ROCKPro64 Installing Arch Linux ARM

2023-05-25T02:52:54Z

Ianfoss: Reflect that there may be some unmet dependencies that users need to deal with when compiling u-boot.

{{warning|This page is a work in progress, use at your own risk}}

Commands to be run as a normal user are prefixed with <code>$</code>, commands to be run as root are prefixed with <code>#</code>. We assume your target device is <tt>/dev/sdX</tt>, adjust accordingly.

== Obtaining and Building U-Boot And TF-A ==

The first step is to compile the open firmware (TF-A) and the open bootloader (u-boot).

Clone u-boot git repository:

$ git clone https://source.denx.de/u-boot/u-boot.git

Clone TF-A git repository:

$ git clone https://github.com/ARM-software/arm-trusted-firmware.git

Build TF-A (you will need <tt>aarch64-linux-gnu-gcc</tt> and <tt>arm-none-eabi-gcc</tt> for this)

$ cd arm-trusted-firmware
$ make realclean
$ make CROSS_COMPILE=aarch64-linux-gnu- PLAT=rk3399

Next, export the path to your compiled BL31 in the shell you'll build u-boot in. Adjust the path as necessary.

$ export BL31=/path/to/arm-trusted-firmware/build/rk3399/release/bl31/bl31.elf

Build U-Boot (you may need to install additional packages to successfully compile, such as <tt>bc</tt>, <tt>python-pyelftools</tt>, or <tt>swig</tt>):

$ make mrproper
$ make rockpro64-rk3399_defconfig
$ make CROSS_COMPILE=aarch64-linux-gnu- -j$(nproc)

== Preparing The Block Device ==

Here we assume your block device is <tt>/dev/sdX</tt>, adjust as needed.

Create a new partition table:

# parted -s /dev/sdX mklabel gpt

Create the partitions for loader and u-boot:

# parted -s /dev/sdX mkpart loader 64s 8MiB
# parted -s /dev/sdX mkpart uboot 8MiB 16MiB

Create the partition for u-boot's environment (optional, but you'll have to adjust the following offsets if you don't do it):

# parted -s /dev/sdX mkpart env 16MiB 32MiB

Create the "efi" boot partition and mark it as bootable:

# parted -s /dev/sdX mkpart efi fat32 32MiB 544MiB
# parted -s /dev/sdX set 4 boot on

Create the root partition:

# parted -s /dev/sdX mkpart root ext4 544MiB 100%

=== Creating The File Systems ===

Now create the file systems for boot and root:

# mkfs.vfat -n "efi" /dev/sdX4
# mkfs.ext4 -L "rootfs" /dev/sdX5

=== Flashing U-Boot ===

Flash idbloader.img and uboot.img:

# dd if=idbloader.img of=/dev/sdX1
# dd if=u-boot.itb of=/dev/sdX2

== Fetching The Root File System Tarball ==

Fetch the root filesystem tarball and the PGP signature

<nowiki>$ wget -N http://os.archlinuxarm.org/os/ArchLinuxARM-aarch64-latest.tar.gz{,.sig}</nowiki>

Fetch the gpg keys:

<nowiki>$ curl 'https://keyserver.ubuntu.com/pks/lookup?op=get&search=0x68b3537f39a313b3e574d06777193f152bdbe6a6' | gpg --import=-</nowiki>

Compare the key ID provided in the above command with the one listed here: https://archlinuxarm.org/about/package-signing (Take good note of the domain and HTTPS)

Verify the tarball's authenticity

$ gpg --verify ArchLinuxARM-aarch64-latest.tar.gz.sig

{{note|Do not skip verifying the authenticity. This is important. It also protects you from prematurely aborted transfers giving you a corrupt archive.}}

== Installing The Root File System ==

# mount /dev/sdX5 /mnt/alarm-root
# mkdir /mnt/alarm-root/boot
# mount /dev/sdX4 /mnt/alarm-root/boot
# bsdtar -xpf ArchLinuxARM-aarch64-latest.tar.gz -C /mnt/alarm-root

=== Editing fstab ===

Find your partition UUIDs for both partitions using <code>lsblk</code>:

$ lsblk -o NAME,SIZE,MOUNTPOINTS,PARTUUID

In <tt>/mnt/alarm-root/etc/fstab</tt>, put the lines

PARTUUID=''root-uuid-here'' / ext4 defaults 0 1
PARTUUID=''boot-uuid-here'' /boot vfat defaults 0 2

with your UUIDs in place of the placeholder.

=== Writing extlinux.conf ===

Create a <tt>/mnt/alarm-root/boot/extlinux/extlinux.conf</tt> with these contents:

default l0
menu title ROCKPro64 Boot Menu
prompt 0
timeout 50

label l0
menu label Boot Arch Kernel
linux /Image
fdt /dtbs/rockchip/rk3399-rockpro64.dtb
append initrd=/initramfs-linux.img earlycon=uart8250,mmio32,0xff1a0000 console=ttyS2,1500000n8 root=LABEL=rootfs rw rootwait

Once done, unmount the partitions:

# umount /mnt/alarm-root/boot
# umount /mnt/alarm-root

== Finishing Setup ==

SSH in as <tt>root</tt> with password <tt>root</tt> and run

# pacman-key --init
# pacman-key --populate archlinuxarm

[[Category:ROCKPro64]]

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ROCKPro64 Installing Arch Linux ARM