Flash kernel and copy rootfs (bifferboard)

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Flash kernel and copy rootfs

You will need to obtain an RS232 level shifter to allow your Linux PC to communicate with the board, since the serial port uses 3.3v signals instead of the usual 12 volts found in an RS232 connector. Alternatively you can use a mobile phone data cable. Siemens A55,SL55,A60,CF62 or CX65+ mobile phones use USB data cables which are compatible, although some experimentation will be required to ascertain which wires are RX, TX and ground signals.

Please note that no responsibility will be taken for damage to a Bifferboard by connecting incompatible signal levels. Please also note that we cannot take returns on these boards once they have been soldered, so please ensure your board works correctly *prior* to any modifications.

The upload scripts mentioned below can be found in the subversion repository: http://bifferboard.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/bifferboard/wrt/

Flashing the kernel (Biffboards before 10 May 2009 i.e. BiffBoot 1.2)

The kernel will need to be transferred to the Bifferboard.

Assuming you have connected a serial cable to the board this is done with the bb_upload.py script. You will need to supply the name of your serial device as argument:

# python bb_upload.py /dev/ttyUSB0

Apply power to the Bifferboard. Transmission should start. You will get a display of progress, this is a count of the number of 8192-byte chunks of kernel which have been programmed.

The display should stop updating every second once the kernel has been transferred. At this point you will be dropped into a terminal with access to the bootloader. Press '4' as directed and the kernel will boot.

Flashing the kernel (Biffboards from 10 May 2009 i.e. BiffBoot 2.0)

The bb_eth_upload.py script is used for this.  No serial cable is
required, but there must be a network connection between Bifferboard and
Linux PC.  The script requires the network interface name on your Linux PC,
the MAC address of the Bifferboard (see the printed sticker on the board)
and the name of the image to flash.  You will need to be root to run this
command.  Example:

# python bb_eth_upload.py eth0 a1:b2:c3:d4:e5:f6 bzImage

After running you will need to switch on your Bifferboard within about 
10 seconds or the program will timeout.  A display of progress will be
printed and when the operation is complete the Bifferboard will 
immediately attempt to boot the new kernel.

Flashing the kernel (Biffboards from 11 June 2009 i.e. BiffBoot 2.1)

Biffboot v2.1 supports both methods of flashing, in case users run into difficulty with either one.  In this case 
either script may be used (bb_eth_upload.py or bb_upload.py).

Copying the rootfs

You need to unpack the tarball onto an EXT2-formatted USB flash drive partition.

You can, of course use a USB hard drive instead. In either case the rootfs must be on the first partition (e.g. /dev/sda1), e.g:

# mkfs.ext2 /dev/sda1

# mount /dev/sda1 mnt

# cd mnt

# tar xvfz ../openwrt/bin/openwrt-bifferboard-rootfs.tgz

bifferboard

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