# FreeBSD on ARM 5?



## balanga (Mar 17, 2017)

I have just installed Arch Linux on a Seagate GoFlex Home device following instructions on that web page and wondered if it would be be possible to use FreeBSD instead since it has ARM support, but I don't know if anyone has ever built FreeBSD for ARMv5te which is what the device uses.


----------



## SirDice (Mar 17, 2017)

https://wiki.freebsd.org/FreeBSD/arm


----------



## balanga (Mar 17, 2017)

I had read that, but I'm not sure whether developing an ARM v5 is possible...

I was confused when I read this

https://wiki.freebsd.org/FreeBSD/arm/crossbuild

which mentions ARM v4 and ARM v5....


----------



## SirDice (Mar 17, 2017)

According to the link you posted this device is based on the Marvell Sheeva Plug. And that one is mentioned in the "Boards with unknown support" list. So it may or may not work. And there's no guarantee if you can get it to boot everything else actually works.


----------



## Phishfry (Mar 18, 2017)

This would take advanced skills to get working.
There is a dts file in FreeBSD source and a kernconf for the kernel compile options.
src/sys/boot/fdt/dts/sheevaplug.dts
src/sys/arm/conf/SHEEVAPLUG
Marvell stuff here: src/sys/arm/mv/

https://wiki.freebsd.org/FreeBSDMarvell

I am unsure which version of uboot is used for building it.

https://cooltrainer.org/freebsd-kirkwood/building/
This is from 2010 but contains the basic workflow
https://github.com/okeeblow/FreeBSD-kirkwood

Such a small amount of ram...
https://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-arm/2014-April/007917.html

It sure would be nice to have crochet handling some of these challenging Arm builds.


----------



## balanga (Mar 18, 2017)

Phishfry said:


> This would take advanced skills to get working.
> Such a small amount of ram...
> https://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-arm/2014-April/007917.html



Bill Gates once famously said that


> 640K software is all the memory anybody would ever need on a computer



My first proper computer - an IBM PS/2 Model 80 came with a MASSIVE 2MB! This device has 60 times as much!!!  

I'm no hacker, but I'll see how far I can get with this attempt at replacing Arch Linux with FreeBSD on this Seagate device. It looks like a steep learning curve but might be fun to do...


----------



## Phishfry (Mar 18, 2017)

I think you need to investigate u-boot as it is the only thing I can't find info on.
search http://www.freshports.org and query=u-boot
If you look through this list you will see the parent of every device supported on FreeBSD Arm.
I don't see anything like Marvell, Kirkwood or Sheeva. So I think finding out which u-boot to use is important.
You must manually install it from ports/packages.

I was not trying to be a smart aleck about it, but with no serial console the task really becomes advanced.

Look here. This is a u-boot forum with a developer.
http://forum.doozan.com/read.php?8,22230,22234,quote=1


----------



## SirDice (Mar 20, 2017)

balanga said:


> Bill Gates once famously said that
> 
> 
> > 640K software is all the memory anybody would ever need on a computer


He never said that. It's some random quote that keeps floating around. 

https://www.wired.com/1997/01/did-gates-really-say-640k-is-enough-for-anyone/


----------



## balanga (Mar 20, 2017)

http://www.danielsen.com/jokes/BillGatesquotes.txt

I remember him saying -



> I believe OS/2 is destined to be the most important operating system,
> and possibly program, of all time.



And I believed him, investing 1000s of pounds and many years as a result... Needless to say, I hate Wndows.


----------



## balanga (Mar 28, 2017)

Phishfry said:


> This would take advanced skills to get working.
> There is a dts file in FreeBSD source and a kernconf for the kernel compile options.
> src/sys/boot/fdt/dts/sheevaplug.dts
> src/sys/arm/conf/SHEEVAPLUG
> ...




Look what I just found

https://sites.google.com/site/tingox/seagate_dockstar


----------



## tingo (Apr 9, 2017)

FWIW, my DockStar is currently bricked, therefore I can't try FreeBSD on it anymore. I might attempt to unbreak it someday. Don't hold your breath.


----------



## Phishfry (Apr 12, 2017)

Here is someone also trying to get Marvell uboot patched and working:
https://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-arm/2017-March/015854.html


----------



## balanga (Apr 12, 2017)

I'm away from my GoFlex Home unit at the moment, but will be sure to follow up on that post when I get back home.


----------



## Phishfry (Apr 15, 2017)

Looks like u-boot recipe here:
https://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-arm/2017-April/015993.html


----------



## Phishfry (Apr 15, 2017)

Looks like instead of SHEEVA stuff you need to look at DOCKSTAR

kernconf:
/usr/src/sys/arm/conf/DOCKSTAR

DT file:
/usr/src/sys/boot/fdt/dts/arm/dockstar.dts

https://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-arm/2014-May/008246.html


----------



## balanga (Apr 27, 2017)

I'm back home now, and would like to get up to speed with my GoFlex Home unit, but am confused about what is the difference between SHEEVA and DOCKSTAR.

To get up and running I'm thinking of following this guide but reading through it, I'm already wondering how I can connect to it  since it does not appear to be accessible from the network.


----------



## balanga (Jun 15, 2017)

Phishfry said:


> I think you need to investigate u-boot as it is the only thing I can't find info on.



http://forum.doozan.com/read.php?3,34799


----------

