# Technexion PICO-PI-IMX7 **URL:** \ **Category:** Yocto Project\ **Tags:** yocto, sumo, imx7, nxp, pico-imx7, technexion, thud, dunfell\ **Created:** [November 24, 2018, 12:59pm UTC](https://hub.mender.io/t/technexion-pico-pi-imx7/136 "2018-11-24T12:59:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 1
**Author:** ![jorisoffouga](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/hub.mender.io/jorisoffouga/32/64_2.png) [@jorisoffouga](https://hub.mender.io/u/jorisoffouga)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2018, 12:59pm UTC](https://hub.mender.io/t/technexion-pico-pi-imx7/136/1 "2018-11-24T12:59:44Z")
The official [Mender documentation](https://docs.mender.io/) explains how Mender works. This is a board-specific complement to the official documentation. # Board description PICO-PI-IMX7 is the Starting Kit for Android Things The i.MX 7Dual delivers high-performance processing for low-power requirements with a high degree of functional integration. The i.MX 7Dual features an advanced implementation of two ARM®Cortex®-A7 cores, which operate at speeds of up to 1.2 GHz, as well as the ARM® Cortex®-M4 core. The Pico variant is pin-compatible with the Intel® Edison for sensors and low-speed I/O, but also adds additional expansion possibilities for multimedia and connectivity, giving you cutting edge technology that can easily be expanded and implemented for IoT designs. ![pico](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/mender/original/1X/5e522b13daa4be096a43b40cbbf688f715c59dbe.jpeg) URL:[https://shop.technexion.com/pico-pi-imx7.html](https://shop.technexion.com/pico-pi-imx7.html) # Test results The Yocto Project releases in the table below have been tested by the Mender community. Please update it if you have tested this integration on other [Yocto Project releases](https://wiki.yoctoproject.org/wiki/Releases?target=_blank): | Yocto Project | Build | Runtime | | --- | --- | --- | | sumo (2.5) | :test_works: | :test_works: | | thud (2.6) | :test_works: | :test_works: | | warrior (2.7) | :test_works: | :test_works: | | zeus (3.0) | :test_works: | :test_works: | | dunfell (3.1) | :test_works: | :test_works: | **Build** Means that the Yocto Project build using this Mender integration completes without errors and outputs images. **Runtime** Means that Mender has been verified to work on the board. For U-Boot-based boards, the [integration checklist](https://docs.mender.io/system-updates-yocto-project/board-integration/bootloader-support/u-boot/integration-checklist?target=_blank) has been verified. # Getting started ## Prerequisites - A supported Linux distribution and dependencies installed on your workstation/laptop as described in the [Yocto Mega Manual](https://www.yoctoproject.org/docs/current/mega-manual/mega-manual.html#detailed-supported-distros) - NOTE. Instructions depend on which Yocto version you intend to use. - Google repo tool [installed](https://hub.mender.io/t/google-repo/58/2) and in your `PATH`. ## Configuring the build ### Setup Yocto environment Set the Yocto Project branch you are building for: ```auto # set to your branch, make sure it is supported (see table above) export BRANCH="dunfell" ``` Create a directory for your `mender-nxp` setup to live in and clone the meta information. ```auto mkdir mender-nxp && cd mender-nxp ``` Initialize repo manifest: ```auto repo init -u https://github.com/mendersoftware/meta-mender-community \ -m meta-mender-nxp/scripts/manifest-nxp.xml \ -b ${BRANCH} ``` Fetch layers in manifest: ```auto repo sync ``` ## Setup build environment Initialize the build environment: ```auto source setup-environment nxp ``` **NOTE!** You need to accept the Freescale EULA at ‘../sources/meta-freescale/EULA’. Please read it and in case you accept it, add: ``` ACCEPT_FSL_EULA = "1" ``` in your local.conf. ### Building the image You can now proceed with building an image: ```auto MACHINE=imx7d-pico bitbake core-image-base ``` Replace `core-image-base` with your desired image target. ### Using the build output After a successful build, the images and build artifacts are placed in `tmp/deploy/images/imx7d-pico/`. - `tmp/deploy/images/imx7d-pico/core-image-base-imx7d-pico.sdimg` - `tmp/deploy/images/imx7d-pico/core-image-base-imx7d-pico.mender` - `tmp/deploy/images/SPL` - `tmp/deploy/images/u-boot-dtb.img` The disk image (with `.sdimg` suffix) is used to provision the device storage for devices without Mender running already. Please proceed to [the official documentation on provisioning a new device](https://docs.mender.io/system-updates-yocto-project/provisioning-a-new-device?target=_blank) for steps to do this. On the other hand, if you already have Mender running on your device and want to deploy a rootfs update using this build, you should use the [Mender Artifact](https://docs.mender.io/overview/artifact) files, which have `.mender` suffix. You can either deploy this Artifact in managed mode with the Mender server (upload it under Releases in the server UI) or by using the Mender client [standalone mode](https://docs.mender.io/artifact-creation/standalone-deployment). #### Flash instructions Based on the output artifacts described above we need to flash the SPL, u-boot.imx and core-image-base-imx7d-pico.sdimg separately to fully provision an device and for it to work with Mender. Required software on the host PC: - imx\_usb\_loader: [GitHub - boundarydevices/imx\_usb\_loader: USB & UART loader for i.MX5/6/7/8 series](https://github.com/boundarydevices/imx_usb_loader) - dfu-util - libusb ```auto git clone https://github.com/boundarydevices/imx_usb_loader ``` ```auto cd imx_usb_loader && make ``` **Loading U-Boot via USB Serial Download Protocol** Note: This method is convenient for development purposes. If the eMMC has already a U-Boot flashed with DFU support then the user can go to step 2 below in order to update U-Boot. Put pico board in Serial Boot Loader mode (refer to the PICO-iMX7D Quick Start Guide page 18 ([https://www.nxp.com/docs/en/user-guide/PICO-IMX7D-USG.pdf](https://www.nxp.com/docs/en/user-guide/PICO-IMX7D-USG.pdf)) Connect a USB to serial adapter between the host PC and pico. Connect a USB cable between the OTG pico port and the host PC. Open a terminal program such as minicom. Copy SPL and u-boot.img to the imx\_usb\_loader folder. Load the SPL binary via USB: ```auto $ sudo ./imx_usb SPL ``` Load the u-boot.img binary via USB: ```auto $ sudo ./imx_usb u-boot-dtb.img ``` Then U-Boot starts and its messages appear in the console program. Use the default environment variables: ```auto => env default -f -a ``` ```auto => saveenv ``` **Flashing Image into the eMMC** From the u-boot : ```auto => ums 0 mmc 0 ``` From the host : ```auto sudo dd if=core-image-base-imx7d-pico.sdimg of=/dev/sdX bs=1M ; sudo sync ``` After flashing use ctrl-c to get out of ums. **Flashing U-Boot into the eMMC** Run the DFU agent so we can flash the new images using dfu-util tool: ```auto => dfu 0 mmc 0 ``` Flash SPL and u-boot.img into the eMMC running the following commands on a PC: ```auto $ sudo dfu-util -D SPL -a spl ``` ```auto $ sudo dfu-util -D u-boot-dtb.img -a u-boot ``` The following message should be seen on the U-Boot prompt after a successful upgrade: ```auto #DOWNLOAD …​ OK Ctrl+C to exit …​ ``` Remove power from the pico board. Put pico board into normal boot mode. Power up the board and the new updated U-Boot should boot from eMMC. # References - The sources of the Yocto integration can be found in [meta-mender-community/meta-mender-nxp](https://github.com/mendersoftware/meta-mender-community/tree/dunfell/meta-mender-nxp) * * * _If this post was useful to you, please press like, or leave a thank you note to the contributor who put valuable time into this and made it available to you. It will be much appreciated!_ --- _[View the full topic](https://hub.mender.io/t/technexion-pico-pi-imx7/136)._