Android porting to beagle board using Ubuntu on your machine

Kaushik Prajapati

E-mail: kaushikprajapati@gmail.com

San Jose State University

Computer Engineering Department

STEP 1: Install the necessary software in order to compile and build the Android

For Ubuntu Linux (32-bit x86) users:

To set up your Linux development environment, make sure you have the following:

Required Packages:

Git 1.5.4 or newer and the GNU Privacy Guard.

JDK 5.0, update 12 or higher. Java 6 is not supported, because of incompatibilities with

@Override.

flex, bison, gperf, libsdl-dev, libesd0-dev, libwxgtk2.6-dev (optional), build-essential, zip, curl.

$ sudo apt-get install git-core gnupg sun-java5-jdk flex bison gperf

libsdl-dev libesd0-dev libwxgtk2.6-dev build-essential zip curl

libncurses5-dev zlib1g-dev

You might also want Valgrind, a tool that will help you find memory leaks, stack corruption,

array bounds overflows, etc.

$ sudo apt-get install valgrind

Intrepid (8.10) users may need a newer version of libreadline:

$ sudo apt-get install lib32readline5-dev

For Ubuntu Linux (64-bit x86) users:

This has not been as well tested. Please send success or failure reports to android-

porting@googlegroups.com.

The Android build requires a 32-bit build environment as well as some other tools:

Required Packages:

Git, JDK, flex, and the other packages as listed above in the i386 instructions:

JDK 5.0, update 12 or higher. Java 6 is not supported, because of incompatibilities with

@Override.

Pieces from the 32-bit cross-building environment

X11 development

$ sudo apt-get install git-core gnupg flex bison gperf build-essential

zip curl sun-java5-jdk zlib1g-dev gcc-multilib g++-multilib libc6-dev-

i386 lib32ncurses5-dev ia32-libs x11proto-core-dev libx11-dev

lib32readline5-dev lib32z-dev

Set the system to use the right version of java by default:

$ sudo update-java-alternatives -s java-1.5.0-sun

X11: Ubuntu doesn't have packages for the X11 libraries, but that can be worked around with

the following command:

$ sudo ln -s /usr/lib32/libX11.so.6 /usr/lib32/libX11.so

STEP 2: Installing Repo

Repo is a tool that makes it easier to work with Git in the context of Android. For more

information about Repo, see Using Repo and Git.

To install, initialize, and configure Repo, follow these steps:

1.Make sure you have a ~/bin directory in your home directory, and check to be sure that this

bin directory is in your path:

$ cd ~

$ mkdir bin

$ echo $PATH

2.If you don't have the bin directory in your path then:

$ sudo gedit ~/.bashrc

At the end of the file type following line to be able to put bin directory in your path.

export PATH=$PATH:/home/owner/bin

3.Download the repo script and make sure it is executable:

$ curl http://android.git.kernel.org/repo >~/bin/repo

$ chmod a+x ~/bin/repo

STEP 3: Initializing Repo Client

1.Create an empty directory to hold your working files:

$ mkdir beagledroid

$ cd beagledroid

2.Run repo init to bring down the latest version of Repo with all its most recent bug fixes. You

must specify the Url for the manifest.

$ repo init -u

git://labs.embinux.org/repo/android/platform/beaglemanifest.git/

3. When prompted, configure Repo with your real name and email address. If you plan to

submit code, use an email address that is associated with a Google account.

A successful initialization will end with a message such as

repo initialized in /mydroid

What will my name and email be used for?

To use the Gerrit code-review tool, you will need an email address that is connected with a

registered Google account (which does not have to be a Gmail address). Make sure this is a live

address at which you can receive messages. The real name that you provide here will show up

in attributions for your code submissions.

What is a manifest file?

The Android source files are divided among a number of different repositories. A manifest file

contains a mapping of where the files from these repositories will be placed within your

working directory when you synchronize your files.

STEP 4: Getting Files (Syncing Files)

Make sure you are there in the directory that you created which is “beagledroid”

To pull down files to your working directory from the repositories as specified in the default

manifest, run

$ repo sync

For more about repo sync and other Repo commands, see Using Repo and Git.

The Android source files will be located in your working directory under their project names.

STEP 5: Verfiying Git tags

Load the following public key into your GnuPG key database. The key is used to sign

annotated tags that represent releases.

$ gpg --import

then paste the key(s) below, and press Control-D to end the input and process the keys

key 9AB10E78: "The Android Open Source Project <initial-

contribution@android.com>"

-----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----

Version: GnuPG v1.4.2.2 (GNU/Linux)

mQGiBEnnWD4RBACt9/h4v9xnnGDou13y3dvOx6/t43LPPIxeJ8eX9WB+8LLuROSV

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EXzeoxcdoafxqf6gZlJZlACgkWF7wi2YLW3Oa+jv2QSTlrx4KLM=

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-----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----

STEP 6: Building the code

To build the files, run make from within your working directory:

$ cd ~/beagledroid

$ make

if you have multiple core in your CPU then you can run “make -j 2” instead of

“make”. This will make the build processor faster by running tasks concurrently.

STEP 7: Android Root file system

Now, after you are done with the android build. It's the time to get the android file system

Get inside your working directory beagledroid

$ cd beagledroid/out/target/product/generic/

$ mkdir Android_RFS

$ cd Android_RFS

$ cp -a ../root/* ./

$ cp -a ../datat/* ./ data/

$ cp -a ../system/* ./ system/

$ sudo chown -R root.root *

$ sudo chmod -R 777 data system

Figure 7.1 Android_RFS folder under the generic directory

Figure 7.2 Contents of the Android_RFS folder after copying all necessary items

STEP 8: Downloading the tool chain

$ cd /opt

Download the tool chain from the following link

http://www.embinux.com/download_file.php?type=android_toolchain

Extract the tool chain in the opt folder

STEP 9: Building the kernel

$ export CC_PATH=/opt/arm-2007q3/bin/arm-none-linux-gnueabi-

$ cd beagleboard/kernel ../vendor/embilinux/support-

tools/beagle_build_kernel.sh

STEP 10: SD Card partition (one of the important step)

1. Check to see if the automounter has mounted the SD Card

Note there may be more than one partition (only one shown in the example below).

Note : All the inputs within [ ] are by user

$ [df -h]

Filesystem Size Used Avail Use% Mounted on

...

/dev/sdc1 400M 94M 307M 24% /media/disk

...

2. Start fdisk

$ [sudo fdisk /dev/sdc]

3. Print the partition record

Command (m for help): [p]

Disk /dev/sdc: 2021 MB, 2021654528 bytes

255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 245 cylinders

Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System

/dev/sdc1 * 1 246 1974240+ c W95 FAT32 (LBA)

Partition 1 has different physical/logical endings:

phys=(244, 254, 63) logical=(245, 200, 19)

4. Delete any partitions that are there already

Command (m for help): [d]

Selected partition 1

5. Set the Geometry of the SD Card

If the print out above does not show 255 heads, 63 sectors/track, then do the following

expert mode steps to redo the SD Card:

Go into expert mode.

Command (m for help): [x]

Set the number of heads to 255.

Expert Command (m for help): [h]

Number of heads (1-256, default xxx): [255]

Set the number of sectors to 63.

Expert Command (m for help): [s]

Number of sectors (1-63, default xxx): [63]

Now Calculate the number of Cylinders for your SD Card.

#cylinders = FLOOR (the number of Bytes on the SD Card (from above) / 255 / 63 /

512 )

So for this example: 2021654528 / 255 / 63 / 512 = 245.79. So we use 245 (i.e.

truncate, don't round). In my case it came out 240.

Set the number of cylinders to the number calculated.

Expert Command (m for help): [c]

Number of cylinders (1-256, default xxx): [enter the number you calculated]

Return to Normal mode.

Expert Command (m for help): [r]

6. Print the partition record to check your work

Command (m for help): [p]

Disk /dev/sdc: 2021 MB, 2021654528 bytes

255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 245 cylinders

Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System

7. Create the FAT32 partition for booting and transferring files from Windows

Command (m for help): [n]

Command action

e extended

p primary partition (1-4)

[p]

Partition number (1-4): [1]

First cylinder (1-245, default 1): [(press Enter)]

Using default value 1

Last cylinder or +size or +sizeM or +sizeK (1-245, default 245): [+50]

Command (m for help): [t]

Selected partition 1

Hex code (type L to list codes): [c]

Changed system type of partition 1 to c (W95 FAT32 (LBA))

8. Mark it as bootable

Command (m for help): [a]

Partition number (1-4): [1]

9. Create the Linux partition for the root file system

Command (m for help): [n]

Command action

e extended

p primary partition (1-4)

[p]

Partition number (1-4): [2]

First cylinder (52-245, default 52): [(press Enter)]

Using default value 52

Last cylinder or +size or +sizeM or +sizeK (52-245, default 245): [(press Enter)]

Using default value 245

10. Print to Check Your Work

Command (m for help): [p]

Disk /dev/sdc: 2021 MB, 2021654528 bytes

255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 245 cylinders

Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System

/dev/sdc1 * 1 51 409626 c W95 FAT32 (LBA)

/dev/sdc2 52 245 1558305 83 Linux

11. Save the new partition records on the SD Card

Command (m for help): [w]

The partition table has been altered!

Calling ioctl() to re-read partition table.

WARNING: Re-reading the partition table failed with error 16: Device or resource

busy.

The kernel still uses the old table.

The new table will be used at the next reboot.

WARNING: If you have created or modified any DOS 6.x

partitions, please see the fdisk manual page for additional

information.

Syncing disks.

12. Format the partitions

$ [sudo mkfs.msdos -F 32 /dev/sdc1 -n beagleboot]

mkfs.msdos 2.11 (12 Mar 2005)

$ [sudo mkfs.ext3 -L disk /dev/sdc2]

mke2fs 1.40-WIP (14-Nov-2006)

Filesystem label=

OS type: Linux

Block size=4096 (log=2)

Fragment size=4096 (log=2)

195072 inodes, 389576 blocks

19478 blocks (5.00%) reserved for the super user

First data block=0

Maximum filesystem blocks=402653184

12 block groups

32768 blocks per group, 32768 fragments per group

16256 inodes per group

Superblock backups stored on blocks:

32768, 98304, 163840, 229376, 294912

Writing inode tables: done

Creating journal (8192 blocks): done

Writing superblocks and filesystem accounting information:

Note: Wait for some time to let the process finish and then simply remove your SD card

from the slot and put it back. You can now see the partition by the name of beagleboot

and disk. Also, while dealing with SD card if you run into any problem then download the

following tool and format it. http://www.sdcard.org/consumers/formatter/eula

STEP 11: Putting stuff into SD card dos partition “beagleboot”

Open the following link

http://code.google.com/p/beagleboard/wiki/BeagleboardRevCValidation

Copy the following files on to SD card beagleboot partition:

1. MLO as MLO

2. u-boot as u-boot.bin

3. u-boot for flash as u-boot-f.bin

4. reset.scr as boot.scr

5. x-loader image as x-load.bin.ift

Go to the following directory in the beagledroid

$ cd beagledroid/kernel/arch/arm/boot

And rename the uImage file to uImage.bin and copy it to the SD card beagleboot dos partition

Now we have to create our own normal.sh file.

$ gedit normal.sh

#!/bin/sh

cat <<EOF > normal.cmd

if fatload mmc 0 80200000 uImage.bin

then

echo ***** Kernel: /dev/mmcblk0p1/uImage.bin *****

else

echo ***** Kernel: /dev/mtd3 *****

nand read 80200000 280000 400000

fi

if fatload mmc 0 81600000 ramdisk.gz

then

echo ***** RootFS: /dev/mmcblk0p1/ramdisk.gz *****

setenv bootargs 'console=ttyS2,115200n8 console=tty0 root=/dev/ram0 rw ramdisk_size=32768

initrd=0x81600000,32M'

else

echo ***** RootFS: /dev/mmcblk0p2 *****

setenv bootargs 'console=ttyS2,115200n8 noinitrd rootfstype=ext3 root=/dev/mmcblk0p2 rw rootdelay=1

nohz=off omapfb.video_mode=1280x720MR-24@60 init=/init androidboot.console=ttyS2'

fi

bootm 80200000

EOF

mkimage -A arm -O linux -T script -C none -a 0 -e 0 -n 'Execute uImage.bin' -d normal.cmd normal.scr

Now save the file and run it.

$ sh normal.sh

It will generate normal.cmd and normal.scr files. Copy these files to the SD card beagleboot

dos partition.

STEP 12: Putting stuff into SD card ext3 partition “disk”

Now we have to copy the Android_RFS root file system to the other partition of the SD card.

$ ~/beagledroid/out/target/product/generic/Android_RFS cp -a

./* /media/disk

STEP 13: Unmount the SDCARD

$ umount /media/beagleboot

$ umount /media/disk

Final Content of the SD card partitions:

Figure 13.1 Content of SD card dos partition

Figure 13.2 Final content of the SD card partition 2

STEP 14: Booting Android from SD card on beagleboard

1. Connect HDMI to DVI-D connector to the beagle board and monitor

2. Plug in the SD card on its slot on the beagleboard

3. Press the User button on the board, while it is pressed plug in the cable into OTG

USB port and release the User button.

Figure 14.1 Beagleboard Screen Shot

Figure 14.2 Screen 1

HDMI Port and cable

USB OTG to power on

the kit

SD card (2 GB SanDisk)

Figure 14.3 Screen 2

Figure 14.4 Screen 3

Figure 14.5 Screen 4 (android up and running)

References:

http://source.android.com/download

http://labs.embinux.org/index.php/Android_Porting_Guide_to_Beagle_Board#Booting_Androi

d_on_board_from_MMC.2FSD

http://code.google.com/p/beagleboard/wiki/LinuxBootDiskFormat

http://code.google.com/p/beagleboard/wiki/BeagleboardRevCValidation