@ 13 Sep 09

Custom Linux kernel for the Openmoko Freerunner on Hackable:1

We've been using FSO/debian’s kernel package in Hackable:1 till now (mid-september).

I decided to package a custom one for Hackable:1. Why ?

  • to disable debugging that I suspect being a cause of a slow boot (debug + screen output, wich is slow on the Freerunner)
  • we may need it for other projects in anear future
  • for hackability: easy to patch, modify the configuration… while still being integrated in hackable:1 thanks to its packaging
  • because I can :)

developper information

You should already know our build system, if not, take a look at :) – http://trac.hackable1.org/

As of september, 13, 09:

  • Kernel sources come from git://git.openmoko.org/git/kernel.git

    although GTA02 is now supported in the mainstream kernel 2.6.31, the support of gta02 hardware is uncomplete.

  • The kernel config can be found in the debian/ directory after patching with packages/linux-image-gta02/linux-image-gta02.diff.
    It was copied from pkg-fso and modified a bit, mostly in order to disable debugging features.

  • As it uses git, you cane asily build your patched kernel, using another git repository and another commit tag. (you only have to modify debian/changelog a bit, or use bump.sh)

general informations

Three packages are created:

  • linux-image-gta02: Linux kernel plus the basic kernel modules that are necessary for the Openmoko Freerunner to run correctly
  • linux-modules-gta02: common kernel modules you may need, when pluging a peripheral for example
  • linux-moremodules-gta02: other modules, that are built for a few people who may need them (not for everybody end-user)

[temporary] call for module sorting

Please let me know in which package should modules go… :)

All modules that are compiled go to linux-moremodules-gta02 first, then, some are moved to linux-image-gta02 and linux-modules-gta02 according to the module lists : debian/linux-(image|modules).modlist

This is an ugly script to get the correct path of modules to add in the .modlist files