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With the debian package linux-image-6.1.0-11-rt-arm64-unsigned_6.1.38-4_arm64.deb spi-bcm2835 is configured as a module.

I found the spi-bcm2835.c source in with the kernel source. I will take a look at the possibility of setting spi enable as an option in the kernel configuration.

I don't know as I have never used any GPIO stuff. Perhaps by the end of the week I will have a working PI image. It is certainly worth testing. If it was still an issue, report it on git and it might get fixed.

I was under the impression that the hm2-rpspi required a entry in the dev folder for spi and the Hal gpio driver was a different beast.

cornholio wrote:

I could never get a spi device with bookworm tried for about a day or so but no luck, so I just went with Raspbian based on Bullseye. Have no trouble at all, even works with the Spartan-6 dev board I have with 7c81 firmware loaded.
Seriously Pete from MESA is a top guy. His range of products and support take Linuxcnc to the next level.

I think this has been resolved on Bookworm recently but you will have to compile from source to get the changes (which I am doing now).
The issue was we used a non-standard way to talk to the GPIO's which became depreciated in Bookworm. Andy has done some changes to get gpio working. He has also written a new gpio driver that uses the gpiod library which is the correct method. BUt I don't think its been included yet.

I could never get a spi device with bookworm tried for about a day or so but no luck, so I just went with Raspbian based on Bullseye. Have no trouble at all, even works with the Spartan-6 dev board I have with 7c81 firmware loaded.
Seriously Pete from MESA is a top guy. His range of products and support take Linuxcnc to the next level.

Not that I recall, but you may need to add it if its not included.

I thought you said raspi-config was not available on Debian 12? Did I misunderstand?

Did you try enabling SPI with raspi-config?

Hi Peter,

That sounds easy enough but I don't know how to turn SPI on Debian 12. So I am having to stand on my head to create a new disk with RaspberryPi OS (currently still Bullseye) so that I can write the 7c81_7i76x2.bit file to the 7c81 board.

If it is possible to turn on the spi device on Debian Bookworm, that would be great.
Is that possible?

I am currently using Bookworm on my CNCLathe with PC/5i25/7i76 and my PCBMill with 7i76e. So life would be simpler if I could also run my X2mill with the RPi4/7c81/7i76 on Bookworm. It sounds like once I have the correct bit file on the 7c81 that then I can run linuxcnc 2.9 with the RPi4/7c81/7i76. Is that correct?

On a RPI, you need to enable SPI for the SPI device to be created.

(With raspi-config for example)

Rod,

I misspoke. I tried mesaflash under Debian 12, however, it doesn't work on the 7c81 because spidev is evidently missing. It reports No 7c81 Board Found. In the dev directory there is no spidev.

Did you try 
sudo apt install mesaflash?
Its definitely in the Debian 12 repos.

My controller with the 7i76e is for my PCB Mill. To use it with the X2MiniMill I have to unplug all the connections to the PCB Mill and plug in all the connections for the X2 minimill.

I have to write the bit file for the 7c81_7i76x2d to the 7c81. Since I just discovered that mesaflash won't run under Debian 12, I have created a Raspberry Pi OS Bullseye on another disk. I will have to compile LinuxCNC and mesaflash on it, then write the bit file to the 7c81. That should get me to the point of being able to see if I can run the 7c81 under Debian Bookworm with LinuxCNC.

I will try your idea of using the 7i76e config (edited to 7c81 card).

What part is giving you issue? I did my setup in the reverse order. I copied the  7i76e to make my 7c81 config

The 7i76e should be about the same as the 7i76, if you wire it the same you can probably just change your hal file from " hm2_7i76e.0.7i76.0.0.output-06 " to " hm2_7c81.0.7i76.0.0.output-06 " 

or something like this 

"(BOARD).0.7i76.0.0.output-01" , then you can just change your board in the ini config