# Mender on IMX8 + Yocto
**URL:** https://hub.mender.io/t/mender-on-imx8-yocto/7132
**Category:** General Discussions
**Created:** [August 22, 2024, 11:11pm UTC](https://hub.mender.io/t/mender-on-imx8-yocto/7132 "2024-08-22T23:11:31Z")
**Posts on this page:** 11
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@zapados](https://hub.mender.io/u/zapados)
#### Post date: [August 22, 2024, 11:11pm UTC](https://hub.mender.io/t/mender-on-imx8-yocto/7132/1 "2024-08-22T23:11:32Z")
I’m working on getting Mender going on an IMX8 setup. I’m by no means an expert on Yocto, IMX8, or Mender. 🙂
I have an image building that, when loaded, does appear to have Mender running on it (systemctl status mender-client).
However, from the “Integration Checklist”, I can’t get fw\_printenv to work.
I think it’s conflicting with upstream board stuff, like the location of the u-boot environment variables.
In general, does it make sense for the upstream board stuff to conform to Mender, or Mender to conform to the upstream board stuff?
I am using these which is where things were stored BEFORE going to Mender:
> MENDER\_UBOOT\_ENV\_STORAGE\_DEVICE\_OFFSET\_1 = “0x3F0000”
> BOOTENV\_SIZE = “0x2000”
However, I still see a /etc/fw\_env.config of:
> /dev/mmcblk0 0x3F0000 0x2000
> /dev/mmcblk0 0x1000000 0x2000
Where is that second one coming from, and how do I turn that off? I’m not sure my board supports it.
Thank you for your help! Tagging @TheYoctoJester as he’s been a large help in these forums and is def. a guru of Mender in Yocto! 🙂
---
### Author:  [@janaperic](https://hub.mender.io/u/janaperic)
#### Post date: [August 23, 2024, 11:47am UTC](https://hub.mender.io/t/mender-on-imx8-yocto/7132/2 "2024-08-23T11:47:54Z")
Hi @zapados, YoctoJester is on vacation at this time, so I will try to help you. I have a couple of questions for you:
1. Have you taken a look at this [thread](https://hub.mender.io/t/mender-on-imx8-plus-u-boot-setup-errors/4686/6)? Is it something that could be helpful to you?
2. What error do you get when you run fw\_printenv?
3. Which steps did you follow to integrate u-boot with Yocto and Mender?
Cheers,
Jana
---
### Author:  [@zapados](https://hub.mender.io/u/zapados)
#### Post date: [August 23, 2024, 3:43pm UTC](https://hub.mender.io/t/mender-on-imx8-yocto/7132/3 "2024-08-23T15:43:58Z")
Hi Jana,
Thank you for your help!
1. I’m not to that step yet - just trying to get `fw_printenv` working reliably for the integration checklist.
2. An update here - I can get `fw_printenv` to work, but I need to manually comment out the second line (the u-boot environment redundant location I think?).
> root@xxx:~# cat /etc/fw\_env.config
> /dev/mmcblk0 0x3F0000 0x2000
> #/dev/mmcblk0 0x1000000 0x2000
> root@xxx:~#
When that’s not commented out, I get:
> root@xxx:~# fw\_printenv
> Cannot read environment, using default
> Cannot read default environment from file
> root@xxx:~#
1. I’ve been following the Mender integration documentation, but focused on standalone full-disk deployments for now.
u-boot-imx\_%.bbappend:
> FILESEXTRAPATHS:prepend := “${THISDIR}/${PN}:”
>
> # Needed for Mender to work on a u-boot fork.
> require recipes-bsp/u-boot/u-boot-mender.inc
> PROVIDES += " u-boot"
> RPROVIDES\_${PN} += “u-boot”
>
> SRC\_URI += “file://enable-pxe-xxx-0001.patch”
local.conf stuff (may move around to more appropriate places later):
> ```
> INHERIT += "mender-full"
> MENDER_BOOT_PART_SIZE_MB = "512"
> MENDER_STORAGE_DEVICE = "/dev/mmcblk0"
> MENDER_STORAGE_TOTAL_SIZE_MB = "15028"
> MENDER_FEATURES_ENABLE:append = " mender-uboot mender-image-sd"
> MENDER_FEATURES_DISABLE:append = " mender-grub mender-image-uefi"
> MENDER_ARTIFACT_NAME = "xxx"
> IMAGE_FSTYPES:append = " sdimg.bmap"
> MENDER_UBOOT_ENV_STORAGE_DEVICE_OFFSET_1 = "0x3F0000"
> BOOTENV_SIZE = "0x2000"
>
> ```
Cheers,
Adam L.
---
### Author:  [@zapados](https://hub.mender.io/u/zapados)
#### Post date: [August 23, 2024, 5:08pm UTC](https://hub.mender.io/t/mender-on-imx8-yocto/7132/4 "2024-08-23T17:08:57Z")
I don’t see either of these cases: “Unfortunately, because of the great variation in U-Boot board code, the automatic patching process does not always succeed or produce a working boot loader, even if the above criteria are met. The symptoms are **either that one of the `u-boot` recipes produce compile errors, or that the board does not boot using the modified bootloader.** If this happens, or if you are using an older Yocto Project branch, there will be some manual work required in order to produce a working integration patch.”
I don’t get a compile error, and the board does boot, but I’m starting to wonder if it’s not booting with the modified u-boot. For example, further in the integration checklist is the step of setting it to boot off the alternate partition:
> fw\_setenv mender\_boot\_part 3
> fw\_setenv mender\_boot\_part\_hex 3
> reboot
However, when I inspect my u-boot environment variables with `fw_printenv`, I don’t see any `mender_` contents!
> root@xxx:~# fw\_printenv | grep mender
> root@xxx:~#
Does this mean something already went wrong?
---
### Author:  [@janaperic](https://hub.mender.io/u/janaperic)
#### Post date: [August 26, 2024, 9:47am UTC](https://hub.mender.io/t/mender-on-imx8-yocto/7132/5 "2024-08-26T09:47:08Z")
Hi,
> However, when I inspect my u-boot environment variables with `fw_printenv`, I don’t see any `mender_` contents!
> Does this mean something already went wrong?
Yes, I think this would be a clear indication that Mender was not integrated properly.
Can you tell me following things:
1. Which yocto release are you using?
2. Which layers do you have configured in you bblayers.conf? Please verify that all necessary yocto layers (for your board and mender) are included
3. Is there anything useful in mender logs? You can check them by running `journalctl | grep mender*`
4. Which imx8 board are you using? (What’s the value of your MACHINE variable?)
If the issue was wrong fw\_env.config only - there would be a quick (but not pretty) workaround for it: manually adding fw\_env.config using a bbappend file. But in your case the issue seems to go deeper.
Cheers,
Jana
---
### Author:  [@zapados](https://hub.mender.io/u/zapados)
#### Post date: [August 26, 2024, 5:04pm UTC](https://hub.mender.io/t/mender-on-imx8-yocto/7132/6 "2024-08-26T17:04:38Z")
1.
> DISTRO = “poky”
> DISTRO\_NAME = “Poky (Yocto Project Reference Distro)”
> DISTRO\_VERSION = “4.0.4”
> DISTRO\_CODENAME = “kirkstone”
1. I’m using kas to manage layers. What Mender layers should I be including?
> // a-sm2s-imx8
> LCONF\_VERSION = “7”
> BBPATH = “${TOPDIR}”
> BBFILES ?= “”
> BBLAYERS += "
> /work/sources/yocto.git/meta-poky
> /work/sources/yocto.git/meta-yocto-bsp
> /work/sources/01032/msc-ldk-bsp-recipes.git/meta
> /work/sources/yocto.git/meta
> /work/sources/meta-openembedded.git/meta-oe
> /work/sources/meta-openembedded.git/meta-networking
> /work/sources/meta-openembedded.git/meta-python
> /work/sources/meta-python2.git
> /work/sources/meta-qt5.git
> /work/sources/meta-secure-core.git/meta
> /work/sources/meta-secure-core.git/meta-integrity
> /work/sources/meta-secure-core.git/meta-signing-key
> /work/sources/meta-secure-core.git/meta-tpm
> /work/sources/meta-secure-core.git/meta-tpm2
> /work/sources/meta-msc-ldk-core-recipes.git
> /work/sources/meta-msc-ldk-core.git
> /work/sources/meta-msc-ldk-mscio.git
> /work/sources/meta-freescale.git
> /work/sources/meta-freescale-distro.git
> /work/sources/meta-imx.git/meta-bsp
> /work/sources/meta-imx.git/meta-sdk
> /work/sources/meta-imx.git/meta-ml
> /work/sources/meta-nxp-demo-experience.git
> /work/sources/meta-msc-arm-extensions.git
> /work/sources/meta-msc-ldk-marvell.git
> /work/sources/meta-openembedded.git/meta-multimedia
> /work/sources/meta-openembedded.git/meta-gnome
> /work/sources/meta-openembedded.git/meta-filesystems
> /work/sources/meta-openembedded.git/meta-perl
> /work/sources/meta-openembedded.git/meta-webserver
> /work/sources/meta-msc-ldk-rt.git
> /work/sources/meta-virtualization.git
> /work/sources/meta-mender.git/meta-mender-core
> "
> BBLAYERS\_NON\_REMOVABLE ?= "
> /work/sources/yocto.git/meta
> /work/sources/yocto.git/meta-poky
> "
> BBLAYERS ?= "
> /repo/meta-xxx
> /work/sources/01032/msc-ldk-bsp-recipes.git/meta
> /work/sources/meta-freescale-distro.git
> /work/sources/meta-freescale.git
> /work/sources/meta-imx.git/meta-bsp
> /work/sources/meta-imx.git/meta-sdk
> /work/sources/meta-mender.git/meta-mender-core
> /work/sources/meta-msc-arm-extensions.git
> /work/sources/meta-msc-ldk-core-recipes.git
> /work/sources/meta-msc-ldk-core.git
> /work/sources/meta-msc-ldk-marvell.git
> /work/sources/meta-msc-ldk-mscio.git
> /work/sources/meta-msc-ldk-rt.git
> /work/sources/meta-nxp-demo-experience.git
> /work/sources/meta-openembedded.git/meta-filesystems
> /work/sources/meta-openembedded.git/meta-gnome
> /work/sources/meta-openembedded.git/meta-multimedia
> /work/sources/meta-openembedded.git/meta-networking
> /work/sources/meta-openembedded.git/meta-oe
> /work/sources/meta-openembedded.git/meta-perl
> /work/sources/meta-openembedded.git/meta-python
> /work/sources/meta-openembedded.git/meta-webserver
> /work/sources/meta-python2.git
> /work/sources/meta-qt5.git
> /work/sources/meta-secure-core.git/meta
> /work/sources/meta-secure-core.git/meta-integrity
> /work/sources/meta-secure-core.git/meta-signing-key
> /work/sources/meta-secure-core.git/meta-tpm
> /work/sources/meta-secure-core.git/meta-tpm2
> /work/sources/meta-virtualization.git
> /work/sources/yocto.git/meta
> /work/sources/yocto.git/meta-poky
> /work/sources/yocto.git/meta-yocto-bsp"
> BBPATH ?= “${TOPDIR}”
> BBFILES ??= “”
1. Lots of authorization failures, but I’m trying to get a standalone Mender going first, so I expect this:
> Aug 26 18:53:36 xxx mender[1174]: time=“2024-08-26T18:53:36+02:00” level=warning msg=“Reauthorization failed with error: transient error: authorization request failed”
> Aug 26 18:53:36 xxx mender[1174]: time=“2024-08-26T18:53:36+02:00” level=error msg=“Error receiving scheduled update data: update check request failed: transient error: authorization request failed”
> Aug 26 18:53:36 xxx mender[1174]: time=“2024-08-26T18:53:36+02:00” level=error msg=“Update check failed: transient error: update check request failed: transient error: authorization request failed”
> Aug 26 18:53:36 xxx mender[1174]: time=“2024-08-26T18:53:36+02:00” level=info msg=“State transition: update-check [Sync] → error [Error]”
> Aug 26 18:53:36 xxx mender[1174]: time=“2024-08-26T18:53:36+02:00” level=info msg=“Handling error state, current error: transient error: update check request failed: transient error: authorization request failed”
> Aug 26 18:53:36 xxx mender[1174]: time=“2024-08-26T18:53:36+02:00” level=info msg=“State transition: error [Error] → idle [Idle]”
> Aug 26 18:53:36 xxx mender[1174]: time=“2024-08-26T18:53:36+02:00” level=info msg=“State transition: idle [Idle] → check-wait [Idle]”
Some startup stuff, but this looks good to me as I think the issue to fix first is u-boot related:
> Aug 23 18:14:14 xxx mender-client-resize-data-part[339]: Disk has already been resized.
> Aug 23 18:14:16 xxx systemd[1]: Mender persistent data dir was skipped because of a failed condition check (ConditionPathExists=!/data/mender).
> Aug 23 18:16:17 xxx mender[1174]: time=“2024-08-23T18:16:17+02:00” level=info msg=“Loaded configuration file: /var/lib/mender/mender.conf”
> Aug 23 18:16:17 xxx mender[1174]: time=“2024-08-23T18:16:17+02:00” level=info msg=“Loaded configuration file: /etc/mender/mender.conf”
> Aug 23 18:16:17 xxx mender[1174]: time=“2024-08-23T18:16:17+02:00” level=info msg=“‘UpdateControlMapExpirationTimeSeconds’ is not set in the Mender configuration file. Falling back to the default of 2\*UpdatePollIntervalSeconds”
> Aug 23 18:16:17 xxx mender[1174]: time=“2024-08-23T18:16:17+02:00” level=info msg=“‘UpdateControlMapBootExpirationTimeSeconds’ is not set in the Mender configuration file. Falling back to the default of 600 seconds”
> Aug 23 18:16:19 xxx mender[1174]: time=“2024-08-23T18:16:19+02:00” level=info msg=“Mender running on partition: /dev/mmcblk0p2”
> Aug 23 18:16:21 xxx mender[1174]: time=“2024-08-23T18:16:21+02:00” level=info msg=“State transition: init [none] → init [none]”
> Aug 23 18:16:21 xxx mender[1174]: time=“2024-08-23T18:16:21+02:00” level=info msg=“State transition: init [none] → idle [Idle]”
> Aug 23 18:16:21 xxx mender[1174]: time=“2024-08-23T18:16:21+02:00” level=info msg=“State transition: idle [Idle] → check-wait [Idle]”
> Aug 23 18:16:21 xxx mender[1174]: time=“2024-08-23T18:16:21+02:00” level=info msg=“State transition: check-wait [Idle] → inventory-update [Sync]”
> Aug 23 18:16:21 xxx mender[1174]: time=“2024-08-23T18:16:21+02:00” level=info msg=“Output (stderr) from command "/usr/share/mender/inventory/mender-inventory-geo": /usr/share/mender/inventory/mender-inventory-geo: Unable to get IP info from [ipinfo.io](http://ipinfo.io)”
> Aug 23 18:16:21 xxx mender[1174]: time=“2024-08-23T18:16:21+02:00” level=warning msg=“Inventory tool /usr/share/mender/inventory/mender-inventory-geo wait failed: exit status 2”
> Aug 23 18:16:24 xxx mender[1174]: time=“2024-08-23T18:16:24+02:00” level=info msg=“Device unauthorized; attempting reauthorization”
1. Currently working on an `sm2s-imx8` from Avnet. [https://embedded.avnet.com/product/msc-sm2s-imx8/](https://embedded.avnet.com/product/msc-sm2s-imx8/)
Do you think I should start tackling the manual u-boot integration based on the fact that there is no `mender_` stuff in my u-boot environment? I was hoping to avoid it so it’s more future-proofed against Yocto and Mender updates.
---
### Author:  [@zapados](https://hub.mender.io/u/zapados)
#### Post date: [August 26, 2024, 7:59pm UTC](https://hub.mender.io/t/mender-on-imx8-yocto/7132/7 "2024-08-26T19:59:15Z")
Hmm when I look at `build/tmp/work/xxx/u-boot-imx/2022.04-r0/mender_auto_configured.patch`, I don’t see it adding any `mender_` stuff there!
When does that come in to `msc_sm2s_imx8.h`?
---
### Author:  [@zapados](https://hub.mender.io/u/zapados)
#### Post date: [August 26, 2024, 11:00pm UTC](https://hub.mender.io/t/mender-on-imx8-yocto/7132/8 "2024-08-26T23:00:34Z")
I don’t think this is the EXTERNALSRC issue discussed here: [https://hub.mender.io/t/mender-u-boot-env-vars-missing-from-manual-patch/3209/12:](https://hub.mender.io/t/mender-u-boot-env-vars-missing-from-manual-patch/3209/12:)
> builder@f54f8a31e876:/build$ bitbake -e u-boot-imx | grep --ignore-case “EXTERNALSRC”
> # $EXTERNALSRC
> # [doc] “If externalsrc.bbclass is inherited, this variable points to the source tree, which is outside of the OpenEmbedded build system.”
> # $EXTERNALSRC\_BUILD
> # [doc] “If externalsrc.bbclass is inherited, this variable points to the directory in which the recipe’s source code is built, which is outside of the OpenEmbedded build system.”
> if [-n “${EXTERNALSRC}”]; then
> bbwarn “Skipping U-Boot auto-configuration when \>EXTERNALSRC is set. Would change the source files. If you need the patch, turn off EXTERNALSRC, call ‘bitbake -c save\_mender\_auto\_configured\_patch u-boot’ to generate a patch, and then apply that to your work tree and reenable EXTERNALSRC.”
> # e.g. using externalsrc; use S as base for our dirs
> # debugsources.list may be polluted from the host if we used externalsrc,
> # Same check as above for externalsrc
> builder@f54f8a31e876:/build$
---
### Author:  [@janaperic](https://hub.mender.io/u/janaperic)
#### Post date: [August 27, 2024, 9:32am UTC](https://hub.mender.io/t/mender-on-imx8-yocto/7132/9 "2024-08-27T09:32:52Z")
Hi @zapados,
To be honest I’ve never used kas before - and am not a big fan of it - but I believe your issue will require some deeper digging into Yocto which might not be possible with kas.
Second, I see you have a long list of layers in your bblayers.conf. I’d suggest first making a build with only necessary layers required (mender, bsp and poky related layers). After you set up the most simple build, and get Mender to work on it, I’d suggest adding more stuff to it. This way not only does the build finish faster, but debugging it is easier and it’s more clear what’s going on.
> What Mender layers should I be including?
I believe meta-mender-core is sufficient in your case.
> Do you think I should start tackling the manual u-boot integration based on the fact that there is no `mender_` stuff in my u-boot environment?
That’s exactly what I would do next.
Lastly, I want to point out that the board you’re using has not been tested with Mender before. ([source](https://hub.mender.io/t/board-support-index/5742)) Because of it, integrating Mender on it could be more difficult than it seems. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help.
Best of luck,
Jana
---
### Author:  [@zapados](https://hub.mender.io/u/zapados)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2024, 11:33pm UTC](https://hub.mender.io/t/mender-on-imx8-yocto/7132/10 "2024-08-28T23:33:31Z")
The manual u-boot integration steps don’t talk about how to add the mender\_\* variables - is it expected those are already present in the automatically generated patch? What if they are not, as is my case?
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### Author:  [@zapados](https://hub.mender.io/u/zapados)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2024, 11:02pm UTC](https://hub.mender.io/t/mender-on-imx8-yocto/7132/11 "2024-09-03T23:02:14Z")
Sadly this project has been shut down.
Thank you for all your help along the way!