OLIMEX© 2015
A13-SOM user's manual
Q: How to generate boot-able SD-card Debian Linux image for A13-SOM-256?
The building instructions might be found at the following link:
Official Wordpress post on Debian image release:
Q: How to detect and enable the Ethernet controller (if it is disabled by default)?
A: You can enable it by following these two steps:
1. To check under what name the LAN is associated write "ifconfig –a"
2. If, for example, it is under eth0 name, then write: "dhclient eth0"
This should enable the Ethernet and then SSH would also be available.
You can also enable auto detection of Ethernet on power-up by removing the comment #auto eth0 in
/etc/network/interfaces in the Linux image.
How to download Android image to the NAND memory of my A13-SOM board?
The only A13-SOM setup suitable of booting Android from the NAND memory is A13-SOM-512
with A13-SOM-WIFI shield.
To repair the image on the NAND re-upload it following these steps:
1. Install and run LiveSuit (can be found here:
). Another location for LiveSuit at the
http://linux-sunxi.org/LiveSuit
2. Download and extract the latest official image from the Android section of the wiki:
. Make sure that the download link you visit clearly indicates that the image is suitable
for the NAND memory since there are images suitable for microSD card also. The images suitable
for the microSD memory and those suitable for microSD card are different. However, the upload
method is almost identical – using LiveSuit.
3. Go to firmware tab of the program and point to the already downloaded and extracted Android
image.
4. Disconnect the power supply and USB cable from the A13 board.
5. Press and hold UBOOT/HOME button, apply power supply (the requirement varies), release
UBOOT/HOME button.
6. Connect USB cable to the mini USB connector of A13-SOM-WIFI
7. You will be asked for drivers for the bootloader. Navigate to the folder where you extracted the
LiveSuit and install the drivers from the respective executable (or manually point the installer to the
drivers folder in the LiveSuit installation path).
8. LiveSuit will detect the board and would ask whether you wish to also of writing the image.
Choose method of writing the image and confirm your wish to write the image.
9. Wait till upgrade succeeds.
Note that it is not recommended to have your mini USB connected to an external USB hub. This
might cause delays and might distort the signal levels. Always test with the USB connected straight
to the USB ports of your computer.
Page 35 of 36
