This is the RetroBSD source directory.

Source Roadmap

bin         User commands.
etc         Template files for /etc.
include     System include files.
lib         System libraries.
libexec     System binaries.
sbin        System administration commands.
share       Shared resources.
sys         Kernel sources.
tools       Build tools and simulators.

Supported hardware

• chipKIT Max32 board.
• Sparkfun UBW32 board.
• Maximite and Colour Maximite computers.
• Microchip Explorer 16 board, with PIC32 CAN-USB plug-in module and SD & MMC pictail.
• Microchip PIC32 USB or Ethernet Starter Kit, with I/O Expansion board and SD & MMC pictail.
• Olimex Duinomite, Duinomite-Mini and Duinomite-Mega boards.
• Olimex Pinguino-Micro board with PIC32MX795F512H microcontroller.
• eflightworks DIP board.

Build

By default, the system is configured for the Max32 board. To select another target board, edit a top-level user-specific Makefile called "Makefile.user" and set a TARGET value:

TARGET = $(UBW32)          # for the UBW32 board with USB console
TARGET = $(UBW32UART)      # for the UBW32 board with UART console
TARGET = $(UBW32UARTSDRAM) # for the UBW32 boars with UART console and 8MB SRAM ramdisk
TARGET = $(MAXIMITE)       # for the Maximite board
TARGET = $(MAXCOLOR)       # for the Colour Maximite board
TARGET = $(EXPLORER16)     # for the Explorer 16 board
TARGET = $(STARTERKIT)     # for the PIC32 USB or Ethernet Starter Kit
TARGET = $(MAX32)          # default
TARGET = $(MAX32-ETH)      # for the chipKIT MAX32 board with Arduino Ethernet shield
TARGET = $(DUINOMITE)      # for the Duinomite board with USB console
TARGET = $(DUINOMITEUART)  # for the Duinomite board with UART console
TARGET = $(DUINOMITEE)     # for the Duinomite E board with USB console
TARGET = $(DUINOMITEEUART) # for the Duinomite E board with UART console
TARGET = $(PINGUINO)       # for the Pinguino-Micro board
TARGET = $(DIP)            # for the DIP board
TARGET = $(BAREMETAL)      # Bare PIC32 chip on a breakout board
TARGET = $(FUBARINO)       # Fubarino SD board
TARGET = $(FUBARINOBIG)    # Fubarino SD board with 8MB SRAM RAMDISK
TARGET = $(MMBMX7)         # MMB MX7 board

You can also change a desired filesystem size and swap area size, as required. Default is:

FS_KBYTES   = 16384
SWAP_KBYTES = 2048

To compile the kernel and build a filesystem image, run:

$ make

A resulting root filesystem image is in file sdcard.rd. A kernel is in file unix.hex in your target board subdirectory.

Filesystem image

You need to put a filesystem image on a SD card. On Windows, use Win32DiskImager utility (https://launchpad.net/win32-image-writer/+download). On Linux, run:

$ sudo dd if=sdcard.rd of=/dev/XYZ

Here XYZ is a device name of SD card, as recognized by Linux (sdb in my case).

Install kernel

Kernel image should be written to PIC32 flash memory. The procedure depends on a board used.

Max32 board:

$ cd sys/pic32/ubw32
$ AVRTOOLS=/Applications/Mpide.app/Contents/Resources/Java/hardware/tools/avr
    $AVRTOOLS/bin/avrdude -C$AVRTOOLS/etc/avrdude.conf -c stk500v2 -p pic32 \
    -P /dev/tty.usbserial-* -b 115200 -v -U flash:w:unix.hex:i

Here you need to change AVRTOOLS path and tty name according to your system.

UBW32 board:

Use a pic32prog utility (http://code.google.com/p/pic32prog/) and a USB cable to install a kernel:

$ pic32prog sys/pic32/ubw32/unix.hex

Maximite:

Use the bootload program for Windows, available for download by link: http://geoffg.net/Downloads/Maximite/Maximite_Update_V2.7B.zip

Explorer 16 board:

There is an auxiliary PIC18 chip on the Explorer 16 board, which can be used as a built-in programmer device. You will need a PICkit 2 adapter to install a needed firmware, as described in article: http://www.paintyourdragon.com/?p=51 (section "Hack #2: Lose the PICkit 2, Save $35"). This should be done only once.

Then, you can use a pic32prog utility (http://code.google.com/p/pic32prog/) and a USB cable to install a kernel:

$ pic32prog sys/pic32/explorer16/unix.hex

PIC32 Starter Kit:

Use PICkit 2 adapter and software to install a boot loader from file sys/pic32/starter-kit/boot.hex. This should be done only once.

Then, you can use a pic32prog utility (http://code.google.com/p/pic32prog/) and a USB cable to install a kernel:

$ pic32prog sys/pic32/starter-kit/unix.hex

Simulator

You can use a MIPS32 simulator to develop a debug a RetroBSD software, without a need for hardware board. By default, a simulator is configured to imitate a Max32 board. To build it:

$ cd tools/virtualmips
$ make

Run it:

$ ./pic32

Configuration of simulated board is stored in file pic32_max32.conf.

Build packages

For building under Ubuntu you need the following packages installed:

$ sudo apt-get install byacc libelf-dev