AM3358: DDR3 single byte write fail

Summary:
We are using the AM3358 with a DDR3 DRAM from ISSI (4GBit) in one of our custom boards. We have a wierd issue where 8-bit values (char, uint8_t etc.) are not getting written to DRAM locations properly. Even if it does get written (very rare occasion) hey are erratic. No issues with 16-bit or larger variables.

Test scenario:

1. Connect JTAG to our board with CCS (10.2) and go through the initialization procedure for clocks and EMIF with a GEL file. This GEL file was cloned from AM33558 SK GEL with the DDR parameters replaced by the values calculated by TI's EMIF config tool

2. Load a simple program with a test function as shown below:

#pragma GCC push_options
#pragma GCC optimize ("O0")
void testFunction(){
  char i1 = 0;
  char i2 = 0;
  char i3 = 0;
  char i4 = 0;
  i1 = 0xFF;
  i2 = 0xFF;
  i3 = 0xFF;
  i4 = 0xFF;
}
#pragma GCC pop_options

3. Step through assembly instruction while observing the memory locations of i1,i2,i3,i4 using the memory browser

Observation:

Each ix = 0xFF; line are 2 assembly instructions: a mov and a strb. When the strb instruciton is executed i cannot see the memory location (DRAM) getting updated in the memory browser.

Supporting evidence:

Instead of char, if I try short or int I can see the memory locations getting updated 16-bits and 32-bits respectively

Control experiment:

Tried following the exact same steps with a BeagleBone Black (with the same EMIF settings as ours, and original GEL file for the BBB) and I can see the memory locations getting updated for char, short and int

Would highly appreciate if anyone could assist

Thanks in advance!

Aka