Getting started with Intel Edison

Procedure based on Yocto Complete Image 3.5 with Linux laptop, using non-Arduino Intel Edison Mini Breakout board model EDI1BB.AL.K

Add your username to the appropriate groups on your laptop

adduser $(whoami) dialout
adduser $(whoami) plugdev

Logout and login on your laptop (reboot not required). On laptop:

dmesg

messages will stream to the laptop from Edison once it’s powered on.

Connect to Intel Edison via two microUSB Type B cables. Micro-USB type B are the common connectors everyone uses for phones etc.

Assuming Edison comes up on laptop as /dev/ttyUSB0 when both J16 and J3 are connected,

screen /dev/ttyUSB0 115200

Or use PuTTY.

Press Enter for login prompt. Login as root. There’s no password unless you set one previously.

See notes at bottom of this page for connection troubleshooting.

Software Update

It’s handy to be connected with PuTTY to the Edison, to see a much more detailed progress report.

Note this procedure erases everything on the Edison including data and configuration settings

On laptop, download latest Yocto Poky Complete Image. On laptop:

apt install dfu-util

Extract the Poky Complete Image, and from the extracted directory:

./flashall.sh

If you get a message

otaupdate.scr not found

upon Edison rebooting, the update is probably not going through. The process will take about five minutes (much longer than a normal reboot).

Confirm the proper version is uploaded by typing on Edison

cat /etc/version

201606061707

and at login you’d see with Yocto 3.5:

Poky (Yocto Project Reference Distro) 1.7.3

The Edison used space upon Yocto install was 76%. 319 MB free of 1.4 GB on my 2 GB Edison.

df -h

Intel Edison Configuration on first startup

from PuTTY window connected to Edison:

configure_edison --setup

Intel Edison Wifi can connect to WPA2 Enterprise as well as typical home WPA2 access points.

Unofficial Intel Edison Repository

On the Edison, add to /etc/opkg/base-feeds.conf

src/gz all http://repo.opkg.net/edison/repo/all
src/gz edison http://repo.opkg.net/edison/repo/edison
src/gz core2-32 http://repo.opkg.net/edison/repo/core2-32

Update repo cache

opkg update

The core2-32 opkg directory holds programs commonly used.

Troubleshooting

Both (two) green LEDs on the breakout board must be on and steady. If they are cycling on and off every several seconds, your USB port may not be providing enough power to J16. Maybe that USB cable is bad.

• Alternatively, the Edison eMMC flash memory could be corrupted, which requires reflashing

On laptop, unplug and plugin both USB cables, then type

dmesg

you should see

New USB device found, idVendor=8087, idProduct=0a99

FTDI USB Serial Device converter detected
Detected FT232RL
FTDI USB Serial Device converter now attached to ttyUSB0

If not, try being sure you are NOT plugged into a USB 3.0 port (has SS logo or blue colored inside). Try swapping cables at the Edison end–maybe one of them has the pins a little worn out. Poweroff and Power on your PC. Try another PC. If you don’t see these lines output by dmesg upon plugin, no other steps will work. You have to fix this first.

Type in your laptop

lsusb

you should see a line with

ID 0403:6001 Future Technology Devices International, Ltd FT232 USB-Serial (UART) IC

Type in your laptop

ls /dev/ttyUSB*

you should see

/dev/ttyUSB0