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System images and SD card setup

Rexys prepares board-specific PYNQ images for use with the NOA software environment. This page explains how to write an image to an SD card before connecting your target.

Choose the correct image

Target Current image version Image file Uncompressed size
PYNQ-Z2 v4 noa-pynq-z2-v4.img 5,834,895,360 bytes (5.83 GB)
Eclypse Z7 v2 noa-z7-v2.img 5,800,304,640 bytes (5.80 GB)

Eclypse Z7 v3 is planned; it is not yet listed as an available image. The version numbers above identify the Rexys image releases, not the upstream PYNQ version.

These are uncompressed .img files. A future compressed download may be smaller, but the card must still accommodate the complete disk image. These images are not interchangeable. The NOA arch 1 hostname, serial-number convention and fallback IP settings do not apply to these boards.

Download availability

Download links and release metadata are not yet published on this page. Obtain the matching image and its setup information from Rexys. Check its version, exact target board, minimum card capacity and network configuration before proceeding.

NOA arch 1 is delivered with its system image. This SD-card guide is for the boards listed above, not an arch 1 recovery procedure.

Before you begin

  • Obtain the image for your exact target board.
  • Prepare a compatible SD or microSD card and a reader for your computer.
  • Check the minimum card capacity for the image. The compressed download size does not determine the required card capacity; the entire uncompressed disk image must fit.
  • Allow enough free space on your computer for both the download and the extracted image.
  • Install balenaEtcher for your operating system.

The selected card will be erased

Back up any files you need from the card. Check the destination device's name and capacity before writing; selecting another drive can erase its data.

1. Download and verify

Download the complete image file. If it is supplied as an archive, extract it to obtain the .img file before following the steps below.

When Rexys supplies a SHA-256 checksum, compare it with the checksum of the exact file named in the release information. A checksum for a compressed archive is different from the checksum of the extracted .img file.

Get-FileHash -Algorithm SHA256 "C:\path\to\downloaded-file.img"

sha256sum /path/to/downloaded-file.img

shasum -a 256 /path/to/downloaded-file.img

Replace the example path with your actual downloaded file. If the checksum differs from the supplied value, download the file again before writing it.

2. Write the image with Etcher

  1. Insert the card into your computer's card reader.
  2. Open Etcher and choose Flash from file. Select the extracted .img file.
  3. Choose Select target and identify the intended SD card by its name and capacity.
  4. Check the destination again, then choose Flash! and allow the required system permissions.
  5. Wait for writing and validation to complete successfully. Do not disconnect the reader during this process.
  6. Eject the card safely.

Copying the .img file onto the card as an ordinary file does not prepare a bootable card. Etcher writes the disk image, including its partitions.

If Windows asks to format a partition after writing, cancel the prompt: some Linux partitions are not readable by Windows.

3. Boot your target

  1. With the target powered off, insert the prepared card.
  2. Set the board's boot-mode switches or jumpers for SD boot according to its hardware manual. Their positions are board-specific.
  3. Connect Ethernet and the board's specified power supply, then power it on.
  4. Allow the system to boot. Use the hostname or network configuration supplied with this image, or find its DHCP address in your router.
  5. On your computer, run ping with that address to check reachability. Do not use an arch1-...local hostname for these boards.

Successful ping replies confirm network reachability, not the availability of every NOA service. Continue with NOA Toolbox or NOA Python Client to establish the application connection.

If something goes wrong

Symptom Check
Image does not fit Compare the card's actual capacity with the uncompressed image and its stated minimum capacity.
Writing or validation fails Verify the download, then check the card, reader and connection. Do not boot from a write that failed validation.
Board does not boot Check the exact image target, SD boot setting, card insertion and power supply.
Board boots but cannot be reached Use the image's network settings and check Ethernet and DHCP. The arch 1 address convention does not apply.

The official PYNQ setup material also describes writing an image using Etcher. Use the Rexys image for your target when following this NOA guide.