Linux for LEON

Linux support for LEON3/4/5 is available in the LEON Linux 5.10 and 4.9 kernels distributed here and in the official Linux kernel from kernel.org. The LEON Linux kernel releases are based on long term stable (LTS) versions of the mainline Linux kernel. The LEON kernel supports SPARC V8 systems with floating point (FPU) and memory management unit (MMU) in both single-core and symmetric multi-processing (SMP) configurations. The LEON Linux Overview document describes the LEON Linux software environment and requirements. Host tools and Linux software are provided in full source.  Documentation, toolchain and software can be downloaded from our Linux download page.

Gaisler Buildroot

We provide Gaisler Buildroot distributions, aimed for both LEON and NOEL, based on LTS versions of the open-source Buildroot tool. Buildroot  can be used as a frontend for building both the Linux kernel and a root file system with user space software. It automatically downloads needed tools and software packages. Learn more on the dedicate page.

MKLINUXIMG

We provide an open-source RAM loader for the SPARC Linux kernel. The SPARC kernel requires low-level support in order to successfully run Linux. It is responsible to implement low-level initialization during boot and functionality requested by the kernel during run-time. The tool links a Linux image to a specific location in RAM and integrates a loader that is configured according to the user's command line options. See the MKLINUXIMG User's Manual for more information.

The generated Linux image can be loaded to RAM by a boot loader or by GRMON or TSIM acting as a boot loader. Our flight boot loaders as well as MKPROM can be used to boot Linux.

Sample single-core and multi-core images supporting standard systems such as GR712RC-BOARD and GR-CPCI-GR740 are available from the download page.

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LEON Linux vs. kernel.org kernels

The current official Linux sources available at kernel.org has support for LEON3, LEON4 and LEON5. We actively develop the Linux kernel's LEON support, submitting patches to the official kernel. All work such as new drivers and mainline LEON patches are available in the long term stable LEON Linux kernel distribution.

Our LEON Linux kernel distributions are based on LTS kernel versions from kernel.org. The current LEON Linux kernel distributions in the 5.10-1.x series and 4.9-2.x series supports errata workarounds for UT700 when used together with our corresponding prebuilt LEON Linux toolchains.

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