MSP-EXP430F5529LP: Attempting to use this with the BOOSTXL-TPS65218 EVM - cannot update launchpad firmware

Hi Grebe,

This kind of flow and related GUI is not maintain by MSP430 team.

Move the thread to PMIC team to see if there any further comments on the issues.

B.R.

Sal

Hello,

Thank you for your attention to this. I was able to flash the MSP430 Launchpad eventually. It was just an issue of multiple bad USB cables...

Further following the instructions in SLVUBH5, on page 10 it says to run IPG-UI to connect to the MSP430 Launchpad (w/ BOOSTXL TP65218 attached). The user guide shows an image like this:

When I run the same, I see "Hardware Not Connected":

If the MSP-EXP430F5529LP is not physically connected, the same area shows this:

so it seems like the device is showing up in some capacity. Additionally, when I connect the device, the message USB2ANY flashes briefly at the top of the program:

I am able to select TPS65218-1.2 (which the image on p 11 shows). I do not see the option to select TPS65218D0-spi-1.x, which the written instructions state.

I clicked through to create a new project, but I am not able to read the registers. 

Can you identify the issue?

Thanks,

C

I should provide more context, the PMIC I am trying to program, and have placed in the BOOSTXL-TPS65218 is the TPS6521815.

The .json and .js files referenced in the User Guide:

        TPS65218 IPG-UI device file (TPS65218-1.x.json) and script file (TPS65218-1.x.js)

seem to be for the TPS65218D0. I do not know what the differences are as far as connectivity to IPG-UI. Are there modifications that I need to make to these files, or are other, more appropriate files available?

Thanks,

C

Hi C, 

The TPS65218-1.2 is the correct project option for TPS6521815. (The -15 is a user-programmable version of the TPS65218D0)

If you disconnect and re-connect the localhost, does the hardware connection status change/ is there a new pop-up at the top?

Please also ensure you don't have multiple windows open, or any other program that could also be attempting to read the device. 

Only once the program shows "Hardware connected" then the registers can be read properly

Best Regards, 
Sarah

Hello,

Sorry if that wasn't clear from my previous post. Yes, when I select the Disconnect/Connect button you've outlined in red, the banner at the top flashes "USB2ANY hardware connected" for about 5 seconds. The banner then disappears. Is it supposed to stay there if functioning properly?

The bottom message "Hardware Not Connected," remains through the above actions.

I am inferring that the two messages are referring to different hardware:

- the top message means the MSP430 Launchpad is connected (running USB2ANY firmware).

- the bottom message means that IPG-UI does not detect the TPS6521815 in the BOOSTXL board

If that is accurate, maybe there are some jumpers that are not correctly placed?

The User Guide I have been referencing (SLVUBH5) sometimes mentions jumpers/signals without indicating if the net is on the MSP430 Launchpad or the BOOSTXL board. For example, p 10:

         • Install a shunt on header J20, shorting pin 1 (USB_3P3V) and pin 2 (MSP_3P3V).

But I cannot find J20 on either board.

It then says to plug a USB cable into J21 (again not stating which board) - but since there is only one USB jack to be found, on the Launchpad, I think they are referring to J401:

All of that serves to say that there may be jumpers that I didn't place?

Going through the earlier steps of the User Guide, it says all of the jumpers J3-6 should already be in place:

The S1 power switch is on (per p. 8).

Is this enough information to determine what is going on?

Thanks.

Hi C, 

Yes, the banner is expected to disappear after ~5 seconds, this is fine.

However, I am still able to see that "Hardware connected" even when only the MSP430 Launchpad is plugged in via the USB cable, without the BOOSTXL board connected to the Launchpad.

Can you verify that you have the same jumpers connected, and that you are seeing the green LED when only the Launchpad is plugged in?

I am not sure what the J20 jumper is referring to,
I will be revising this user guide to clear up these errors and incorrect references.

Yes, the USB port is J401. 

Please verify you have all the jumpers installed on the BOOSTXL board:

Ensure that only the green LED from the Launchpad is on.

If there is a red LED on, this indicates there was some connection error, check that the BOOSTXL board is plugged into the launchpad properly, and reconnect the USB cable so that the LED is only green again.

If you press, hold, and then release the RST button on the Launchpad (SW1) does connection status change?
(USB hardware should disconnect and reconnect. Check if bottom right message changes)

Best Regards, 
Sarah

Hello,

With only the Launchpad connected after starting IPG-UI:

• all the same jumpers are in place (everything but RTS & CTS)
• I see the Green LED
• The blue "USB2ANY" banner flashes
• "Hardware Not Connected" and red circle remain at the bottom of the IPG-UI window

I then close IPG-UI and remove the Launchpad USB cable. I connect the BOOSTXL to the Launchpad via headers J1-J4. I restart IPG-UI.

With Launchpad and BOOSTXL connected:

• all jumpers are in place (5x J5, 3x J6, J7, J8, J9)
• for reference, the User Guide SLVUBH5 has images of a different BOOSTXL-TPS65218 (revision BMC036E2?) on pp 3, 4, & 9
• only the Green LED is on the Launchpad. D1 is lit on the BOOSTXL board
• The blue "USB2ANY" banner flashes
• press/hold/release of the Launchpad RST button causes no change - the blue USB2ANY banner does not reappear; Hardware Not Connected message at the bottom remains

I will attempt to reflash the Launchpad with the USB2ANY firmware. The file I am using is USB2ANY_2.7.0.0_LP.txt - to confirm there isn't a better/newer file I should use. To clarify, I used the Python firmware updater from MSP430USBDevelopersPackage_5_20_07_01.

Is it essential that I use the file linked previously: https://dr-download.ti.com/secure/software-development/application-software-framework/MD-WFl403n8LD/5.20.07.01/MSP430_USB_Firmware_Upgrade_Example-1.3.1.2-Setup.exe ?

My organization blocked the download, so I will look into why that was, in the meantime.

Thanks,

C

Hello,

I flashed the USB2ANY firmware again, using the Python Firmware Upgrader. I am still seeing the same results detailed in my reply from a few hours ago. Is this an issue with the Launchpad?

Perhaps we need to look at this from a different perspective? I do need to be able to program the TPS6521815, and I am not tied to the LAUNCHPAD unless that is the only means to do it. Is there some other way to accomplish this?

Is the USB2ANY standalone device a viable solution? https://www.ti.com/tool/USB2ANY

At a glance, I haven't seen documentation for how to use this with the BOOSTXL-TPS65218. Is anything available that might work better than what I have been trying?

Thanks,

C

HI C, 

Both the Python Firmware upgrader and the other direct download link I linked earlier should work.
I just tried with the python firmware and the IPG-UI was able to recognize the launchpad board connection immediately. I am not sure why this isnt being recognized on your end. 

This could also work if you go to https://dev.ti.com/uniflash/#!/ , let it auto-detect the launchpad,
and then upload the USB2ANY_2.7.0.0_LP.txt to be flashed this way. 

If you have the TPS6521815 soldered-down onto a custom board with an USB2ANY header, then the IP-GUI tool could be used with the USB2ANY. 
Or instead of the IP-GUI tool, any I2C debugger tool capable of basic read/write functions.

Otherwise, 
A third-party programming vendor like Dediprog or Arrow is able to support TPS6521815 programming as well. 

Thanks, 
Sarah

Hello,

Then I think I've followed the indicated steps to load the USB2ANY firmware on the Launchpad - is there some way to verify that it's been flashed correctly?

I did try to run a local installation of Uniflash but it said my MSP-FET firmware needed to be updated:

I tried to do that and the update failed. A subsequent recovery attempt also failed, at which point I noticed red and green LEDs were lit on the Launchpad. I was able to flash the USB2ANY firmware again using the Python firmware upgrader.

Could there be something to the message stating the MSP-FET needs to be updated? (Uniflash no longer detects the Launchpad after the previous steps.)

 The TPS6521815 has not been placed on our board yet, which I why I was using the BOOSTXL. I was hoping to program it prior to doing so, thinking that would allow me some flexibility with the startup timing of the power rails. I also only have minimal programming connections to the TPS6521815 (I2C), so I would prefer to program the PMIC off-board first.

Can you elaborate if it's possible to connect the USB2ANY device to the BOOSTXL board to program that way?

I have another question, is there a chance the issue stems from running Windows 11? I saw this thread  MSP-FET: MSP-FET Rev 2.0.6 - Unable to perform Corrupted Firmware Recovery (Exit Code: 49) 

and it made me wonder about that as well.

Thanks,

C