picore-kit

[roberts]

If you have a pi then use the parent, i.e., Debian image on pi includes toolchain. Without a pi then try cross-compiling.

However, it appears that Raspbian ( hard float ) is more desirable. So the scripts in picore need to be updated to look for the extended paths used by hard float libraries as well as Core's three custom binaries need to be re-compiled.

However, if you don't have a pi then current Qemu in repository is not suited. Qemu needs an update to better support hard float binary emulation.

So, not sure if the effort is worth it to continue with current soft float Debian image.

Perhaps it is better if time is spent to update Qemu so others without pi can test. Need to co-ordinate with Qemu's contributor.

[roberts]

I suppose  that one could compile from within Qemu using the toolchain provided with the full Debian image.

Extract Debian's rootfs to accomplish.
dd if=debian6-17-02-2012.img of=debian_rootfs skip=15769 count=3256320

Still the question is hard float versus soft.

[caminati]

Next I tried to add GCC from Debian but still result is partial, still can't compile. Finding missing components is a slow procedure.  Does someone have already a working C toolchain running on picore? Would be good to share it somehow not to reinvent the wheel.

Have you looked in
http://landley.net/aboriginal/downloads/binaries/?
I could barely run something thereof due to lack of time, however I had some apparent success on my Allwinner.
I think armv6 is armhf already, but I'm not totally positive.

[bmarkus]

This was interesting to play with a bit, but I have to suspend it now and work on my other projects.

[roberts]

I am in final testing of first kit for generating Core running on Raspbian.

[netnomad]

i'm looking forward to contribute in testing...
... hopefully you provide us some material that we can transform in a working environment.

some more hints a welcomed.

[roberts]

ATM it successfully boots and runs Core's configuration scripts.
Some utilities need to be recompiled for Core's specs.

Again, this takes an existing Raspbian SD card and together with x86 core.gz and creates a new rootfs.
Then the new rootfs overwrites the Raspbian rootfs on 2nd partition.

I can always use help with those comfortable compiling code, i.e,, use their Raspbian and compiling from sources used in Core.
Its a compile and test cycle.

[sanyaade]

These are good steps as I am in for BeagleBoard here and seeing that there is an effort to compile for Raspberry Pi in place. BeagleBoard is an ARM7 cortex A8 by Texas Instruments -- beagleboard.org

I will like to try tc on Beagleboard using your distro. Also I will like to attempt the cross-compile using the CodeSourcery Lite and document it.

Is it possible to cross compile from tinycore linux running on a PC? I mean using cross tools like CodeSourcery, Buildroot, Yocto, etc.., I have used CodeSourcery, buildroot and Yocto to cross compile recently. I believe they could be used for tc Linux as well since they allow you to use custorm linux kernel and external tools.

God blesses!!!

Best regards,
Sanyaade

[roberts]

Arm v7 Cortex A8 sounds more like the Allwinner than Raspberry Pi.
I have posted a prototype Allwinner image. However it is an initramfs and then layered with uBoot.
There are posted instructions to unpack in the Allwinner thread. Perhaps you could try that rootfs on your system. We have been doing both native and cross-compiles. Still early stage but the basics (Core only) seem to be working. The Allwinner effort is further along than the pi.

[roberts]

Updated picore-kit, now a single easier to use script, now posted:
http://distro.ibiblio.org/tinycorelinux/4.x/arm/armv6/
Carefully and fully read the README file.

[roberts]

Now posted the first kit (script) to turn a Raspbian bootable SD card into a Core SD card.
These are considered to be a proof-of-concept and to gauge the interest therein.
See: http://distro.ibiblio.org/tinycorelinux/4.x/arm/armv6/
Carefully and fully read the README file.

[sanyaade]

Thank you all for your reply.

I will look into those points raised and also the links

God blesses!!!

Best regards,
Sanyaade

[roberts]

The picore-kits will be going away as they were an interim step to achieving a bootable Core image using initramfs as is currently the case with x86 Core. The kits were just my attempt to have an open development process. Even though I got very little feedback they served their purpose, if only for me to better understand the task at hand. I will continue to use them (modified) so as to keep the Arm ports in sync with the x86 port.

Raspberry Pi Core will be at about the same stage of development as the Allwinner A10 Core. I will be posting it in the next couple of days. I am only focusing on Core as everything else is an extension. Hopefully some in the community will join me in this Army effort.

[spence91]

Hi roberts - I have a pi but very little time to play with it at the moment - full time job and I've just moved in with the missus which means I can't have piles of electronics all over the place, apparently that's not on.... oh to be a student again...

Like you I tried to use the Raspbian distro as a base and then strip out the basics into something that can be booted using initramfs. *Unlike* you I sort of gave up after a while because I wasn't getting very far, the thing wouldn't boot and honestly I couldn't even find the tinycore shell scripts in the repository and so ended up gettting them from an x86 ISO release and copying them over.

I'm happy to test but that's probably as much as I'll be able to do, perhaps if there's a toolchain I can begin compiling packages.
Keep up the good work.

[roberts]

You should be able to use the tool chain as provided by compiling on the Raspbian release.