Backport imx-gpu-viv 6.4.11.p2.0 from mickledore to kirkstone-5.15.71-2.2.0 branch

[vix]

On meta-imx repo I see that the default branch is mickledore-6.1.22-2.0.0.

Then there is another active branch mickledore  that is continously comitted with all the latest updates.

But Yocto mickledore is NOT a long term release, and it has support for 7 months only (until November 2023). Then another short-term will come (Nanbield) and then the next LTS (Scarthgap) in April 2024.

Based on this release cycle for yocto, the most common approach for the end customer is stay in production on a LTS release (Kirkstone, or Dunfell, at the moment) and do experiments, R&D, POC on a short-term release (like mickledore).

I see that kirkstone-5.15.71-2.2.0 is an active branch, and it has new commits.

I see that GPU acceleration on iMX8M-Plus (and Vulkan support) doesn't work very well on kirkstone branch, but on mickedore imx-gpu-viv has been updated with "GPU driver upgraded to 6.4.11.p2.0 with Vulkan enablement, bug fixes, and performance optimizations."

At this moment the imx-gpu-viv is:

• 6.4.11.p2.0 on branch mickledore
• 6.4.3.p4.6 on branch kirkstone-5.15.71-2.2.0

I need that the update is backported from mickledore to kirkstone, since I need all the latest bug fixes in Torizon OS, which is developed by Toradex, a Platinum Partner of NXP.

Torizon OS stays on LTS releases of Yocto, and so it's based on kirkstone branch.

Do you think that this kind of backport is possible?

Thanks in advance.

[Dhruvit]

Hi @vix,

I hope you are doing well.

It seems not to be possible to backport the GPU drivers to the older kernel version, since the GPU hardware-specific code is provided in pre-compiled binary form by the GPU cores vendor for specific kernel versions.

If a customer wants, then one needs to also upgrade the kernel version in YOCTO along with imx-gpu-viv.

Thanks & Regards,
Dhruvit Vasavada

[vix]

Hi @Dhruvit 

do you mean that GPU driver is provided in binary form by VeriSilicon?

Which is the latest binary provided for Kirkstone?

Are you sure that the binary for 6.4.11.p2.0 is not available for kirkstone-5.15.71?

From a customer point of view, it seems strange that the actual LTS of Yocto is not update anymore...

Maybe it's available and it's enough pushing it into the kirkstone branch for meta-imx repo.

[Dhruvit]

Hi @vix,

I hope you are doing well

Q]do you mean that the GPU driver is provided in binary form by VeriSilicon?

=> Yes, For this binary-related information, one can refer to Table 3. BSP and Multimedia standard packages from the i.MX Linux ® Release Notes.

The release note of the Linux version can be downloaded from the Embedded Linux for i.MX Applications Processors

Q]Which is the latest binary provided for Kirkstone?

=> Kirkstone is the Yocto version and the version of these binaries is dependent on the Linux version. and the binary version can be referred from the Linux Release notes according to the Linux version.

Q]Are you sure that the binary for 6.4.11.p2.0 is not available for kirkstone-5.15.71?

=> To use the binaries of the 6.4.11.p2.0, It is recommended to update the Linux version by keeping the same Yocto version to the LTS release (Kirkstone).'

I hope this information helps you.

Thanks & Regards,

Dhruvit Vasavada

[vix]

To use the binaries of the 6.4.11.p2.0, It is recommended to update the Linux version by keeping the same Yocto version to the LTS release (Kirkstone)

Do you mean that is possible staying on Yocto Kirkstone, but upgrading the Linux kernel to 6.1.y?

[Dhruvit]

Hi @vix,

I hope you are doing well

It is not required to upgrade the whole kernel but to replace the whole content in the "drivers/mxc/gpu-viv" directory (From Linux 6.1 to your version),

the GPU kernel driver can be upgraded as mentioned in section 5.1.5 Source Code Structure of document i.MX Linux Reference Manual

Thanks & Regards,

Dhruvit Vasavada