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akidder

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Posted - 23 Oct 2002 :  17:04:05  Show Profile  Email Poster
Trying Out Linux on Your Windows CE Development System (and vice versa)

Like many ADS customers who have purchased Windows CE evaluation systems, you may be curious how Linux looks on your system. This document provides notes on how to run Linux both from an ATA card and loaded directly on the system.

If you wish to learn more about development tools for Linux, please visit the Embedded Linux section of the ADS support forums.

These procedures will also work for developers wishing to convert from Linux back to CE.

Warning!

Most ADS products store the boot code in flash. Using this procedure you run the risk of rendering your system unbootable. If this occurs, you will have to return your system to ADS for reprogramming. Charges may apply.


Quick Summary

Converting from one operating system to the other consists of two steps:
  1. Reload the boot code.
    - Rename the target boot code to the name used by the existing boot code.
    - Reload target boot code using the existing boot code's update procedure.


  2. Load the new operating system.
    Follow standard loading procedures for the new OS.


Detailed Instructions

Windows CE to Linux
Linux to Windows CE

Instructions for Pre-2005 (non u-boot) Systems


The following are instructions for converting older systems. Follow the links above for current systems.

Bitsy Family

The Bitsy boot code resides in onboard flash (not an external boot ROM). The following package includes boot code and instructions for changing between CE and Linux on the Bitsy.

Bitsy CE and Linux (ZIP)

Important: The files in this ZIP file are out of date. Listed links should point to these support forums, and the boot code has been updated. You might consider using more current CE or Linux boot code for your conversion. (-ak Nov2002)

Graphics Client Plus and Graphics Master

CE systems can boot Linux using the instructions supplied below.

Note that some Linux power management features (eg. wakeup) may be note available when using "multi-boot" ROMs. Contact ADS Sales for a Linux boot ROM if you plan to use Linux in your application.

Materials Needed:
  1. PCMCIA ATA flash or CF card, 8MB or larger

  2. Flash card reader/writer (PC add-on or laptop slot)

  3. CE/Linux boot instructions (PDF) (same for GC+ and GMaster)

  4. Linux precompiled image(zimage) and RAMdisk(ramdisk.gz)

  5. Linux multi-boot configuration file (adsload.hwt): Graphics Client Plus, Graphics Master
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Preparation:
  1. Place the ADSLOAD.HWT file in the root folder of the PCMCIA ATA flash card.

  2. Place zimage and ramdisk.gz in the root folder of the PCMCIA ATA flash card.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Option 1: Run Linux without Overwriting Windows CE

Use the prepared ATA card and follow the instructions in the PDF document to boot Linux on your CE Development System without ovewriting the CE image files.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Option 2: Load Linux onto Development System

To load Linux into the onboard flash of your development system, perform the same steps you would to load the CE image, as described below. Note that this procedure will erase the Windows CE files from your onboard flash. You can always reload Windows CE from files supplied on the CE Developers' page.

  1. Insert the prepared ATA card into the PCMCIA slot

  2. Set DIP switch 3 to ON and others OFF

  3. Reset or power-cycle the system
    The middle LED will turn on for a period of time. The system is copying the files from ATA card to onboard flash. This should take one to two minutes.

  4. When the middle LED goes off, set DIP switches 1 and 3 ON and others OFF

  5. Reset the system.
    Linux should boot on your system

Even with Linux loaded on the board, you can always boot a different build of Linux from an ATA card using the first procedure described.


Edited by akidder 12-Nov-2002: update links to current Linux builds; recommend that developers download the latest boot code for development.
Edited by akidder 16-Jun-2006: Add quick summary.
Edited by akidder 21-Nov-2007: Break out to new topics for u-boot-based conversions and indicate that the information in this topic is for older, non-u-boot systems.
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