# Variscite VAR-SOM-MX8M-NANO : NXP i.MX 8M Nano **URL:** \ **Category:** Yocto Project\ **Created:** [May 15, 2020, 4:29pm UTC](https://hub.mender.io/t/variscite-var-som-mx8m-nano-nxp-i-mx-8m-nano/1928 "2020-05-15T16:29:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![drewmoseley](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/hub.mender.io/drewmoseley/32/47_2.png) [@drewmoseley](https://hub.mender.io/u/drewmoseley)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2020, 4:29pm UTC](https://hub.mender.io/t/variscite-var-som-mx8m-nano-nxp-i-mx-8m-nano/1928/1 "2020-05-15T16:29:18Z")
# Board description The VAR-SOM-MX8M-NANO is a cost-optimized System on Module based on NXP’s i.MX 8M Nano, 1.5GHz Quad-core Cortex-A53™ plus 650MHz Cortex-M7™. The SoM offers an ideal solution for cost-sensitive designs that require power-efficiency and high-performance graphics as well as for general-purpose applications. This highly integrated platform’s connectivity options include certified single-band 802.11 b/g/n or dual-band 802.11 ac/a/b/g/n, BT4.2/BLE, GbE and USB2.0. Furthermore, the system supports full -40 to 85C industrial operating temperatures, Vivante GC7000UL GPU, LVDS and DSI. The VAR-SOM-MX8M-NANO is a member of the ‘VAR-SOM Pin2pin’ product family, providing a maximum scalability range; from the entry-level i.MX6UL/6ULL platform, through the i.MX 6 platforms, I.MX 8M-MINI, i.MX 8X up to the i.MX 8QuadMax. The [VAR-SOM-MX8M-NANO Development Kit and Starter Kit](https://www.variscite.com/product/system-on-module-som/cortex-a53-krait/var-som-mx8m-nano-nxp-i-mx-8m-nano/#evaluation-kit?target=_blank) can serve as a complete development platform for both evaluation and application development purposes. The kits provide a great showcase of the [VAR-SOM-MX8M-NANO](https://www.variscite.com/product/system-on-module-som/cortex-a53-krait/var-som-mx8m-nano-nxp-i-mx-8m-nano?target=_blank) connectivity features and performance. ![VAR-SOM-MX8M-NANO](https://www.variscite.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/ftrd-VAR-SOM-MX8M-NANO-Evaluation-kit.webp) - [Product Overview](https://www.variscite.com/product/system-on-module-som/cortex-a53-krait/var-som-mx8m-nano-nxp-i-mx-8m-nano/?target=_blank) - [Support Wiki](http://variwiki.com/index.php?title=VAR-SOM-MX8M-NANO&target=_blank) # 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): ## SD Card Root Filesystem | Yocto Project | Build | Runtime | | --- | --- | --- | | sumo (2.5) | :test_works: | :test_works: | | zeus (3.0) | :test_works: | :test_works: | ## eMMC Root Filesystem | Yocto Project | Build | Runtime | | --- | --- | --- | | sumo (2.5) | :test_works: | :test_works: | | zeus (3.0) | :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/devices/integrating-with-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="sumo" ``` Create a directory for your `mender-variscite` setup to live in and clone the meta information. ```auto mkdir mender-variscite && cd mender-variscite ``` Initialize repo manifest: ```auto if [${BRANCH} == "zeus"]; then REPO_BRANCH="fsl-${BRANCH}" else REPO_BRANCH="${BRANCH}" fi repo init -u https://github.com/varigit/variscite-bsp-platform.git -b ${REPO_BRANCH} mkdir .repo/local_manifests cd .repo/local_manifests/ wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mendersoftware/meta-mender-community/$BRANCH/scripts/mender-no-setup.xml cd - ``` Fetch layers in manifest: ```auto repo sync cd .repo/local_manifests/ ln -sf ../../sources/meta-mender-community/scripts/mender-no-setup.xml . cd - ``` ## Determine root filesystem media The Variscite VAR-SOM-MX8M-NANO platform supports running U-Boot directly from the following media: - SD-Card - eMMC The root filesystem can be stored on any of the following media: - SD-Card - eMMC Set the shell variable for your desired root filesystem media: ```auto export MEDIA="sdcard" ``` ```auto export MEDIA="emmc" ``` ## Setup build environment Initialize the build environment: ```auto MACHINE=imx8mn-var-som DISTRO=fsl-imx-xwayland . var-setup-release.sh -b build cat ../sources/meta-mender-community/meta-mender-variscite/templates/bblayers.conf.append >> conf/bblayers.conf cat ../sources/meta-mender-community/templates/local.conf.append >> conf/local.conf cat ../sources/meta-mender-community/meta-mender-variscite/templates/local.conf.append >> conf/local.conf cat ../sources/meta-mender-community/meta-mender-variscite/templates/local-${MEDIA}.conf.append >> conf/local.conf ``` ### Building the image You can now proceed with building an image: ```bash bitbake core-image-base ``` Replace `core-image-base` with your desired image target. ### Using the build output #### SD Card Provision an SD Card with the built above. **WARNING** , make sure you use the correct device node as the _of=_ parameter to avoid overwriting the wrong device: ```shell sudo dd if=tmp/deploy/images/imx8mn-var-som/core-image-base-imx8mn-var-som.sdimg of= conv=fdatasync bs=8M ``` Remove the SD Card from your build host and insert it into the target. Configure your board to boot from SD Card by moving the _Boot Select_ switch (also labeled as _SW3_ ) to the _SD_ position. Now turn on power to the board and it will boot from the SDCard and Mender will connect to the server configured in your local.conf file. #### eMMC Using either the above built SDCard Yocto image or the [Variscite Yocto Recovery SD card](http://variwiki.com/index.php?title=Yocto_Recovery_SD_card&release=RELEASE_SUMO_V1.1_VAR-SOM-MX8M-NANO&target=_blank), boot your system off of SD. Transfer the following file from your build PC to the target board with a USB drive: - tmp/deploy/images/imx8mn-var-som/core-image-base-imx8mn-var-som.sdimg Assuming the USB drive is mounted on the target at _/mnt_, run the following commands: ```shell sudo dd if=/mnt/core-image-base-imx8mn-var-som.sdimg of=/dev/mmcblk0 conv=fdatasync bs=8M halt ``` Then change the _Boot Select_ switch (also labeled as _SW3_ ) to the _Internal_ position and power cycle your board. 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/architecture/mender-artifacts?target=_blank) 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 only in [Standalone deployments](https://docs.mender.io/architecture/standalone-deployments?target=_blank). # References - The Variscite imx8m-var-dart template files can be found in [meta-mender-community](https://github.com/mendersoftware/meta-mender-community/tree/sumo/meta-mender-variscite). - The official [Mender documentation](https://docs.mender.io/) explains how Mender works. This is simply a board-specific complement to the official documentation. * * * _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!_ ---
**Author:** ![mirzak](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/hub.mender.io/mirzak/32/2056_2.png) [@mirzak](https://hub.mender.io/u/mirzak)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2020, 9:46am UTC](https://hub.mender.io/t/variscite-var-som-mx8m-nano-nxp-i-mx-8m-nano/1928/2 "2020-11-17T09:46:08Z")
5 posts were split to a new topic: [Issue with Variscite VAR-SOM-MX8M-NANO](https://hub.mender.io/t/issue-with-variscite-var-som-mx8m-nano/2840)