Dragonboard 410c: Debian with desktop like LXQt to boot from micro SD

Products Support DragonBoard410c
#1

Hi!
On my newly bought Dragonboard 410c, I’d like to boot Debian with desktop environment (such as LXQt, LXDE, etc) from micro SD.
Is there any SD image file for booting Debian with LXQt from micro SD card?
Or should I install LXQt to dragonboard-410c-sdcard-developer-buster-528.img?

#2

Hi @oliverchen,

There is a SD card image with LXQt: http://releases.linaro.org/96boards/dragonboard410c/linaro/debian/latest/dragonboard-410c-sdcard-installer-buster-528.zip

Also there is a fastboot image with LXQt: http://releases.linaro.org/96boards/dragonboard410c/linaro/debian/latest/linaro-buster-alip-dragonboard-410c-528.img.gz

From the release notes, you can find below information about different types of images:

  • boot image that includes prebuilt kernel and initrd
  • developer image that includes core packages as well as typical development packages (headless)
  • alip image that includes a minimal desktop environment GUI using LXQt
#3

Hi @Mani,
Thank you for your prompt reply and explanations.

I think the descriptions in my post not clear. What I expect is to boot from micro SD and use the Debian installed in the micro SD, instead of the Debian installed in the eMMC on Dragonboard 410c.
However, both the image files: dragonboard-410c-sdcard-installer-buster-528.zip & linaro-buster-alip-dragonboard-410c-528.img.gz, are for installing Debian in Dragonboard 410c’s eMMC, right? If yes, then they are not what I expect.

I’ve successfully installed lxqt in the Debian installed in micro SD (using dragonboard-410c-sdcard-developer-buster-528.img), however, it takes a long time to run “sudo apt-get install lxqt”. I’m just wondering if there is any existing Debian image file (with desktop like LXQt installed) that is for booting from micro SD, rather than from eMMC?

#4

hi @oliverchen, you are correct. the -installer and regular images are meant to be used on eMMC.

We only build/publish an SD card image for the ‘developer’ image, and not for the ‘desktop’ image. The job/script that builds our Debian images for 410c is here:

https://git.linaro.org/ci/job/configs.git/tree/lt-qcom-debian-images-dragonboard410c.yaml

And you can check the value of “SDCARD” parameter which indicates which “SD card” image to build.

This parameter is used in the following script which is where the SD card image is built:
https://git.linaro.org/ci/job/configs.git/tree/lt-qcom-debian-images/sdcard-dragonboard-410c.sh

You should be able to run our build scripts on your own, since everything needed is public… though it might not be straightforward, but I know some folks have managed to do that.

If you just need an image for an experience, just once, i can make a test job on our CI for you, but I haven’t really tested that kind of image in the past.

#5

Oops. By looking at the size of http://releases.linaro.org/96boards/dragonboard410c/linaro/debian/latest/dragonboard-410c-sdcard-installer-buster-528.zip, I thought it is an ALIP version.

#6

the “sdcard-installer” file is an SD card image (e.g. it boots from SD card) and it includes our desktop/ALIP image on the SD card, and our custom installer will run on the first boot to install the ALIP image into eMMC.

#7

Yeah, I thought there is also an option to just boot from SD (Like the traditional desktop installer). Sorry for the noise!

#8

Hi @anon91830841,
Thank you for your reply and explanation.
OK, I understand. Some day I should try to understand how to build my own image. For now at least I can install LXQt on the ‘developer’ version.
Thanks again and I wish you a good day!

#9

Hi @Mani,
Thank you and I wish you a good day, too!