Investigate non-booting Forlinx OKMX8MX-C board (aarch64) by a_faerber

Description

In the context of a SUSE customer inquiry last year, a Forlinx OKMX8MX-C arm64 board had been relayed to me from China that a customer was not successful booting SUSE Linux Micro on. Typically this happens when the vendor's bootloader (e.g., U-Boot) is not configured properly (e.g., U-Boot's distro boot) to be compliant with Arm SystemReady Devicetree (formerly IR) band. Unfortunately I could not immediately get it to emit any output, to even diagnose why it wasn't working. There was no public documentation on the vendor's website to even confirm I was checking the right UARTs.

Earlier this year (2024) I happened to meet the ODM/OEM, Forlinx, at Embedded World 2024 in Nuremberg and again the Monday before Hackweek 24 at Electronica 2024 in Munich. The big puzzle was that the PCB print "OKMX8MX-C" does not match any current Forlinx product, there being OKMX8MM-C and OKMX8MP-C products with the Mini and Plus variants of NXP i.MX 8M family instead. One suggestion from Forlinx staff was to double-check the DIP switches on the board for boot mode selection.

Goals

Double-check the board name and investigate further what may be wrong with this board.

Resources

none

Progress

• The board name is indeed as spelled above, not matching any product on forlinx.net.
• The DIP switches were set to boot from microSD.
• Changing the DIP switches to eMMC boot did result in UART1 RS-232 output! (although at times garbled with the cable supplied and USB adapter used)
• As feared, it did not automatically load our GRUB from USB.
• Booting our GRUB manually from USB (via eMMC U-Boot commands fatload+bootefi) was unsuccessful, with partially Chinese error messages.
• This confirmed the initial suspicion, already shared with Forlinx at Embedded World 2024, that the Forlinx System-on-Module's boot firmware was not Arm SystemReady Devicetree compliant and that a firmware update would be necessary to remedy that.
• The microSD card turned out not to contain a bootable image but to only include Chinese-language board documentation (dated 20220507) and BSP files. They used a diverging name of OKMX8MQ-C.

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Create openSUSE images for Arm/RISC-V boards by avicenzi

Project Description

Create openSUSE images (or test generic EFI images) for Arm and/or RISC-V boards that are not yet supported.

Goal for this Hackweek

Create bootable images of Tumbleweed for SBCs that currently have no images available or are untested.

Consider generic EFI images where possible, as some boards can hold a bootloader.

Document in the openSUSE Wiki how to flash and use the image for a given board.

Boards that I have around and there are no images:

• Rock 3B
• Nano PC T3 Plus
• Lichee RV D1
• StartFive VisionFive (has some image needs testing)

Hack Week 22

• NanoPC T4

Hack Week 21

• NanoPi M4B
• Radxa Zero

Resources

• https://en.opensuse.org/Portal:Arm
• https://en.opensuse.org/Portal:RISC-V

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Create DRM drivers for VESA and EFI framebuffers by tdz

Description

We already have simpledrm for firmware framebuffers. But the driver is originally for ARM boards, not PCs. It is already overloaded with code to support both use cases. At the same time it is missing possible features for VESA and EFI, such as palette modes or EDID support. We should have DRM drivers for VESA and EFI interfaces. The infrastructure exists already and initial drivers can be forked from simpledrm.

Goals

• Initially, a bare driver for VESA or EFI should be created. It can take functionality from simpledrm.
• Then we can begin to add additional features. The boot loader can provide EDID data. With VGA hardware, VESA can support paletted modes or color management. Example code exists in vesafb.

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Kill DMA and DMA32 memory zones by ptesarik

Description

Provide a better allocator for DMA-capable buffers, making the DMA and DMA32 zones obsolete.

Goals

Make a PoC kernel which can boot a x86 VM and a Raspberry Pi (because early RPi4 boards have some of the weirdest DMA constraints).

Resources

• LPC2024 talk:
• video:

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Create a DRM driver for VGA video cards by tdz

Yes, those VGA video cards. The goal of this project is to implement a DRM graphics driver for such devices. While actual hardware is hard to obtain or even run today, qemu emulates VGA output.

VGA has a number of limitations, which make this project interesting.

• There are only 640x480 pixels (or less) on the screen. That resolution is also a soft lower limit imposed by DRM. It's mostly a problem for desktop environments though.
• Desktop environments assume 16 million colors, but there are only 16 colors with VGA. VGA's 256 color palette is not available at 640x480. We can choose those 16 colors freely. The interesting part is how to choose them. We have to build a palette for the displayed frame and map each color to one of the palette's 16 entries. This is called dithering, and VGA's limitations are a good opportunity to learn about dithering algorithms.
• VGA has an interesting memory layout. Most graphics devices use linear framebuffers, which store the pixels byte by byte. VGA uses 4 bitplanes instead. Plane 0 holds all bits 0 of all pixels. Plane 1 holds all bits 1 of all pixels, and so on.

The driver will probably not be useful to many people. But, if finished, it can serve as test environment for low-level hardware. There's some interest in supporting old Amiga and Atari framebuffers in DRM. Those systems have similar limitations as VGA, but are harder to obtain and test with. With qemu, the VGA driver could fill this gap.

Apart from the Wikipedia entry, good resources on VGA are at osdev.net and FreeVGA

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FizzBuzz OS by mssola

Project Description

FizzBuzz OS (or just fbos) is an idea I've had in order to better grasp the fundamentals of the low level of a RISC-V machine. In practice, I'd like to build a small Operating System kernel that is able to launch three processes: one that simply prints "Fizz", another that prints "Buzz", and the third which prints "FizzBuzz". These processes are unaware of each other and it's up to the kernel to schedule them by using the timer interrupts as given on openSBI (fizz on % 3 seconds, buzz on % 5 seconds, and fizzbuzz on % 15 seconds).

This kernel provides just one system call, write, which allows any program to pass the string to be written into stdout.

This project is free software and you can find it here.

Goal for this Hackweek

• Better understand the RISC-V SBI interface.
• Better understand RISC-V in privileged mode.
• Have fun.

Resources

• SBI v2.0 ratified specification
• Blog post on SBI
• mssola/fbos

Results

The project was a resounding success Lots of learning, and the initial target was met.

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Model checking the BPF verifier by shunghsiyu

Project Description

BPF verifier plays a crucial role in securing the system (though less so now that unprivileged BPF is disabled by default in both upstream and SLES), and bugs in the verifier has lead to privilege escalation vulnerabilities in the past (e.g. CVE-2021-3490).

One way to check whether the verifer has bugs to use model checking (a formal verification technique), in other words, build a abstract model of how the verifier operates, and then see if certain condition can occur (e.g. incorrect calculation during value tracking of registers) by giving both the model and condition to a solver.

For the solver I will be using the Z3 SMT solver to do the checking since it provide a Python binding that's relatively easy to use.

Goal for this Hackweek

Learn how to use the Z3 Python binding (i.e. Z3Py) to build a model of (part of) the BPF verifier, probably the part that's related to value tracking using tristate numbers (aka tnum), and then check that the algorithm work as intended.

Resources

• Formal Methods for the Informal Engineer: Tutorial #1 - The Z3 Theorem Prover and its accompanying notebook is a great introduction into Z3
  • Has a section specifically on model checking
• Software Verification and Analysis Using Z3 a great example of using Z3 for model checking
• Sound, Precise, and Fast Abstract Interpretation with Tristate Numbers - existing work that use formal verification to prove that the multiplication helper used for value tracking work as intended
• [PATCH v5 net-next 00/12] bpf: rewrite value tracking in verifier - initial patch set that adds tristate number to the verifier

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Framework laptop integration by nkrapp

Project Description

Although openSUSE does run on the Framework laptops out-of-the-box, there is still room to improve the experience. The ultimate goal is to get openSUSE on the list of community supported distros

Goal for this Hackweek

The goal this year is to at least package all of the soft- and firmware for accessories like the embedded controller, Framework 16 inputmodule and other tools. I already made some progress by packaging the inputmodule control software, but the firmware is still missing

Resources

As I only have a Framework laptop 16 and not a 13 I'm looking for people with hardware that can help me test

Progress:

Update 1:

The project lives under my home for now until I can get an independent project on OBS: Framework Laptop project

Also, the first package is already done, it's the cli for the led-matrix spacer module on the Framework Laptop 16. I am also testing this myself, but any feedback or questions are welcome.

You can test the package on the Framework 16 by adding this repo and installing the package inputmodule-control

Update 2:

I finished packaging the python cli/gui for the inputmodule. It is using a bit of a hack because one of the dependencies (PySimpleGUI) recently switched to a noncommercial license so I cannot ship it. But now you can actually play the games on the led-matrix (the rust package doesn't include controls for the games). I'm also working on the Framework system tools now, which should be more interesting for Framework 13 users.

You can test the package on the Framework 16 by installing python311-framework16_inputmodule and then running "ledmatrixctl" from the command line.

Update 3:

I packaged the framework_tool, a general application for interacting with the system. You can find it some detailed information what it can do here. On my system everything related to the embedded controller functionality doesn't work though, so some help testing and debugging would be appreciated.

Update 4:

Today I finished the qmk interface, which gives you a cli (and gui) to configure your Framework 16 keyboard. Sadly the Python gui is broken upstream, but I added the qmk_hid package with the cli and from my testing it works well.

Final Update:

All the interesting programs are now done, I decided to exclude the firmware for now since upstream also recommends using fwupd to update it. I will hack on more things related to the Framework Laptops in the future so if there are any ideas to improve the experience (or any bugs to report) feel free to message me about it.

As a final summary/help for everyone using a Framework Laptop who wants to use this software:

The source code for all packages can be found in repositories in the Framework organization on Github

All software can be installed from this repo (Tumbleweed)

The available packages are:

• framework-inputmodule-control (FW16) - play with the inputmodules on your Framework 16 (b1-display, led-matrix, c1-minimal)

• python-framework16_inputmodule (FW16) - same as inputmodule-control but is needed if you want to play and crontrol the built-in games in the led-matrix (call with ledmatrixctl or ledmatrixgui)

• framework_tool (FW13 and FW 16) - use to see and configure general things on your framework system. Commands using the embedded controller might not work, it looks like there are some problems with the kernel module used by the EC. Fixing this is out of scope for this hackweek but I am working on it

• qmk_hid (FW16) - a cli to configure the FW16 qmk keyboard. Sadly the gui for this is broken upstream so only the cli is usable for now

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Build a split keyboard from scratch by mpagot

Description

I'm getting older... this summer I experienced an annoying and persistent tingling in one hand and arm. That was the initial motivation to get more interested in ergonomic work gadgets, and from that to split keyboards. And that was the entrance in a rabbit hole.

Which keyboard I like to create:

• Split keyboard for ergonomic (I'm not primary interested in having it portable)
• I have big hands: I like it to fit as much as possible my hands measures
• Columnar stagger keys position
• Not too few keys (at the moment I'm at 24 + 24)
• One row thumb cluster
• No wireless, not to have batteries and for security reason
• CherryMX, or generally speaking no low profile/corne choc
• Hot swap Socket switches

Goals

• Create PCB design for a split keyboard
• Get it produced
• Mount it
• Evaluate FWs

Resources

• Main project repo: Zenga
• ZKM config for a hand wired 4 keys something: nne
• Blog posts opensuse.hackweek.2024

Progress

Day1

Get the existing Ergogen project working on my TW machine Get Kicad as flatpack Go back to the https://flatfootfox.com/ergogen-part3-pcbs/ Join the #ergogen Discord channel and ask for help about the nets

Day2

Redesign the keyboard matrix on Inkscape Implement it in the Ergogen YAML format Create a Kicad PCB file Start routing it Iterate over the matrix arrangement to try to implement it like 2 layer board and ideally with not vias Get some Kicad tutorials

Day3

Get my hand dirty building a 2x2 key matrix --> welcome to nne Look at ZKM and how to configure it --> https://github.com/michelepagot/zmk-config-nne Get the FW built by github, try to flash it: get matrix scan pulse but no keys to the PC Get in contact with ceoloide, an Ergogen maintainer, about net issue.

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SUSE Prague claw machine by anstalker

Project Description

The idea is to build a claw machine similar to e.g. this one:

Why? Well, it could be a lot of fun!

But also it's a great way to dispense SUSE and openSUSE merch like little Geekos at events like conferences, career fairs and open house events.

Goal for this Hackweek

Build an arcade claw machine.

Resources

In French, an article about why you always lose in claw machine games:

We're looking for handy/crafty people in the Prague office:

• woodworking XP or equipment
• arduino/raspi embedded programming knowledge
• Anthony can find a budget for going to GM and buying servos and such ;)

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Capyboard, ESP32 Development Board for Education by emiler

Description

Capyboard is an ESP32 development board built to accept individual custom-made modules. The board is created primarily for use in education, where you want to focus on embedded programming instead of spending time with connecting cables and parts on a breadboard, as you would with Arduino and other such devices. The board is not limited only to education and it can be used to build, for instance, a very powerful internal meteo-station and so on.

I already have one initial prototype ready and tested. The next iteration addresses several issues the first prototype had. I am planning on finishing up the mainboard and one of the modules this week.

This project is also a part of my master's thesis.

Goals

• Finish testing of a new prototype
• Publish source files
• Documentation completion
• Finish writing thesis

Resources

• github.com/realcharmer/capyboard
• github.com/realcharmer/capyboard-starter
• github.com/realcharmer/capyboard-docs
• docs.capyboard.dev

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