SUSE Linux Operating System

SUSE is a paid and supported Linux operating system. SUSE is an OS to consider over the free open-source OS's (like Ubuntu) when a customer needs a longer support cycle, a guarantee of stability, technical support and some certifications. SUSE is software that is for sale.

SUSE has only been tested on the Newport Family of SBCs.

SLES - SUSE Linux Enterprise Server

SLES or SUSE Linux Enterprise Server is one of the more popular releases from SUSE.

You can read more about SLES for ARM CPUs here: ​https://www.suse.com/products/arm/

SLES 15 SP2 has been validated on a Newport GW63xx SBC.

Use the Gateworks Update Script instructions to flash the disk image to the eMMC over TFTP.

Customers wishing to use SLES will work directly with SUSE.

SLES Installation Instructions

Plan this installation process could take around 1 hour of time.

1. Register for a registration key
   1. Provided at time of sign up for trial download here: ​https://www.suse.com/products/server/download/
2. Download installation media for SLES15SP2 for ARM
   1. An online install will require a smaller initial download which is recommended, filename: SLE-15-SP2-Online-aarch64-GM-Media1.iso
3. Flash ISO image to USB Drive using the following command on a Linux PC: (adjust sdx to actual device)

   sudo dd if=SLE-15-SP2-Online-aarch64-GM-Media1.iso of=/dev/sdx bs=4M
   

4. Flash Newport SBC with latest bootloader: http://trac.gateworks.com/wiki/newport/boot
5. Insert USB drive into Newport SBC and break into the bootloader and type the following commands to boot the installation media

   usb start
   fdt addr $fdtcontroladdr
   fdt resize
   fatload usb 0:1 $kernel_addr_r EFI/BOOT/bootaa64.efi
   bootefi $kernel_addr_r $fdtcontroladdr
   

6. This will take you into a grub prompt. At the prompt continue the boot process with the following commands:

   set root=(hd1,msdos1)
   set prefix=(hd1,msdos1)/EFI/boot
   configfile $prefix/grub.cfg
   

7. Modify the installation line by pressing the letter e on the keyboard and append the following on the end of the kernel command line:

   console=ttyAMA0,115200n8 earlycon=pl011,0x87e028000000 cma=64M network=1 usessh=1 sshpassword=linux
   

To be continued...

OpenSUSE

While this may work on a Newport SBC, it is not something Gateworks is supporting at this time.