Ethaddr all the same after moving to mainline u-boot

#1

I am running rock-pi-4-rk3399_defconfig and for some reason all my mac addresses are now the same across my 4 boards, both in linux and at the ethaddr variable in u-boot.

Is there a config option I need to enable to use the boards mac address?

#2

Just wanted to note that this will potentially be an issue for me as well, as my router maps fixed IP to a MAC address.
I believe the dietpi image allows for changing the Mac adress in software, but I would fear complications from the router side before the OS boots and can change the address.

Not per say a problem I have yet, but I can imagine it becoming one easily :slight_smile:

#3

What I have found searching in on rockchip it appears the ethaddr is suppoed to be based on the cpuid which I thought should be unique per device but for some reason the uboot cpuid# var are identical on all my RkP4’s even if I run ‘env default -a’ which should blow away any badly saved values.

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#4

Fixed (in Armbian) not long ago which means you need to build from sources or update from beta repository to test if it works properly: https://github.com/armbian/build/pull/1660

You can also change MAC via user space with armbian-config or nmtui-edit.

#5

Thanks @igorp. Unfortunately my that solution is based on cpuid# and all my boards have the same cpuid# for some reason.

#6

That’s strange. Huh, well then use user land workaround until this is sorted out. That should work.

#7

The reason for this is most probably missing ROCKCHIP_EFUSE driver in u-boot which leads to deriving cpuid# from uninitialised memory region and mostly the same cpuid# on multiple boards.
I observed exactly the same behaviour and hence the patch in Armbian :wink:

Try @igorp’s provided solution or make sure that you have all three below configs enabled in your defconfig that you are using to build mainline u-boot (v2019.10+). This will make your cpuid# and macaddr unique per board.

CONFIG_MISC=yes 
CONFIG_MISC_INIT_R=yes 
CONFIG_ROCKCHIP_EFUSE=yes

BTW As a fun fact cpuid#, when read correctly, contains the value engraved on the lid of your rk3399 CPU :wink:

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#8

Thanks @piter75 I was just about to post the same solution, beat me to it.

I am surprised this isnt part of the defconfig for Rock Pi 4 in mainline uboot…

Now on to working out HDMI output in uboot. Thanks all.

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#9

How did you install mainline u-boot on Rock Pi 4 in the first place?

#10

@crocket the u-boot mainline has a defconfig for rock pi 4.

I cloned the git for u-boot and then ran

make rock-pi-4-rk3399_defconfig

make menuconfig

(navigate to enable the efuses mentioned)

export BL31=

(location depends on where you compiled arm-trusted-firmware)

make all

sudo dd if=idbloader.img of=/dev/sdx seek=64 &&
sudo dd if=u-boot.itb of=/dev/sdx seek=16384

(to write the new uboot to your sdcard, ie whatever sdx is)

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#11
  • Does mainline u-boot compile idbloader.img automatically for you?
  • Does arm trusted firmware come from rkbin?
  • What is the overall partition layout for u-boot on Rock Pi 4?
#12

Yes

I am using https://github.com/ARM-software/arm-trusted-firmware.git

There are 5 partitions it is documented on http://opensource.rock-chips.com/ somewhere from memory. I used the gpt command in u-boot to recreate the partitions on my SD after installing u-boot. I use partition 4 as a fat 32 EFI partition and partition 5 I format as f2fs and have my main OS (Alpine) on it. I dont touch the other partitions.

I also tend to lean towards using a grub.efi and then use standard grub.cfg to boot but thats personal preference.

Take a look at doc/README.rockchip in the u-boot src tree as well.

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