Problems trying to compile kernel

[woutc]

Hello,

I'm trying to compile a kernel but at the end it fails with this error:

Code:

  OBJCOPY arch/arm/boot/zImage
  Kernel: arch/arm/boot/zImage is ready
  UIMAGE  arch/arm/boot/uImage
/usr/local/bin/mkimage: Can't map arch/arm/boot/uImage: Invalid argument
make[1]: *** [arch/arm/boot/uImage] Error 1
make: *** [uImage] Error 2

I installed mkimage as described here: http://www.openplug.org/plugwiki/index.php/Compiling_Linux_Kernel_for_the_Plug_Computer

Note that i'm building the kernel ON my plug.

When i try to cross-compile it on my system (x86_64) using the suggestions from this page: http://computingplugs.com/index.php/Building_a_custom_kernel#Getting_U-Boot.27s_mkimage

I get this error:

Code:

$ make -j2 ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=../arm-2008q3/bin/arm-none-eabi- uImage
make: ../arm-2008q3/bin/arm-none-eabi-gcc: Command not found
  CHK     include/linux/version.h
  SYMLINK include/asm -> include/asm-arm
make[1]: `include/asm-arm/mach-types.h' is up to date.
  CHK     include/linux/utsrelease.h
  CC      scripts/mod/empty.o
/bin/sh: ../arm-2008q3/bin/arm-none-eabi-gcc: No such file or directory
make[2]: *** [scripts/mod/empty.o] Error 1
make[1]: *** [scripts/mod] Error 2
make: *** [scripts] Error 2

but

Code:

$ ls -l ../arm-2008q3/bin/arm-none-eabi-gcc
-rwxr-xr-x 1 wout wout 189800 2008-11-13 19:13 ../arm-2008q3/bin/arm-none-eabi-gcc

Can somebody help me with one of this problems?
Thanks!

[cbxbiker61]

CROSS_COMPILE should be a full path.  If it's not, make won't be able to find the appropriate files when it starts recursing into the build tree.

[woutc]

I still don't know what caused the first error, but i was able cross-compiling the kernel using the suggestion from cbxbiker61 AND doing it on a 32bits system.
It seems the binary files from the cross-compiler are only for 32 bits.

[fragfutter]

the cross compiler is for 32bit systems. But almost any linux desktop distribution also installs an 32bit compatibility layer, so you can execute 32bit binaries on a 64bit system.

[gunnarhx]

Regarding 32-bit; on desktop ubuntu 9.10 64-bit for instance, the 32 bit libraries are installed by default, so there should be no problems running CodeSourcery ARM cross compiler for instance.
If 32-bit compatibility libs are not available, you'll probably get a confusing "could not find file" message from linux loader.

Alternatively to specifying absolute path to compiler, you could add a line to .bashrc
export PATH=/compiler/path:$PATH

and then refer to it via CROSS_COMPILE=arm-whatever-

The make system is doing a lot of recursive calls, so a relative path won't work, as pointed out earlier in the thread.

[amspilot01]

Hi just dumping some suggestions here :

it seems that the kernel can not be adapted for the uBoot format

before compiling did you do the following ?:

5. Copy “mkimage” binary located in the ‘SheevaPlug_U-Boot’ package in the CD (path -
      /u-boot/tools/mkimage) to HOST Linux machine in the “/usr/bin” directory.
  5a. change the settings of mkimage te be executable
       cd /usr/bin
       sudo chmod 755 mkimage
       sudo chown root:root mkimage

make shore when you care cross compiling that you use the ARCH=arm all the time!!
like
make ARCH=arm mrproper
make ARCH=arm menuconfig
make -j1 ARCH=arm  CROSS_COMPILE=/home/gcc/bin/arm-none-linux-gnueabi- uImage 

note:  the gcc compiler was installed in the /home folder as described in one of the sheeva documents 'sheevaPlug_host_SWsupportPackageLinuxHost1.2zip'

Also when compiling try a kernel configuration you know works, compile it run it, then start changing it to your one needs . ( you can look for 'default kernel options' in the file sheeva-2.6.xx.config on the Prebuilt Kernels at sheeva.with-linux.com )

i hope this helps..

Regards AMSpilot01

[binaryni]

I think the first error is due to mmap is not supported by jffs2
I had same problem and I compiled mkimage on my x64 machine and finished this last step on the x64 machine.
you just need to type:

mkimage  -A arm -O linux -T kernel -C none -a 0x00008000 -e 0x00008000 -n 'Linux-2.6.32.2' -d zImage uImage

You need to put the zImage generated by the previous step in the same dir as mkimage
You will get the new uImage immediately.

Good luck!

[ruivilela]

I'm using a Gentoo system. And I can't see much advantage on cross-compiling. The plug is not so slow for compiling as it looks (1.5MB kernel in 35 min).