Building Linux-Kernel for Lichee Pi Nano

Prerequisites

Hardware Requirements

• Lichee Pi Nano board (F1C100s)
• MicroSD card (8GB or larger)
• USB-to-Serial adapter (for debugging)
• Linux development machine

Software Requirements

• Cross-compilation toolchain
• Git
• U-Boot (previously built)
• Make and build essentials

Install Cross-Compiler

# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install gcc-arm-linux-gnueabihf

# Verify installation
arm-linux-gnueabihf-gcc --version

Kernel Source Acquisition

Mainline Kernel (Stable)

# Full clone for development
git clone git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git
cd linux

# Or shallow clone for quick builds
git clone git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git --depth=1

Kernel Configuration

Using Default Configuration

The sunxi_defconfig provides a working baseline for Allwinner SoCs:

# Configure kernel for ARM with sunxi defaults
make ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=arm-linux-gnueabihf- sunxi_defconfig

Manual Configuration (Optional)

# Open configuration menu
make ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=arm-linux-gnueabihf- menuconfig

Essential Configuration Options

For Lichee Pi Nano, ensure these options are enabled:

# System V IPC (required for fakeroot/packages)
General setup --->
    [*] System V IPC

# Early printk (for debugging)
Kernel hacking --->
    [*] Kernel debugging
    [*] Kernel low-level debugging functions
    [*] Early printk
    Kernel low-level debugging port --->
        (X) Kernel low-level debugging messages via sunXi UART0

Kernel Compilation

Build Kernel Image

# Compile kernel image (use -j for parallel build)
make ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=arm-linux-gnueabihf- -j$(nproc) zImage

The compiled kernel will be located at arch/arm/boot/zImage.

Build Device Tree Blobs

# Compile device tree binaries
make ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=arm-linux-gnueabihf- -j$(nproc) dtbs

For Lichee Pi Nano, the relevant DTB is:

• arch/arm/boot/dts/suniv-f1c100s-licheepi-nano.dtb

Build Modules (Optional)

# Compile kernel modules
make ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=arm-linux-gnueabihf- -j$(nproc) modules

# Install modules to staging directory
make ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=arm-linux-gnueabihf- INSTALL_MOD_PATH=./modules_install modules_install

Build Headers (Optional)

# Install kernel headers
make ARCH=arm INSTALL_HDR_PATH=./headers_install headers_install