AM623: Armbian Linux GPU driver build

Blake Carpenter

Part Number: AM623
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: SK-AM62B-P1, SK-AM62B

Hi factory Apps,

My assigned focus customer is trying to build the Armbian with GPU drivers. He is experienced in Linux development:

A first attempt to build Armbian Debian 13 Trixie fails out of the box. The ultimate goal is to build the Imagination Rogue and related drivers for these sources.

I followed the following steps from the repo README.md file, e.g.,

### Quick Start

```bash

git clone github.com/.../build

cd build

./compile.sh

```

And following is the list of failures from the log

--> (1020) ERROR: Error 2 occurred in main shell [ at /home/mseaborn/projects/TI/SK-AM62B-P1/source/armbian-build/lib/functions/logging/runners.sh:223

run_host_command_logged_raw() --> lib/functions/logging/runners.sh:223

run_host_command_logged() --> lib/functions/logging/runners.sh:205

compile_k3_optee() --> config/sources/families/include/k3_common.inc:98

pre_config_uboot_target__build_first_stage() --> config/sources/families/include/k3_common.inc:104

pre_config_uboot_target() --> <extension_magic>:299

call_extension_method() --> lib/functions/general/extensions.sh:57

compile_uboot_target() --> lib/functions/compilation/uboot.sh:85

loop_over_uboot_targets_and_do() --> lib/functions/compilation/uboot.sh:340

compile_uboot() --> lib/functions/compilation/uboot.sh:448

do_with_logging() --> lib/functions/logging/section-logging.sh:81

artifact_uboot_build_from_sources() --> lib/functions/artifacts/artifact-uboot.sh:177

artifact_build_from_sources() --> lib/functions/artifacts/artifacts-obtain.sh:34

obtain_complete_artifact() --> lib/functions/artifacts/artifacts-obtain.sh:280

build_artifact_for_image() --> lib/functions/artifacts/artifacts-obtain.sh:392

main_default_build_packages() --> lib/functions/main/build-packages.sh:102

full_build_packages_rootfs_and_image() --> lib/functions/main/default-build.sh:31

do_with_default_build() --> lib/functions/main/default-build.sh:42

cli_standard_build_run() --> lib/functions/cli/cli-build.sh:25

armbian_cli_run_command() --> lib/functions/cli/utils-cli.sh:136

cli_entrypoint() --> lib/functions/cli/entrypoint.sh:208

main() --> compile.sh:50

]

-->--> command failed with error code 2 after 7 seconds

If necessary, I'll send the complete log file.

4 days ago

0 Shriya Surti 3 days ago

TI__Prodigy 740 points

Hi Blake,

I am currently working with the Armbian maintainer to resolve this issue. Will get back to you when we have an update.

Regards,

Shriya

0 Blake Carpenter 3 days ago

TI__Expert 7065 points

Thanks Surti,

We appreciate the help!

The customer is at an impasse until we can suggest a solution and we are in a 'bake off' vs a competitor for a large design so any help would be appreciated. Are the Armbian maintainers inside TI or external (just curious)?

Best Regards,

Blake

0 Shriya Surti 3 days ago in reply to Blake Carpenter

TI__Prodigy 740 points

Hi Blake,

The Armbian maintainers are TI internal. Can you ask the customer if their goal is to build the TI image or a custom image? As well as what release they are using.

Regards,

Shriya

0 Blake Carpenter 3 days ago in reply to Shriya Surti

TI__Expert 7065 points

Hi Shriya,

They are trying to build GPU drivers to run benchmarks. Right now the TI Armbian web download uses graphics generated by the A cores not the GPU. So they want to enable the GPU so they can compare speeds vs the competition.

Best Regards,

Blake

0 Krunal Bhargav34 3 days ago in reply to Blake Carpenter

TI__Mastermind 45005 points

Hi Blake,

Help us understand a few things:

1. The following Armbian image already has GPU enabled:

https://dr-download.ti.com/software-development/software-development-kit-sdk/MD-PvdSyIiioq/11.02.08.02/tisdk-debian-trixie-sk-am62b-11.02.08.02-Armbian-26.02.img

What prevents them from using the above image for their benchmark?

2. Do you know what release image the customer is trying to build? As an experiment, I just built the latest TI repo(https://github.com/TexasInstruments/armbian-build/tree/main) and it seems to fetch GPU drivers. I haven't tested on platform yet but all libs are included in the filesystem.

3. I can't replicate the above issue so could they share their instructions for building Armbian (including what branch they used). As a quick test, I ran the following: ./compile.sh build BOARD=sk-am62b BRANCH=vendor BUILD_MINIMAL=yes KERNEL_CONFIGURE=no RELEASE=trixie GIT_SKIP_SUBMODULES=yes SKIP_ARMBIAN_REPO=yes.

4. Based on the above error, it looks like the build wasn't even successful so how did they test GPU acceleration?

5. Can they share what benchmark they are running to test GPU acceleration?

Regards,
Krunal

0 Blake Carpenter 3 days ago in reply to Krunal Bhargav34

TI__Expert 7065 points

Hi Krunal,

Thanks for the quick help!

1) He is using 25.08! He is very excited about trying the 26.02 image you sent. He is downloading it now. This may solve all his issues as he won't have to build a release with GPU enabled (you have provided it in 26.02).

2) N/A with the release you just sent

3) N/A if 26.02 solves his problem

4) He actually has been inadvertently benchmarking the Armbian 25.08 release without GPU enabled (he thinks) so that is his whole goal is to test the GPU.

5) The benchmarks he is using:

Passmark burnin test (CPU / Ethernet / Serial / Memory / SD card writes / Display)

GPU: GLMark2-es2-Wayland

Thanks and have a great weekend!

Blake

0 Jonas Wood 3 days ago in reply to Krunal Bhargav34

TI__Prodigy 10 points

Hi Krunal,

Minor note on #2: make sure to use the default branch "ti-main" when building, found at https://github.com/TexasInstruments/armbian-build/tree/ti-main

Regards,
Jonas

0 Blake Carpenter 3 days ago in reply to Jonas Wood

TI__Expert 7065 points

Hi Jonas and Krunal,

Just to be sure - the customer noted the directory that should have contained the GPU drivers was empty on 25.08. So he deduced there was no GPU support. We are sure 26.02 has the GPU enabled by default?

Thanks!

Blake

0 Krunal Bhargav34 11 hours ago in reply to Blake Carpenter

TI__Mastermind 45005 points

Hi Blake,

Yes, GPU is enabled. I don't know what directory the customer is looking at but refer to the following flag: https://github.com/TexasInstruments/armbian-build/blob/ti-main/config/boards/sk-am62b.conf#L20 and if the flag is set then following packages get pulled: https://github.com/TexasInstruments/armbian-build/blob/ti-main/config/sources/families/include/k3_common.inc#L23. In summary, the packages come from TI's official Debian repository, not directly from the GitHub repo (which just contains the repository configuration).

Regards,
Krunal

0 Blake Carpenter 8 hours ago in reply to Krunal Bhargav34

TI__Expert 7065 points

Hi Krunal,

Thanks for the note. The customer asks:

Krunal seems to be talking about a kernel config setting that adds GPU support. But the macro "GPU_SUPPORT" is not in the correct format for kernel macros, e.g., CONFIG_GPU_...

That said, the release that was recommended doesn't appear to have GPU support. Can't be certain because

The glx... utils are giving me errors. But I don't see the ti-img-rogue-driver or related drivers on the disk.

Or in the output from lshw (i.g., the device tree)

Does TI provide a tools for checking the status of GPU utilization?

Thanks!

Blake

0 Blake Carpenter 8 hours ago in reply to Blake Carpenter

TI__Expert 7065 points

Hi Krunal,

He did some further checking:

Ok. It looks like the macro is from the Armbian Build Framework.

So if TI has a tool, it would help me do sanity check on the GPU.

What would you suggest to read out GPU utilization or at a minimum 'on/off' from the GPU.

Thanks!

Blake

0 Shriya Surti 6 hours ago in reply to Blake Carpenter

TI__Prodigy 740 points

Hi Blake,

Please give us some time to see what tools are available and do some testing on our end.

Regards,

Shriya

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AM623: Armbian Linux GPU driver build