A10-Olinuxino-Lime hang on kernel boot

For Developers
1

Hello,

I compile source for A10-Olinuxinu-LIME (sunxi) and while boot it hang on "Starting kernel..."

How to debug this problem ?

U-Boot SPL 2016.03 (Nov 27 2016 - 16:40:20)
DRAM: 512 MiB
CPU: 912000000Hz, AXI/AHB/APB: 3/2/2
Trying to boot from MMC1


U-Boot 2016.03 (Nov 27 2016 - 16:40:20 +0000) Allwinner Technology

CPU:   Allwinner A10 (SUN4I)
Model: Olimex A10-OLinuXino-LIME
I2C:   ready
DRAM:  512 MiB
MMC:   SUNXI SD/MMC: 0
*** Warning - bad CRC, using default environment

In:    serial
Out:   serial
Err:   serial
SCSI:  SUNXI SCSI INIT
SATA link 0 timeout.
AHCI 0001.0100 32 slots 1 ports 3 Gbps 0x1 impl SATA mode
flags: ncq stag pm led clo only pmp pio slum part ccc apst 
Net:   eth0: ethernet@01c0b000
starting USB...
USB0:   USB EHCI 1.00
USB1:   USB OHCI 1.0
USB2:   USB EHCI 1.00
USB3:   USB OHCI 1.0
scanning bus 0 for devices... 1 USB Device(s) found
scanning bus 2 for devices... 1 USB Device(s) found
Hit any key to stop autoboot:  0 
switch to partitions #0, OK
mmc0 is current device
Scanning mmc 0:1...
Found U-Boot script /boot.scr
reading /boot.scr
377 bytes read in 16 ms (22.5 KiB/s)
## Executing script at 43100000
reading uImage
2207976 bytes read in 178 ms (11.8 MiB/s)
reading dtb
24756 bytes read in 29 ms (833 KiB/s)
## Booting kernel from Legacy Image at 42000000 ...
   Image Name:   ARM OpenWrt Linux-4.4.32
   Image Type:   ARM Linux Kernel Image (uncompressed)
   Data Size:    2207912 Bytes = 2.1 MiB
   Load Address: 40008000
   Entry Point:  40008000
   Verifying Checksum ... OK
## Flattened Device Tree blob at 43000000
   Booting using the fdt blob at 0x43000000
   Loading Kernel Image ... OK
   Using Device Tree in place at 43000000, end 430090b3

Starting kernel ...
2

I'd say you need to double check the DTS and Kernel config settings. Is this a custom build or a snapshot binary? Do you have any local modifications in your tree?

3

This is a git source. I have not do any changes.

4

I am experiencing the same issue with the prebuilt binaries of LEDE 17.01.

Is there any workaround? A known issue with the A10 for these type of hangs is when KVM support has been compiled in. Is this the case for the sun4i kernel used in LEDE?

5

Just bumped in the same problem and found a fix. This is only occurring in the lede-17.01 branch, not on master, and it's due to LPAE extensions being enabled in the kernel (but not being supported by the ARM core, leading to a non-runnable kernel)

The fix is to remove LPAE by runnig make kernel_menuconfig, going to System Type and disabling "Support for Large Physical Address Extension"

I created an issue in the bug tracker and mentioned the solution, hopefully it will get fixed in a future 17.01.5 release?

6

Cool, thank you for resolving this @matteoscordino!