Installing Linux on the external Flash modules for STMP157-BASE-SOM-EVB

The new external Flash modules Flash-e16Gs16M and Flash-e32Gs16M add eMMC and SPI Flash to the boards which supports them:

• STMP15x-OLinuXino-LIME2 and its variants;
• STMP1(A13)-EVB + STMP15X-SOM and its variants;
• STMP157-BASE-SOM-EVB + STMP157-BASE-SOM-EXT;
• A20-OLinuXino-LIME2 (Rev.L and up);
• S3-OLinuXino;
• iMX8Mplus-SOM-EVB.

The latest OLIMAGE Linux distribution supports these two modules, so this is how you can install linux on the Flash-e modules:

1. Install the module on the board while no power is applied;
2. Download the latest image from images.olimex.com;
3. Burn the downloaded image to SD card, we suggest to use BalenaEtcher;
4. If you use STM32MP157 board make sure on-board jumpers are set for boot from the SD card (see the picture below);
5. Apply 5V DC power supply to the power jack. Notice that first time boot takes longer than usual so wait patiently to reach the login prompt. Login with user root and password olimex;
6. You can check if eMMC is visible now with fdisk. Then execute the script for SD to eMMC transfer: $olinuxino-sd-to-emmc
7. Wait until it completes. Then turn off the board with command “poweroff”. Wait until the board powers off then remove the power supply;
8. Remove the micro SD card and configure the jumpers for boot from eMMC. In the BASE-SOM board that I use I change the state of BOOT_SW1 from default positions “ON, OFF, ON” to “OFF, ON, OFF”. The fourth switch is not connected.
9. Apply power supply and board will boot from the eMMC image.

The advantage of the removable eMMC is that you can easily scale your project and change between different Flash sizes, or if Flash got damaged you can easily exchange it.