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help-uboot: say what the layout macro is for, and that serial needs it too #518

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openipc-ai merged 1 commit into from
Sep 8, 2026
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help-uboot: say what the layout macro is for, and that serial needs it too #518

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51 changes: 47 additions & 4 deletions en/help-uboot.md
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -232,8 +232,13 @@ after the image is loaded, continue
sf probe 0
sf erase 0x0 ${flashsize}
sf write ${baseaddr} 0x0 ${filesize}
reset
```

Then interrupt the boot once more and
[set the partition layout](#setting-the-partition-layout-after-a-full-image) —
without it a 16MB image boots to a kernel panic.

### Flashing full image from TFTP

Before you start, [prepare the environment](#prepare-the-environment).
Expand All @@ -258,7 +263,7 @@ Example for 8MB:

```shell
mw.b ${baseaddr} 0xff ${flashsize}
tftpboot ${baseaddr} openipc-${soc}-lite-8mb.bin
tftpboot ${baseaddr} openipc-${soc}-nor-lite-8mb.bin
sf probe 0; sf erase 0x0 ${flashsize}; sf write ${baseaddr} 0x0 ${filesize}
reset
```
Expand All @@ -267,13 +272,51 @@ Example for 16MB:

```shell
mw.b ${baseaddr} 0xff ${flashsize}
tftpboot ${baseaddr} openipc-${soc}-ultimate-16mb.bin
tftpboot ${baseaddr} openipc-${soc}-nor-ultimate-16mb.bin
sf probe 0; sf erase 0x0 ${flashsize}; sf write ${baseaddr} 0x0 ${filesize}
reset
```

At the first boot, sign in into the bootloader shell once again and remap
partitioning running `run setnor16m` command.
At the first boot, interrupt the boot again and
[set the partition layout](#setting-the-partition-layout-after-a-full-image).

### Setting the partition layout after a full image

A full image carries the bootloader with it, and the bootloader's compiled-in
default is the 8MB partition map:

```
mtdparts=hi_sfc:256k(boot),64k(env),2048k(kernel),5120k(rootfs),-(rootfs_data)
```

The 16MB map is a separate macro, and it does not merely make the rootfs
longer — it moves it, to 0x350000 from 0x250000, with 10240k rather than 5120k.
The images openipc.org builds for a 16MB chip are laid out that way, so a 16MB
image left on the 8MB default has its rootfs where the kernel does not look:

```
0x000000250000-0x000000750000 : "rootfs"
No filesystem could mount root, tried: squashfs
Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(31,3)
Rebooting in 20 seconds..
```

The kernel starts either way, because it sits at 0x50000 in both maps, so the
camera looks like it is booting right up to the panic — and then loops every
20 seconds.

Interrupt the boot and run the macro for the layout you flashed:

```shell
run setnor8m # 8MB layout
run setnor16m # 16MB layout
run setnand # NAND
```

Each of them sets the partition map, points `bootcmd` at it, saves the
environment and resets, so there is nothing to type afterwards. Nothing needs
re-flashing either — the image on the chip is already correct, only the map it
is read with was wrong.

### Reading binary image from SD card.

Expand Down