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Build Linux from source code

Toolchain installation for out of Flexbuild builds

To install the toolchain, follow the Debian Flexbuild Toolchain installation guide.

Setup the environment:

Set up a working directory

$ export WORKDIR=~/imx6ul-var-dart-linux
$ mkdir ${WORKDIR}

Define the cross-compiler and the architecture:

$ export CROSS_COMPILE=arm-linux-gnueabihf-
$ export ARCH=arm

Build Linux out of Flexbuild tree

Fetch linux-imx source code:

$ cd $WORKDIR
$ git clone https://github.com/varigit/linux-imx.git -b lf-6.6.y_6.6.52-2.2.0_var01 linux-imx

Build Kernel, Modules, and DTBs:

Clean and prepare the kernel:

$ cd ${WORKDIR}/linux-imx
$ make mrproper
$ make imx_v7_var_defconfig

Customize the kernel configuration (optional step):
$ make menuconfig

Build kernel parts:

Build everything:
$ make -j$(nproc)

Build zImage only:
$ make -j$(nproc)  zImage

Build modules only:
$ make -j$(nproc)  modules

Build device trees only:
$ make -j$(nproc) dtbs

Build only the device tree for DART-6UL with i.MX6ULL SOC, eMMC and SD card:
$ make -j4 imx6ull-var-dart-6ulcustomboard-emmc-sd-card.dtb

Build only the device tree for DART-6UL with i.MX6ULL SOC, eMMC, WM8731 and SD card:
$ make -j4 imx6ull-var-dart-6ulcustomboard-emmc-sd-card-wm8731.dtb

Build only the device tree for DART-6UL with i.MX6ULL SOC, eMMC and WiFi iw61x:
$ make -j4 imx6ull-var-dart-6ulcustomboard-emmc-wifi-iw61x.dtb

Build only the device tree for DART-6UL with i.MX6ULL SOC, eMMC and WiFi BRCM:
$ make -j4 imx6ull-var-dart-6ulcustomboard-emmc-wifi-brcm.dtb

Build only the device tree for DART-6UL with i.MX6ULL SOC, eMMC, WM8731 and WiFi BRCM:
$ make -j4 imx6ull-var-dart-6ulcustomboard-emmc-wifi-brcm-wm8731.dtb

Build only the device tree for DART-6UL with i.MX6ULL SOC, NAND flash and SD card:
$ make -j4 imx6ull-var-dart-6ulcustomboard-nand-sd-card.dtb

Build only the device tree for DART-6UL with i.MX6ULL SOC, NAND flash, WM8731 and SD card:
$ make -j4 imx6ull-var-dart-6ulcustomboard-nand-sd-card-wm8731.dtb

Build only the device tree for DART-6UL with i.MX6ULL SOC, NAND flash and WiFi iw61x:
$ make -j4 imx6ull-var-dart-6ulcustomboard-nand-wifi-iw61x.dtb

Build only the device tree for DART-6UL with i.MX6ULL SOC, NAND flash and WiFi BRCM:
$ make -j4 imx6ull-var-dart-6ulcustomboard-nand-wifi-brcm.dtb

Build only the device tree for DART-6UL with i.MX6ULL SOC, NAND flash, WM8731 and WiFi BRCM:
$ make -j4 imx6ull-var-dart-6ulcustomboard-nand-wifi-brcm-wm8731.dtb

Build only the device tree for DART-6UL with i.MX6UL SOC, eMMC and SD card:
$ make -j4 imx6ul-var-dart-6ulcustomboard-emmc-sd-card.dtb

Build only the device tree for DART-6UL with i.MX6UL SOC, eMMC, WM8731 and SD card:
$ make -j4 imx6ul-var-dart-6ulcustomboard-emmc-sd-card-wm8731.dtb

Build only the device tree for DART-6UL with i.MX6UL SOC, eMMC and WiFi iw61x:
$ make -j4 imx6ul-var-dart-6ulcustomboard-emmc-wifi-iw61x.dtb

Build only the device tree for DART-6UL with i.MX6UL SOC, eMMC and WiFi BRCM:
$ make -j4 imx6ul-var-dart-6ulcustomboard-emmc-wifi-brcm.dtb

Build only the device tree for DART-6UL with i.MX6UL SOC, eMMC, WM8731 and WiFi BRCM:
$ make -j4 imx6ul-var-dart-6ulcustomboard-emmc-wifi-brcm-wm8731.dtb

Build only the device tree for DART-6UL with i.MX6UL SOC, NAND flash and SD card:
$ make -j4 imx6ul-var-dart-6ulcustomboard-nand-sd-card.dtb

Build only the device tree for DART-6UL with i.MX6UL SOC, NAND flash, WM8731 and SD card:
$ make -j4 imx6ul-var-dart-6ulcustomboard-nand-sd-card-wm8731.dtb

Build only the device tree for DART-6UL with i.MX6UL SOC, NAND flash and WiFi iw61x:
$ make -j4 imx6ul-var-dart-6ulcustomboard-nand-wifi-iw61x.dtb

Build only the device tree for DART-6UL with i.MX6UL SOC, NAND flash and WiFi BRCM:
$ make -j4 imx6ul-var-dart-6ulcustomboard-nand-wifi-brcm.dtb

Build only the device tree for DART-6UL with i.MX6UL SOC, NAND flash, WM8731 and WiFi BRCM:
$ make -j4 imx6ul-var-dart-6ulcustomboard-nand-wifi-brcm-wm8731.dtb

Build only the device tree for DART-6UL with i.MX6ULZ SOC, eMMC and SD card:
$ make -j4 imx6ulz-var-dart-6ulcustomboard-emmc-sd-card.dtb

Build only the device tree for DART-6UL with i.MX6ULZ SOC, eMMC, WM8731 and SD card:
$ make -j4 imx6ulz-var-dart-6ulcustomboard-emmc-sd-card-wm8731.dtb

Build only the device tree for DART-6UL with i.MX6ULZ SOC, eMMC and WiFi iw61x:
$ make -j4 imx6ulz-var-dart-6ulcustomboard-emmc-wifi-iw61x.dtb

Build only the device tree for DART-6UL with i.MX6ULZ SOC, eMMC and WiFi BRCM:
$ make -j4 imx6ulz-var-dart-6ulcustomboard-emmc-wifi-brcm.dtb

Build only the device tree for DART-6UL with i.MX6ULZ SOC, eMMC, WM8731 and WiFi BRCM:
$ make -j4 imx6ulz-var-dart-6ulcustomboard-emmc-wifi-brcm-wm8731.dtb

Build only the device tree for DART-6UL with i.MX6ULZ SOC, NAND flash and SD card:
$ make -j4 imx6ulz-var-dart-6ulcustomboard-nand-sd-card.dtb

Build only the device tree for DART-6UL with i.MX6ULZ SOC, NAND flash, WM8731 and SD card:
$ make -j4 imx6ulz-var-dart-6ulcustomboard-nand-sd-card-wm8731.dtb

Build only the device tree for DART-6UL with i.MX6ULZ SOC, NAND flash and WiFi iw61x:
$ make -j4 imx6ulz-var-dart-6ulcustomboard-nand-wifi-iw61x.dtb

Build only the device tree for DART-6UL with i.MX6ULZ SOC, NAND flash and WiFi BRCM:
$ make -j4 imx6ulz-var-dart-6ulcustomboard-nand-wifi-brcm.dtb

Build only the device tree for DART-6UL with i.MX6ULZ SOC, NAND flash, WM8731 and WiFi BRCM:
$ make -j4 imx6ulz-var-dart-6ulcustomboard-nand-wifi-brcm-wm8731.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Concerto board with i.MX6ULL SOC, eMMC and SD card:
$ make -j4 imx6ull-var-som-concerto-board-emmc-sd-card.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Concerto board with i.MX6ULL SOC, eMMC, WM8731 and SD card:
$ make -j4 imx6ull-var-som-concerto-board-emmc-sd-card-wm8731.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Concerto board with i.MX6ULL SOC, eMMC and WiFi:
$ make -j4 imx6ull-var-som-concerto-board-emmc-wifi.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Concerto board with i.MX6ULL SOC, eMMC, WM8731 and WiFi:
$ make -j4 imx6ull-var-som-concerto-board-emmc-wifi-wm8731.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Concerto board with i.MX6ULL SOC, NAND flash and SD card:
$ make -j4 imx6ull-var-som-concerto-board-nand-sd-card.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Concerto board with i.MX6ULL SOC, NAND flash, WM8731 and SD card:
$ make -j4 imx6ull-var-som-concerto-board-nand-sd-card-wm8731.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Concerto board with i.MX6ULL SOC, NAND flash and WiFi:
$ make -j4 imx6ull-var-som-concerto-board-nand-wifi.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Concerto board with i.MX6ULL SOC, NAND flash, WM8731 and WiFi:
$ make -j4 imx6ull-var-som-concerto-board-nand-wifi-wm8731.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Concerto board with i.MX6UL SOC, eMMC and SD card:
$ make -j4 imx6ul-var-som-concerto-board-emmc-sd-card.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Concerto board with i.MX6UL SOC, eMMC, WM8731 and SD card:
$ make -j4 imx6ul-var-som-concerto-board-emmc-sd-card-wm8731.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Concerto board with i.MX6UL SOC, eMMC and WiFi:
$ make -j4 imx6ul-var-som-concerto-board-emmc-wifi.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Concerto board with i.MX6UL SOC, eMMC, WM8731 and WiFi:
$ make -j4 imx6ul-var-som-concerto-board-emmc-wifi-wm8731.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Concerto board with i.MX6UL SOC, NAND flash and SD card:
$ make -j4 imx6ul-var-som-concerto-board-nand-sd-card.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Concerto board with i.MX6UL SOC, NAND flash, WM8731 and SD card:
$ make -j4 imx6ul-var-som-concerto-board-nand-sd-card-wm8731.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Concerto board with i.MX6UL SOC, NAND flash and WiFi:
$ make -j4 imx6ul-var-som-concerto-board-nand-wifi.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Concerto board with i.MX6UL SOC, NAND flash, WM8731 and WiFi:
$ make -j4 imx6ul-var-som-concerto-board-nand-wifi-wm8731.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Concerto board with i.MX6ULZ SOC, eMMC and SD card:
$ make -j4 imx6ulz-var-som-concerto-board-emmc-sd-card.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Concerto board with i.MX6ULZ SOC, eMMC, WM8731 and SD card:
$ make -j4 imx6ulz-var-som-concerto-board-emmc-sd-card-wm8731.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Concerto board with i.MX6ULZ SOC, eMMC and WiFi:
$ make -j4 imx6ulz-var-som-concerto-board-emmc-wifi.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Concerto board with i.MX6ULZ SOC, eMMC, WM8731 and WiFi:
$ make -j4 imx6ulz-var-som-concerto-board-emmc-wifi-wm8731.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Concerto board with i.MX6ULZ SOC, NAND flash and SD card:
$ make -j4 imx6ulz-var-som-concerto-board-nand-sd-card.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Concerto board with i.MX6ULZ SOC, NAND flash, WM8731 and SD card:
$ make -j4 imx6ulz-var-som-concerto-board-nand-sd-card-wm8731.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Concerto board with i.MX6ULZ SOC, NAND flash and WiFi:
$ make -j4 imx6ulz-var-som-concerto-board-nand-wifi.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Concerto board with i.MX6ULZ SOC, NAND flash, WM8731 and WiFi:
$ make -j4 imx6ulz-var-som-concerto-board-nand-wifi-wm8731.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Symphony board with i.MX6ULL SOC, eMMC and SD card:
$ make -j4 imx6ull-var-som-symphony-board-emmc-sd-card.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Symphony board with i.MX6ULL SOC, eMMC, WM8731 and SD card:
$ make -j4 imx6ull-var-som-symphony-board-emmc-sd-card-wm8731.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Symphony board with i.MX6ULL SOC, eMMC and WiFi:
$ make -j4 imx6ull-var-som-symphony-board-emmc-wifi.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Symphony board with i.MX6ULL SOC, eMMC, WM8731 and WiFi:
$ make -j4 imx6ull-var-som-symphony-board-emmc-wifi-wm8731.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Symphony board with i.MX6ULL SOC, NAND flash and SD card:
$ make -j4 imx6ull-var-som-symphony-board-nand-sd-card.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Symphony board with i.MX6ULL SOC, NAND flash, WM8731 and SD card:
$ make -j4 imx6ull-var-som-symphony-board-nand-sd-card-wm8731.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Symphony board with i.MX6ULL SOC, NAND flash and WiFi:
$ make -j4 imx6ull-var-som-symphony-board-nand-wifi.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Symphony board with i.MX6ULL SOC, NAND flash, WM8731 and WiFi:
$ make -j4 imx6ull-var-som-symphony-board-nand-wifi-wm8731.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Symphony board with i.MX6UL SOC, eMMC and SD card:
$ make -j4 imx6ul-var-som-symphony-board-emmc-sd-card.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Symphony board with i.MX6UL SOC, eMMC, WM8731 and SD card:
$ make -j4 imx6ul-var-som-symphony-board-emmc-sd-card-wm8731.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Symphony board with i.MX6UL SOC, eMMC and WiFi:
$ make -j4 imx6ul-var-som-symphony-board-emmc-wifi.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Symphony board with i.MX6UL SOC, eMMC, WM8731 and WiFi:
$ make -j4 imx6ul-var-som-symphony-board-emmc-wifi-wm8731.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Symphony board with i.MX6UL SOC, NAND flash and SD card:
$ make -j4 imx6ul-var-som-symphony-board-nand-sd-card.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Symphony board with i.MX6UL SOC, NAND flash, WM8731 and SD card:
$ make -j4 imx6ul-var-som-symphony-board-nand-sd-card-wm8731.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Symphony board with i.MX6UL SOC, NAND flash and WiFi:
$ make -j4 imx6ul-var-som-symphony-board-nand-wifi.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Symphony board with i.MX6UL SOC, NAND flash, WM8731 and WiFi:
$ make -j4 imx6ul-var-som-symphony-board-nand-wifi-wm8731.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Symphony board with i.MX6ULZ SOC, eMMC and SD card:
$ make -j4 imx6ulz-var-som-symphony-board-emmc-sd-card.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Symphony board with i.MX6ULZ SOC, eMMC, WM8731 and SD card:
$ make -j4 imx6ulz-var-som-symphony-board-emmc-sd-card-wm8731.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Symphony board with i.MX6ULZ SOC, eMMC and WiFi:
$ make -j4 imx6ulz-var-som-symphony-board-emmc-wifi.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Symphony board with i.MX6ULZ SOC, eMMC, WM8731 and WiFi:
$ make -j4 imx6ulz-var-som-symphony-board-emmc-wifi-wm8731.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Symphony board with i.MX6ULZ SOC, NAND flash and SD card:
$ make -j4 imx6ulz-var-som-symphony-board-nand-sd-card.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Symphony board with i.MX6ULZ SOC, NAND flash, WM8731 and SD card:
$ make -j4 imx6ulz-var-som-symphony-board-nand-sd-card-wm8731.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Symphony board with i.MX6ULZ SOC, NAND flash and WiFi:
$ make -j4 imx6ulz-var-som-symphony-board-nand-wifi.dtb

Build only the device tree for VAR-SOM-6UL on Symphony board with i.MX6ULZ SOC, NAND flash, WM8731 and WiFi:
$ make -j4 imx6ulz-var-som-symphony-board-nand-wifi-wm8731.dtb

Install kernel modules to temporary directory

Create a temporary directory to install the modules:

Optional: delete any old installation from previous builds:
$ rm -rf $WORKDIR/rootfs

Create new directory:
$ mkdir -p $WORKDIR/rootfs

Install the modules to the temporary rootfs:

$ cd ${WORKDIR}/linux-imx && \
  make ARCH=arm \
    INSTALL_MOD_STRIP=1 \
    INSTALL_MOD_PATH=$WORKDIR/rootfs \
    modules_install

Notes:

If you replace the kernel image (zImage) on your system, you also need to reinstall the kernel modules, and vice versa.

If you just want to make a change in the device tree, you can compile and replace it without replacing the kernel image and modules.

Install the built kernel images, modules, and device trees on an SD card

Copy the zImage and device trees to the SD card boot partition, and install the modules in the SD card rootfs partition.
Assuming the boot partition is mounted on /media/user/BOOT-VAR6UL and the rootfs partition is mounted on /media/user/root:

Install the kernel image and modules:
$ cd ${WORKDIR}/linux-imx
$ cp arch/arm/boot/zImage /media/user/BOOT-VAR6UL
$ sudo cp $WORKDIR/rootfs/* /media/user/rootfs

Install the device trees:
$ sudo cp arch/arm/boot/dts/nxp/imx/imx6ul*var*.dtb /media/user/BOOT-VAR6UL

Notes:

  • If you are using our Debian Recovery SD card, and you want the eMMC installation process to be updated as well as the SD card boot itself, you need to also update the /opt/images/Debian directory.
  • You should always properly unmount your SD card before physically removing it.