gc-linux kernel build

[liquitt]

Hey,
has anybody ever tried to build a newer linux kernel? Since all the new kernel still bring a arch/powerpc/gamecube_defconfig file with them...
Just curious and i don't have a build machine atm - but might set one up for that.

[novenary]

Just tried it with the latest devkitppc. Two problems so far. It's most likely fixable but I don't really feel like looking into it right now.

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arch/powerpc/perf/bhrb.S: Assembler messages:
arch/powerpc/perf/bhrb.S:26: Error: unrecognized opcode: `cmpldi'
arch/powerpc/perf/bhrb.S:28: Error: unrecognized opcode: `ld'
arch/powerpc/perf/bhrb.S:29: Error: unrecognized opcode: `sldi'

Code: Select all

arch/powerpc/kernel/idle_6xx.S: Assembler messages:
arch/powerpc/kernel/idle_6xx.S:135: Error: unrecognized opcode: `dssall'

I'm using the 4.10.3 tarball from kernel.org, and this is all I've tried:

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export ARCH=powerpc
export CROSS_COMPILE=powerpc-eabi-
make gamecube_defconfig
make -j8

[liquitt]

i just realised - we don't have any patches for version > 2.6.32

[novenary]

If a defconfig is included you should still be able to get a basic kernel built. That is indeed pretty ancient though.

Welcome back, by the way.

[tueidj]

Code: Select all

arch/powerpc/perf/bhrb.S: Assembler messages:
arch/powerpc/perf/bhrb.S:26: Error: unrecognized opcode: `cmpldi'
arch/powerpc/perf/bhrb.S:28: Error: unrecognized opcode: `ld'
arch/powerpc/perf/bhrb.S:29: Error: unrecognized opcode: `sldi'

That file shouldn't be getting built... try adding CONFIG_PPC_PERF_CTRS=n to gamecube_defconfig.

Code: Select all

arch/powerpc/kernel/idle_6xx.S: Assembler messages:
arch/powerpc/kernel/idle_6xx.S:135: Error: unrecognized opcode: `dssall'

The BEGIN_FTR_SECTION/END_FTR_SECTION block surrounding that instruction should be guarded with #ifdef CONFIG_ALTIVEC/#endif as per https://github.com/01org/kvm-sgx/blob/4 ... es.txt#L37

[liquitt]

which kernel did you try btw? 4.10.3?
and thanks - i instantly feel home again!

[novenary]

Well, I guess this is something? Video output is garbled but this is what I get over USB Gecko after applying tueidj's workarounds and hacking a DOL together.


Next step would be to stick a userspace in there but I'm lazy right now.

[liquitt]

yay! that looks good indeed. c'mon - you can do it

[novenary]

So as discussed on IRC, besides the USB Gecko console and the PIC, pretty much all of the drivers are missing and will need to be forward-ported from gc-linux. This is definitely not a showstopper, but it's still quite a bit of work and I have other priorities right now so I'll pass, but I might come back to it later.

[liquitt]

So as discussed on IRC, besides the USB Gecko console and the PIC, pretty much all of the drivers are missing and will need to be forward-ported from gc-linux. This is definitely not a showstopper, but it's still quite a bit of work and I have other priorities right now so I'll pass, but I might come back to it later.

once i have a 2.6.32 system up and running i'll see what's in there

[novenary]

Here's what I've got so far. Patch and dol included, you will need to modify elf2dol for now if you want to build it (remove the exit at line 225). The kernel binary will be at arch/powerpc/boot/dtbImage.gamecube.

[emu_kidid]

I'm gone for a week and liquitt and gc-Linux come back to life!

[megalomaniac]

I'm gone for a week and liquitt and gc-Linux come back to life!

maybe you should leave more often, things seem to always happen when "you're" not around

[liquitt]

haha

[Sierron]

Now we just need proper video output. That fruit salat output isn't helping.

But nice to see some further work on this

[jn____]

I've written a few buildroot patches automatically generate a .DOL file from a mainline kernel for gamecube.
I haven't tested it yet, because I currently don't have a USBGecko, but it should make userspace generation a lot more convenient.

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$ git clone -b gc https://github.com/neuschaefer/buildroot && cd buildroot
$ make gamecube_defconfig
$ make menuconfig #or nconfig
$ make linux-menuconfig #or linux-nconfig
$ make -j4
... wait while it compiles everything ...

And then you'll have a kernel.dol in images/, if everything went well.

Expect the gc branch to move nonlinearly as I tweak and refine things.

[novenary]

Nice. Does it generate a kernel with appended initrd? Since there's no SD driver at the moment it would be convenient to have.

[liquitt]

Nice! Progress!
...my GC got out of the basement already, it's getting closer, haha

[emu_kidid]

Nice! Progress!
...my GC got out of the basement already, it's getting closer, haha

It must have the GC legs attachment, be careful it doesn't run away.

Seriously though, I'd love to see this up & running, can we get a repo up somewhere where we can all contribute and add support for ide-exi, sdhc, wkf, etc.

[jn____]

Nice. Does it generate a kernel with appended initrd? Since there's no SD driver at the moment it would be convenient to have.

Yes, the gamecube/wii_defconfig uses a baked-in initrd.

So far, I've tested on the Wii, and got a shell over usbgecko (kernel patches with the forward-ported drivers coming soon-ish, maybe). GC didn't work, but the buildroot part of it should be fine.

You can also tell buildroot to use a kernel from a custom git repo, if you need that.

[novenary]

Here's my source tree in case you're interested. https://github.com/Streetwalrus/gc-linux
I've only tested it on GC. The elf2dol patch has been merged into devkitppc tools but you still need to compile the latest version from git.

[Sierron]

Any update on this?

[novenary]

Not really. I'm personally busy with other projects and Linux on the GameCube is pretty boring imo, not much you can do with 24MB RAM (that another device can't do better anyway).
Of course having something that works is really cool, but having no real purpose for it doesn't motivate me at all.

[SyproLives]

Are you talking about managing the filter tables of a Linux kernel? If so, this will be useful, as there's some info on iptables that should help.

[novenary]

What do you mean? The point is to get modern kernels to boot on the GC.