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Original question:

AWR1243: Differences in Hardware versions- in bootloader

AWR1243: UART based Firmware loading

Santhana Raj
Expert 1765 points
Part Number: AWR1243
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: UNIFLASH,

Hi,

I am trying to use Uniflash to load the firmware using the RS 232 lines on the AWR1243P chip (Custom board from a customer). When I connect the the Uart lines, It gets successfully detected in the Device manager.

But the problem is that Uniflash is not able to initialize the COM port, while trying to flash the device.

Hence my questions are as below:

1) Is it correct way to expect using UART lines of AWR1243P to flash firmware using Uniflash? We dont have any Ftdi chip on the custom board.

2) If yes, to the above question, is there any areas that I should debug, to find out the root cause of why I am not able to detect COM port properly in Uniflash??

3) Should there be some basic firmware already running on the chip to use Uniflash? or the boot loader is enough to carry out this process?

4) As explained in previous related question, We have a previous version of hardware, in which this approach to flash firmware using Uniflash used to work. In the current version it does NOT. Is it related to AWR1243 (old board) to AWR1243P(new board) changes in the hardware chip?

Any help on this issue, would be really helpful.

Thanks in Advance,

Santhana Raj

  • 0
    TI__Mastermind 24955 points
    Santhana,

    Again, AWR1243P has not been released to market. I am not sure why you think that your device is AWR1243P.

    Uniflash is the recommended tool to use for flashing .bin files to mmWave devices. The TI EVMs have FTDI chips on the board. TI cannot guarantee performance of a custom board without this chip on board.

    Regards,
    Kyle
  • 0 in reply to Kyle Cousino
    Expert 1765 points

    Hi Kyle,

    Thank you for your help on this area.

    I understand that in EVM, the uniflash works along with ftdi chip.

    My question basically arises from the fact that, without any firmware loaded in AWR12x device, the on-chip RS232/UART lines are active on power-ON.

    Hence, I am suspecting that one can use these UART lines to program the firmware???

    I understand that the recommended way is to use ftdi chip. But my question is about the feasibility of above said approach.

    Thanks in advance,

    Santhana Raj

  • 0 in reply to Santhana Raj
    TI__Guru 58035 points
    Hello Santhana,
    Setting the right SOP mode (SOP mode 5) should allow you to flash the firmware , provided there is a valid serial flash connected to the AWR device.

    Regards,
    Vivek
  • 0 in reply to Vivek Dham
    Expert 1765 points
    Hi Vivek,

    We have set the SOP properly.
    When u say about serial flash, we have a flash device connected on device's QSPI lines, will this do??

    If yes, then we are still facing problem. Can you suggest me some ways to debug this?

    Thanks for your help,
    Santhana Raj
  • 0 in reply to Santhana Raj
    TI__Mastermind 24955 points
    Santhana,

    You need to use a flash device that is compatible with the AWR1243.

    TI has tested the following flash parts and confirmed compatibility:
    Spansion S25FL256S, S25FL132K0XNFB010
    Macronix MX25L3233F, MX25R1635FZNIH0 (Wide voltage part variant),
    Macronix Auto-qualified parts : MX25U1633FZNQ, MX25V1635FZNQ, MX25V8035FM1Q

    This whitepaper details more information about requirements for external flash devices: www.ti.com/.../swra551.pdf

    Specifically, refer to section 2.1 "Bootmode - SFLASH"

    Regards,
    Kyle
  • 0 in reply to Kyle Cousino
    Expert 1765 points

    Hi Kyle,

    I noticed that we are using a different Spansion flash device. "S25FL116K"

    I checked the datasheet and also the boot sequence document you mentioned. It seems that this device also follows all the requirements (key points) mentioend in the boot sequence document.

    Any idea, whether this device is supported or not??

    Thanks in advance,

    Santhana Raj

  • 0 in reply to Santhana Raj
    TI__Guru 58035 points
    Hello Santhana,
    This serial flash should be OK. Regarding your below point , 1243 and 1243P should behave the same. Can you provide all the differences in the HW between the working and non working board?

    >>4) As explained in previous related question, We have a previous version of hardware, in which this approach to flash firmware using >>Uniflash used to work. In the current version it does NOT. Is it related to AWR1243 (old board) to AWR1243P(new board) changes in the >>hardware chip?

    Regards,
    Vivek
  • 0 in reply to Vivek Dham
    Expert 1765 points

    Hi Vivek,

    There are other changes with resepct to antenna and SPI lines. But we don't have any changes on the MMIC, QSPI lines and the UART Rx-Tx lines. I will re-check on the hardware and get back to you on this

  • 0 in reply to Santhana Raj
    TI__Guru 58035 points

    Hello Santhana,

    There is not difference between 1243 and 124P with respect to flashing. So if the board was same it should have worked in both cases.

    Regards,

    Vivek