Slackware 14.1 On Gumstix Overo

20 April 2014

Slackware 14.1 has been installed on Gumstix Overo Devices and used succesfully with their expansion boards, with a 3.5 series kernel, built with Yocto, and BitBake.

Slackware packages install, and software built with "configure" and "make" also install and run.

GUI Has not yet been tested. In Progress.

The majority of focus will be placed on Installing, Running, and Developing Slackware 14.1 on Gumstix as Slackware 13.37 is End Of Life, and the 3.5.x Kernels built with Yocto, and provided by Gumstix support enough devices.

Prerequisites

SD Card: Setup and Format per Gumstix Instructions.

Very Important: Use the fastest SD card media you can afford. "UHS Speed Class 1" or "Speed Class 10", minimum. Also consider using the ext4 filesystem, BUT, you will have to rebuild the kernel for that.

If you go cheap on the SD Cards, like "Speed Class 4", you will notice the difference. The kernel caches writes to the SD Card, and finishes them as it can. This is why it is always important to use the "sync" command when copying data to the SD Card. If you are trying to do any kind of video capture application, the SD card has to be fast enough to handle HD video capture.

u-boot:

setenv console ttyO2,115200n
setenv mmcroot
setenv mmcrootfstype 

kernel: a) Use Kernel and modules from device NAND, (They can be copied over the network, for example if an Overo is booted in a Tobi), or; b) Use Yocto and Bitbake to build a kernel, or; c) Use a pre-built image.

Generally it is best to get the latest you can. The kernel used in this How To is: 3.5.7-yocto-standard

modules: Don't forget the modules, however you get your kernel.

firmware: You may need firmware for whateber USB WiFi device you are using.

/etc/rc.d/ directory:

/etc/rc.d/rc.M

/etc/rc.d/rc.ntpd add the command: ntpdate -b <your time server> above the line that saves the kernel time to hardware, so that your system is always on time.

/etc/inittab make sure the line for your login console is like so, to login to using the usb console interface (Tobi, Janus, Gallop)

c1:12345:respawn:/sbin/agetty --noclear 38400 tty1 linux

/etc/mtab

/dev/mmcblk0p2 / ext4 rw,sync 0 0

Copy Slackware ARM packages to SD Card

To control module loading order, say for example, to load the camera and wifi modules last, blacklist the modules and load them in your own scripts or via /etc/rc.d/rc.local.

Using The Caspa / MT9V032 Sensor With Slackware 14.1 On Gumstix Overo

Make sure to use a 3.5 series kernel built with Yocto and Bitbake per Gumstix' instructions. At least 3.5.7. When purchasing your device you may be able to request they flash the NAND with an appropriate kernel.

Prerequisites

media-ctl -- Necessary to set sensor paramters.

yavta "Yet Another Video4Linux Test Application" -- Implements Simple Image Capture Functions

ffmpeg -- to "transcode" "raw" images captured by yavta, into other image or video formats.

Using The P54USB WiFi With Slackware 14.1 On Gumstix Overo

This may be enabled by default in a Yocto kernel. It supports Host AP mode. Needs 5 Volts.

Using The rt2800usb USB WiFi With Slackware 14.1 On Gumstix Overo

This likewise may be built in by default in a Yocto kernel. Works at both 3.6 and 5 volts.

This device should work with NiMH and LiPo Battery Voltages. It supports Host AP Mode.

Using The LIS331 3-Axis Accelerometer With Slackware 14.1 On Gumstix Overo

This is an I2C device. Level Shifters may be needed on the SDA and SCL lines when using this device with any other I2C Device, or to prevent intermittent operation.

Using The MPU-6050 3-Axis Accelerometer With Slackware 14.1 On Gumstix Overo

This is an I2C device. Level Shifters may be needed on the SDA and SCL lines when using this device with any other I2C Device, or to prevent intermittent operation.

MPU-6050 Register Map