# Debian: Getting Started with the ATSAMA5D27-SOM1-EK1

**URL:** <https://forum.digikey.com/t/debian-getting-started-with-the-atsama5d27-som1-ek1/13015>\
**Category:** Linux Guides\
**Created:** [March 25, 2021, 2:57pm UTC](https://forum.digikey.com/t/debian-getting-started-with-the-atsama5d27-som1-ek1/13015 "2021-03-25T14:57:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RobertCNelson](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/digikey/user_avatar/forum.digikey.com/robertcnelson/32/12_2.png) [@RobertCNelson](https://forum.digikey.com/u/RobertCNelson)\
**Post date:** [March 25, 2021, 2:57pm UTC](https://forum.digikey.com/t/debian-getting-started-with-the-atsama5d27-som1-ek1/13015/1 "2021-03-25T14:57:17Z")

</div>

This is a page about Microchip’s Cortex-A5 SMART SAMA5D27-SOM1 based evaluation platform (ATSAMA5D27-SOM1-EK1).

# Availability

Boards:

- [ATSAMA5D27-SOM1-EK1-ND](https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detailmicrochip-technology/ATSAMA5D27-SOM1-EK1/7898420) at DigiKey

# Vendor Documentation

- Microchip Documentation: [https://www.microchip.com](https://www.microchip.com)
- Microchip Linux4SAM: [http://www.at91.com/linux4sam/](http://www.at91.com/linux4sam/)
- Microchip SAMA5 Cortex-A5-based MPUs: [https://www.microchip.com/design-centers/32-bit-mpus/microprocessors/sama5](https://www.microchip.com/design-centers/32-bit-mpus/microprocessors/sama5)
- Microchip SAMA5D2 Series: [https://www.microchip.com/design-centers/32-bit-mpus/microprocessors/sama5/sama5d2-series](https://www.microchip.com/design-centers/32-bit-mpus/microprocessors/sama5/sama5d2-series)
- Microchip SAMA5D27-SOM1-EK1: [https://www.microchip.com/Developmenttools/ProductDetails/atsama5d27-som1-ek1](https://www.microchip.com/Developmenttools/ProductDetails/atsama5d27-som1-ek1)

# Basic Requirements

- Running a recent supported release of Debian, Fedora or Ubuntu on a x86 64bit based PC; without OS Virtualization Software.
- Many of the listed commands assume /bin/bash as the default shell.
- ARM Cross Compiler – Linaro: [https://www.linaro.org](https://www.linaro.org)
  - Linaro Toolchain Binaries: [https://www.linaro.org/downloads/](https://www.linaro.org/downloads/)

- Bootloader
  - Das U-Boot – the Universal Boot Loader: [http://www.denx.de/wiki/U-Boot](http://www.denx.de/wiki/U-Boot)
  - Source: [https://github.com/u-boot/u-boot/](https://github.com/u-boot/u-boot/)

- Linux Kernel
  - Linus’s Mainline tree: [https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git](https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git)

- ARM based rootfs
  - Debian: [https://www.debian.org](https://www.debian.org)

# ARM Cross Compiler: GCC

This is a pre-built (64bit) version of GCC that runs on generic linux, sorry (32bit) x86 users, it’s time to upgrade…  
Download/Extract:

```bash
#user@localhost:~$
wget -c https://releases.linaro.org/components/toolchain/binaries/6.5-2018.12/arm-linux-gnueabihf/gcc-linaro-6.5.0-2018.12-x86_64_arm-linux-gnueabihf.tar.xz
tar xf gcc-linaro-6.5.0-2018.12-x86_64_arm-linux-gnueabihf.tar.xz
export CC=`pwd`/gcc-linaro-6.5.0-2018.12-x86_64_arm-linux-gnueabihf/bin/arm-linux-gnueabihf-

```

Test Cross Compiler:

```bash
#user@localhost:~$
${CC}gcc --version

```

```bash
#Test Output:
arm-linux-gnueabihf-gcc (Linaro GCC 6.5-2018.12) 6.5.0
Copyright (C) 2017 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
This is free software; see the source for copying conditions. There is NO
warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

```

# Bootloader: AT91Bootstrap

AT91Bootstrap – Microchip’s first step bootloader: [http://www.at91.com/linux4sam/bin/view/Linux4SAM/AT91Bootstrap](http://www.at91.com/linux4sam/bin/view/Linux4SAM/AT91Bootstrap)  
Source: [https://github.com/linux4sam/at91bootstrap](https://github.com/linux4sam/at91bootstrap)  
Download:

```bash
#user@localhost:~$
git clone -b v3.9.3 https://github.com/linux4sam/at91bootstrap --depth=1
cd at91bootstrap/

```

Configure and Build:

```bash
#user@localhost:~/at91bootstrap$
make ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=${CC} distclean
make ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=${CC} sama5d27_som1_eksd_uboot_defconfig
make ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=${CC}

```

# Bootloader: U-Boot

Das U-Boot – the Universal Boot Loader: [http://www.denx.de/wiki/U-Boot](http://www.denx.de/wiki/U-Boot)  
Depending on your Linux Distrubution, you will also need a host gcc and other tools, so with Debian/Ubuntu start with installing the build-essential meta package.  
[eewiki.net](http://eewiki.net) patch archive: [https://github.com/eewiki/u-boot-patches](https://github.com/eewiki/u-boot-patches)  
Download:

```bash
#user@localhost:~$
git clone -b v2020.04 https://github.com/u-boot/u-boot --depth=1
cd u-boot/

```

Patches:

```bash
#user@localhost:~/u-boot$
wget -c https://github.com/eewiki/u-boot-patches/raw/master/v2020.04/0001-sama5dX-fixes.patch
 
patch -p1 < 0001-sama5dX-fixes.patch

```

Configure and Build:

```bash
#user@localhost:~/u-boot$
make ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=${CC} distclean
make ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=${CC} sama5d27_som1_ek_mmc_defconfig
make ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=${CC}

```

# Linux Kernel

This script will build the kernel, modules, device tree binaries and copy them to the deploy directory.  
Download:

```bash
#user@localhost:~$
git clone https://github.com/RobertCNelson/armv7_devel ./kernelbuildscripts
cd kernelbuildscripts/

```

For v5.15.x-sama5-armv7 (Longterm 5.15.x):

```bash
#user@localhost:~/kernelbuildscripts$
git checkout origin/v5.15.x-sama5-armv7 -b tmp

```

Build:

```bash
#user@localhost:~/kernelbuildscripts$
./build_kernel.sh

```

# Root File System

### Debian 11

| User | Password |
| --- | --- |
| debian | temppwd |
| root | root |

Download:

```bash
#user@localhost:~$
wget -c https://rcn-ee.com/rootfs/eewiki/minfs/debian-11.3-minimal-armhf-2022-04-15.tar.xz

```

Verify:

```bash
#user@localhost:~$
sha256sum debian-11.3-minimal-armhf-2022-04-15.tar.xz

```

```bash
#sha256sum output:
575738843651de2962f251447f4742d4f33313d6f7f5edf282a401207f5e6646 debian-11.3-minimal-armhf-2022-04-15.tar.xz

```

Extract:

```bash
#user@localhost:~$
tar xf debian-11.3-minimal-armhf-2022-04-15.tar.xz

```

# Setup microSD card

We need to access the External Drive to be utilized by the target device. Run lsblk to help figure out what linux device has been reserved for your External Drive.

```bash
#Example: for DISK=/dev/sdX
lsblk
NAME MAJ:MIN RM SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT
sda 8:0 0 465.8G 0 disk
├─sda1 8:1 0 512M 0 part /boot/efi
└─sda2 8:2 0 465.3G 0 part / <- Development Machine Root Partition
sdb 8:16 1 962M 0 disk <- microSD/USB Storage Device
└─sdb1 8:17 1 961M 0 part <- microSD/USB Storage Partition

```

```bash
#Thus you would use:
export DISK=/dev/sdb

```

```bash
#Example: for DISK=/dev/mmcblkX
lsblk
NAME MAJ:MIN RM SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT
sda 8:0 0 465.8G 0 disk
├─sda1 8:1 0 512M 0 part /boot/efi
└─sda2 8:2 0 465.3G 0 part / <- Development Machine Root Partition
mmcblk0 179:0 0 962M 0 disk <- microSD/USB Storage Device
└─mmcblk0p1 179:1 0 961M 0 part <- microSD/USB Storage Partition

```

```bash
#Thus you would use:
export DISK=/dev/mmcblk0

```

Erase partition table/labels on microSD card:

```bash
sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=${DISK} bs=1M count=50

```

Create Partition Layout:  
With util-linux v2.26, sfdisk was rewritten and is now based on libfdisk.

```bash
#Check the version of sfdisk installed on your pc is atleast 2.26.x or newer.
sudo sfdisk --version

```

```bash
#Example Output
sfdisk from util-linux 2.27.1

```

```bash
#sfdisk >= 2.26.x
sudo sfdisk ${DISK} <<- __EOF__
1M,48M,0xE,*
49M,,,-
__EOF__

```

Format Partition:

```auto
for: DISK=/dev/mmcblkX
sudo mkfs.vfat -F 16 -n BOOT ${DISK}p1
sudo mkfs.ext4 -L rootfs ${DISK}p2
 
for: DISK=/dev/sdX
sudo mkfs.vfat -F 16 -n BOOT ${DISK}1
sudo mkfs.ext4 -L rootfs ${DISK}2

```

Mount Partition:  
**On most systems these partitions may be auto-mounted…**

```bash
sudo mkdir -p /media/boot/
sudo mkdir -p /media/rootfs/
 
for: DISK=/dev/mmcblkX
sudo mount ${DISK}p1 /media/boot/
sudo mount ${DISK}p2 /media/rootfs/
 
for: DISK=/dev/sdX
sudo mount ${DISK}1 /media/boot/
sudo mount ${DISK}2 /media/rootfs/

```

### Install Bootloader

Copy at91bootstrap/u-boot binaries to the boot partition

```bash
#~/
sudo cp -v ./at91bootstrap/binaries/sama5d27_som1_ek-sdcardboot-uboot-3.9.3.bin /media/boot/BOOT.BIN
sudo cp -v ./u-boot/u-boot.bin /media/boot/

```

# Install Kernel and Root File System

To help new users, since the kernel version can change on a daily basis. The kernel building scripts listed on this page will now give you a hint of what kernel version was built.

```bash
-----------------------------
Script Complete
eewiki.net: [user@localhost:~$ export kernel_version=5.X.Y-Z]
-----------------------------

```

Copy and paste that “export kernel\_version=5.X.Y-Z” exactly as shown in your own build/desktop environment and hit enter to create an environment variable to be used later.

```bash
export kernel_version=5.X.Y-Z

```

### Copy Root File System

```bash
#Debian; Root File System: user@localhost:~$
sudo tar xfvp ./debian-*-*-armhf-*/armhf-rootfs-*.tar -C /media/rootfs/
sync

```

### Copy Kernel Image

Kernel Image:

```bash
#user@localhost:~$
sudo cp -v ./kernelbuildscripts/deploy/${kernel_version}.zImage /media/boot/zImage

```

### Copy Kernel Device Tree Binaries

```bash
#user@localhost:~$
sudo mkdir -p /media/boot/dtbs/
sudo tar xfvo ./kernelbuildscripts/deploy/${kernel_version}-dtbs.tar.gz -C /media/boot/dtbs/

```

### Copy Kernel Modules

```bash
#user@localhost:~$
sudo tar xfv ./kernelbuildscripts/deploy/${kernel_version}-modules.tar.gz -C /media/rootfs/

```

### File Systems Table (/etc/fstab)

```bash
#user@localhost:~/$
sudo sh -c "echo '/dev/mmcblk0p2 / auto errors=remount-ro 0 1' >> /media/rootfs/etc/fstab"
sudo sh -c "echo '/dev/mmcblk0p1 /boot/uboot auto defaults 0 2' >> /media/rootfs/etc/fstab"

```

### Remove microSD/SD card

```bash
sync
sudo umount /media/boot
sudo umount /media/rootfs

```

# Comments

Any questions or comments please go to our TechForum: [TechForum](https://forum.digikey.com/c/support/linux-discussions/5)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![karim.bernardet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f05b48/32.png) [@karim.bernardet](https://forum.digikey.com/u/karim.bernardet)\
**Post date:** [May 10, 2023, 12:47pm UTC](https://forum.digikey.com/t/debian-getting-started-with-the-atsama5d27-som1-ek1/13015/2 "2023-05-10T12:47:24Z")

</div>

Hi  
Thanks for this work !  
Just following this procedure, I don’t have the rtcwake command working (for examplertcwake -m mem -s 5), it never wakes up. I have tried commands in  
[https://www.linux4sam.org/bin/view/Linux4SAM/UsingUltraLowPowerMode1#RTC\_alarm\_to\_wake\_from\_the\_sleep](https://www.linux4sam.org/bin/view/Linux4SAM/UsingUltraLowPowerMode1#RTC_alarm_to_wake_from_the_sleep)

```auto
root@arm:~# uname -a
Linux arm 5.15.94-sama5-armv7-r1.1 #1 Tue May 9 20:09:42 CEST 2023 armv7l GNU/Linux
root@arm:~# rtcwake -m mem -s 5
rtcwake: wakeup from "mem" using /dev/rtc0 at Sun Jan 1 00:01:21 2012
[69.797815] PM: suspend entry (deep)
[69.802636] Filesystems sync: 0.001 seconds
[69.819551] Freezing user space processes ... (elapsed 0.001 seconds) done.
[69.828147] OOM killer disabled.
[69.831277] Freezing remaining freezable tasks ... (elapsed 0.001 seconds) done.
[69.839865] printk: Suspending console(s) (use no_console_suspend to debug)

```

and it never wakes up.

But if I use the demo archive of  
[https://www.linux4sam.org/bin/view/Linux4SAM/Sama5d27Som1EKMainPage](https://www.linux4sam.org/bin/view/Linux4SAM/Sama5d27Som1EKMainPage)  
it works.

Thanks for any help to fix this.

Karim

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RobertCNelson](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/digikey/user_avatar/forum.digikey.com/robertcnelson/32/12_2.png) [@RobertCNelson](https://forum.digikey.com/u/RobertCNelson)\
**Post date:** [May 10, 2023, 4:57pm UTC](https://forum.digikey.com/t/debian-getting-started-with-the-atsama5d27-som1-ek1/13015/3 "2023-05-10T16:57:02Z")

</div>

Hi @karim.bernardet which demo image does it work? I see that Microchip is now on 5.15.x/6.1.x so it’s something we should be able to pull in from the mainline tree… But i’m also wondering if it’s a feature of the newer “OP-TEE” builds…

Regards,

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![karim.bernardet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f05b48/32.png) [@karim.bernardet](https://forum.digikey.com/u/karim.bernardet)\
**Post date:** [May 10, 2023, 7:24pm UTC](https://forum.digikey.com/t/debian-getting-started-with-the-atsama5d27-som1-ek1/13015/4 "2023-05-10T19:24:06Z")

</div>

Hi Robert

It is

Poky (Yocto Project Reference Distro) 4.0.3 sama5d27-som1-ek-sd ttyS0

sama5d27-som1-ek-sd login: root  
root@sama5d27-som1-ek-sd:~# uname -a  
Linux sama5d27-som1-ek-sd 5.15.68-linux4microchip-2022.10 #1 Wed Nov 9 12:48:42 UTC 2022 armv7l armv7l armv7l GNU/Linux  
root@sama5d27-som1-ek-sd:~#

Got from there :  
[https://www.linux4sam.org/bin/view/Linux4SAM/Sama5d27Som1EKMainPage](https://www.linux4sam.org/bin/view/Linux4SAM/Sama5d27Som1EKMainPage)  
[https://files.linux4sam.org/pub/demo/linux4sam-2022.10/linux4sam-poky-sama5d27\_som1\_ek-headless-2022.10.img.bz2](https://files.linux4sam.org/pub/demo/linux4sam-2022.10/linux4sam-poky-sama5d27_som1_ek-headless-2022.10.img.bz2)  
It is the headless version

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![karim.bernardet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f05b48/32.png) [@karim.bernardet](https://forum.digikey.com/u/karim.bernardet)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2023, 12:11pm UTC](https://forum.digikey.com/t/debian-getting-started-with-the-atsama5d27-som1-ek1/13015/5 "2023-05-15T12:11:42Z")

</div>

Hi

I got it working recompiling a kernel from microchip

Now I would like to have the wakeup using uart

for the moment

echo enabled \> /sys/class/tty/ttyS0/power/wakeup

echo enabled \> /sys/class/tty/ttyS1/power/wakeup

dont work

I imagine I have to modify some dts file

Cheers

Karim