AM623: Ethernet Secondary boot Link Status Issue with bare board

Hi Vikash,

1) Is the goal to test Ethernet as secondary boot source works? 

2) What are the boot switch configuration you are using?

3) What SDK version are you using?

4) If testing Ethernet as secondary boot source, are you purposefully not allowing booting from eMMC? (I.e. perhaps no eMMC currently on the custom board)

5) Can you verify Ethernet as primary boot works?

-Daolin

Hi Daolin,

1. Is the goal to test Ethernet as secondary boot source works? :: Yes

2. What are the boot switch configuration you are using? :: 

3. What SDK version are you using? :: TI SDK(09.02.01.09)

4. If testing Ethernet as secondary boot source, are you purposefully not allowing booting from eMMC? (I.e. perhaps no eMMC currently on the custom board) :: Yes, it is a fresh board no image in it.

5. Can you verify Ethernet as primary boot works? : NOT working

Hi Vikash,

Ethernet as primary boot not working is something we should troubleshoot first. Can you describe the specific steps you took to setup and test Ethernet primary boot? (This includes the testing setup, how you built the U-boot binaries for ethernet boot etc). Additionally, are you seeing any contents show up in a Wireshark capture when testing this?

The boot switch configuration you have provided indicates Ethernet for primary boot mode and USB(DFU) as secondary boot mode. Since you provided this configuration, I'm assuming you are testing with Ethernet primary boot first? What was the boot configuration that you had when configuring Ethernet as secondary boot?

-Daolin

Hi Daolin,

Here are the steps I took to set up and test Ethernet primary boot:

1. Changed the boot switch to Ethernet mode.
2. Updated the UBOOT_MACHINE to am62x_evm_r5_ethboot_defconfig and built the image.
3. Installed necessary packages: isc-dhcp-server, tftpd, and xinetd.
4. Configured the DHCP server by editing /etc/dhcp/dhcpd.conf.
5. Configured the TFTP server by editing /etc/xinetd.d/tftp.

Regarding testing, I'm not seeing any activity in the Wireshark capture. The Ethernet link is not coming up—there’s no LED indication from the Ethernet port.

What was the boot configuration that you had when configuring Ethernet as secondary boot?

Regards, vikash

Hi Vikash, 

Thanks for sharing these details. 

If your DHCP server is running then you should at least see some DHCP messages on Wireshark. Can you check the status of your dhcp server to see if it's running (i.e. systemctl status isc-dhcp-server)? Additionally, can you try checking the status of your TFTP server?

What are the contents of your DHCP configuration and TFTP configuration files? As specified in https://software-dl.ti.com/processor-sdk-linux/esd/AM62X/09_02_01_09/exports/docs/linux/Foundational_Components/U-Boot/UG-Network-K3.html?highlight=ethernet%20boot, the DHCP configuration file should contain the "vendor-class-identifier" for each of the U-boot binaries (tiboot3.bin, tispl.bin, u-boot.img) so that the board can request the relevant binaries from the host PC.

-Daolin

Hi Daolin,

Here are the contents of my DHCP and TFTP config files:

Whatever I am trying now that was already tried in ti evm board and succesfully flashed but coming to custom board ethernet link itself is not up.
Regards, vikash

Hi Vikash,

Murali Vikash Ganireddy said:

Whatever I am trying now that was already tried in ti evm board and succesfully flashed but coming to custom board ethernet link itself is not up.

Given this behavior, I think it would be best to check if the ethernet interfaces on the custom board are operational. Are you able to bring up your custom board the U-boot environment or a Linux environment (e.g. boot through SD card or USB)? If so, are you able to communicate to the host PC with a ping?

Additionally, can you check the result of "systemctl status isc-dhcp-server" and systemctl status tftpd-hpa"? If isc-dhcp-server is running then I would expect there to at least be BOOTP requests from the custom board, unless the ethernet interface you are using on the custom board is not operational.

-Daolin

Hi Daolin,

Are you able to bring up your custom board the U-boot environment or a Linux environment (e.g. boot through SD card or USB)? If so, are you able to communicate to the host PC with a ping?

--> I successfully booted the system using the USB DFU method and confirmed that Ethernet communication is working by pinging after U-Boot and Linux were up. I also observed that the Ethernet LED is blinking.

 If isc-dhcp-server is running then I would expect there to at least be BOOTP requests from the custom board?

---> No, When I boot the system with Ethernet set as secondary and eMMC as primary, the Ethernet LED doesn't blink at all.

Regards, VIkash

Hi Vikash, 

What is the result of "systemctl status isc-dhcp-server" and systemctl status tftpd-hpa", when Ethernet is the primary boot selection? As you have reported previously, even Ethernet as primary boot is not working on your custom board, let's get this working first.

Which ethernet port are you using when confirming the Ethernet communication was working after U-boot and Linux were fully up? As specified in the SDK docs for booting via Ethernet, only RGMII1 (1st ethernet interface/port) is supported by the ROM for Ethernet boot.

Can you please check if CONFIG_SPL_NET_VCI_STRING="AM62X U-Boot R5 SPL" shows up in your R5 ethboot defconfig file?

Another test to try with Link info bit low (this essentially means let the ROM auto-negotiate with the host PC for speed and duplexity).

-Daolin

Hi Daolin,

Here is the result of isc-dhcp-server and tftpd:

Regards, Vikash

Hi Vikash, 

Your isc-dhcp-server does not appear to be functioning properly. As you can see in the red text "Active: failed". This could be the reason why nothing shows up in Wireshark and for no BOOTP messages to get initiated. 

Can you try "systemctl restart isc-dhcp-server" to restart the DHCP server and then check the status again? 

Additionally, you should verify that your host PC has an IP address on the ethernet interface connected to the custom board that is on the same subnet as what you configured on your DHCP config file.

-Daolin

Hi Daolin,

Ethernet itself not up it is not showing any link 

regards, vikash

Hi Daolin,

Ethernet booting is successful able to boot ethernet as secondary boot done some rework from hardware side.

Regards, VIkash