.img │ └── u-boot-sunxi-with-spl.bin └── SD-bootable-2.img
The SD-bootable-2.img will be an eflasher image. For example FriendlyElec's nanopi-[h3]_eflasher_friendlycore-xenial_4.14_armhf_YYYYMMDD.img.zip image file is an SD card ROM image.The image contained in the "out/SD-bootable-1/" directory will be the image to be flashed to eMMC. You can use the win32diskimager utility or the "dd" command to flash the SD-bootable-2.img image to an SD card.
5 Make Image Files for H5
If you have a customized U-boot, Linux kernel and file system and want to use them to make a customized Linux image file(we call it "ROM" in the following sections) you can do it this way: use the "dd" command to copy all the data and files from an existing SD card with a Linux ROM, replace the U-boot, kernel or file system with your customzied files and use the "dd" command again to combine these files to a ROM. However this is inefficient. We suggest you use our rom-maker-lite utility to do it, which can be downloaded at rom-maker-lite.
The rom-maker-lite utility is a general tool to make a ROM. It currently supports making a Linux based sd/eflasher ROM for FriendlyElec's H3/H5 boards .Making an Android image is not supported yet.
- Run ./mkimage.sh to check usage info:
$ ./mkimage.sh Usage: $ apt-get install tree exfat-utils dosfstools python3-tk $ ./mkimage.sh -c <filesystem type> -m <partmap> -d "<misc dir>;<partition1 dir>;<partition2 dir>;..." -c <filesystem type>: 1: misc(bootloader) + fat32 boot.img + ext4 rootfs.img 2: misc(bootloader) + fat32 boot.img + ext4 rootfs.img + exfat friendlyarm.img 3: misc(bootloader) + ext4 boot.img + ext4 rootfs.img
Parameter Comment -c <filesystem type> -c specifies file systems' formats for the partitions in a ROM Image. Specifically for an H3/H5 based board:
-c 1 stands for "misc(bootloader) + fat32 boot.img + ext4 rootfs.img" and this applies to an sd ROM of FriendlyCore/Ubuntu/Debian/OpenWrt;
-c 2 stands for "misc(bootloader) + fat32 boot.img + ext4 rootfs.img + exfat friendlyarm.img" and this applies to an eflasher ROM.-m <partmap> -m specifies a partmap file for making a ROM.
A partmap file is used to specify the files and their sizes included in a ROM. ROMs made for different boards or BSPs may need different partmap files.-d "<misc dir>;<partition1 dir>;<partition2 dir>;..." -d specifies file system's path and each path is separated by a ";". Specifically for an H3/H5 based board:
<misc dir>: specifies the bootloader's path;
<partition1 dir>: specifies the boot partition's path;
<partition2 dir>: specifies the rootfs partition's path;
"..." means more paths can be defined. When you make an eflasher ROM you need to include the friendlyarm partition's path;
- Preparations
We tested the following Ubuntu versions that worked with a PC host:
1) ubuntu-16.04.5-desktop-amd64.iso
2) ubuntu-18.04.1-desktop-amd64.iso
If you cannot make a ROM under a Linux system with your PC host you'd better use either one of the above two systems we tested.
Before proceed make sure you have installed the following packages:
$ apt-get install tree exfat-utils dosfstools python3-tk
You need the root access right to make a ROM:
$ su root
- Make an SD card bootable image based on Uboot-2017 + Linux-4.14 for H5, e.g. FriendlyCore/Debian/OpenWrt...
The basic steps to make an image for all FriendlyElec's H5 based boards are very similar. We show how to make an SD card FriendlyCore image. The steps apply to Debian and OpenWrt too.
Suppose you already have an SD card with a FriendlyCore system. The SD card has applications and configuration files in the "rootfs" directory. Insert this card to a host PC and mount its rootfs directory(in our test the directory was "/part2/h5/4.14/friendlycore/rootfs/"). Run the following command to generate an image file:
$ ./mkimage.sh -c 1 -m partmap/h5_linux-4.14/partmap.txt -d "misc/uboot-2017_h5/;part1/boot_linux-4.14_h5/;part2/h5/4.14/friendlycore/rootfs/"
You can replace the files under the "misc/uboot-2017_h5" and "part1/boot_linux-4.14_h5" directories with your wanted files too. FriendlyElec will release the latest files when necessary. You can command "tree" to check all the available files:
$ tree misc/uboot-2017_h5/ part1/boot_linux-4.14_h5/ misc/uboot-2017_h5/ ├── sunxi-spl.bin └── u-boot.itb part1/boot_linux-4.14_h5/ ├── boot.cmd ├── boot.scr ├── Image ├── overlays │ └── sun50i-h5-gpio-dvfs-overlay.dtb ├── rootfs.cpio.gz ├── sun50i-h5-nanopi-k1-plus.dtb ├── sun50i-h5-nanopi-neo2.dtb ├── sun50i-h5-nanopi-neo-core2.dtb └── sun50i-h5-nanopi-neo-plus2.dtb
For all FriendlyElec's H5 based boards that support Linux-4.14 BSP they use the same partmap file "partmap/h5_linux-4.14/partmap.txt".
After mkimage.sh is executed successfully an "out/SD-bootable-1" directory and the following files will be generated:
$ tree out/ out/ ├── SD-bootable-1 │ └── your_company │ ├── boot.img │ ├── info.conf │ ├── partmap.txt │ ├── rootfs.img │ ├── sunxi-spl.bin │ └── u-boot.itb ├── SD-bootable-1.img
The "part1/boot_linux-4.14_h5/" directory will be converted to a boot.img. The "part2/h5/4.14/friendlycore/rootfs/" will be converted to a rootfs.img. The SD-bootable-1.img will be an SD card ROM image. For example FriendlyElec's nanopi-[h5]_sd_friendlycore-xenial_4.14_arm64_YYYYMMDD.img.zip image file is an SD card ROM image. You can use the win32diskimager utility or the "dd" command to flash the SD-bootable-1.img to an SD card.
- Make an SD card bootable image based on Uboot-2014 + Linux-3.10 for H5, e.g. FriendlyCore/Debian/OpenWrt...
The basic steps to make an image for all FriendlyElec's H5 based boards are very similar. We take the NanoPi NEO2 as an example to show how to make an SD card FriendlyCore image. The steps apply to Debian and OpenWrt too.
Run the following command:
$ ./mkimage.sh -c 1 -m partmap/h5_linux-3.10/partmap.txt -d "misc/uboot-2014_neo2/;part1/boot_linux-3.10_neo2/;part2/neo2/3.10/friendlycore/rootfs"
The SD-bootable-1.img will be an SD card ROM image. For example FriendlyElec's nanopi-neo2_sd_friendlycore-xenial_3.10_arm64_YYYYMMDD.img.zip image file is an SD card ROM image.You can replace the corresponding files with your wanted files.For all FriendlyElec's H5 based boards that support Linux-3.10 BSP they use the same partmap file "partmap/h5_linux-3.10/partmap.txt".
To make an SD card image for the NanoPi NEO Plus2 you can run the following command:
$ ./mkimage.sh -c 1 -m partmap/h5_linux-3.10/partmap.txt -d "misc/uboot-2014_neo-plus2/;part1/boot_linux-3.10_neo-plus2/;part2/neo-plus2/3.10/friendlycore/rootfs"
The SD-bootable-1.img will be an SD card ROM image. For example FriendlyElec's nanopi-neo-plus2_sd_friendlycore-xenial_3.10_arm64_YYYYMMDD.img.zip image file is an SD card ROM image.
- Make an eflasher image based on Uboot-2017 + Linux-4.14 for H5 based boards
To make an eflasher ROM image you need to have an SD card image ready.We take a FriendlyCore system based on Uboot-2017 + Linux-4.14 as an example:
$ tree out/ out/ ├── SD-bootable-1 │ └── your_company │ ├── boot.img │ ├── info.conf │ ├── partmap.txt │ ├── rootfs.img │ ├── sunxi-spl.bin │ └── u-boot.itb
If you have an SD card with an eflasher image insert this card to a host PC, mount its rootfs directory(in our test the directory was "part2/h5/4.14/eflasher/rootfs") and run the following command to generate an eflasher ROM image:
$ ./mkimage.sh -c 2 -m partmap/h5_eflasher-4.14/partmap.txt -d "misc/uboot-2017_h5/;part1/boot_linux-4.14_h5/;part2/h5/4.14/eflasher/rootfs;out/SD-bootable-1"
After mkimage.sh is executed successfully an "out/SD-bootable-2" directory and the following files will be generated:
$ tree out/ out/ ├── SD-bootable-1 │ └── your_company │ ├── boot.img │ ├── info.conf │ ├── partmap.txt │ ├── rootfs.img │ ├── sunxi-spl.bin │ └── u-boot.itb ├── SD-bootable-1.img ├── SD-bootable-2 │ └── your_company │ ├── boot.img │ ├── friendlyarm.img │ ├── info.conf │ ├── partmap.txt │ ├── rootfs.img │ ├── sunxi-spl.bin │ └── u-boot.itb └── SD-bootable-2.img
The SD-bootable-2.img will be an eflasher image. For example FriendlyElec's nanopi-[h5]_eflasher_friendlycore-xenial_4.14_arm64_YYYYMMDD.img.zip image file is an SD card ROM image.The image contained in the "out/SD-bootable-1/" directory will be the image to be flashed to eMMC. You can use the win32diskimager utility or the "dd" command to flash the SD-bootable-2.img image to an SD card.
6 Update Log
6.1 Sep-14-2017
- Released English Version
6.2 Jan-30-2018
- Updated Section 3
6.3 Feb-2-2019
- Updated Section 3 and Section 5
