Debian Edit Modify Build and Flash Kernel

DART-MX8M-MINI - Customizing the Debian Linux kernel

This section describes how to build a new kernel configuration using menuconfig and deploy it.

Building a custom device tree

To build and install a custom device tree, add the filename to G_LINUX_DTB in https://github.com/varigit/debian-var/blob/debian_buster_var01/variscite/imx8mm-var-dart/imx8mm-var-dart.sh

Configuring the kernel

The default kernel configuration file used by Debian is part of the kernel source tree and is located at:

~/var_mx8mm_dart_debian_buster/src/kernel/arch/arm64/configs/imx8_var_defconfig

To configure the kernel using Debian:

Modifying the kernel configuration

To modify the kernel configuration (add/remove features and drivers) please follow the steps below:

$ cd ~/var_mx8mm_dart_debian_buster/src/kernel
$ sudo make ARCH=arm64 mrproper
$ sudo make ARCH=arm64 imx8_var_defconfig
$ sudo make ARCH=arm64 menuconfig

Navigate the menu and select the desired kernel functionality

Exit the menu and answer "Yes" when asked "Do you wish to save your new configuration?"

$ sudo make ARCH=arm64 savedefconfig
$ sudo cp arch/arm64/configs/imx8_var_defconfig arch/arm64/configs/imx8_var_defconfig.orig
$ sudo cp defconfig arch/arm64/configs/imx8_var_defconfig

Building a new kernel configuration

Build the kernel image, dtb files and kernel modules

$ cd ~/var_mx8mm_dart_debian_buster
$ sudo MACHINE=imx8mm-var-dart ./var_make_debian.sh -c kernel
$ sudo MACHINE=imx8mm-var-dart ./var_make_debian.sh -c modules

Note: If you have modules newly added / removed, make sure you run the following command:

$ sudo MACHINE=imx8mm-var-dart ./var_make_debian.sh -c rtar

This will create a rootfs.tar.gz file that contains your new modules.

Deploy Kernel, dtb via network

Updating Device tree to target

Transfer dtbs to target
On PC:

$ cd ~/var_mx8mm_dart_debian_buster
$ scp output/*.dtb root@<yourboard-ip>:/boot/

Once prompted give root as password. <yourboard-ip> is ipaddress of your board.
Once transfer is done, follow below commands
On Target Console:

# sync;reboot

Note: If you just intend to do dtb, then only follow this section and reboot the target

Updating kernel Image to target

Transfer the output/Image.gz kernel image to target
On PC:

$ scp output/Image.gz root@<yourboard-ip>:/boot/

Once prompted give root as password. <yourboard-ip> is ipaddress of your board.
Once transfer is done, follow below commands
On Target Console:

# sync;reboot