readme.txt
1OLPC XO Laptops
2===============
3
4This document explains how to build and run images that run on the OLPC
5XO laptops.
6
7Supported models
8----------------
9
10* OLPC XO-1
11 The original NS Geode based OLPC laptop, uses the x86 architecture.
12 Can be booted either from an internal MTD device formatted with JFFS2
13 or from a FAT or EXT4 partition on a SD card or a USB flash stick.
14
15* OLPC XO-7.5
16 The ARM-based laptop. Needs a recent enough firmware to provide a good
17 enough flattened device tree to the kernel. Can be from a FAT or EXT4
18 partition on a internal eMMC, a SD card or a USB flash stick.
19
20Configure and build
21===================
22
23 $ make olpc_xo1_defconfig # Configure for XO-1
24
25or:
26
27 $ make olpc_xo175_defconfig # Configure for XO-1.75
28
29Then:
30
31 $ make menuconfig # Customize the build configuration
32 $ make # Build
33
34Preparing the machine
35=====================
36
37Firmware security
38-----------------
39
40Most OLPC machines were shipped with the security system that disallows
41booting unsigned software. If this is the case with your machine, in order
42to run the image you've built on it you'll need to get a developer key and
43deactivate the security system.
44
45The procedure is descriped in the OLPC wiki:
46http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Activation_and_Developer_Keys
47
48Firmware upgrade
49----------------
50
51It is always preferrable to use an up to date firmware. The firmware images
52are available at http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Firmware. For the XO-1.75 laptop
53to boot the mainline kernel a firmware Q4E00JA or newer is needed. You can
54get it at http://dev.laptop.org/~quozl/q4e00ja.rom.
55
56To update the firmware, place the .rom file on to your bootable media,
57connect a charged battery pack and a wall adapter, and enter the Open
58Firmware prompt by pressing ESC during the early boot (needs an unlocked
59laptop -- see "Firmware security" above). Then use the "flash" command
60to update the firmware:
61
62 ok flash ext:\q4e00ja.rom \ Flash the "q4e00ja.rom" from the SD card
63 ok flash u:\q4e00ja.rom \ Flash the "q4e00ja.rom" from USB stick
64
65Create the bootable SD card or USB flash stick
66==============================================
67
68When the build is finished, an image file called "sdcard.img" will be created.
69It is suitable for writing directly to a SD card, USB flash stick or (on a
70XO-1.75) the internal eMMC flash.
71
72Before writing the image, please double check that you're using the right
73device (e.g. with "lsblk" command). Doing the following will DESTROY ALL DATA
74that's currently on the media.
75
76 # cat output/images/sdcard.img >/dev/<device>
77
78Flashing the JFFS2 image (XO-1 only)
79====================================
80
81Unlike XO-1.75, the internal NAND flash on XO-1 is accessed without a
82FTL and needs a flash-friendly filesystem. A build configured for XO-1
83creates a file named "root.jffs2" that can be written to it.
84
85One way to write it is from the Open Firmware prompt. First, partition
86and format a USB flash disk with a FAT file system and place the
87"root.jffs2" file onto it. Then power on the machine, enter the
88Open Firmware port by pressing the ESC key and run the following:
89
90 ok patch noop ?open-crcs copy-nand \ Disable CRC check
91 ok copy-nand u:\root.jffs2
92
93Booting the machine
94===================
95
96Once your machine is unlocked, it will automatically boot from your media
97wherever it will detect it attached to the USB bus or the SD card slot,
98otherwise it will proceed booting from the internal flash.
99