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Using bootstrap loader with MSPF5438A chip

Mike Raines
Intellectual 315 points
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: MSP430F5438A

We have been using the TI MSPF5438 (non a) chip on several products for several years.  Since most of our products are (relatively speaking) low volume, we have been using the on-chip bootstrap loader to install our software.  Once we ironed out a few wrinkles, this has worked very well.  We are using the IAR workbench, latest full version and are installing the hex file in TI.txt format via the bootstrap loader.

 

Recently we have moved to the MSPF5438(A) chip because TI says the non-A version should not be used for new projects.  We took this to mean that TI probably will not produce or support the non-A version in the future.  We have navigated the fairly modest changes necessary to change from non-a to a versions and all works well.

 

However, we have not been able to use the bootstrap loader to load software onto the A chip.  I know from TI’s literature that the bootstrap loader on the A chip is modifiable whereas the non-A chip has a fixed bootstrap loader.  So, the first question is whether the loader is even on the A chip and, if so, is it the same as the non-A?  Are there differences that will have to be accommodated before we can use it to download a Hex file in the TI.txt format to the F5438A chip? 

 

If the bootstrap loader is NOT already on the A chip, what is the procedure to install it, and should it then work as it did no the non-A chip?  Has anyone had experience with this problem or have suggestions to help us find a solution for loading our software onto the MSPF5438A chip?

  • 0
    TI__Guru* 79151 points

    Hi Mike,

    First off, the BSL is pre-loaded on MSP430F5438A out of the factory, so fortunately this should not be a problem.

    However, there are some differences in the bootstrap loader on the MSP430F5438A from the non-A. You can see the differences by comparing the tables for the devices in the BSL programming user's guide MSP430 Programming Via the Bootstrap Loader, section 5.5.

    The main differences that I could see you running into are:

    1. The F5438A (and all other 5xx/6xx/FR5xx BSL besides the 5438 non-A) uses Even parity (whereas the 5438 non-A used none parity)

    2. The F5438A (and all other 5xx/6xx/FR5xx BSL besides the 5438 non-A) uses a 32 byte password, rather than the only 16 byte password for the 5438 non-A. So your RX Password command will have to change when moving to the F5438A. 

    Are you using custom code to communicate with the MSP430 BSL via PC, or maybe you are programming the MSP430 from another chip?

    If you see the zip file associated with the BSL user's guide www.ti.com/lit/zip/slau319 this contains a command line program that you can run on the PC to communicate with the MSP430 BSL called BSL Scripter. The source for the scripter is included in the zip file, as well as the executable and some example scripts. The scripter takes a TI-txt format file (you can generate this in IAR similarly to generating the .hex file you mentioned) and a script.txt file with information about the device version and the sequence of commands that you want it to execute - you can see the BSL scripter usage guide and example scripts in the zip file for more details. Because of the differences in 5438 non-A and 5438A, the scripter treats communication with these two devices a little differently and has you note in your script.txt file which is used so that it can change its communication accordingly. You might want to look at the source code to see how the BSL Scripter treats these two devices differently as an example if you are having trouble making the changes to communicate with the MSP430F5438A device.

    Hope this helps get you started!

    Regards,

    Katie

  • 0 in reply to Katie Pier
    Intellectual 315 points

    Katie,

    Thanks so much for your thoughtful and helpful reply.  I am now making good progress.  Not completely there yet, but am able to use the new methods described in slau319f that you refered to program several chips.  Here is something additional I learned from TI tech support:  Rev G, E, and D of the F5438A chip have defect SYS 10 and cannot be programmed via bootstrap loader using most PCs.  Thanks again, Mike Raines

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