🛠 Initial Startup of BPI-5202 Loongson

Objectifs

This tutorial guides advanced users through the secure commissioning of the BPI-5202. Unlike standard x86 boards, the LoongArch architecture requires specific attention to the boot sequence and hardware integrity validation via encryption chips. The goal is to ensure a reliable first connection, verify critical interfaces (Ethernet, Console), and prepare the system for industrial deployment.

Matériel nécessaire

• BPI-5202 board with pre-installed SSD (Loongnix or KylinOS V10 recommended).
• Stabilized DC 24V power supply (min. 2A).
• RJ45 Ethernet cable (for 1000M port).
• USB-TTL serial cable (for isolated RS232 console port).
• 1080p@60fps HDMI monitor (optional for video check).
• Serial terminal (Putty, Minicom) configured at 115200 baud, 8N1.

Étapes

1. Electrical protection check: Before any connection, ensure the DC 24V power is off. Check the power connector polarity. The BPI-5202 has protections, but inversion can damage the 24V isolated outputs for IO cards.

1. Critical peripheral connection: Plug the serial cable into the isolated RS232 console port. Connect the Ethernet cable to the Gigabit (1000M) port. If using a monitor, connect the HDMI cable. Do not power on yet.

1. Terminal initialization: Open your terminal software on the corresponding COM/TTY port. Configure settings: 115200 baud, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity. Enable flow control if available.

1. Power on: Connect the DC 24V power supply. Observe the status LEDs. LoongArch boot is slower than x86 (10-15 seconds). You should see bootloader messages in the serial terminal.

1. System access: Once the login prompt appears, log in with default credentials (often root/root or user/user). Verify Loongson 2K1000LAi detection via lscpu.

Vérification

Run these commands to validate system integrity:

# Check CPU frequency (should show 1000 MHz)
lscpu | grep MHz

# Check DDR3 memory (4 GB)
free -h

# Test network connectivity (1000M port)
ip addr show
ping -c 4 8.8.8.8

# Verify security modules
lsmod | grep smec

If commands return errors, check cables and power stability.

Pour aller plus loin

Explore CAN2.0 and isolated RS485 port configuration for industrial apps. Configure the 20-pin GPIO for expansion cards. For security, enable hardware encryption features of SMEC98SP/SC1161Y via Loongnix specific APIs.