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[[File:pandastack2.jpg|right|200px|thumb|A "Pandastack" used at Seneca College to build Fedora for ARM. There are eleven stacked Pandaboards in this configuration]]
=Versatile Express=
=Versatile Express=
 
The Versatile Express family of development platforms provides users with a modular board design for use testing different ARM SOC design implementations. QEMU provides the ability to emulate ARM Versatile Express for Cortex-A9 on your desktop computer for easy experimentation!
===Technical Specifications===
===Technical Specifications===
* 1 GHz Dual core Cortex A9 Processor (OMAP 4430-4460)
* ARM Versatile Express for Cortex-A9
* 1 GB DDR2 RAM
* 1GB RAM
* HDMI v1.3
* 10/100Mbit/s Ethernet
* 10/100Mbit/s Ethernet
* 802.11 b/g/n WiFi


For more information on the Pandaboard visit their [http://pandaboard.org website].
For more information on [http://www.arm.com/products/tools/development-boards/versatile-express/index.php Versatile Express] or [http://wiki.qemu.org/Main_Page QEMU] visit their websites.


= Running Fedora on QEMU =
= Running Fedora through QEMU =


This page will give you detailed instructions for running Fedora 17 GA through QEMU. There are two images to choose from using Versatile Express QEMU - with the XFCE desktop, the other providing a serial console (text based).
This page will give you detailed instructions for running Fedora 17 GA through QEMU. There are four images to choose from when using Versatile Express through QEMU - Hard and Soft Float Versatile Express Images that boot either to a serial console or the XFCE desktop environment. If you're not sure which to use, likely you will want to download the Hard Float image. Each requires an external kernel and initrd with a good qemu-system-arm command line; all of which is provided in the boot directory of the kernel file link (or you can extract the files from the main image). This guide will assume you have downloaded both the kernel package and the image.


= Download the image =
= Download the image =
The first step is to download the Fedora 17 image. The prebuilt images include kernels and can be booted without any additional steps or configuration. 
The first step is to download the Fedora 17 image and optional kernel package for the image you wish to boot. (Note: The image also includes the kernel, but for ease of use the kernel is also provided in a separate package)


* [http://download.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora-secondary/releases/17/Images/armhfp/Fedora-17-armhfp-panda-mmcblk0.img.xz Serial Console Image]
* [http://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora-secondary/releases/17/Images/armhfp/Fedora-17-armhfp-vexpress-mmcblk0.img.xz HFP Serial Console Image]
* [http://download.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora-secondary/releases/17/Images/armhfp/Fedora-17-armhfp-panda-xfce-mmcblk0.img.xz XFCE Desktop Image]
**Optional Kernel package: [http://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora-secondary/releases/17/Images/armhfp/Fedora-17-armhfp-vexpress-mmcblk0-kernel.tar.xz Kernel]
* [http://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora-secondary/releases/17/Images/arm/Fedora-17-arm-vexpress-mmcblk0.img.xz  SFP Serial Console Image ]
** Optional Kernel package: [http://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora-secondary/releases/17/Images/arm/Fedora-17-arm-vexpress-mmcblk0-kernel.tar.xz Kernel]
* [http://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora-secondary/releases/17/Images/armhfp/Fedora-17-armhfp-vexpress-xfce-mmcblk0.img.xz HFP XFCE Desktop Image]
** Optional Kernel package: [http://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora-secondary/releases/17/Images/armhfp/Fedora-17-armhfp-vexpress-xfce-mmcblk0-kernel.tar.xz Kernel]
* [http://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora-secondary/releases/17/Images/arm/Fedora-17-arm-vexpress-xfce-mmcblk0.img.xz SFP XFCE Desktop Image]
** Optional Kernel package: [http://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora-secondary/releases/17/Images/arm/Fedora-17-arm-vexpress-xfce-mmcblk0-kernel.tar.xz Kernel]


=Writing the Image=
=Preparing the Image=
===Linux Users===
===Linux Users===
You can write the image to an SD card of your choosing but it does have to meet the minimum size requirements noted above (2GB for the serial image, 4GB for the XFCE Desktop). Connect the SD card to your computer and make note of the drive. To write the image to your SD card run the following command, changing the drive to the location of your SD card.
Extract the downloaded Versatile Express image and kernel using the your graphical user interface or the following commandline option(note in this example we are using the HFP Image):


For the Serial Image:
For the Serial Image:
  xzcat Fedora-17-armhfp-panda-mmcblk0.img.xz > /dev/<location-of-your-SD-card>
  unxz Fedora-17-armhfp-vexpress-mmcblk0.img.xz
unxz Fedora-17-armhfp-vexpress-mmcblk0-kernel.tar.xz


For the XFCE Desktop:
For the XFCE Desktop:
  xzcat Fedora-17-armhfp-panda-xfce-mmcblk0.img.xz > /dev/<location-of-your-SD-card>
  unxz Fedora-17-armhfp-vexpress-xfce-mmcblk0.img.xz
unxz Fedora-17-armhfp-vexpress-xfce-mmcblk0-kernel.tar.xz


Once completed run the below command to ensure the entire image is written to the card:
===Windows Users===
sync
QEMU is also available on Windows but is not yet covered in this guide. For more information on running QEMU on Windows please visit their [http://wiki.qemu.org/Main_Page website].


===Windows Users===
=Using Fedora through QEMU=
* You will need to download [https://launchpad.net/win32-image-writer Win32 Image Writer] as well as a tool to extract the image such as [http://www.7-zip.org 7-Zip].
First you will need to install the ARM QEMU package (this example is using Fedora)
* Once downloaded and installed right click on the disk image and select "7-Zip->Extract files here"
  yum install qemu-system-arm
* Launch Win 32 Disk Imager and select the extracted disk image and the SD card you would like to write the files to. Click "Write". Be very careful during this step - all data on the selected drive will be lost!
Once installed, change to the boot directory of the extracted kernel package:
cd armhfp-vexpress-mmcblk0/boot
From there execute the provided script. Depending on which option you selected for your download:


=Using Fedora on the Pandaboard=
For serial console:
Connect the newly created media to your Pandaboard and power on. No further steps are required and your system should boot to a text based log in prompt (serial image) or to a graphical log in (XFCE Desktop image). The default root password is "fedoraarm". This should be changed immediately.
bash boot-vexpress vmlinuz-3.4.2-3.fc17.armv7hl initramfs-3.4.2-3.fc17.armv7hl.img /<path>/<to-image>/Fedora-17-armhfp-vexpress-mmcblk0.img
For XFCE Desktop:
bash boot-vexpress+x vmlinuz-3.4.2-3.fc17.armv7hl initramfs-3.4.2-3.fc17.armv7hl.img /<path>/<to-image>/Fedora-17-armhfp-vexpress-xfce-mmcblk0.img


==Known Issues==
==Known Issues==
* Yum requires the system time be correct for HTTPS to function.  If yum updates are not working check your clock.
* Yum requires the system time be correct for HTTPS to function.  If yum updates are not working check your clock.
* Versatile Express images require the kernel parameter 'physmap.enabled=0' be passed to boot correctly.  This is included in the boot-vexpress and boot-vexpress+x scripts.
* The tar.xz rootfs archives do not preserve SELinux information or file capabilities.  If you use these to create your own filesystem image it is recommended that you switch SELinux to use warnings instead of enforcing for first boot, then relabel and reinstall packages that rely upon filesystem capabilities such as glibc-common and ping.
* The tar.xz rootfs archives do not preserve SELinux information or file capabilities.  If you use these to create your own filesystem image it is recommended that you switch SELinux to use warnings instead of enforcing for first boot, then relabel and reinstall packages that rely upon filesystem capabilities such as glibc-common and ping.
* Images are designed to be written to 2GB (console) or 4GB (xfce) SD cards.  On first boot the partition will be resized to the maximum allowable amount.  On the second boot the filesystem will be resized to fill the expanded partition.  This works for SD cards, SATA Disks, and SSD drives.
* [[Common_F17_bugs|Known release issues]]
* [[Common_F17_bugs|Known release issues]]


=Additional Support=
= Additional Support =
There are Fedora ARM users all around the globe - if you need assistance, would like to provide feedback or contribute to Fedora ARM please visit us on the IRC - we can be found in #fedora-arm on Freenode. You can also contact us on the mailing list - arm@lists.fedoraproject.org
There are Fedora ARM users all around the globe - if you need assistance, would like to provide feedback or contribute to Fedora ARM please visit us on the IRC - we can be found in {{fpchat|#fedora-arm}} on Freenode. You can also contact us on the mailing list - {{fplist|arm}}

Latest revision as of 02:27, 18 January 2013

Versatile Express

The Versatile Express family of development platforms provides users with a modular board design for use testing different ARM SOC design implementations. QEMU provides the ability to emulate ARM Versatile Express for Cortex-A9 on your desktop computer for easy experimentation!

Technical Specifications

  • ARM Versatile Express for Cortex-A9
  • 1GB RAM
  • 10/100Mbit/s Ethernet

For more information on Versatile Express or QEMU visit their websites.

Running Fedora through QEMU

This page will give you detailed instructions for running Fedora 17 GA through QEMU. There are four images to choose from when using Versatile Express through QEMU - Hard and Soft Float Versatile Express Images that boot either to a serial console or the XFCE desktop environment. If you're not sure which to use, likely you will want to download the Hard Float image. Each requires an external kernel and initrd with a good qemu-system-arm command line; all of which is provided in the boot directory of the kernel file link (or you can extract the files from the main image). This guide will assume you have downloaded both the kernel package and the image.

Download the image

The first step is to download the Fedora 17 image and optional kernel package for the image you wish to boot. (Note: The image also includes the kernel, but for ease of use the kernel is also provided in a separate package)

Preparing the Image

Linux Users

Extract the downloaded Versatile Express image and kernel using the your graphical user interface or the following commandline option(note in this example we are using the HFP Image):

For the Serial Image: 

unxz Fedora-17-armhfp-vexpress-mmcblk0.img.xz
unxz Fedora-17-armhfp-vexpress-mmcblk0-kernel.tar.xz

For the XFCE Desktop: 

unxz Fedora-17-armhfp-vexpress-xfce-mmcblk0.img.xz
unxz Fedora-17-armhfp-vexpress-xfce-mmcblk0-kernel.tar.xz

Windows Users

QEMU is also available on Windows but is not yet covered in this guide. For more information on running QEMU on Windows please visit their website.

Using Fedora through QEMU

First you will need to install the ARM QEMU package (this example is using Fedora) 

yum install qemu-system-arm

Once installed, change to the boot directory of the extracted kernel package: 

cd armhfp-vexpress-mmcblk0/boot

From there execute the provided script. Depending on which option you selected for your download:

For serial console: 

bash boot-vexpress vmlinuz-3.4.2-3.fc17.armv7hl initramfs-3.4.2-3.fc17.armv7hl.img /<path>/<to-image>/Fedora-17-armhfp-vexpress-mmcblk0.img

For XFCE Desktop: 

bash boot-vexpress+x vmlinuz-3.4.2-3.fc17.armv7hl initramfs-3.4.2-3.fc17.armv7hl.img /<path>/<to-image>/Fedora-17-armhfp-vexpress-xfce-mmcblk0.img

Known Issues

  • Yum requires the system time be correct for HTTPS to function. If yum updates are not working check your clock.
  • Versatile Express images require the kernel parameter 'physmap.enabled=0' be passed to boot correctly. This is included in the boot-vexpress and boot-vexpress+x scripts.
  • The tar.xz rootfs archives do not preserve SELinux information or file capabilities. If you use these to create your own filesystem image it is recommended that you switch SELinux to use warnings instead of enforcing for first boot, then relabel and reinstall packages that rely upon filesystem capabilities such as glibc-common and ping.
  • Known release issues

Additional Support

There are Fedora ARM users all around the globe - if you need assistance, would like to provide feedback or contribute to Fedora ARM please visit us on the IRC - we can be found in #fedora-arm[?] on Freenode. You can also contact us on the mailing list - arm

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