Installing Linux on eMMC

[dsmc...@gmail.com]

I run ArchLinux ARM on my BBB from the on board eMMC.  I create a microSD image on another ARM Linux system (a PogoPlug) and install that image on the eMMC using a series of three scripts.

Script 1 - partitions/formats the microSD card

Script 2 - installs the ArchLinux files on the microSD card

Script 3 - I execute on the BBB once I've booted the BBB with the microSD I just prepared.

There are some custom/unique items in my scripts (e.g., to run Script 2 it assume the Script 3 file called bbb-make-emmc-arch.sh is actually on your Linux system so it can be copied to the microSD card and executed as the last step in my installation process).  Even if you don't use ArchLinux ARM, there is still helpful information for folks who may want to create their own eMMC initialization scripts.  Below are my three scripts ... enjoy.

Script 1

# bbb-fdisk-sd.sh

# This script partitions SD media for use as a boot device for a BeagleBone

# or BeagleBone black.  The first partition (boot) is sized at 16MB.  If you

# want a larger partition, change the code below (look for +16M).  This script

# assumes the device you want to partition is located at /dev/sd?.  Make sure

# you verify the correct device name before proceeding.

DEVICELIST=`ls /dev/sd? 2> /dev/null | sed s:/dev/::`

if [ -z "${DEVICELIST}" ]; then

    echo "ERROR: No /dev/sd? devices"

    exit

fi

clear

echo Device Choices: $DEVICELIST

echo

while true

do

    read -p "Enter device name: " DEVICECHOICE

    if echo "$DEVICECHOICE" | grep -q "$DEVICELIST"

    then

    break

else

  echo "ERROR: You entered an invalid device name."

fi

done

echo

while true

do

    read -p "Are you sure you want to use /dev/$DEVICECHOICE (answer yes or no)? " ANSWER

    case $ANSWER in

        yes ) break;;

        no ) exit;;

        * ) echo "ERROR: Please answer yes or no.";;

    esac

done

fdisk /dev/$DEVICECHOICE << EOF

o

p

n

p

1

+16M

n

p

2

a

1

t

1

e

p

w

EOF

Script 2

# bbb-make-sd-arch.sh

# This script is used to create a new (clean) install of ArchLinux for the BeagleBone or

# BeagleBoneBlack on a microSD card.  Verify your media devices before you proceed.  This

# script assumes your media device is /dev/sd?.  Ensure you have partitioned (fdisk) your

# media before proceeding. You will need two partitions. The first partition does not need

# to be large, but needs to be set to bootable and must be type 'e' which is FAT 16.

# The second partition is a normal Linux partition, probably ext4. If you can't mkfs.vfat,

# download the dosfstools (pacman -Sy dosfstools).

clear

DEVICELIST=`ls /dev/sd? 2> /dev/null | sed s:/dev/::`

if [ -z "${DEVICELIST}" ]; then

echo "ERROR: No /dev/sd? devices"

exit

fi

echo Device Choices: $DEVICELIST

echo

while true

do

read -p "Enter device name: " DEVICECHOICE

if echo "$DEVICECHOICE" | grep -q "$DEVICELIST"

then

break

else

echo "ERROR: You entered an invalid device name."

fi

done

echo

while true

do

read -p "Are you sure you want to use /dev/$DEVICECHOICE (answer yes or no)? " ANSWER

case $ANSWER in

yes) break;;

no) exit;;

*) echo "ERROR: Please answer yes or no.";;

esac

done

BOOTLOADER=BeagleBone-bootloader.tar.gz

ARCHLINUX=ArchLinuxARM-am33x-latest.tar.gz

WORKINGDIR=.

BOOTDEV=/dev/$DEVICECHOICE'1'

BOOTTMP=$WORKINGDIR/boot

ROOTDEV=/dev/$DEVICECHOICE'2'

ROOTTMP=$WORKINGDIR/root

BOOTIMAGE=$ROOTTMP/boot/zImage

BBBSCRIPT=/home/public/bbb-make-emmc-arch.sh

mkfs.vfat -F 16 -n "bootloader" $BOOTDEV

sleep 1

mkfs.ext4 -L "rootfs" $ROOTDEV

sleep 1

mkdir $BOOTTMP

mkdir $ROOTTMP

mount $BOOTDEV $BOOTTMP

mount $ROOTDEV $ROOTTMP

wget http://archlinuxarm.org/os/omap/$BOOTLOADER -O $WORKINGDIR/$BOOTLOADER

sleep 1

wget http://archlinuxarm.org/os/$ARCHLINUX -O $WORKINGDIR/$ARCHLINUX

sleep 1

if which pv &> /dev/null

 then

  pv $WORKINGDIR/$BOOTLOADER | tar xzf - -C $BOOTTMP

  pv $WORKINGDIR/$ARCHLINUX | tar xzf - -C $ROOTTMP

 else

  tar xvf $WORKINGDIR/$BOOTLOADER -C $BOOTTMP

  tar xvf $WORKINGDIR/$ARCHLINUX -C $ROOTTMP

fi

echo "Copying Boot Image"

cp $BOOTIMAGE $BOOTTMP

echo "Copying" $BBBSCRIPT "script to /"

cp $BBBSCRIPT /

echo "Synching"

sync

umount $BOOTTMP

umount $ROOTTMP

rmdir $BOOTTMP

rmdir $ROOTTMP

clear

echo "Upload Complete"

echo

while true

do

read -p "Delete downloaded files (answer yes or no)? " ANSWER

case $ANSWER in

yes )

rm $WORKINGDIR/$BOOTLOADER

rm $WORKINGDIR/$ARCHLINUX

exit

;;

no ) exit;;

* ) echo "ERROR: Please answer yes or no.";;

esac

done

Script 3

# bbb-make-emmc-arch.sh

# This script is used to create a new (clean) install of ArchLinux ARM to the BeagleBone Black's

# onboard eMMC storage.  This script assumes you have booted the BeagleBone Black using a microSD

# card with the appropriate ArchLinux ARM files and now want to install ArchLinux in the onboard

# eMMC memory.

BOOTLOADER=BeagleBone-bootloader.tar.gz

ARCHLINUX=ArchLinuxARM-am33x-latest.tar.gz

WORKINGDIR=/tmp

BOOTDEV=/dev/mmcblk1p1

BOOTTMP=$WORKINGDIR/boot

ROOTDEV=/dev/mmcblk1p2

ROOTTMP=$WORKINGDIR/root

BOOTIMAGE=$ROOTTMP/boot/zImage

clear

while true

do

echo "You need the mkfs.vfat format and wget commands."

echo "Use pacman -Sy wget AND pacman -Sy dosfstools (for vfat format)."

echo 

read -p "Are these two commands installed (answer yes or no)? " ANSWER

case $ANSWER in

yes) break;;

no) exit;;

*) echo "ERROR: Please answer yes or no.";;

esac

done

mkfs.vfat -F 16 -n "bootloader" $BOOTDEV

sleep 1

mkfs.ext4 -L "rootfs" $ROOTDEV

sleep 1

mkdir $BOOTTMP

mkdir $ROOTTMP

mount $BOOTDEV $BOOTTMP

mount $ROOTDEV $ROOTTMP

wget http://archlinuxarm.org/os/omap/$BOOTLOADER -O $WORKINGDIR/$BOOTLOADER

sleep 1

wget http://archlinuxarm.org/os/$ARCHLINUX -O $WORKINGDIR/$ARCHLINUX

sleep 1

if which pv &> /dev/null

 then

  pv $WORKINGDIR/$BOOTLOADER | tar xzf - -C $BOOTTMP

  pv $WORKINGDIR/$ARCHLINUX | tar xzf - -C $ROOTTMP

 else

  tar xvf $WORKINGDIR/$BOOTLOADER -C $BOOTTMP

  tar xvf $WORKINGDIR/$ARCHLINUX -C $ROOTTMP

fi

echo "Copying Boot Image"

cp $BOOTIMAGE $BOOTTMP

echo "Synching"

sync

umount $BOOTTMP

umount $ROOTTMP

rmdir $BOOTTMP

rmdir $ROOTTMP

clear

while true

do

read -p "Delete downloaded files (answer yes or no)? " ANSWER

case $ANSWER in

yes)

rm $WORKINGDIR/$BOOTLOADER

rm $WORKINGDIR/$ARCHLINUX

exit

;;

no) exit;;

*) echo "ERROR: Please answer yes or no.";;

esac

done