This page presents how to create an SD card using pre-compiled Linux binaries package and use it to boot Linux on the Altera SoC Development board.

Pre-requisites

The following items will be needed in order to succesfully get started with Linux on the Altera SoC Development board:

• Altera SoC Development board (include power supply and required accessories).
• Host computer running Linux
• External USB micro SD card reader (or host computer with built-in micro SD card reader). Alternatively a micro SD to SD card adapter can be used if the host PC or the reader has a SD slot bot no micro SD slot.
• 4GB (or larger) micro SD or micro SDHC card. The actual image is 2GB, but most SD cards have some amount of invalid sectors, so using a 2GB SD card might not work.

Creating SD Card

This section explains how to create the SD card necessary to boot Linux, using the SD card image available with the precompiled Linux binaries package.

The steps required to create the SD card are:

1. Download the Linux binaries archive:

   $ wget http://download.altera.com/akdlm/software/acdsinst/13.0/156/ib_installers/linux-socfpga-13.02-RC10-bin.tar.gz

2. Extract the Linux SD card image from the binaries archive:

   $ tar -xzf linux-socfpga-13.02-RC10-bin.tar.gz linux-socfpga-13.02-RC10-bin/sd_image.bin

3. Determine the device associated with the SD card on the host by running the following command before and after inserting the card in the reader:

   $ cat /proc/partitions 

   Let's assume it is /dev/sdx.
4. Use dd utility to write the SD image to the SD card:

   $ sudo dd if=linux-socfpga-13.02-RC10-bin/sd_image.bin of=/dev/sdx bs=1M

   Note we are using sudo to be able to write to the card.
5. Use sync utility to flush the changes to the SD card:

   $ sudo sync

Configuring Board

This section presents the necessary board settings in order to run Linux on the Altera SoC Development Board. The following image is provided to make it easier to find these locations on the board:

• Configure Jumpers

  Jumper	Setting
  J5	open
  J6	shorted
  J7	shorted
  J9	open
  J13	shorted
  J16	open
  J26	right shorted
  J27	right shorted
  J28	right shorted
  J29	right shorted
  J30	left shorted
  J31	open

  • Configure switches

    Switch	Setting
    SW1	All OFF
    SW2	All OFF
    SW3	1:ON-2:OFF-3:OFF-4:OFF-5:ON-6:ON
    SW4	1:OFF-2:OFF-3:ON-4:ON

    • Make sure the power switch SW5 on the board is turned OFF.
    • Connect mini USB cable from the host PC to the board connector J8.
    • Connect Ethernet cable from board connector J2 to the local network (hub or switch). This is needed only if networking is to be used.
    • Connect 19V power supply cable to the board connector J22.
    See Altera Cyclone V SoC Board for a detailed description of the board, jumper and switches.

    Configuring Serial Connection

    The board has a built-in USB to Serial converter chip that allows the host computer to see the board as a virtual serial port, usually named /dev/ttyUSB0 .
    Both Ubuntu 12.04 and CentsOS 6.3 have built-in drivers for the USB to Serial converter chip that is on the Altera SoC Development board, so no driver installation is necessary.
    In order to determine the device name associated with the virtual serial port, please perform the following:
    1. Use the command the following command to determine which USB serial devices are already installed:

       $ ls /dev/ttyUSB*

    2. Power up the board using the switch SW5. The board LEDs will turn on.
    3. Use the command command again to determine which new USB serial device appeared:

       $ ls /dev/ttyUSB*

    4. Configure the minicom application to connect over this serial port, and use 57,600 baud, 1 stop bit, no parity, and no flow control (usually referred to as "57600-N-1")

    Booting Linux

    This section presents how to boot Linux on the board. The required steps are:
    1. Prepare SD card
    2. Configure Board
    3. Configure Minicom
    4. Start Minicom - it will use the defined configuration
    5. Power up board (or, if already powered up, press S7 Warm reset button or power cycle)
    6. Minicom will show Linux booting, then asking for the username. Enter root then press ENTER. No password will be required.