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Custom ODROID X2 U2 Image

The following document describes our own method of creating a custom Kali Linux ODROID image and is targeted at developers. If you would like to install a pre-made Kali ODROID image, check our Install Kali on ODROIDarrow-up-right article.

You’ll need to have root privileges to do this procedure, or the ability to escalate your privileges with the command “sudo su”.

01. Create a Kali rootfs

Start by building a Kali rootfs as described in our Kali documentation using an armhf architecture. By the end of this process, you should have a populated rootfs directory in ~/arm-stuff/rootfs/kali-armhf.

02. Create the Image File

Next, we create the physical image file which will hold our ODROID rootfs and boot images:

:~$ sudo apt install -y kpartx xz-utils uboot-mkimage
:~$ mkdir -p ~/arm-stuff/images/
:~$ cd ~/arm-stuff/images/
:~$ dd if=/dev/zero of=kali-custom-odroid.img conv=fsync bs=4M count=7000

03. Partition and Mount the Image File

:~$ parted kali-custom-odroid.img --script -- mklabel msdos
:~$ parted kali-custom-odroid.img --script -- mkpart primary fat32 4096s 266239s
:~$ parted kali-custom-odroid.img --script -- mkpart primary ext4 266240s 100%
:~$
:~$ loopdevice=`losetup -f --show kali-custom-odroid.img`
:~$ device=`kpartx -va $loopdevice| sed -E 's/.*(loop[0-9])p.*/\1/g' | head -1`
:~$ device="/dev/mapper/${device}"
:~$ bootp=${device}p1
:~$ rootp=${device}p2
:~$ mkfs.vfat $bootp
:~$ mkfs.ext4 -L kaliroot $rootp
:~$ mkdir -p boot root
:~$ mount $bootp boot
:~$ mount $rootp root

04. Copy and Modify the Kali rootfs

Copy over the Kali rootfs you bootstrapped earlier using rsync to the mounted image:

Edit the ~/arm-stuff/images/root/etc/inittab file and locate the “Example how to put a getty on a serial line”:

Add the following line to the end of that section:

If you want the serial console to autologin as root, use the following line instead:

Now, make sure there is a ttySAC1 entry in the ~/arm-stuff/images/root/etc/udev/links.conf file:

If an entry for ttySAC1 doesn’t already exist, add it to the file so it looks as follows:

Add ttySAC entries in the ~/arm-stuff/images/root/etc/udev/links.conf file:

Place a basic xorg.conf file in the rootfs:

Link init in the root, rootfs directory:

05. Compile the ODROID Kernel and Modules

If you’re not using ARM hardware as the development environment, you will need to set up an ARM cross-compilation environment to build an ARM kernel and modules. Once that’s done, proceed with the following instructions.

We next need to fetch the ODROID kernel sources and place them in our development tree structure:

Configure, then cross-compile the ODROID kernel:

Chroot into the rootfs and create an initrdarrow-up-right. Make sure to use the correct kernel version/extraversion for the mkinitramfs command. In our case, it was “3.8.13”:

06. Prepare the Boot Partition

Copy the kernel and generated initrd file to the mounted boot partition as shown below:

Dump a boot.txt file, which contains required boot parameters for the ODROID in the boot partition:

Generate a boot.scr file, which is required to boot the ODROID:

Unmount the root and boot partitions, then umount the loop device:

Now, image the file onto your USB storage device. Our device is /dev/sdb. Change this as needed:

Once this operation is complete, connect your UART serial cable to the ODROID and boot it up with the microSD/SD card plugged in. Through the serial console, you will be able to log in to Kali (root / toor) and startx.

If everything works and you want the ODROID to start on boot, make sure to use the “autologin” line in the inittab given above and add the following to your bash_profile:

08. Install Mali Graphic Drivers (Optional)

These steps are experimental and not fully tested yet. They should be performed inside the Kali rootfs:

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