Var som mx6

This documents descibes how to flash or update a Var som mx6 using the images present on this site.

New board

Update

To update an alrady flashed board you can use the artifacts present on this website. To update a board login using ssh and run the following command:

$ mender install https://embed.horus.nu/variscite/var-som-mx6/artifacts/stable/core-image-x11-imx6qdl-variscite-som.mender

This will download and install the latest update to the board (replace the filename with one to an existing artifact). If you want an older update change the filename to the one you want. When complete manually reboot the device to check if the update was succesfull. If the update was successfull run mender commit to make the update persistant.WARNING: If you do not commit the update, after the next reboot it will be undone.

Initial flash method over ssh

Board running the Mender enabled image

  1. Download var-som-mx6-image_20xx-xx-xx.tar.gz
  2. Extract the archive (in terminal: tar xvf var-som-mx6-image_20xx-xx-xx.tar.gz)
  3. Boot the device you want to flash, find its IP and keep it on.
  4. Use a terminal to go to the extraced folder
  5. Run: ./do_flash --ip 192.168.xxx.xxx (replace with ip of the device)

Board running the legacy image

  1. Download var-som-mx6-image_20xx-xx-xx.tar.gz
  2. Extract the archive (in terminal: tar xvf var-som-mx6-image_20xx-xx-xx.tar.gz)
  3. Boot the device you want to flash, find its IP and keep it on.
  4. Use a terminal to go to the extraced folder
  5. Run: ./do_flash --legacy --ip 192.168.xxx.xxx (replace with ip of the device) Note the --legacy option!

The first part of the script is non-destructive. If any warning or error occur simply restart the device. Halfway the script will ask for confirmation to continue. When entering 'yes' it will delete the existing partition and all data is lost.

How To: Variscite mx6

For Windows operating system

  1. Download Variscite image from image server.
  2. Download Rufus image writer from image server
  3. Place micro SD card in card reader
  4. start Rufus
  5. Select Variscite image file in "Boot selection"
  6. Select Micro usb Drive name in "Device"
  7. Click "Start"
  8. When the image burning process is finished, place the Micro USB in de the variscite"

How To: Variscite mx6

For Linux operating system

  1. Download Variscite image from image server.
  2. Open terminal in download location of image "rightclick in file browser select Open in Terminal"
  3. Place SD card in reader
  4. Check USB device name
  5. a. in terminal type "lsblk" the SD card will appear as "/sdX" device X is the number of the device depending on the machine configuration, is this case "/sdb"
  6. Type "gunzip -c var-som-mx6-.wic.gz | sudo dd of=/dev/sdb bs=1M iflag=fullblock oflag=direct conv=fsync" when typing the filename type"var-" and then press "tab" linux will add the rest of the filename
  7. Now the SD card will be written this might take a while.
  8. remove SD card and place it in the variscite and boot