Install ArchLinuxARM (alarm) on Jetson TK1

Introduction

The archlinux.sh script allows one to install ArchLinuxARM (http://www.archlinuxarm.org) on a Jetson TK1. Instead of just a base system, the script installs an entire Mate system.

The script itself is derived from the work Clifford Wolf's chrubuntu script, which can be found here:

http://www.clifford.at/blog/index.php?/archives/131-Installing-Ubuntu-on-an-Acer-Chromebook-13-Tegra-K1.html

And Tristan Bastian script, which can be found here:

https://github.com/reey/LinuxOnAcerCB5-311

I implemented the following changes:

• Removed patches already present in mainline.
• Added a patch to enable WF_EN gpio by default. This enables mini-pcie wifi cards.
• Included BT and Wifi modules.
• Replaced XCFE4 by Mate.
• Included xorg-server-git package required to start X. (No needed any longer)
• Formarts and installs ALArm directly into /dev/mmcblk0p1.
• Installs the required boot.scr in /boot.

Obligatory disclaimer

This code is provided without any warranty, use under your own resposability.

Usage

Follow this guide to install the latest uBoot on the Jetson TK1 https://wiki.debian.org/InstallingDebianOn/NVIDIA/Jetson-TK1

From a PC use the create_installation_sd.sh script to configure a SD card as an installation medium.

curl -L https://github.com/LordRafa/ALARMOnTegraK1/releases/latest/download/create_installation_sd.sh -o create_installation_sd.sh
bash create_installation_sd.sh /dev/sdX

Using the SD card boot the Jetson TK1, login as root (root:root) and run:

curl -L https://github.com/LordRafa/ALARMOnTegraK1/releases/latest/download/archlinux.sh -o archlinux.sh
bash archlinux.sh INSTALLATION_TARGET
# INSTALLATION_TARGET must be replaced by "emmc", "sd", "sda" or manual, which correspond respectively to the internal eMMC, the SD Card, any SATA connected or a manually mounted filesystem.

Once the script finish the Jetson TK1 will reboot remove the SD and it will boot on the new installation.

The "manual" option can be useful when you want to create complex file systems with specific folders mounted in specific partitions (e.g. separate / and /home in different partitions). It will require to do the partitioning and the formatting manually and then mount the partitions under /tmp/arfs/.

e.g:

# From Jetson booted using the SD card, after create sda1 and sda2 partitions with fdisk or similar
mkfs.ext4 -L boot /dev/mmcblk0p1
mkfs.ext4 -L root /dev/sda1
mkfs.ext4 -L home /dev/sda2

mkdir -p /tmp/arfs
mount /dev/sda1 /tmp/arfs/
mkdir -p /tmp/arfs/boot/
mkdir -p /tmp/arfs/home/
mount /dev/mmcblk0p1 /tmp/arfs/boot # it is mandatory for /boot to be on SD or eMMC
mount /dev/sda2 /tmp/arfs/home

bash archlinux.sh manual