# Debian: Getting Started with the ODYSSEY-STM32MP157C

**URL:** <https://forum.digikey.com/t/debian-getting-started-with-the-odyssey-stm32mp157c/12838>\
**Category:** Linux Guides\
**Created:** [March 18, 2021, 8:34pm UTC](https://forum.digikey.com/t/debian-getting-started-with-the-odyssey-stm32mp157c/12838 "2021-03-18T20:34:36Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**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 18, 2021, 8:34pm UTC](https://forum.digikey.com/t/debian-getting-started-with-the-odyssey-stm32mp157c/12838/1 "2021-03-18T20:34:36Z")

</div>

This is a page about ST’s STM32MP1 series of Cortex-A7 based Development Kits.

# Availability

Boards:

- [ODYSSEY-STM32MP157C](https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/seeed-technology-co-ltd/102110319/1597-102110319-ND/11205850) at DigiKey

# Vendor Documentation

- ST Documentation: [https://www.st.com](https://www.st.com)
- STM32 Arm Cortex MPUs: [https://www.st.com/en/microcontrollers-microprocessors/stm32-arm-cortex-mpus.html](https://www.st.com/en/microcontrollers-microprocessors/stm32-arm-cortex-mpus.html)
- STM32MP1 Series: [https://www.st.com/en/microcontrollers-microprocessors/stm32mp1-series.html](https://www.st.com/en/microcontrollers-microprocessors/stm32mp1-series.html)
- Seeed Documentation: [https://www.seeedstudio.com](https://www.seeedstudio.com)
- ODYSSEY - STM32MP157C [https://www.seeedstudio.com/ODYSSEY-STM32MP157C-p-4464.html](https://www.seeedstudio.com/ODYSSEY-STM32MP157C-p-4464.html)

# 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.
- [Kernel.org](http://Kernel.org) Cross Compilers – [https://mirrors.edge.kernel.org/pub/tools/crosstool/](https://mirrors.edge.kernel.org/pub/tools/crosstool/)
- 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://mirrors.edge.kernel.org/pub/tools/crosstool/files/bin/x86_64/11.1.0/x86_64-gcc-11.1.0-nolibc-arm-linux-gnueabi.tar.xz
tar -xf x86_64-gcc-11.1.0-nolibc-arm-linux-gnueabi.tar.xz
export CC=`pwd`/gcc-11.1.0-nolibc/arm-linux-gnueabi/bin/arm-linux-gnueabi-

```

Test Cross Compiler:

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

```

```bash
#Test Output:
arm-linux-gnueabi-gcc (GCC) 11.1.0
Copyright (C) 2021 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: 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.  
Download:

```bash
#user@localhost:~$
git clone -b v2022.04-rc4 https://github.com/u-boot/u-boot --depth=1
cd u-boot/

```

Configure and Build:

```bash
#user@localhost:~/u-boot$
make ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=${CC} distclean
make ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=${CC} stm32mp15_trusted_defconfig
make ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=${CC} DEVICE_TREE=stm32mp157c-odyssey all

```

# Bootloader: Trusted Firmware A (TF-A)

Trusted Firmware A (TF-A): [https://developer.trustedfirmware.org/dashboard/view/6/](https://developer.trustedfirmware.org/dashboard/view/6/)  
Download:

```bash
#user@localhost:~$
git clone -b v2.5 https://github.com/ARM-software/arm-trusted-firmware --depth=1
cd arm-trusted-firmware/

```

Configure and Build:

```bash
#user@localhost:~/arm-trusted-firmware$
make CROSS_COMPILE=${CC} realclean
make CROSS_COMPILE=${CC} PLAT=stm32mp1 ARCH=aarch32 ARM_ARCH_MAJOR=7 AARCH32_SP=sp_min DTB_FILE_NAME=stm32mp157c-odyssey.dtb STM32MP_SDMMC=1

```

# 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-lpae-multiplatform ./kernelbuildscripts
cd kernelbuildscripts/

```

For v5.15.x (Longterm 5.15.x):

```bash
#user@localhost:~/kernelbuildscripts$
git checkout origin/v5.15.x -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=10

```

Create Partition Layout:

```bash
#Check the version of sgdisk installed on your pc
sudo sgdisk --version

```

```bash
#Example Output
GPT fdisk (sgdisk) version 1.0.3

```

```bash
#Clear Previous Formatting
sudo sgdisk -o ${DISK}

```

```bash
#sgdisk
sudo sgdisk --resize-table=128 -a 1 \
        -n 1:34:545 -c 1:fsbl1 \
        -n 2:546:1057 -c 2:fsbl2 \
        -n 3:1058:5153 -c 3:ssbl \
        -n 4:5154: -c 4:rootfs \
        -p ${DISK}

```

```bash
#Set legacy BIOS partition
sudo sgdisk -A 4:set:2 ${DISK}

```

Install Bootloader:

```bash
#user@localhost:~$
for: DISK=/dev/mmcblk0
sudo dd if=./arm-trusted-firmware/build/stm32mp1/release/tf-a-stm32mp157c-odyssey.stm32 of=${DISK}p1
sudo dd if=./arm-trusted-firmware/build/stm32mp1/release/tf-a-stm32mp157c-odyssey.stm32 of=${DISK}p2
sudo dd if=./u-boot/u-boot.stm32 of=${DISK}p3
 
for: DISK=/dev/sdX
sudo dd if=./arm-trusted-firmware/build/stm32mp1/release/tf-a-stm32mp157c-odyssey.stm32 of=${DISK}1
sudo dd if=./arm-trusted-firmware/build/stm32mp1/release/tf-a-stm32mp157c-odyssey.stm32 of=${DISK}2
sudo dd if=./u-boot/u-boot.stm32 of=${DISK}3

```

Format Partition:

```auto
for: DISK=/dev/mmcblkX
sudo mkfs.ext4 -L rootfs ${DISK}p4
 
for: DISK=/dev/sdX
sudo mkfs.ext4 -L rootfs ${DISK}4

```

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

```bash
sudo mkdir -p /media/rootfs/
 
for: DISK=/dev/mmcblkX
sudo mount ${DISK}p4 /media/rootfs/
 
for: DISK=/dev/sdX
sudo mount ${DISK}4 /media/rootfs/

```

# 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

```

### Setup extlinux.conf

```bash
#user@localhost:~$
sudo mkdir -p /media/rootfs/boot/extlinux/
sudo sh -c "echo 'label Linux ${kernel_version}' > /media/rootfs/boot/extlinux/extlinux.conf"
sudo sh -c "echo ' kernel /boot/vmlinuz-${kernel_version}' >> /media/rootfs/boot/extlinux/extlinux.conf"
sudo sh -c "echo ' append console=ttySTM0,115200 root=/dev/mmcblk0p4 ro rootfstype=ext4 rootwait' >> /media/rootfs/boot/extlinux/extlinux.conf"
sudo sh -c "echo ' fdtdir /boot/dtbs/${kernel_version}/' >> /media/rootfs/boot/extlinux/extlinux.conf"
sudo sh -c "echo ' devicetree /boot/dtbs/${kernel_version}/stm32mp157c-odyssey.dtb' >> /media/rootfs/boot/extlinux/extlinux.conf"

```

### Copy Kernel Image

Kernel Image:

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

```

### Copy Kernel Device Tree Binaries

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

```

### 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/mmcblk0p4 / auto errors=remount-ro 0 1' >> /media/rootfs/etc/fstab"

```

### Remove microSD/SD card

```bash
sync
sudo umount /media/rootfs

```

# Comments

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