DM36x - NAND: backup and restore NAND?

AnBer

Any input you can provide on the below?

I want to do a backup of the flash of the daVinci DM36x board, by means of the UART. I'm looking for the right commands to send from UART (nand mode or bootme mode) in order to do a full backup of the flash. I can also use Linux commands, if there is no external tool for this scope. I use sfh_DM36x.exe to write the memory in bootme mode, but it can not perform a backup of the memory. I wish to perform a full backup of the flash in the actual state, before to do any modification.

A.

over 9 years ago

0 AnBer over 9 years ago

TI__Mastermind 30110 points

I have not tried but there are couple of options to investigate:

a) There is a NAND writer project for CCS IDE:
processors.wiki.ti.com/.../AM1x
You could try to modify it to turn it into a NAND reader and write the different partition in a backup partition.
Note that it will require a JTAG emulator connected to the board.

b) From U-Boot:
U-boot should have the capability to read and write the NAND. So it should be possible to read partition by partition and write it to NAND or SD card.
I don't think that USB is supported in U-boot.
You could check the uflash (provided in U-boot) capability to see if it can both read and write:
processors.wiki.ti.com/.../SD_card_boot_and_flashing_tool_for_DM36x

c) From Linux:
- Using the MTD you can read the NAND and dump it.
See for example:
    processors.wiki.ti.com/.../Checking_ECC_operation
More info on MTD:
    processors.wiki.ti.com/.../DaVinci_PSP_03.21.00.04_Device_Driver_Features_and_Performance_Guide
    processors.wiki.ti.com/.../Mtdutils
    This might help to first backup and then restore:
    processors.wiki.ti.com/.../TI81XX_PSP_04.04.00.01_Feature_Performance_Guide
    forum.doozan.com/read.php
    also it might only work if you backup and restore to the same NAND device and the same partition:
    stackoverflow.com/.../how-to-correctly-nandwrite-a-nanddumped-dump-with-oob

    After dumping the NAND to a file you might be able to send it over ethernet or to USB.
    Note that MTD utilities on the DM36x DVSDK 4.02 might not support all features.

See as well:
    free-electrons.com/.../

- There might be as well higher level tools that can do NAND back and restore.

Hope it helps.

A.

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DM36x - NAND: backup and restore NAND?