Beagleboard:BeagleBoneBlack Debian

This page is about running the armhf port of Debian distribution at BeagleBoard. The latest release beagleboard.org image can be found at: http://beagleboard.org/latest-images

= Checking The Debian Image Version =

You should check the version of the image on the microSD/eMMC by opening the ID.txt file in the FAT partition.

root@beaglebone:~# cat /etc/dogtag BeagleBoard.org BeagleBone Debian Image 2014-03-19

This file can also be accessed via a PC (Windows/Mac/Linux) via either mounting the FAT partition directly off the microSD card or via the usb interface (flash drive).

= Installing =

TI PRU Code Generation Tools
http://software-dl.ti.com/codegen/non-esd/downloads/download.htm#PRU

Install: sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install ti-pru-cgt-installer

Older rootfs (when above package doesn't exist): wget http://downloads.ti.com/codegen/esd/cgt_public_sw/PRU/2.1.1/ti_cgt_pru_2.1.1_armlinuxa8hf_busybox_installer.sh chmod +x ti_cgt_pru_2.1.1_armlinuxa8hf_busybox_installer.sh sudo ./ti_cgt_pru_2.1.1_armlinuxa8hf_busybox_installer.sh

= FAQ =

PocketBeagle Support
Any images after 2017-09-21 will have support for the PocketBeagle

Expanding File System Partition On A microSD
By default the microSD image is only about 2GB in size, to fully expand the partition to the full size of your microSD card simple run.

cd /opt/scripts/tools/ git pull || true sudo ./grow_partition.sh sudo reboot

On the next reboot, [df -h] should show the full microSD card size.

Flashing eMMC
To set up the standalone microSD image to automatically flash the eMMC on powerup. Login as debian (password = temppwd) and edit /boot/uEnv.txt with nano (sudo nano /boot/uEnv.txt) or your preferred editor.

In /boot/uEnv.txt:
 * 1) enable BBB: eMMC Flasher:
 * 2) cmdline=init=/opt/scripts/tools/eMMC/init-eMMC-flasher-v3.sh

Change to: cmdline=init=/opt/scripts/tools/eMMC/init-eMMC-flasher-v3.sh
 * 1) enable BBB: eMMC Flasher:

Optional, update Flasher Scripts: cd /opt/scripts/ git pull

and reboot the system, it'll flash the eMMC on the next bootup. (make sure to remove the microSD after flashing is complete, otherwise it'll just keep on re-flashing the eMMC)

Kernel Upgrade
We can't ship support for everything on release day, so we push out new kernels as fixes, support for new capes, etc are posted on the beagleboard.org mainline list.

cd /opt/scripts/tools/ git pull sudo ./update_kernel.sh sudo reboot

Installing kernel headers
If you want to build a kernel module natively, you'll need to install the correct kernel headers.

sudo apt-get install linux-headers-`uname -r`

In a Makefile, perform:

sudo apt-get install linux-headers-$(shell uname -r)

Loading custom capes
WARNING, this is now deprecated, please use U-Boot overlays

Due to limitations in debian wheezy's userspace, the use of an initramfs, and having firmware builtin to the kernel. It is currently not possible to load "custom" capes via: capemgr.enable_partno=xyz. Instead an init script has been set up to load the cape/capes as soon as possible.

Built-in Cape: capemgr.enable_partno=BB-SPIDEV1 slot #7: Requesting part number/version based 'BB-SPIDEV1-00A0.dtbo slot #7: Requesting firmware 'BB-SPIDEV1-00A0.dtbo' for board-name 'Override Board Name', version '00A0' slot #7: dtbo 'BB-SPIDEV1-00A0.dtbo' loaded; converting to live tree

Custom External Cape: capemgr.enable_partno=BB-SPI1-01 slot #7: Requesting part number/version based 'BB-SPI1-01-00A0.dtbo slot #7: Requesting firmware 'BB-SPI1-01-00A0.dtbo' for board-name 'Override Board Name', version '00A0' failed to load firmware 'BB-SPI1-01-00A0.dtbo' loader: failed to load slot-7 BB-SPI1-01:00A0 (prio 0)

Workaround: add "CAPE=BB-SPI1-01" to /etc/default/capemgr

Privileged echo
As a normal user, you can not "sudo echo 'something' >> /etc/privilegedfile"

sudo sh -c "echo 'something' >> /etc/privilegedfile"

Timezone
By default this image is set up to display time in utc mode. If you would like to change this to your local region.

dpkg-reconfigure tzdata

or: echo "Europe/Zurich" > /etc/timezone dpkg-reconfigure -f noninteractive tzdata

Jessie Timezone
List of available timezones: timedatectl list-timezones

Set timezone: sudo timedatectl set-timezone America/North_Dakota/Center

W: GPG error: http://debian.beagleboard.org wheezy-bbb
W: GPG error: http://debian.beagleboard.org wheezy-bbb Release: The following signatures were invalid: KEYEXPIRED 1418840246 KEYEXPIRED 1418840304 KEYEXPIRED 1418840246 KEYEXPIRED 1418840246 KEYEXPIRED 1418840304

Note this directions are version dependent, so double check your version:

debian@beaglebone:~$ cat /etc/dogtag BeagleBoard.org BeagleBone Debian Image 2014-05-14

2014-05-14 GPG error: Disable: http://debian.beagleboard.org repo:
sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list

Change: deb [arch=armhf] http://debian.beagleboard.org/packages wheezy-bbb main
 * 1) deb-src [arch=armhf] http://debian.beagleboard.org/packages wheezy-bbb main

To:
 * 1) deb [arch=armhf] http://debian.beagleboard.org/packages wheezy-bbb main
 * 2) deb-src [arch=armhf] http://debian.beagleboard.org/packages wheezy-bbb main

sudo apt-get update

2014-05-14 GPG error: Optional enable: http://repos.rcn-ee.com/
Download archive-keyring: wget https://rcn-ee.com/repos/debian/pool/main/r/rcn-ee-archive-keyring/rcn-ee-archive-keyring_2016.04.24~bpo70+20160424+1_all.deb sudo dpkg -i rcn-ee-archive-keyring_*_all.deb

Add repo to /etc/apt/sources.list sudo sh -c "echo 'deb [arch=armhf] http://repos.rcn-ee.com/debian wheezy main' >> /etc/apt/sources.list" sudo sh -c "echo '#deb-src [arch=armhf] http://repos.rcn-ee.com/debian wheezy main' >> /etc/apt/sources.list"

Update packages: sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get upgrade sudo apt-get install npm c9-core-installer --reinstall

Adding bb.org-overlays to jessie console image
Currently by default, the console image doesn't include the *.dtbo overlays.

Install build requirements: (add's 145Mb to the console image) sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install build-essential git-core device-tree-compiler

Clone bb.org-overlays repo: git clone https://github.com/beagleboard/bb.org-overlays/ cd ./bb.org-overlays/ ./install.sh

i take full responsibility for knowing my beagle is now insecure
as of 2017-02-19, BeagleBoard images now longer enable these insecure options by default, you are free to recreate them as you wish.

remove root password
root_password=$(cat /etc/shadow | grep root | awk -F ':' '{print $2}') sed -i -e 's:'$root_password'::g' /etc/shadow

ssh root@beaglebone.local
sed -i -e 's:PermitEmptyPasswords no:PermitEmptyPasswords yes:g' /etc/ssh/sshd_config sed -i -e 's:UsePAM yes:UsePAM no:g' /etc/ssh/sshd_config sed -i -e 's:PermitRootLogin without-password:PermitRootLogin yes:g' /etc/ssh/sshd_config

sudo no password required
echo "debian ALL=NOPASSWD: ALL" >>/etc/sudoers

U-Boot Overlays
Check via serial U-Boot SPL 2019.04-00002-g07d5700e21 (Mar 06 2020 - 11:24:55 -0600) Trying to boot from MMC1 U-Boot 2019.04-00002-g07d5700e21 (Mar 06 2020 - 11:24:55 -0600), Build: jenkins-github_Bootloader-Builder-137

Check via system debian@beaglebone:~$ cd /opt/scripts/tools/ debian@beaglebone:/opt/scripts/tools$ git pull debian@beaglebone:/opt/scripts/tools$ sudo ./version.sh | grep bootloader bootloader:[microSD-(push-button)]:[/dev/mmcblk0]:[U-Boot 2019.04-00002-g07d5700e21]:[location: dd MBR]

To upgrade your version of U-Boot: debian@beaglebone:~$ cd /opt/scripts/tools/developers/ debian@beaglebone:/opt/scripts/tools/developers$ sudo ./update_bootloader.sh debian@beaglebone:/opt/scripts/tools/developers$ sudo reboot

U-Boot Capes added:
NHD-7.0CTP-CAPE Family BB-BONE-NH7C-01-A0.dtbo (first added in: 2017.05-rc2-00002-g86566339a9 (Apr 28 2017 - 10:18:57))

U-Boot /boot/uEnv.txt configuration
/boot/uEnv.txt: enable_uboot_overlays=1

U-Boot Disable on-board devices
To Disable eMMC: disable_uboot_overlay_emmc=1

To Disable HDMI VIDEO & AUDIO: disable_uboot_overlay_video=1

To Disable HDMI AUDIO: disable_uboot_overlay_audio=1

To Disable WL1835: disable_uboot_overlay_wireless=1

To Disable BB-ADC: (first added in: 2017.05-rc1-00002-g35aecb22fe (Apr 05 2017 - 16:51:58)) disable_uboot_overlay_adc=1

U-Boot Override external capes
Cape device tree overlays (src): https://github.com/beagleboard/bb.org-overlays/ Debian package: bb-cape-overlays

uboot_overlay_addr0= .dtbo uboot_overlay_addr1= .dtbo uboot_overlay_addr2= .dtbo uboot_overlay_addr3= .dtbo

If for some reason you need to disable the auto-loading of any of ^ those, use the option that matches your addrX: (first added in: 2017.03-00002-gbfe60d6057 (Mar 28 2017 - 15:32:51)) disable_uboot_overlay_addr0=1 disable_uboot_overlay_addr1=1 disable_uboot_overlay_addr2=1 disable_uboot_overlay_addr3=1

4 more capes can be loaded via: (first added in: 2017.03-00002-gbfe60d6057 (Mar 28 2017 - 15:32:51)) uboot_overlay_addr4= .dtbo uboot_overlay_addr5= .dtbo uboot_overlay_addr6= .dtbo uboot_overlay_addr7= .dtbo

Plus one custom cape: dtb_overlay= .dtbo

U-Boot PRU Options
With v4.4.x-ti PRU via remoteproc can be enabled by: uboot_overlay_pru=AM335X-PRU-RPROC-4-4-TI-00A0.dtbo

With v4.9.x-ti PRU via remoteproc can be enabled by: uboot_overlay_pru=AM335X-PRU-RPROC-4-9-TI-00A0.dtbo

With v4.14.x-ti PRU via remoteproc can be enabled by: uboot_overlay_pru=AM335X-PRU-RPROC-4-14-TI-00A0.dtbo

With v4.19.x-ti PRU via remoteproc can be enabled by: uboot_overlay_pru=AM335X-PRU-RPROC-4-19-TI-00A0.dtbo

With (all (minus bugs)): PRU via uio: uboot_overlay_pru=AM335X-PRU-UIO-00A0.dtbo

U-Boot Cape Universal
Utilize https://github.com/cdsteinkuehler/beaglebone-universal-io config-pin.

Cape Universal Supported Boards: BeagleBone Black BeagleBone Black Wireless BeagleBone Green BeagleBone Green Wireless Element14 BeagleBone Black Industrial MENTOREL BeagleBone uSomIQ SanCloud BeagleBone Enhanced

Not Supported needs work/testing/etc Arrow BeagleBone Black Industrial (different video phy) Neuromeka BeagleBone Air (untested)

To enable, in /boot/uEnv.txt add: enable_uboot_cape_universal=1

U-Boot Overlays, which got loaded
debian@beaglebone:/opt/scripts/tools$ sudo ./version.sh | grep UBOOT UBOOT: Booted Device-Tree:[am335x-boneblack-uboot-univ.dts] UBOOT: Loaded Overlay:[AM335X-PRU-RPROC-4-14-TI-00A0] UBOOT: Loaded Overlay:[BB-ADC-00A0] UBOOT: Loaded Overlay:[BB-BONE-eMMC1-01-00A0] UBOOT: Loaded Overlay:[BB-HDMI-TDA998x-00A0]

Where did the slots file go?
Kernel Overlays are going bye-bye, too many bugs, too many race conditions, no kernel maintainers interested. We've said our farewells and U-Boot Overlays is the way forward: https://elinux.org/Beagleboard:BeagleBoneBlack_Debian#U-Boot_Overlays With multiple parties working on the U-Boot infrastructure.

The rough transition plan is:

Stage 1: Disable Kernel Overlays (bone_capemgr.uboot_capemgr_enabled=1 is passed thru /proc/cmdline) Stage 2: Disable the slots file (/sys/devices/platform/bone_capemgr/slots) (v4.4.x -> 4.14.x) Stage 3: Disable bone_capemgr dir (/sys/devices/platform/bone_capemgr/) (v4.15.x+)

Stage 1 is complete, all current images use U-Boot Overlays by default. Stage 2 is currently in progress, as it is not recommended to "load" anything into the slots file while U-Boot Overlays are in control. Stage 3, will take longer, as many applications only need to know the "bone_capemgr" directory is available.

If you don't like the direction we are heading, simply disable, "enable_uboot_overlays=1" in /boot/uEnv.txt..


 * 1) I will be on my own with Kernel Overlays:
 * 2) enable_uboot_overlays=1

= Debian Build Instructions =

You'll want a fairly beefy ARM system to run this script.

git clone git://github.com/beagleboard/image-builder.git cd image-builder ./beagleboard.org_image.sh

Output of the autobuilder can be found at http://builds.beagleboard.org.

= Debian Releases = http://beagleboard.org/latest-images

= Debian Image Testing Snapshots =

Moved to: https://forum.beagleboard.org/t/debian-10-x-buster-monthly-snapshots/31203

= Kernel Options =

General apt syntax for searching and installing a specific kernel: sudo apt-get update sudo apt-cache search linux-image | grep sudo apt-get install linux-image- sudo reboot

Latest kernel script cd /opt/scripts/tools/ git pull sudo /opt/scripts/tools/update_kernel.sh 

4.14.x-ti
beagleboard.org patchset: https://github.com/beagleboard/linux/tree/4.14

4.14.x-ti All BeagleBone Variants and BeagleBoard-X15 sudo /opt/scripts/tools/update_kernel.sh --ti-channel --lts-4_14

4.14.x-ti All BeagleBone Variants and BeagleBoard-X15 + RT sudo /opt/scripts/tools/update_kernel.sh --ti-rt-channel --lts-4_14

4.19.x-ti
beagleboard.org patchset: https://github.com/beagleboard/linux/tree/4.19

4.19.x-ti All BeagleBone Variants and BeagleBoard-X15 sudo /opt/scripts/tools/update_kernel.sh --ti-channel --lts-4_19

4.19.x-ti All BeagleBone Variants and BeagleBoard-X15 + RT sudo /opt/scripts/tools/update_kernel.sh --ti-rt-channel --lts-4_19

5.4.x-ti
beagleboard.org patchset: https://github.com/beagleboard/linux/tree/5.4

5.4.x-ti All BeagleBone Variants and BeagleBoard-X15 sudo /opt/scripts/tools/update_kernel.sh --ti-channel --lts-5_4

5.4.x-ti All BeagleBone Variants and BeagleBoard-X15 + RT sudo /opt/scripts/tools/update_kernel.sh --ti-rt-channel --lts-5_4

5.10.x-ti
beagleboard.org patchset: https://github.com/beagleboard/linux/tree/5.10

5.10.x-ti All BeagleBone Variants and BeagleBoard-X15 sudo /opt/scripts/tools/update_kernel.sh --ti-channel --lts-5_10

5.10.x-ti All BeagleBone Variants and BeagleBoard-X15 + RT sudo /opt/scripts/tools/update_kernel.sh --ti-rt-channel --lts-5_10

Mainline (4.14.x lts)
4.14.x All BeagleBone Variants sudo /opt/scripts/tools/update_kernel.sh --bone-kernel --lts-4_14

4.14.x All BeagleBone Variants + RT sudo /opt/scripts/tools/update_kernel.sh --bone-rt-kernel --lts-4_14

Mainline (4.19.x lts)
4.19.x All BeagleBone Variants sudo /opt/scripts/tools/update_kernel.sh --bone-kernel --lts-4_19

4.19.x All BeagleBone Variants + RT sudo /opt/scripts/tools/update_kernel.sh --bone-rt-kernel --lts-4_19

Mainline (5.4.x lts)
5.4.x All BeagleBone Variants sudo /opt/scripts/tools/update_kernel.sh --bone-kernel --lts-5_4

5.4.x All BeagleBone Variants + RT sudo /opt/scripts/tools/update_kernel.sh --bone-rt-kernel --lts-5_4

Mainline (5.10.x lts)
5.10.x All BeagleBone Variants sudo /opt/scripts/tools/update_kernel.sh --bone-kernel --lts-5_10

5.10.x All BeagleBone Variants + RT sudo /opt/scripts/tools/update_kernel.sh --bone-rt-kernel --lts-5_10