APPLIED: UBUNTU: [Config] Armada 37x/38x/XP based boards support (e.g. Globalscale Mirabox)

[Paolo Pisati]

On Tue, Jul 15, 2014 at 08:02:49AM -0400, Tim Gardner wrote:
> 
> We must have _some_ core components built-in that are of little use on
> armhf. I'd consider turning them off in order to save some RAM on these
> small footprint systems. Also, I'd love to be able to use my Mirabox
> with a stock kernel.

ok, it seems some of the latest patches slightly reduced the kernel size
(~5.7MB in U/master-next), so if you cut a release now you will get a working
kernel even withot the -Os patch: to trigger the bug i usually compile in some
network device support, so we might be good for a bit.

> I wonder if you could chain from the 1.1 u-boot loader to a newer u-boot
> that could actually load a large kernel ? The alternative is to post a
> u-boot repository with the size corrections, but that requires a
> somewhat harrowing u-boot upgrade (plus its a giant pain in the ass to
> build). If you botch the upgrade then you own a brick.

unfortunately support for the mirabox is not present in upstream u-boot since it
requires some proprietary blob for the ddr initiliazation - coincidentally,
after i sent the config changes to enable the board, i got a message back from
Globalscale tech support asking what this bug was about, and i sent them all
the details so, cross your finger, and we might get a fixed bootloader soon.

-- 
bye,
p.