Newbie and linux on virtex-II ppc

[Grant Likely]

On 8/27/07, schardt <g.schardt at fz-juelich.de> wrote:
> im a student from germany and i try to run linux on a virtex-II with
> integrated powerpc.
> i use the developer board DS-DB-2VP4/7-FG456 from Memec ( i think its
> now avnet)
>
> what is running :
>
>   - Xilinx EDK project (standalone program running fine, and BSP files
> are generated)
>     the project has only one UARTLITE, 82MB SDRAM and a few kByte
> blockram, and the systemace interface
>
>   - crosscompiler toolchain works
>
>   - after modified some defines in the xparameters.h i got a linux 2.4.
> kernel (linuxppc) without compiler errors

I strongly recommend trying to bring up a 2.6 kernel, it's much easier.

>     and yes, the uartlite driver is enabled :)

Don't modify xparams by hand; it's not worth the trouble.  Go into
software setting in your EDK project and select 'linux-2.6' as the OS.
 Generate the libraries and copy the generated xparameters_ml40x.h
into your kernel tree.

>
>
> but, when downloading the zImage.elf via XMD to the SDRAM and starting
> it with the run command nothing happens , or  i think that nothings
> happens because the serial port is quiet.

You can always use System.map in the kernel tree to find out where
__log_buf was linked to.  Look at that location with the debugger to
see if there is a crash message that didn't get printed out.

>
> is it possible to run a kernel that way ? or need i some kind of
> bootloader ?
> or is this complete the wrong way ?

Yes, I use this same method to bring up a kernel on Virtex boards
which don't have a bootloader.

-- 
Grant Likely, B.Sc., P.Eng.
Secret Lab Technologies Ltd.
grant.likely at secretlab.ca
(403) 399-0195