This thread has been locked.

If you have a related question, please click the "Ask a related question" button in the top right corner. The newly created question will be automatically linked to this question.

BOOTLOADER USING STARTERWARE FOR CUSTOM BOARD

Hi,

I am very new to STARTERWARE and we are using AM335X series processor where the booting will be done using an OTP device interfacing through XIP. In this booting sequence the contents of another NOR Flash [where our actual application code resides] will be checked for checksum value and then the application code will run. Here I am not sure that whether I will use the XIP feature of NOR Flash or shall I copy the content of NOR in my on board DDR3 and then execute the program. My hardware of custom board is not ready and we are working on it. The block diagram of our booting sequence is attached with this email / post.

Now my question is:-

In starterware I have seen a bootloader project for beagle bone black where I find a file bl_main.c and here the booting is through uSD Card. How can I modify this bootloader for my OTP which uses XIP Interface? If I dig the functions of bl_main.c, will I be able to find all the ends to modify this boot loader for my custom hardware. In some of my previous queries, one friend here told me to use gel files to modify. Now how is this gel file used to create the boot loader is not clear to me. In short I am not clear as to how I can modify this project to use in my case. Is there some document which describes boot-loader project so that all the threads of files needed to be modified for custom hardware can be referred to apart from bootloading?

We have never worked with this external boot loader thing earlier and we CANNOT USE OS / RTOS in our project. I seek your patience and help in this case more so when there is nothing on starterware as of yet for bootloading through NOR Flash / OTP for that matter using XIP interface.

Thanking you.

3782.Block Diagram of uC & External Memories.pdf

  • Kindly reply anyone..
  • Mohit,
    Please take a look at the AM335x TRM chapter 26 on booting www.ti.com/.../spruh73l.pdf

    Also, take a look at this page for some details
    www.twam.info/.../u-boot-on-beaglebone-black

    If you import the Starterware bootloader project into CCS and analyze the various functions, you will notice the various PLL configs and general board init procedures that the bootloader will perform on power-up. A GEL would essentially do similar things but would need to be loaded through CCS with a emulator connected to the BBB (I assume you do not want to do this). So, I would suggest digesting and understanding the boot sequence and how to modify it for your topology. bl_platform.c has a BlPlatformConfigPostBoot() which might offer some clues on where to load the image from once the board has booted.

    Lali
  • Thanks Lalindra,

    At least some one replied. I have a full setup of bbb with Emulator as well but I do not have idea regarding this gel file. Will it be a better idea to explore in this manner?

    One more thing Lali, as no one was replying yet, I was browsing through the bootloader program within starterware of SDK1.0.0.8 and I found that they give options for NOR booting but those functions and header files do not exist anywhere, why is it so??

    Thanks..

  • Mohit,
    I don't think that the GEL method would be a good long-term solution, but I will leave that to you to decide. FYI the GEL for BBB should be here C:\ti\ccsv6\ccs_base\emulation\boards\beaglebone\gel.

    Which NOR booting options are you referring to in the SDK?

    Lali
  • Hi Lali,

    Your reply has been very late but thanks for it.

    I have moved slighty forward and the question is regarding starterware present in sdk1.0.0.8, We are trying to understand the parallel NOR / OTP bootloader and we have been able to compile it. But we are unable to find the files which are initializing and configuring all the GPMC parameters like timing etc. to be used in parallel NOR / OTP.

    Is this boot loader actually working on the hardware? We have never done external boot loading before we request please reply us a little faster so that we can reach to point to comfortably start our hardware development.

  • Mohit,

    I have taken this question up with someone who has more knowledge on NOR boot and GPMC parameters. Waiting for some feedback.

    We have many support issues that are being worked on in parallel, and we try to answer questions as expediently as possible. Appreciate your patience.

    Lali
  • Hi Lali,

    The question has been answered in a separate thread that I have started.

    However if you have some corrections or additional info, would like to welcome it.

    Thanks a lot.

    Regards.