Xillinux is a software and a FPGA code kit that allows you to run a graphical desktop on the Zedboard, ZyBo or SocKit board, attaching a monitor, keyboard and mouse to the board itself.

With the help of this software you can make integration between the Linux and the FPGA board.

Step 1: Listing What You'll Need.

Hardware: SD card (i use a 8GB SD card);

SD card adapter so you can put the SD card in your computer;

Software: Vivado 2014 or a more recent version;

USB Image Tool;

Step 2: Download What You Need.

For the image file and the other component that you'll need, you'll have to aces the following link. You have to to as you're shown in the pictures.

The USB Image Tool software is available at this link.

You extract the image in a folder that is not situated in "Documents" or Desktop. You do the same with the boot partition kit, the only thing that that you have to do is make a different folder for that.

Step 3: Preparing Your Zybo Board for Use.

At this step you're supposed to establish a connection between the Zybo board and your PC. You'll do this by using a micro-usb cable. *note: make sure that the jumpers on the board which are used are the last two pins (JTAG) *

Now you will go to the folder where you extracted the boot partition kit for Zybo and you will navigate to VHDL>src folder and you will edit the "xillydemo.vhd" file. You can open it with notepad or anything you want. Now you'll have to do 2 things: 1. delete the following lines :PS_CLK : IN std_logic; PS_PORB : IN std_logic; PS_SRSTB : IN std_logic;

2. uncomment -- signal PS_CLK : std_logic; -- signal PS_PORB : std_logic; -- signal PS_SRSTB : std_logic; by deleting the "--" characters.

Now save the file and open your Vivado software. In the tools section you select "Run Tcl Script" and you go to the destination file where you extracted the boot partition kit, and select "xillydemo-vivado.tcl" file. Make sure that your board is connected to the PC and if everything is ok you can Generate bitstream file.

Step 4: Installing the Image in the SD-card

For this step you must plug your SD-card into your PC and start the USB Image Tool software. Make sure that in the left upper corned the selected option is "Device Mode". After that you press "Restore" and navigate to the folder where your XILLINUX image is, select all from the dropdown menu and select you .img file. After 5-10 minutes the image should be ready for use.

Step 5: Starting Your Board.

The next step is to change the jumpers from the board to the first two pins (SD). After that you take the SD-cardand you plug it in the Zybo board just like in the image. You get a power supply (12V) and a monitor with a VGA/HDMI connection and you can start your board.

Step 6: Booting and Using the Operating System.

Now you just wait for the system to boot.

*note: I used a different image because of what I need to do with the Zybo board*

A black screen with white written "things" will appear. To start in graphics mode you type in "startx" and so your FPGA becomes a mini-desktop.