Skip to Content

Older Boards

Last modified by Microchip on 2026/09/23 10:08

Archive of older boards

Getting Started for AT91SAM9x5-EK

Getting Started for SAMA5D3-EK

Getting Started for SAMA5D4-EK

Getting Started SAM9

Introduction

This page is a starting point for the Linux4SAM offer and allows you to easily get a running embedded Linux distribution on AT91 products.

This Getting started describes also how a Linux4SAM system boots and how binaries are installed on FLASH memories. For each topic a more detailed section exists with in-depth description, valuables web links, source code how to rebuild used binaries.

Linux4SAM Getting Started map

Click on the image up above to select a topic.

Boot sequence

Several pieces of software are involved to boot a linux kernel on SAM products. First is the ROM code which is in charge to check if a valid application is present on supported media (FLASH, DATAFLASH, NANDFLASH, SDCARD).

The boot sequence of linux4SAM is done in several steps :

  1. Boot Program - ROM Code - Checks if a valid application is present in FLASH and if it is the case downloads it into internal SRAM.
    For more information on this topic, please check the Boot strategies section and particularly the Boot capabilities matrix.
  2. AT91Bootstrap - In charge of hardware configuration, downloads U-Boot binary from FLASH to SDRAM / DDRAM, starts the bootloader (third level bootloader actually)
  3. U-Boot - The bootloader, in charge of downloading kernel binaries from FLASH, network, SD card, etc. It then loads the Device Tree Binary and starts the Linux kernel.
  • Linux kernel - The kernel of the Operating System.
  • Root Filesystem - Contains applications which are executed on the target, using the OS kernel services.

linux_boot_sequence.png

Linux4SAM NandFlash demo - Memory map

demo_nandflash_map_lnx4sam4x.png

Requirements

Hardware

  • a Windows XP host (or later) or a Linux distribution to run the SAM-BA tool ;
  • power supply stocked with the Evaluation Kit ;
  • USB or micro-USB Device Cable ;
  • serial Cross Cable (Female-Female) or a type A-micro-B USB cable ;
  • the Evaluation Kit. Check below what kits look like and how to connect them :
  
AT91SAM9G20-EKAT91SAM9M10G45-EKAT91SAM9x5-EK (1)
AT91SAM9G20-EKAT91SAM9M10G45-EKAT91SAM9x5-EK
AT91SAM9N12-EK (2)  
AT91SAM9N12-EK  
  

Software

  • a serial terminal emulator (HyperTerminal, minicom, etc.) :

Exceptions:

  • sama5d2 revision A, only to access the ROMCode through serial interface and see the RomBOOT message appearing, configure your serial line to 57600.
    Change it back to 115200 for normal operation.
    All components and demo binaries are now configured to work at 115200 8-N-1.

The usual serial communication parameters are 115200 8-N-1 :

  
Baud rate115200
Data8 bits
ParityNone
Stop1 bit
Flow controlNone
  
  • the SAM-BA tool => Check the SoftwareTools page ;
  • the demo archive provided just below. This archive contains :
    • all components binaries : AT91Bootstrap, U-Boot, the Device Tree Binary, Linux kernel, root filesystem ;
    • a TCL/SAM-BA script that interfaces with the SAM-BA tool to flash the demo ;
    • a .bat or .sh script able to run the flashing script calling SAM-BA itself.

Demo archives

  
BoardDescriptionBinarySources location
AT91SAM9X5-EKLinux4SAM BuildRoot based demolinux4sam-buildroot-at91sam9x5ek_linux4sam_4.2.zip (~ 29 MB)
md5: 74b6cf2b9d2238419c76661ceda5d34c		AT91Bootstrap
U-Boot
Linux Kernel
BuildRoot
AT91SAM9M10G45-EKLinux4SAM BuildRoot based demolinux4sam-buildroot-at91sam9m10g45ek_linux4sam_4.2.zip (~ 35 MB)
md5: 23231be8b30c23441d767b3b848a9871		AT91Bootstrap
U-Boot
Linux Kernel
BuildRoot
AT91SAM9G20-EKLinux4SAM BuildRoot based demolinux4sam-buildroot-at91sam9g20ek_linux4sam_4.2.zip (~ 35 MB)
md5: 50498d0c36b4b5c213e82edd57737ca3		AT91Bootstrap
U-Boot
Linux Kernel
BuildRoot
  
  
  

Flashing a demo on AT91 boards

Before flashing the demo, make sure that you have installed the SAM-BA tool on your host computer.

Then you will have to choose the proper procedure depending on the Evaluation Kit that you have. Note however that the procedure is extremely similar whichever EK board you may choose.

  
Flashing AT91SAM9G20-EKFlashing AT91SAM9M10G45-EKFlashing AT91SAM9x5-EK

AT91SAM9G20-EK

AT91SAM9M10G45-EK

AT91SAM9x5-EK

Flashing AT91SAM9N12-EK  

AT91SAM9N12-EK

  
  

Recent FAQ

Failed to execute the [velocity] macro. Cause: [(conn=981) Disk got full writing './tmp/#sql-subquery-450-3d5-2f64' (Errcode: 28 "No space left on device")]. Click on this message for details.

Notes

1 : *AT91SAM9x5-EK*: common board for every AT91SAM9x5 chip in the family.
2 : *AT91SAM9N12-EK*: common board for every AT91SAM9N1x, AT91SAM9CN1x chip in the family.