Running Linux on the FPGA board

If you want to try Linux on your FPGA board, follow these steps

Requerements

• Install APIO
• Board: Radiona ULX3S-12F

Step 1: Flashing linux

Linux is composed of 3 parts that are written into the flash memory at different addresses

• 0x100000 (1024*1024, 1MB). Boot. File: boot.bin
• 0x200000 (1024*1024*2, 2MB), Kernel. File: kernel.bin
• 0x700000 (1024*1024*7), 7MB), DTB. File: kianv32mb.dtb

Step 1.1: Flash the Bootloader

This program is in charge of preparing and initilizing the system for running the linux kernel

• Command:

apio raw "fujprog -l 4 -j FLASH -f $((1024*1024*1))  Linux/boot.bin"

Step 1.2: Flash the Kernel

• Command:

apio raw "fujprog -l 10 -j FLASH -f $((1024*1024*2)) kernel.bin"

This process takes around 4 minutes

Step 1.3: Flash the DTB Image

The DTB (Device Tree Blob) is a binary that contains information about the hardware configuration: devices, system resources, peripherals....

apio raw "fujprog -l 4 -j FLASH -f $((1024*1024*7)) kianv32mb.dtb"

Step 2: Flashing the KianV bitstream

Finally, let's add the KianV Risc-v soc

• Command:

apio raw "fujprog -l 4 -j FLASH Soc-Kianv-ULX3S-12F.bit"

Step 3: Running Linux!

After flashing the Kianv soc, Linux will boot.

Open a serial terminal configured for the custom speed of 3000000 bauds

A very simple and useful terminal for linux is tio

• Command:

tio -m INLCRNL /dev/ttyUSB0 -b 3000000

Now log in as root:

... and you are now ready to feel the power of Linux running on the FPGA...

• Youtube videos: