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RZ/G3E Debian Bootable Tool

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1. Overview

The RZ/G3E Debian Bootable Tool is a Bash script designed to streamline the creation and customization of bootable ARM64 Linux disk images for Debian 13 on the RZ/G3E platform. It offers a user-friendly, menu-based interface using whiptail and zenity, making it easy to create and apply custom configurations. The tool also supports writing images directly to an external media (e.g., SD card).

2. Objectives

  • Prepare The Image:
  • Use an existing image or create a new image.
  • Download Debian 13 ARM64 ISO if it doesn't exist already.

  • Use QEMU to install Debian 13 to the image.

  • Install Software Packages:

  • Install OSS (Open Source Software) packages including: CIP kernel, GStreamer, MMNGR, VSPMIF.
  • Install HW Graphics packages (optional).

  • Install HW Codecs packages (optional).

  • Write The Image:

  • Select and write the image to an external media (e.g., SD card).

3. Scripts Details

Split into smaller scripts for easier maintenance. The following introduces the scripts and their main functions:

  • make_bootable_image.sh: Contain the main menu selection.
  • install_qemu.sh: Install QEMU version 8.2.9.
  • run_qemu.sh: Start QEMU VM to install Debian 13 to the image.
  • install_renesas_sw.sh: Set up chroot environment to install software packages.
  • install_packages_debian.sh: Install .deb packages.
  • write_image.sh: Write the image to an external media (e.g., SD card).
  • settings.txt: Contain user settings.

4. Usage

4.1 Prerequisites

  • Supported OS: Ubuntu 22.04 LTS or 24.04 LTS.
  • Internet connection is required.
  • The sudo permission is required.
  • Tested hardware:
  • Processor: Intel Core i5-7400 (4 cores, 4 threads).
  • RAM: 8 GB.
  • Storage: Minimum 50 GB available.
  • External media: At least 16 GB (e.g., microSD card).

4.2 How To Use

  • Set the following environment:

    export DL_DIR=<the path where packages downloaded in step 3>
export WORK_DIR=<the path to your working directory>

  • Create your working directory, and decompress packages:

    mkdir -p ${WORK_DIR}
cd ${DL_DIR}
unzip RTK0EF0045Z0044AZJ-v*.zip
tar xf RTK0EF0045Z0044AZJ-v*/rz-debian-support-v*.tar.gz -C ${WORK_DIR}
unzip RTK0EF0045Z0048AZJ-v*_EN.zip
tar xf RTK0EF0045Z0048AZJ-v*_EN/rz-graphics-v*.tar.gz -C ${WORK_DIR}
unzip RTK0EF0045Z0046AZJ-v*_EN.zip
tar xf RTK0EF0045Z0046AZJ-v*_EN/rz-codecs-v*.tar.gz -C ${WORK_DIR}

  • Check your working directory:

    ls ${WORK_DIR}

    You will see the following directories.

    bootloaders  installer  oss  rz-codecs  rz-graphics

  • Execute ./make_bootable_tool.sh to run the GUI installation tool:

    cd ${WORK_DIR}/installer
./make_bootable_tool.sh

  • The main menu provides 4 options:

  • Create new Debian image.
  • Select available bootable image.
  • Install Renesas kernel and proprietary software.
  • Write image to external media.

Main menu

4.2.1 Create new Debian image

  • Press Enter on the "Create new Debian image".

Option create image

  • Use the file dialog to name the image (e.g., Debian_13.img) and select its location. Next, press "OK" to confirm.

Image name

  • Enter administrator password. The tool will then download, build, and install QEMU version 8.2.9. If it's already installed, this step will be skipped.

Download QEMU

  • The tool will allocate and format Debian_13.img.

Create raw image

  • The tool will download the Debian 13 ISO. If it already exists in the downloads folder, this step will be skipped.

Download ISO file

Complete download

  • The tool will use QEMU VM to install Debian 13 on Debian_13.img. Press "Ok" to continue.

Start QEMU

  • Follow installation instructions in Section 4.3.

  • If successful, the "Completed" dialog box will appear. Press "Ok" to continue.

Complete install Debian 13

  • The new image will now appear as the "Selected image" in the main menu.

Image created

4.2.2 Select available bootable image

  • Press Enter on the "Select available bootable image".

Option select image

  • Use the file dialog to select the image (e.g., Debian_13.img). Next, press "OK" to confirm.

Choose image

  • Once selected, the image will appear as the "Selected image" in the main menu.

Image selected

4.2.3 Install Renesas kernel and proprietary software

  • Please create or select an image first.

  • Press Enter on the "Install Renesas kernel and proprietary software".

Select "Install Software" option

  • Enter administrator password. The tool will then install all .deb packages into the selected image.

Install software packages

  • Wait for the dialog box below to appear, then click 'Ok' to continue..

Finish install software packages

4.2.4 Write image to external media

  • Note: In this guide, we use a microSD card to illustrate the steps.

  • Please create or select an image first.

  • Plug in the microSD card to the Host PC.

  • Press Enter on the "Write image to external media".

Select "Write Image" option

  • Select the microSD card (e.g., "sdb Transcend (59,5G)"). Press "Ok" to continue.

Select microSD card

  • Press "Proceed" to confirm.

Confirm action

  • The tool will write Debian_13.img to sdb Transcend (59,5G). Wait until the image is written.

Write image

  • If successful, the following dialog box will appear. Press "Ok" to continue.

Write image_successful

  • Press "Save and Exit" to save the settings. Then press "Ok" to exit.

Return main menu

Save setting

Exit tool

  • Execute "sudo eject /dev/sdb" to safely remove the microSD card from the Host PC.

4.2.5 Edit settings.txt (optional)

4.2.5.1 ISO_URLS

  • The ISO_URLS specifies the download links for the ISO file.

  • By default, it points to the Debian 13.1.0 arm64 ISO hosted on the official release site.

4.2.5.2 IMAGE_SIZE

  • The IMAGE_SIZE specifies the size of the image to be created.

  • By default, it will be 16 GB (16000000000 bytes).

  • Important: The image size must be at least 10 GB.

4.3 How To Install Debian 13

  • Press Enter on "Install".

Install Debian 13

  • Press Enter on "English".

Select language

  • Select your country, territory or area (e.g., "United States").

Select location

  • Select your keyboard configuration (e.g., "American English").

Configure keyboard

  • Edit the hostname (example: debian), then press "Continue".

Host name

  • Enter the domain name, then press "Continue" (leave blank if not applicable).

Domain name

  • Set and verify the root password.

Root password

Verify root password

  • Create user account (e.g., "rvc").

User name

Name account

User password

Verify user password

  • Select your time zone (e.g., "Eastern").

Configure clock

  • Press Enter on "Guided - use entire disk".

Use entire disk

  • Press Enter on "Virtual disk 1 (vda) - 16.0 GB Virtio Block Device".

Select Disk

  • Press Enter on "All files in one partition (recommended for new users)".

One partition

  • Press Enter on "Finish partitioning and write changes to disk", then confirm with "Yes".

Finish partitioning

Write to disk

  • Press "Yes" to update the software using network mirror.

Network mirror

  • Select archive mirror country (e.g., "United States").

Mirror country

  • Press Enter on "deb.debian.org".

Archive mirror

  • Edit HTTP proxy information (leave blank if not applicable), then press "Continue".

HTTP proxy

  • Press "No" to skip the package usage survey.

Usage survey

  • Do not select any desktop environment. Press "Continue" to proceed.

Software selection

  • If successful, the "Installation complete" dialog box will appear. Click "Continue" to exit the installer.

Reboot

  • At GRUB interface, press Ctrl-A X to exit the VM.

Grub menu

5. Common issues

5.1 Unable to download ISO file

  • If the installer fails to download the ISO file, it may show an error message:

URL not exist

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