Odroidxu3/4_building_kernel

Introduction

This page introduce how you can download and compile the Linux system kernel for ODROID-XU3/XU4. Generic Linux system needs gcc version 4.6 to build the Kernel.

Step-by-Step guide to building an ODROID-XU3/4 Kernel

Download the cross tool chain package

http://dn.odroid.com/ODROID-XU/compiler/arm-eabi-4.6.tar.gz

Note:

This toolchain only used to build the kernel. This toolchain is included in the Android source package. ($ANDROID_ROOT/prebuilts/gcc/linux-x86/arm/arm-eabi-4.6) Copy the cross tool package to /opt/toolchains

If the '/opt/toolchains' directory does not exist in host pc, then create the directory.

$ sudo mkdir /opt/toolchains
$ sudo cp arm-eabi-4.6.tar.gz /opt/toolchains
$ cd /opt/toolchains
$ sudo tar zxvf arm-eabi-4.6.tar.gz

Uncompress the cross tool with tar command

$ cd /opt/toolchains
$ sudo tar xvfz arm-eabi-4.6.tar.gz

Add Path in your environment file

Modify your ~/.bashrc(or ~/.zshrc if you use zsh as your default shell) file to add a new path with editor (gedit or vi)

export ARCH=arm
export PATH=${PATH}:/opt/toolchains/arm-eabi-4.6/bin
export CROSS_COMPILE=arm-eabi-

$ source ~/.bashrc

Check the tool-chain path to see if it is set up correctly or not.

$ arm-eabi-gcc -v
Using built-in specs.
COLLECT_GCC=arm-eabi-gcc
COLLECT_LTO_WRAPPER=/opt/toolchain/arm-eabi-4.6/bin/../libexec/gcc/arm-eabi/4.6.x-google/lto-wrapper
Target: arm-eabi
Configured with: /tmp/android-15472/src/build/../gcc/gcc-4.6/configure --prefix=/usr/local --target=arm-eabi --host=x86_64-linux-gnu 
--build=x86_64-linux-gnu --with-gnu-as --with-gnu-ld --enable-languages=c,c++ --with-gmp=/tmp/android-15472/obj/temp-install --with-
mpfr=/tmp/android-15472/obj/temp-install --with-mpc=/tmp/android-15472/obj/temp-install --without-ppl --without-cloog --disable-libs
sp --enable-threads --disable-nls --disable-libmudflap --disable-libgomp --disable-libstdc__-v3 --disable-sjlj-exceptions --disable-
shared --disable-tls --disable-libitm --with-float=soft --with-fpu=vfp --with-arch=armv5te --enable-target-optspace --with-abi=aapcs
 --with-gcc-version=4.6 --with-binutils-version=2.21 --with-gmp-version=4.2.4 --with-mpfr-version=2.4.1 --with-gdb-version=7.3.x --w
ith-arch=armv5te --with-sysroot=/tmp/android-15472/install/sysroot --with-prefix=/tmp/android-15472/install --with-gold-version=2.21
 --enable-gold --disable-gold --disable-multilib --program-transform-name='s&^&arm-eabi-&'
Thread model: single
gcc version 4.6.x-google 20120106 (prerelease) (GCC)

Linux ODROID-XU3/4 works as follow

It must have at least two partitions

First Partition must be a FAT32/EXT4 partition.
Second Partition can be whatever the Filesystem that your kernel supports (must be built in).

Note: It is possible to use the first partition as ext4, however its strongly not recommended due to Windows Users lost the capability of changing boot.ini

Partition Contents

Partition 1:
    Kernel Image (zImage)
    boot.scr
    exynos5422-odroidxu3.dtb
    uInitrd (if applicable)
    
Partition 2:
    rootfs (a.k.a. File System)
    Currently Supported Linux Distributions

Ubuntu 14.04 Ubuntu 14.04 Forum Thread

Note: More distribution support will come with time.

HDMI Support On Linux HDMI support should work out-of-box for everyone including framebuffer console if you experience any issue please contact us on the ODROID Forums On the provided Ubuntu image there are several examples on how to configure the HDMI to your specific resolution or even lock to a certain resolution. You can check the configuration file on /media/boot/boot.ini of the Ubuntu Image
DisplayPort Support on Linux For displayport configuration please follow this guide Displayport Guide on ODROID Forums
Kernel Sources Kernel sources for ODROID-XU3/4 is on our Github. Branch is odroidxu3-3.10.y defconfig is odroidxu3_defconfig

Kernel Rebuild Guide

Note: You can compile kernel & dtb images in host PC using the cross compiler. But, you cannot create uInitrd ramdisk image in host PC. Because the binary files in ramdisk image refer to current root file system during the executing update-initramfs command.

Please follow the instructions below to rebuild the Linux Kernel for ODROID. Those instructions cover native build of the Kernel.

Install dependencies

pc@host:~$ sudo apt-get install build-essential libqt4-dev libncurses5-dev git 
Clone Repo:
pc@host:~$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/hardkernel/linux.git -b odroidxu3-3.10.y odroidxu3-3.10.y 
pc@host:~$ cd odroidxu3-3.10.y

Configure Kernel

pc@host:~$ make odroidxu3_defconfig

Do changes if you need/want

pc@host:~$ make menuconfig

for my case, the official kernel can not recognise my Logitech, Inc. F710 Wireless Gamepad, so I have to change it by myself: 内核定义

I alse changed the kernel default resolution to fit my 7' touchscreen: 分辨率修改

Build Kernel and Modules

pc@host:~$ make -j8

This explanation assume that your USB memory CARD reader is assigned at /dev/sdb. Be careful!

Install zImage & DTB file

pc@host:~$ mkdir -p mount
pc@host:~$ sudo mount /dev/sdb1 ./mount
pc@host:~$ sudo cp arch/arm/boot/zImage arch/arm/boot/dts/exynos5422-odroidxu3.dtb /media/boot && sync && sudo umount ./mount

Install Modules

pc@host:~$ sudo mount /dev/sdb2 ./mount
pc@host:~$ sudo make modules_install ARCH=arm INSTALL_MOD_PATH=./mount

Copy .config to /boot for initramfs creation

pc@host:~$ sudo cp .config ./mount/boot/config-`make kernelrelease`

You must do the remaining steps in ODROID-XU3/4 board. So plugin your tf card to odroid and boot it, then continue the following steps.

Create initramfs

odroid@odroid:~$ sudo update-initramfs -c -k `uname -r`

Create uInitrd

odroid@odroid:~$ sudo mkimage -A arm -O linux -T ramdisk -C none -a 0 -e 0 -n uInitrd -d /boot/initrd.img-`uname -r` /boot/uInitrd-`uname -r`

Install new uInitrd

odroid@odroid:~$ sudo cp /boot/uInitrd-`uname -r` /media/boot/uInitrd

reboot and check if the kernel works well on your board

odroid@odroid:~$ sudo sync && reboot

Your new kernel should be installed.

ODROID Utility

Note for your own convenience we provide daily builds of Linux kernel that can be easily installed on Supported distros by using a ODROID Utility.

odroid@odroid:~$ sudo -s
root@odroid:~$ wget -O /usr/local/bin/odroid-utility.sh https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mdrjr/odroid-utility/master/odroid-utility.sh
root@odroid:~$ chmod +x /usr/local/bin/odroid-utility.sh
root@odroid:~$ odroid-utility.sh