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TM4C129DNCPDT: Tiva Microcontroller is getting stuck sometimes after power on/debug

Part Number: TM4C129DNCPDT
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: EK-TM4C1294XL

Hello,

I am using TM4C1294DNCPDT microcontroller in my project. And the project is configured using SYS/BIOS(TI-RTOS). Sometimes the MCU is getting stuck after power ON and sometimes after debugging also. This issue is not regular, i.e, the issue is occurring 2 to 3 times out of 25 times Power ON. What might be the issue and what to do to resolve this issue?

Thank you in advance.

Thanks & Regards,

Balaji TS

  • Hi Balaji,

      Your description is not enough for me to diagnose the problem. Can you answer a few questions?

      - When it gets stuck, can you still connect the target? If yes, where is it stuck? Do you see any error (e.g. Brownout )

      - What program do you have in the MCU? Can you run a simple stock example from TI-RTOS? Will you have the same problem? This is to rule out if it is a software issue or hardware issue?

      - Can you run the same program you have on the EK-TM4C1294XL LaunchPad? Do you have the same problem? Again, this is to rule out a board issue.

      - I suppose you are running on your own custom board? Do you have another one? Can you repeat the problem on the second board?

      - Can you check your supply to the MCU? Do you have proper and stable 3.3V supply to the board? It will be good if you can capture the VDD, VDDC, nRST at the time when it is stuck.

      - Sometimes the program is stuck because of not enough stack memory? I'm not sure if this applies to you since most of times you are ok except a few times. In any case, try to increase the stack size and see if that makes a difference. 

  • Thank you Charles Tsai for your response,

    Now during debug its not getting stuck. Its getting stuck only during power cycle.

    1. When do a power cycle(OFF and ON) its getting stuck. And its random(as I mentioned earlier its getting stuck 2 times out of 25 power cycles). 

    2. Our program is related to GPS where we will receiving GPS data from UART ports and printing them on other serial ports.

    3.As ours is custom board where MCU is connected to GPS receivers, I think TM4C1294XL will not work.

    4. I have tried with 2 boards, I am facing same issue.

    5. Supply is proper, because its working properly for many times, only few times its not responding after power cycle.

    Okay as per your suggestion i will try increase stack size and i will check once.

    Thank you.

  • 1. When do a power cycle(OFF and ON) its getting stuck. And its random(as I mentioned earlier its getting stuck 2 times out of 25 power cycles). 

    When it is stuck, can you still at least connect to the target device? If yes, where is the PC (program counter)? You will need to do some debugging here.

    2. Our program is related to GPS where we will receiving GPS data from UART ports and printing them on other serial ports.

    3.As ours is custom board where MCU is connected to GPS receivers, I think TM4C1294XL will not work.

    4. I have tried with 2 boards, I am facing same issue.

    It makes me feel it is a software issue. You will need to debug this. Perhaps, make your program simple.  For experiment purpose, instead of receiving data from GPS, receive something else from one UART port and send to another UART port. Will you have the same problem?

    Okay as per your suggestion i will try increase stack size and i will check once.

    ok. let us know if the stack size increase will make a difference. 

  • Hi Balaji,

      I have not heard back from you. I suppose you have resolved the issue. I will close the thread for now. If your problem is not resolved, you just need to write back to this post and the thread will automatically reopen. 

  • Hi Charles Tsai,

    The issue is resolved, the issue was due to hardware problem related to Watchdog timer. 

    Thank You for your support.

    Regards,

    Balaji TS