How to Compile Debian Kernel for Tinker Board

How to Compile Debian Kernel for Tinker Board.md

How to Compile Kernel for Tinker Board

- Build environment

Installing the build tools

sudo apt-get install git-core gitk git-gui gcc-arm-linux-gnueabihf device-tree-compiler gcc-aarch64-linux-gnu mtools parted libssl-dev

- Build Kernel

1. Compile the kernel

make ARCH=arm miniarm-rk3288_defconfig -j16
make zImage ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=arm-linux-gnueabihf- -j16
make modules ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=arm-linux-gnueabihf- -j16
make ARCH=arm rk3288-miniarm.dtb CROSS_COMPILE=arm-linux-gnueabihf- -j16

Note: As of 2018-01-05, if may be necessary to edit the Makefile to add -Wno-misleading-indentation to the CFLAGS_MODULE if you are using GCC 6 and up. Ref: https://github.com/TinkerBoard/debian_kernel/commit/9be94537ea733f70f42bdaa55aff68d0d1b06d70

2. Install WIFI module to root file system

1. Insert sd card to linux pc and then mount partition2 (root file system) Example:

sudo mkdir –p /media/users/sdx2
sudo mount /dev/sdx2 /media/users/sdx2

2. Open terminal to kernel folder and enter the following com mands

sudo make ARCH=arm INSTALL_MOD_PATH=/media/users/sdx2 modules_install
sudo umount /media/users/sdx2

3. Replace the kernel image

1. Insert sd card to linux pc and then mount partition1 (root file system) Example:

sudo mkdir –p /media/users/sdx1
sudo mount /dev/sdx1 /media/users/sdx1

2. Open terminal to kernel folder and copy zImage and rk3288- miniarm.dtb to partition1(boot partition)

cp arch/arm/boot/zImage /media/users/sdx1
cp arch/arm/boot/dts/rk3288-miniarm.dtb /media/users/sdx1
sudo umount /media/users/sdx1

I need a working kernel for Tinkerboard S with TinkerOSv2.1.16 and driver included or as module for BONDING. I decided to compile my own.
I did everything you've written here and compiled some compressed kernels (4.4.267, 4.9 and 5.4.114 with BONDING) but no one can boot. Everyone failed because the eMMC isn't detected i think, so it failed with error "VFS: Unable to mount on unknown-block(0,0)". The original kernel 4.4.132+ mounts the eMMC (mmcblk1-known as number 179) and its partitions as "/boot" (mmcblk1p1-179,1) and root "/" (mmcblk1p2-179,2).
Which driver i need to activate/integrate or which setting is missing?

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Update 30.04.2021 : Solution found last evening!! this is howto recompile the kernel with new settings

(in the kernel setup configuration select only what you really need!! - otherwise the compilation will abort due some errors!) :

# into ~ (home directory) i created the directory "kernel" and jumped into it...
mkdir kernel
cd kernel

# Downloading the sources of Tinker-OS v2.1.16...
wget https://github.com/TinkerBoard/debian_kernel/archive/refs/tags/tinker_board-debian-2.1.16.tar.gz

# unpack the package... and jump into...
tar -xaf ~/kernel/tinker_board-debian-2.1.16.tar.gz
cd debian_kernel-tinker_board-debian-2.1.16 tb-os-2116

# create default .config and then start modifying the new kernel (edits the .config). Selecting network options and bonding driver support.
# then save the .config file. (i had to unselect the wlan 2Tx00 driver packages for successfull compiling the new kernel with bonding driver)
make ARCH=arm miniarm-rk3288_defconfig -j4
make ARCH=arm menuconfig

# compiles the new (compressed zImage) kernel (on tinkerboard S eMMC it takes about 30 minutes!!), the modules and installs the modules. 
# then rename the original kernel and copy the fresh-compiled kernel to the  /boot directory (mmcblk1p1). 
# CAUTION! If the booting fails because the compiled kernel is not working fine, you need to connect the tinkerboard to another 
# computer and mount the mmcblk1p1 (/boot) partition (on windows this is the only one automounted partition) and rename 
# zImage_original to zImage (overwriting the not-working kernel) and then reboot and recompile again.
make zImage ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=arm-linux-gnueabihf- -j4
make modules ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=arm-linux-gnueabihf- -j4
sudo make ARCH=arm INSTALL_MOD_PATH=/ modules_install
mv /boot/zImage /boot/zImage_original
cp /arch/arm/boot/zImage /boot/zImage

# reboots the machine and you see the new kernel booting and entering rootfs on the emmc (kernel 4.4.132 from TinkerOS v2.1.16).
sudo reboot now

# on success the output show you now the new ethernet interface bond0. 
ip link show bond0

now i can make my bonding configuration...

Hi, is there any instructions for tinker board 2 kernel compiling? analog of rk3288-tinker.dts, rk3399-tinker.dts is missing