Getting Started
Requirements
Hardware
- a Windows XP host (or above) to run the SAM-BA tool ;
- power supply stocked with the Evaluation Kit ;
- USB Device Cable ;
- serial Cross Cable (Female-Female) ;
- eventually a DataFlash Card => check Boot capabilities matrix (for AT91SAM9263-EK for example) ;
- AT91SAM9-EK Evaluation Kit. Check below how kits look like and how to connect them :
| AT91SAM9260-EK | AT91SAM9261-EK | AT91SAM9263-EK (REV-A) |
|---|
 |  |  |
| AT91SAM9XE-EK | AT91SAM9RL-EK | AT91SAM9263-EK (REV-B) 1 |
|---|
 |  |  |
Software
- a serial terminal emulator (HyperTerminal, minicom, etc.) :
Serial communication parameters
115200 8-N-1 :
| Baud rate | 115200 |
| Data | 8 bits |
| Parity | None |
| Stop | 1 bit |
| Flow control | None |
- AT91 ISP 1.10 (or higher) ; containing the SAM-BA tool => Check the SoftwareTools page ;
- the demo archive provide just below. This archive contains :
- all 4 components binaries : AT91Bootstrap, u-boot, Linux kernel, root filesystem ;
- a TCL/SAM-BA script that interfaces with the SAM-BA tool to flash the demo ;
- a .bat script able to run the flashing script calling SAM-BA itself.
Flashing a demo on AT91 boards
Before flashing the demo, make sure that you have installed the
SAM-BA tool on your host computer.
- connect a USB cable on the board
- connect a serial link on DBGU connector and open the terminal emulator program
- choose the proper procedure depending on your chip through the following table :
| AT91SAM9260-EK | AT91SAM9261-EK | AT91SAM9263-EK (RevA) |
|---|
- J7 must be opened (BMS=1) to boot from the on-chip Boot ROM
- follow the AT91SAM9260EKSamBaRecovery recovery method, if needed
- power up the board
- verify that the USB connection is established (ATMEL AT91xxxxx Test Board appears in taskbar notification area)
| - J4 must be opened (BMS=1) to boot from the on-chip Boot ROM
- remove DataFlash Jumper (J21)
- power up the board
- verify that the USB connection is established (ATMEL AT91xxxxx Test Board appears in taskbar notification area)
- plug DataFlash Jumper (J21) back in position 1-2
| - J5-6 must be opened (BMS=1) to boot from the on-chip Boot ROM
- remove DataFlash Card (J9)
- power up the board
- verify that the USB connection is established (ATMEL AT91xxxxx Test Board appears in taskbar notification area)
- reinsert the DataFlash Card in J9
|
| AT91SAM9XE-EK | AT91SAM9RL-EK | AT91SAM9263-EK (RevB) |
|---|
- erase the content of the internal FLASH by putting the J7 jumper in position 1-2
- power up the board
- verify that the USB connection is established (ATMEL AT91xxxxx Test Board appears in taskbar notification area)
- open now J7 (or put in position 2-3), to boot in normal operating mode
| - J11 must be on 1-2 position (BMS=1) to boot from the on-chip Boot ROM
- remove DataFlash and NAND Flash Jumpers (J12 & J13)
- power up the board
- verify that the USB connection is established (ATMEL AT91xxxxx Test Board appears in taskbar notification area)
- close DataFlash and NAND Flash Jumpers (J12 & J13)
| - J5-6 must be opened (BMS=1) to boot from the on-chip Boot ROM
- remove DataFlash Card (J9)
- remove NAND Flash Jumpers (J29)
- power up the board
- verify that the USB connection is established (ATMEL AT91xxxxx Test Board appears in taskbar notification area)
- reinsert the DataFlash Card in J9 (only for DataFlash demo)
- close NAND Flash Jumper (J29)
|
- launch the proper
.bat file : this script will run SAM-BA with proper parameters
- when the programmation
logfile.log appears (this will take a few minutes), remove the USB cable
- power cycle the board
- look the system booting on the LCD screen or trough the serial line
- calibrate accurately the LCD screen (if needed)
Playing with the demo
Ok, now you should have the Linux demo up'n running on your board !
Have a walk through applications of this demo.
Going Forward
If you want to rebuild this demo from sources, go
through each component topic and you will have a comprehensive explanation of it role and how to build it.
For people in a hurry, there is a summary page which collects all material to build from sources : it allows you
GoingForward quickly.
Notes
1: AT91SAM9263 MRLA or MRLB could be soldered on this board revision. To identity which chip revision you have, check AT91SAM9263-EK user guide at
http://atmel.com/dyn/products/tools_card.asp?tool_id=4057
2: Touchscreen driver not available yet ; check
LinuxKernel#2_6_24_at91_exp_patch
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