Preface

It's possible to run a Linux kernel on nSIM simulator using MetaWare debugger. It's just another way of running the kernel using nSIM. However, it allows to run not only UP configuration, but SMP configurations too.

Running Single-Core ARC HS38 Linux Kernel

ℹ️ The kernel must be built with haps_hs_defconfig Linux configuration.

Passing all configurations manually:

mdb -nsim -av2hs -prop=cpunum=0 -mmuv4 -Xrtc -Xatomic -Xtimer0 -Xtimer1 -Xmpyd -Xqmpyh -Xdiv_rem \
    -toggle=deadbeef=1 -prop=nsim_mem-dev=uart0,kind=dwuart,base=0xf0000000,irq=24 -prop=mmu_pagesize=8192 \
    -prop=mmu_super_pagesize=2097152 -prop=mmu_stlb_entries=16 -prop=mmu_ntlb_ways=4 -prop=mmu_ntlb_sets=128 \
    -icache=16384,64,2,o -dcache=16384,64,4,o -prop=nsim_isa_aps_feature=1 -prop=nsim_isa_num_actionpoints=4 \
    -prop=nsim_isa_ll64_option=1 -prop=nsim_isa_rtc_option=1 -prop=nsim_isa_core=3 -noprofile -run -cl vmlinux

Using a predefined TCF template:

mdb -tcf $NSIM_HOME/etc/tcf/templates/hs38_full.tcf \
    -prop=nsim_mem-dev=uart0,kind=dwuart,base=0xf0000000,irq=24 \
    -prop=nsim_isa_rtc_option=1 -nsim -noprofile -run -cl vmlinux

Running Multi-Core ARC HS38 Linux Kernel

ℹ️ The kernel must be built with haps_hs_smp_defconfig Linux configuration.

⚠️ nsim_connect_* properties are not supported in older nSIM (prior K-2015.06). Please check the nSIM documentation to replace them with deprecated nsim_mcip_* properties.

Running 2 cores using a predefined TCF template:

export NSIM_MULTICORE=1
mdb -pset=1 -psetname=core0 -prop=ident=0x00000050 -cmpd=soc \
    -tcf $NSIM_HOME/etc/tcf/templates/hs38_full.tcf \
    -prop=nsim_mem-dev=uart0,kind=dwuart,base=0xf0000000,irq=0,use_connect=1 \
    -prop=nsim_connect=2 -prop=nsim_connect_idu=1 -prop=nsim_connect_gfrc=1 \
    -prop=nsim_connect_ici=1 -prop=isa_counters=1 -prop=nsim_isa_pct_counters=8 \
    -prop=nsim_isa_pct_interrupt=1 -prop=nsim_isa_pct_interrupt=1 \
    -noprofile vmlinux
mdb -tcf $NSIM_HOME/etc/tcf/templates/hs38_full.tcf \
    -pset=2 -psetname=core1 -prop=ident=0x00000150 -cmpd=soc \
    -prop=nsim_mem-dev=uart0,kind=dwuart,base=0xf0000000,irq=0,use_connect=1 \
    -prop=nsim_connect=2 -prop=nsim_connect_idu=1 -prop=nsim_connect_gfrc=1 \
    -prop=nsim_connect_ici=1 -prop=isa_counters=1 -prop=nsim_isa_pct_counters=8 \
    -prop=nsim_isa_pct_interrupt=1 -prop=nsim_isa_pct_interrupt=1 \
    -noprofile vmlinux
mdb -multifiles=core0,core1 -cmpd=soc -run -cl

Running 4 cores using a predefined TCF template:

export NSIM_MULTICORE=1
VMLINUX="vmlinux"
COMMON="-tcf $NSIM_HOME/etc/tcf/templates/hs38_full.tcf -prop=nsim_mem-dev=uart0,kind=dwuart,base=0xf0000000,irq=0,use_connect=1 -prop=nsim_connect=2 -prop=nsim_connect_idu=1 -prop=nsim_connect_gfrc=1 -prop=nsim_connect_ici=1 -prop=isa_counters=1 -prop=nsim_isa_pct_counters=8 -prop=nsim_isa_pct_interrupt=1 -prop=nsim_isa_pct_interrupt=1 -noprofile"
mdb -pset=1 -psetname=core0 -prop=ident=0x00000050 -cmpd=soc $COMMON $VMLINUX
mdb -pset=2 -psetname=core1 -prop=ident=0x00000150 -cmpd=soc $COMMON $VMLINUX
mdb -pset=3 -psetname=core2 -prop=ident=0x00000250 -cmpd=soc $COMMON $VMLINUX
mdb -pset=4 -psetname=core3 -prop=ident=0x00000350 -cmpd=soc $COMMON $VMLINUX
mdb -multifiles=core0,core1,core2,core3 -cmpd=soc -run -cl

Running ARC770 Linux Kernel

Passing all configurations manually:

mdb -a7 -nsim -Xlib -prop=nsim_mmu=3 -Xtimer0 -Xtimer1 -icache=16384,64,2,o -dcache=32768,64,4,o \
    -prop=cpunum=0 -prop=nsim_mem-dev=uart0,kind=dwuart,base=0xf0000000,irq=24 -prop=nsim_sc_mem_range_end=0xc0fbffff \
    -prop=nsim_isa_atomic_option=1 -prop=nsim_isa_num_actionpoints=8 -prop=nsim_isa_aps_feature=1 -noprofile -OK -run -cl vmlinux