AM625: Falcon boot on SDK9.2

Hi Andreas,

I am back to hands on Falcon boot on SDK10. some questions:

#1. Don't use Linux SDK tiboot3.bin for Falcon boot? instead with SBL of MCU SDK?

#2. Take SD boot as example, which file is the SBL image to boot with? need to rename to tiboot3.bin? mcu sdk did not clear stated.

#3.  Generated Linux Applimage follow steps in this section:

https://software-dl.ti.com/mcu-plus-sdk/esd/AM62X/10_00_00_14/exports/docs/api_guide_am62x/TOOLS_BOOT.html#LINUX_APPIMAGE_GEN_TOOL

need to rename linux.appimage.hs_fs to tispl.bin to copy to sd card boot partition?

#4. I boot with the tiboot3.bin and linux.appimage.hs_fs or rename to tispl.bin, just got below log:

#5 Does below FAQ still workable to implement falcon boot on SDK9.2 or SDK10? 

https://e2e.ti.com/support/processors-group/processors/f/processors-forum/1205638/faq-am625-how-to-boot-from-r5-u-boot-spl-directly-into-the-linux-kernel-skipping-a53-spl-and-a53-u-boot-falcon-mode

my customer make it work with SDK8.3 and SDK8.6, hope use the same approach, but got error:

Tony Tang said:

#1. Don't use Linux SDK tiboot3.bin for Falcon boot? instead with SBL of MCU SDK?

The `tiboot3.bin` name is what the ROM is looking for in MMC/SD filesystem boot mode; this file needs to be provided no matter the SDK. All our SDKs will generate this file.

Tony Tang said:

#2. Take SD boot as example, which file is the SBL image to boot with? need to rename to tiboot3.bin? mcu sdk did not clear stated.

In the current MCU+ SDKs the `tiboot3.bin` files that are generated are suitable for booting on HS-FS device variants as-is. These files should be identical to the corresponding `*.hs_fs.tiimage`. On the other hand, if you have a GP device (rare use case, only for older boards/devices, as those are generally not available), the files you would use for booting are called `*.tiimage` (without the `hs_fs` path component). But to boot you'd rename the file to `tiboot3.bin`.

Tony Tang said:

#3.  Generated Linux Applimage follow steps in this section:

https://software-dl.ti.com/mcu-plus-sdk/esd/AM62X/10_00_00_14/exports/docs/api_guide_am62x/TOOLS_BOOT.html#LINUX_APPIMAGE_GEN_TOOL

need to rename linux.appimage.hs_fs to tispl.bin to copy to sd card boot partition?

Falcon boot with MCU+ SDK doesn't support file-system type boot, so what you are asking does not apply. Only the following 3 boot methods are supported:

1. OSPI NOR
2. OSPI NAND
3. eMMC (raw)

In all cases the app image will be loaded in a raw-fashion from the boot media, from a specified offset.

Tony Tang said:

#5 Does below FAQ still workable to implement falcon boot on SDK9.2 or SDK10? 

https://e2e.ti.com/support/processors-group/processors/f/processors-forum/1205638/faq-am625-how-to-boot-from-r5-u-boot-spl-directly-into-the-linux-kernel-skipping-a53-spl-and-a53-u-boot-falcon-mode

my customer make it work with SDK8.3 and SDK8.6, hope use the same approach, but got error:

No this FAQ no longer applies to newer SDKs.

Let me ping Bin to chime in here; he's been handling selected Falcon boot scenarios in the context of newer SDKs, perhaps he has some pointer if you want to do filesystem-type boot.

Regards, Andreas

Hi Tony,

You mentioned MCU+ SDK SBL, but the customer doesn't intend to use SBL for falcon boot, correct?

Tony Tang said:

#5 Does below FAQ still workable to implement falcon boot on SDK9.2 or SDK10? 

https://e2e.ti.com/support/processors-group/processors/f/processors-forum/1205638/faq-am625-how-to-boot-from-r5-u-boot-spl-directly-into-the-linux-kernel-skipping-a53-spl-and-a53-u-boot-falcon-mode

my customer make it work with SDK8.3 and SDK8.6, hope use the same approach, but got error:

SDK9.2/10 U-Boot has moved to use BINMAN to generate FIT image instead using k3-image-gen package, but the procedure in this FAQ in theory should still applicable, but more steps/patches might be needed for SDK10 U-Boot though due to FIT component memory layout changes.

I haven't done any falcon boot test with SDK9.2/10, so would have to test it on my side to see what else is needed on top of the FAQ.

Can you please share the customer's atf-tee-dm-kernel-fdt.its file if the customer made any modification from the version in the FAQ? so that I have a starting point.

Bin, Andreas,

The SBL here also confused me, why TI involve SBL(MCU SDK) here for Falcon boot? and put the link in Linux SDK? although AM62x boot flow is difference with other platform, but it doesn't matter for user, user already know the boot flow, just need to know the procedure to do Falcon, don't care whether it follow some standard. 

simple is better, no need to involve unnecessary concept/component.

Hi Tony,

Maybe SBL mentioned above is confusing, Linux can be booted with different bootloader, SBL or U-Boot. Falcon boot can be used in both boot flows. Which bootloader to use is customers' choice.

Hi Bin,

As customer is developing with Linux SDK, it is not necessary to involve another MCU SDK, so U-Boot is preferred. 

Hi Tony,

The Linux SDK doesn't officially support Falcon boot, that is why we have the FAQ you referred above to help customers enable Falcon boot using the Linux SDK.

We do have customers followed this FAQ and have Falcon boot running with SDK9.x. I haven't tried Falcon boot with SDK10.0, but I think there are some U-Boot changes which might require more steps in addition to the FAQ. At least the TF-A load address is now moved to 0x80000000, so the TF-A configuration in the its file should be adjusted.

Please provide the its file which your customer uses, and I can try to look into it.