LeapFrog Pollux Platform: Firmware

Summary
Over the years there has been a handful of revisions to the LeapFrog Pollux Platform Firmware. The Didj started on Linux Kernel version 2.6.20, which involved 2 versions over its lifespan the 2008 and 2009 versions. With the release of the Leapster Explorer the Kernel was upgraded to 2.6.31 and has since seen multiple updates, the latest being the LeapPad Explorer release.

The root file system or userspace has also seen some major upgrades, while most of it is not Open Source software, as in the UI or Flash Lite player, the basic programs are. They contain everything you'd expect to find on a Linux OS, echo, ls, vi, etc, etc.

This page contains various links to tutorials and information on the Firmware. While Didj was vastly different, it can be upgraded to run the new Linux version. This is recommended as most of the Linux work is being done with the latest firmware version. You can find links to older version information in the depreciated section. The updated firmware versions usually end up including whats been added, so often times it will be easier to just move to the latest, but they are there if you need them.

Kernel
CBF File Format

 Latest Firmware Version LF-Linux-2503-20110602-1237 


 * Didj Kernel Upgrade

Rootfs/UserSpace
This is where to find generic Linux tutorials and information based on the latest LeapFrog Linux firmware, for LeapFrog User Interface specific information please refer to your particular device's page.

SDL

 * Building libSDL
 * Building SDL_ttf font library
 * Building SDL_image library with jpg and png support
 * Building SDL_mixer audio library
 * Building tslib
 * SDL Resources

LF-Linux-8291-20101026-1425

 * 2.6.31 Kernel for Didj
 * Boot Kernel and Rootfs from SD w/Framebuffer
 * Linux Framebuffer Driver
 * Enable SD Card Module
 * Building The Explorer Root File System
 * Changing the fb driver to display the boot logo correctly

Didj JFFS2
The Didj uses a jffs2 image for it's rootfs, this is pretty easy to make. Once you got your rootfs created, run: mkfs.jffs2 -p -r /path/to/rootfs -e 128 -o your_erootfs.jffs2


 * -p - Pad to erase block size with 0xFF
 * -r - Path to root filesystem
 * -e - Physical Erase Block (PEB) size, refer to NAND datasheet.
 * -o - Output file.