AWR2944: Handling backup region of SBL

Dang Ho Anh

Part Number: AWR2944
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: AWR2544, UNIFLASH

Tool/software:

Hi Experts,

I have a question regarding to the backup regions of SBL. As I read from AWR294x and AWR2944LC Technical Reference Manual

And the below is the statement from Application note AWR294x, AWR2x44P, AWR2544 Primary and Secondary Bootloader

So my questions are:

Erase or flashing new image of SBL on backup region on external flash is user option or it should be not erased/flashed?
And the offset on flash for back up region is 0x00040000. It means the size of SBL shall be 256K. Can I change this offset in case of my SBL size is larger than 256K?

6 months ago

+1 Saswat Kumar 6 months ago

TI__Mastermind 36015 points

Hello Anh,

1) Backup region is completely user option and not necessary, we provide it as a failsafe mechanism

2) No this offset is fixed by ROM code it cannot be erased.

Regards,
Saswat Kumar

0 Dang Ho Anh 6 months ago in reply to Saswat Kumar

Prodigy 40 points

Can I say that if I do not use the backup region of SBL, my size of SBL can be larger than 256K.

+1 Saswat Kumar 6 months ago in reply to Dang Ho Anh

TI__Mastermind 36015 points

Hello Anh,

Yes you can overwrite that backup region of SBL with your original SBL as well

Regards

0 Dang Ho Anh 6 months ago in reply to Saswat Kumar

Prodigy 40 points

Hi Saswat Kumar,

What happens to the master core if the RBL fails to find a valid SBL image on the external flash? Does it remain in a loop within the RBL?
Also, if it gets stuck, can a debug tool be used to analyze or recover it?

Thank you,
Dang

0 Saswat Kumar 6 months ago in reply to Dang Ho Anh

TI__Mastermind 36015 points

Hello Dang,

Yes it will be stuck in the ROM and you will not be able to debug further. You need to reach out to TI only to give us memory dumps and then let you know what might be wrong.
This is why it is advised to have a backup image and that's what customers always keep.

Regards,
Saswat Kumar

0 Dang Ho Anh 6 months ago in reply to Saswat Kumar

Prodigy 40 points

From the user's perspective, is there any action we can take if the software gets stuck in ROM? Or does this mean the chip is permanently unusable and cannot be recovered?

And can I say that the external flash on evaluation board has been flashed with SBL image on both primary and backup regions?

Thanks,

0 Saswat Kumar 6 months ago in reply to Dang Ho Anh

TI__Mastermind 36015 points

Hello Dang,

It can be recovered if you reflash the device with the right SBL.

Regards,
Saswat Kumar

0 Dang Ho Anh 6 months ago in reply to Saswat Kumar

Prodigy 40 points

Hi Saswat Kumar,
Which tool or method I can use in this case? As you said before the debugger cannot recover if the core get stuck in RBL.

Thanks,
Dang

+1 Saswat Kumar 6 months ago in reply to Dang Ho Anh

TI__Mastermind 36015 points

Hello Dang,

You can just switch the SOP mode and power cycle the device to get it back into flashing mode to reflash the SBL.
You can do it using the uniflash or the python script provided in the SDK

Regards,
Saswat Kumar

0 Dang Ho Anh 6 months ago in reply to Saswat Kumar

Prodigy 40 points

Thanks, I will try further in my environment..

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AWR2944: Handling backup region of SBL