[fedora-arm] Possible File Formats for a Fedora ARM release

[Gordan Bobic]

On 02/02/2012 10:22 PM, Jonathan Chiappetta wrote:
> I would like to discuss (or learn about previous discussions) regarding
> the file format
> for future possible fedora-arm releases. I believe we should have one
> file which
> should provide all the data necessary to make a final bootable
> fedora-arm device.
>
> Are there any suggestions on how the file should be laid out? For example:
>
> Fedora-20-ARMv5-Guru.tgz = { ARMv5.guru.boot.tgz , Fedora-20-ARM.root.tgz }
> Fedora-20-ARMv5-Panda.tgz = { ARMv5.panda.boot.tgz ,
> Fedora-20-ARM.root.tgz }
> Fedora-20-ARMv7-Panda.tgz = { ARMv7.panda.boot.tgz ,
> Fedora-20-ARM.root.tgz }
> ...
>
> The only problem I don't understand is that it doesn't seem to be as
> simple as
> just choosing a general ARMv5 kernel for an ARMv5 device as an ARMv5 Guru
> differs from a ARMv5 Smarttop which differs from an ARMv5 Panda, etc...
>
> I'm sure most of you have a better idea of how this should work but the
> user should
> only have to download one file at the end of the day right?

Not going to happen, sadly. The rootfs is common across all the devices 
(armv5tel for soft-float, armv7hl for hard-float).

Kernels are SoC specific. Not quite as narrowly specialized as device 
specific, but it's still not going to be a one-size-fits all, at least 
not any time soon (probably years).

For example, if you have a Marvell Kirkwood kernel, you could use that 
kernel on all supported Marvell Kirkwood devices (SheevaPlug, GuruPlug, 
DreamPlug, etc.). If you have a Marvell Armada kernel, you could boot 
that on a D2Plug, CuBox, Compulab SBC-A510, etc. If you have a Tegra2 
kernel, you could boot that on Toshiba AC100, TrimSlice, etc.

Gordan