Linux board? What kind of support there is?

[LMI2]

I noticed that some ST Cpus support large amounts of RAM. Does this mean that they would run Linux, too. Are there any demo boards and such. Our volumes are 100-400 per year, if we ever start building our own Linux boards.

[Tesla DeLorean]

The STM32MP1 series (MPU with MMU's) support Embedded Linux

There are several DISCO and EVAL boards

https://www.st.com/en/microcontrollers-microprocessors/stm32mp1-series.html

Linux is NOT something you want to be running on the STM32 MCU's ie the Cortex-M devices.

[LMI2]

"Linux is NOT something you want to be running on the STM32 MCU's ie the Cortex-M devices." Why not. ST seems to talk about MPUs and CPUs, are there better chips (from ST) for Linux, or is ST just unready for Linux.

[Tesla DeLorean]

You seem a little unsophisticated about what's important when actually using Linux, I changed the post tagging from "STM32 MCU" to "STM32 MPU", as you don't seem to understand the differences, or expectations.

So perhaps rather jumping straight into "WHY?" questions, perhaps step back, and consider the obvious differences you might see when comparing a simple micro-controller based board to one running a PC, tablet, or phone, hosting a full blown operating system.

To run Linux properly, as intended, you need an MMU, a lot of memory, and the ability to visualize that memory into relatively large contiguous pools perhaps up to 4GB, and hiding the memory you see from those other apps have visibility into. Linux applications expect linear memory, not partially filled slices of 256MB holding ROM, RAM, FLASH, PERIPHERALS, etc. Nor peripherals your app randomly initializes or takes full control over.

Not only is having a lot of RAM important, but also eMMC or NAND memory to accommodate the image files, and a file system holding applications and data.

The system design, and build processes are significantly different. It's a paradigm shift, and there are certainly groups within ST that have been doing Linux for decades.

[LMI2]

Sure, I don't remember which is which, MPU or MCU. I know how to make PC boards for some STM32h CPUs, if they are available. So, it would be nice to make my own Linux board too, but I know that STM32H or F CPU are not suitable for linux. Besides, I got paid for an add on board for a certain fruit pie Linux board. It has working support and forum.

[PatrickF]

Hi @LMI2​ ,

ST Linux is requiring Cortex-A processor, this is the major distinction between MPU (Cortex-A, STM32MP series) and MCU (Cortex-M, other STM32 series).

You could find many useful information on our MPU Ecosystem offer in https://wiki.st.com/stm32mpu

For ready made boards, ST only provides 'development boards' which cannot be resell and/or use in a product (refer to related license agreement).

If you don't want to build your own boards, for commercial products (e.g. SOM module, SBC, etc...), there is multiple partners which provide STM32MP1 boards and SW (e.g. DH electronics, Emcraft, Engicam, Karo, Octavo, Phytec, SomLabs, etc...). See https://www.st.com/content/st_com/en/partner/partner-program.html#2.

There is also many board provided by 3rd party (e.g. I2SOM Pangu, Myirtech, Olimex, etc...)

Regards,

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[LMI2]

There are two good answers for my questions, thank you. I can only select one as best, well, at least good.

Is ST Linux somehow how limited, or more limited than other Linux for other Linux boards. Is it open source.

Sorry, but I can not read links immediately. I have several items to study now.