Debian Setup TFTP/NFS¶

Running Debian rootfs on Variscite board using TFTP & NFS¶

On the Host¶

Prepare the rootfs folder:

cd ~/debian_imx91_var_som

mkdir -p ~/rootfs_debian_nfs

cd ~/rootfs_debian_nfs

sudo tar xvf ~/debian_imx91_var_som/output/rootfs.tar.gz -C .

Make sure the NFS server is installed:

sudo apt install nfs-kernel-server

Edit /etc/exports, e.g.:

sudo gedit /etc/exports

And add the following line to it (replace with the actual username):

/home/<uname>/rootfs_debian_nfs    *(rw,sync,no_root_squash,no_all_squash,no_subtree_check)

Restart the NFS server:

sudo /etc/init.d/nfs-kernel-server restart

Make sure the TFTP server is installed:

sudo apt-get install xinetd tftpd tftp

Verify the following:

ls /usr/sbin/in.tftpd

sudo gedit /etc/xinetd.d/tftp

service tftp
{
    protocol = udp
    port = 69
    socket_type = dgram
    wait = yes
    user = nobody
    server = /usr/sbin/in.tftpd
    server_args = /tftpboot
    disable = no
}

And run:

sudo mkdir /tftpboot

sudo chmod -R 777 /tftpboot

sudo /etc/init.d/xinetd restart

cd ~/debian_imx91_var_som

sudo cp -a ~/rootfs_debian_nfs/boot/*.dtb /tftpboot

sudo cp ~/rootfs_debian_nfs/boot/Image.gz /tftpboot

Make adjustments to the rootfs:

When using NetworkManager on the target, configure NetworkManager not to manage the interface used for the NFS boot by adding the following to ~/rootfs_debian_nfs/etc/NetworkManager/NetworkManager.conf:

[keyfile]
unmanaged-devices=interface-name:eth0

Enable DNS:

sudo ln -fs /proc/net/pnp ~/rootfs_debian_nfs/etc/resolv.conf

On the Target¶

Make sure you have a serial connection to the target.

Boot the board and hit any key to stop the autoboot and get to the U-Boot command line.

Replace <HOST_IP_ADDRESS> with the actual IP address of your host. Run ifconfig on the host to get it.

=> setenv serverip <HOST_IP_ADDRESS>

Replace <uname> with the actual username.

=> setenv nfsroot /home/<uname>/rootfs_debian_nfs

=> setenv bootcmd run netboot

=> saveenv

You are all set. Connect the target board to the same network as the host using an Ethernet cable, power cycle it and it should boot over NFS.