Aarch64 Quickstart Guide
This page will help those new to aarch64(armv8) get started with the Foundation Model provided by ARM. There are a number of options available when using the model, including use of a disk image file or NFS root filesystem, as well as a choice of kernel if you would like to use Systemd or Busybox as the init process.
Download the Foundation Model
The first step will be to download the Foundation model from ARM. The model is not redistributable and will therefor require you to create a free account with ARM. Once completed you will be able to download the Foundation Model and begin.
To run the model you may need to install some additional software with the following command:
sudo yum install xterm xorg-x11-fonts-{misc,100dpi,75dpi}* telnet bridge-utils
Extract the Foundation Model
Once you have downloaded the model, you will need to set up your environment. The model can extracted to a path of your choosing, in this example we will use your home directory. Unpack the model:
mkdir ~/aarch64 cd ~/aarch64 tar xvzf FM000-KT-00035-r0p8-44rel23.tgz
Using the Model with an Image
Using the commands below, download and extract the Aarch64 root filesystem disk image. The disk image will extract to roughly 12GB in size and may take several minutes to unpack depending on your hardware.
cd ~/aarch64 wget http://fedorapeople.org/~pwhalen/aarch64/stage4-root-20130528.img.tar.bz2 tar xvjf stage4-root-20130528.img.tar.bz2
Kernel Packages
The Foundation model seems to have some performance issues when using a serial console, there are two kernel packages to choose from - one that includes the console, the other does not and is intended for use by connecting through ssh. The kernels use the wrapper to set the hostname and networking. For example 'systemd-3.9-image-2G-1.axf' will set a hostname of 'model-1' with and IP address of 10.0.1.2, the default gw should be set to 10.0.1.1. The last number in the kernel name indicates which network, hostname will be used when it boots.
- With console:
wget http://fedorapeople.org/~pwhalen/aarch64/systemd-3.9-image-2G.tar.bz2 tar xvjf systemd-3.9-image-2G.tar.bz2
- No console:
wget http://fedorapeople.org/~pwhalen/aarch64/systemd-3.9-image-ns-2G.tar.bz2 tar xvjf systemd-3.9-image-ns-2G.tar.bz2
Starting the Model
NOTE: You may need to adjust your path for the model depending on the version in use.
- With console:
sudo Foundation_v8pkg/models/Linux64_GCC-4.1/Foundation_v8 \ --image systemd-3.9-image-2G/systemd-3.9-image-2G-1.axf \ --network=bridged \ --network-bridge=ARM1 \ --block-device stage4-root-20130528.img
- No console:
sudo Foundation_v8pkg/models/Linux64_GCC-4.1/Foundation_v8 \ --image systemd-3.9-image-ns-2G/systemd-3.9-image-ns-2G-1.axf \ --network=bridged \ --network-bridge=ARM1 \ --block-device stage4-root-20130528.img
On the host immediately after launching the model:
sudo ifconfig ARM1 10.0.1.1 netmask 255.255.255.0
You should now be able to ssh to the model once it has fully booted. If your using the console enabled kernels you can use telnet to connect to the serial console using the provided ports as it boots, this will also close the xterm popup window.
- For console:
telnet 10.0.1.1 5003 # note this is the IP of the gateway and not the model
The port number seems to be inconsistent and can vary depending on how quickly you attempt to connect, but is usually the last listed port.
- No console (also works on console)
ssh root@10.0.1.2 # note
Using the model with an NFS root
Using the model through an NFS root is no longer recommended or supported here.
Allowing the Model to Connect to the Internet
On the host:
- Enable IP forwarding (as root)
echo 1 > /proc/sys/net/ipv4/ip_forward
- Set up Network Address Translation:
HOSTEXTERNAL=eth0 # Replace this with your outside interface sudo iptables -t nat -A POSTROUTING -o $HOSTEXTERNAL -j MASQUERADE sudo iptables -A FORWARD -i $HOSTEXTERNAL -m conntrack --ctstate RELATED,ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT sudo iptables -A FORWARD -i ARM0 -o $HOSTEXTERNAL -j ACCEPT
- Firewall trouble? Try this:
sudo iptables -A INPUT -i ARM0 -j ACCEPT
The model uses Google's Public DNS server (8.8.8.8) for name resolution (/etc/resolv.conf).
Getting Started with the Aarch64 Bootstrap
Use either ssh or the console to connect to the model, if this is your first time running the model it is recommended to use a kernel that will provide a console for troubleshooting any problems that arise.
Before getting started, its very important to set the correct date on the model, the below example will set the date to 12:00pm, 29 May 2013
date 052912002013
Then execute the script:
/usr/sbin/arm-rebuild.sh
The system should begin building packages for the aarch64 bootstrap, below is an example of the output you should see:
[builder@aarch64 ~]$ /usr/sbin/arm-rebuild.sh building: bouncycastle-1.46-7.fc19 at Thu Apr 25 22:43:27 GMT 2013 INFO: mock.py version 1.1.30 starting... Start: init plugins INFO: selinux disabled Finish: init plugins Start: run INFO: Start(/home/builder/bouncycastle-1.46-7.fc19.src.rpm) Config(stage4-aarch64) Start: lock buildroot Start: clean chroot Finish: clean chroot Finish: lock buildroot Start: chroot init Start: lock buildroot Mock Version: 1.1.30 INFO: Mock Version: 1.1.30 INFO: calling preinit hooks INFO: enabled root cache INFO: enabled yum cache Start: cleaning yum metadata Finish: cleaning yum metadata INFO: enabled ccache Start: device setup Finish: device setup Start: yum update
Notes
- When using the model with a kernel that provides a serial console you may see intermittent 'ttyAMA0: 1 input overrun(s)'.
- Intermittent networking issues with 'partial' file downloads.