DRA821U: Load U-Boot throught ethernet

Roberto Masi

Part Number: DRA821U
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: DRA821, TDA4VM

I am using the DRA821 and I should be able via the ethernet to load u-boot in order to flash the EMMC and OCTA SPI devices on the board.
For this purpose I prepared a workstation with ubuntu linux on which is installed the processor sdk linux release 8.0.0.5 and I configured the demo board
to boot trough the RGMII Ethernet interface.
Up to now it seems I'm able to lood through bootp and R5 ROM the R5 SPL and SYSFW present in the tiboot3.bin, but after that the ethernet link to the PC goes down and I'm not able to load tispl.bin and uboot.img.

From what I've understood the tiboot3.bin included in the linux SDK is not able manage ethernet connections, is it possible to configure the uboot to manage ethernet connection as AM43xx family?

over 4 years ago

0 Vineet Roy over 4 years ago

TI__Mastermind 37435 points

Hi Roberto,

You can use CPSW2G to load images through U-boot, it's supported natively. You should be able to get a link-up, ping with CPSW 2G and also boot through TFTP.

If you have an EVM then you can try it out.

Regards

Vineet

0 Roberto Masi over 4 years ago in reply to Vineet Roy

Prodigy 70 points

Hi Roy,

I have an EVM and I'm working on it.

When U-boot is loaded I can access to the board via Ethernet ling and it works, but the problem is that I cannot load U-boot using Ethernet.

I can load u-boot using UART but it is too time consuming, but when the boot rom start with Ethernet I'm not able to start u-boot.

Looking in deep the forum I found this 2 threads abut tda4vm:
https://e2e.ti.com/support/processors-group/processors/f/processors-forum/967354/tda4vm-does-tda4vm-support-ethernet-boot-without-phy
https://e2e.ti.com/support/processors-group/processors/f/processors-forum/967822/tda4vm-ethernet-boot-issue
in witch is stated that booting SPL by Ethernet is not supported by SDK. Is it the same for DRA821? Is the answer is yes, is it planned to support this kind of boot in the future?

Regards

Roberto

0 Keerthy J over 4 years ago in reply to Roberto Masi

TI__Guru**** 163170 points

Hi Roberto,

It is the same on DRA821 as well. There is no plan to support that on the next SDK as well. I will keep you posted on this thread
once I hear on this.

- Keerthy

0 Roberto Masi over 4 years ago in reply to Keerthy J

Prodigy 70 points

Hi Keerthy,

is at least possible to modify manually procesor SDK SBL to allow to use CPSW2G as boot media or there is something in the SysFw that does not allow this?

Regards

Roberto

+1 Keerthy J over 4 years ago in reply to Roberto Masi

TI__Guru**** 163170 points

Roberto Masi said:
is at least possible to modify manually procesor SDK SBL to allow to use CPSW2G as boot media or there is something in the SysFw that does not allow this?

No. Ethernet boot is not supported/tried/tested on SBL side. If no further questions please click on verify answer.

- Keerthy

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DRA821U: Load U-Boot throught ethernet