A way to force build of factory image even if too big

PureBasic · July 27, 2019, 11:01am

Hello all,

Question is in the title, I'm looking for a way to force the image builder to output the *-factory.bin even if it is too big. Will be flashed via u-boot TFTP.

Also, where are the maximum sizes for images declared ? I can't find anything appart from the SPI flash memory map in the .dts file. (real target is a MT7688 with 128MiB ram and 32MiB flash).

My final objective is to create a custom board and boot from an SD card.

juppin · July 27, 2019, 11:09am

Hello new member,

take a look into the following file and you will find your answer...

github.com

openwrt/openwrt/blob/master/target/linux/ramips/image/mt76x8.mk

#
# MT76x8 Profiles
#

define Device/alfa-network_awusfree1
  MTK_SOC := mt7628an
  IMAGE_SIZE := 7872k
  DEVICE_VENDOR := ALFA Network
  DEVICE_MODEL := AWUSFREE1
  DEVICE_PACKAGES := uboot-envtools
endef
TARGET_DEVICES += alfa-network_awusfree1

define Device/buffalo_wcr-1166ds
  MTK_SOC := mt7628an
  IMAGE_SIZE := 7936k
  BUFFALO_TAG_PLATFORM := MTK
  BUFFALO_TAG_VERSION := 9.99
  BUFFALO_TAG_MINOR := 9.99
  IMAGES += factory.bin

This file has been truncated. show original

Greets and happy porting your custom device.

PureBasic · July 27, 2019, 12:20pm

Hi ! Thanks, that was quick.

So the hlk-7628 is not actually making a factory.bin ?

I tried to modify the mk file like this:

define Device/hilink_hlk-7628n
  MTK_SOC := mt7628an
  IMAGE_SIZE := 32448k
## added these lines
  IMAGE += factory.bin
  IMAGE/factory.bin := \
        $$(sysupgrade_bin) | check-size $$$$(IMAGE_SIZE) | jcg-header 92.122
##
  DEVICE_VENDOR := HILINK
  DEVICE_MODEL := HLK-7628N
endef
TARGET_DEVICES += hilink_hlk-7628n

Still no factory image. I'm confused here.

juppin · July 27, 2019, 8:44pm

Do you checked the build log for missing options...
Don't know what jgc-header requires...

The author of the commit for you modified device suggest a installation through tftp and this does not need a installation over the vendor web gui or something else...

Why do you need a factory bin?
Easy installation?
Please describe your goal more clearly...

PureBasic · July 28, 2019, 11:00pm

Yeah, I'm designing a board so I would prefer first to be able to flash the firmware directly from uboot to quickly test different device tree and drivers.

juppin · July 29, 2019, 2:57pm

I think you don't need a factory image for your purpose...
A factory image is mostly a wrapped sysupgrade image with additional headers or something else to match the requirements of a specific board / device vendor.

Why do you think you need a factory image?

PureBasic · July 29, 2019, 3:10pm

Do you mean I could directly flash the ROM with a sysupgrade image ?

juppin · July 29, 2019, 3:27pm

Yes.

Take al look here...

github.com

openwrt/openwrt/blob/master/target/linux/ramips/image/Makefile#L23


DEVICE_VARS += SERCOMM_HWID SERCOMM_HWVER SERCOMM_SWVER
DEVICE_VARS += JCG_MAXSIZE


loadaddr-y := 0x80000000
loadaddr-$(CONFIG_TARGET_ramips_rt288x) := 0x88000000
loadaddr-$(CONFIG_TARGET_ramips_mt7621) := 0x80001000


KERNEL_LOADADDR := $(loadaddr-y)


KERNEL_DTB = kernel-bin | append-dtb | lzma
define Device/Default
  PROFILES = Default
  KERNEL := $(KERNEL_DTB) | uImage lzma
  MTK_SOC :=
  DEVICE_DTS_DIR := ../dts
  DEVICE_DTS = $$(MTK_SOC)_$(1)
  IMAGES := sysupgrade.bin
  SUPPORTED_DEVICES := $(subst _,$(comma),$(1))
  sysupgrade_bin := append-kernel | append-rootfs | pad-rootfs
  IMAGE/sysupgrade.bin := append-kernel | append-rootfs | pad-rootfs | append-metadata | check-size $$$$(IMAGE_SIZE)
endef

The sysupgrade image does contain at first the kernel, then the rootfs and at the end some meta data.

For example, if you have the sysupgrade at address 0x8000000 you will boot it from there with bootm 0x80000000.
Note this is only a example!!!

PureBasic · July 31, 2019, 10:22pm

Hi @juppin

I'm using your solution since two days. Works like a charm. Thank you a lot.