CC3100BOOST: CC3100 Service Pack upgrade, Many Successes, 1 Failure, How to fix?

Hi Lorne, 

Is this an issue with only updating the card? For example, if you were to revert then evertything is working again?

I have repeatedly tried to program this card, but it fails every time, and the card is not useable. I wonder if there are some files that TI factory installs that are not part of the Service Pack and somehow those got erased Why does it have no NWP, MAC, and PHY version?

I have not formatted the serial flash on the card for fear of destroying it? I assume the serial Flash may be code that get's loaded when loading the application program to the FF5529 with CC3100BOOST mounted on top of it. If this is not the case what is the serial flash? Maybe it contains the NWP, MAC, and PHY code? Is the NWP, MAC, and PHY part of the Service Pack code?

What next steps do you recommend?

Thanks,

Lorne

7-17-2023

Thanks Shlomi. I bought the device sometime in 2014, so it was not a TI R&D debug module, but a TI commercially sold device. For over 9 years we have used it successfully for the development of numerous CC3100 SimpleLink WiFi applications with the F5529 micro. Somehow it lost some of it’s files. I hope you can direct me how to restore these files.

As you can see the post I made on the TI E2E form in January, 2023 “CC3100SDK: CC3100 SDK-Ver-1.3.1 Email No Longer Works” (my typo should be Ver 1.3.0) The current posted CC3100 email example no longer works. So please either provide a solution or provide an update WARNING that the CC3100 no longer supports emails. For over 3 years we have had multiple TI CC3100 BOOST using SDK-1.3.0 mounted on both F5529 and FR6989 launch pads Microcontrollers using WiFi to both “Get Time from an SNTP Timer Server”, and “Send status emails” from GMAIL using smtp and sending the email to a number of different destination email services. On Friday January 27, 2023, multiple TI microcontrollers with the CC3100, in different states all stopped being able to send email status.

As you can see in the posting, one of the things I tried to get the TI example to work was to update the Service Pack of my various CC3100BOOST devices. This however did not restore the TI Email example to work again. As you can see in two other TI posts we have had to use IFTTT to now send emails.

To update the CC3100BOOST Service Packs, I mounted them on the CC31XXEMUBOOST.  Multiple packs were updated successfully this way. This now code deficient CC3100BOOST was mounted on an F5529 Launch Pad for prototype development and worked for years. I had a few jumpers for TI LMT01 temperature sensor development connected to the top of the CC3100BOOST header pins. I removed the F5529 and installed the CC31XXEMUBOOST under the WiFI card, but I did not remove the jumpers connected to the top header pins. So maybe these jumpers interfered with the Service Pack install.

If the NWP, MAC and PHY files are not part of the Service Pack, where can I get these files, and how can I install them to return this card to factory default state. I am sure the hardware is fine; we are just missing some key files. TI must have these files to factory load these devices.

Thanks,

Lorne

Hi Lorne,

As I know support for pre-production devices was dropped many years ago. Latest SDK with support of pre-production devices is SDK 1.10 from 9 Mar 2015. For pre-production devices you should to use ServicePack from that SDK.

Jan

Hi,

If it was purchased on 2014, it may be that this was a pre-production device. I looked back and the earlier servicepack goes back to v2.10.0.0 so there are no ones available for pre-production devices anyway. Not sure what was exactly the issue with the Email services but it probably doesn't have anything to do with this specific device. Just to test if this is really a pre-production device, you would need to revert to an old servicepack. Since it is not online, I attached v2.7.0.0 which I believe should include the missing parts?

Shlomiservicepack_1.0.1.6-2.7.0.0.bin

7-18-2023

Thanks Shlomi, you have been very helpful.

     I thought you had solved the problem but unfortunately it still does not work. As you can see below when I installed the older Service Pack _1.0.1.6-2.7.0.0.bin that you provided:

I do get version numbers for the NWP, MAC, and PHY, so I was very hopeful.

[11:38:17] INFO: CC3100Z Device detected.

[11:38:17] INFO: NWP/MAC/PHY Version from Service Pack:

[11:38:17] INFO:  NWP version: 3.0.0.62

[11:38:17] INFO:  MAC version: 1.0.0.17

[11:38:17] INFO:  PHY version: 2.1.0.7

[11:38:17] INFO: reading version info

[11:38:17] INFO: DEVICE CC3100 ES1.32

The total number of File Blocks is only 95 vs 97 blocks for cards that work with latest Service Pack, and 152 blocks for cards from TI factory that have never been Service Pack Upgraded. I believe some of the extra blocks are TI out of the Box demo’s as I see a file called TI logo.

I mounted that Card #1 with the Old Service Pack and it was not able to Get the Time, or do an HTP Put to send an IFTTT email.

I put Card #2 with the new Service Pack on the F5529, and confirmed it can GetTime and do an HTP PUT to send an email via IFTTT.

I then loaded the new Service Pack onto the troublesome card #1. This wiped out the NWP, MAC, and PHY version numbers. As expected this card still cannot Get Time or Send an Email.

[12:49:59] INFO: CC3100Z Device detected.

[12:49:59] INFO: NWP/MAC/PHY Version from Service Pack:

[12:49:59] INFO:  NWP version: 0.0.0.0

[12:49:59] INFO:  MAC version: 0.0.0.0

[12:49:59] INFO:  PHY version: 0.0.0.0

[12:49:59] INFO: reading version info

[12:49:59] INFO: DEVICE CC3100 ES1.32

Why does the new Service Pack wipe out the NWP, MAC and PHY software?

Very strange that the latest Service Pack does not contain all the files, so it is useless especially if it wipes out other files that are still need.

Is it possible to read the Service Pack Version of a card without doing a Service Pack Programing? I don’t want to brick more cards.

Is it possible to read the NWP, MAC, and PHY versions without doing a Service Pack Programing?

Is there any other debug data I can gather for you?

Step1: Service Pack Programing Card #1 with Older Service Pack

[11:38:13] Begin ServicePackProgramming operation.

[11:38:13] INFO: > Executing Operation: Connect

[11:38:16] INFO: setting break signal

[11:38:17] INFO: detecting FTDI for device reset

[11:38:17] INFO: connection succeeded

[11:38:17] INFO: getting storage list

[11:38:17] INFO: > Executing Operation: ServicePackProgramming

[11:38:17] INFO: Path to the service pack file: C:/ti/CC3100-Older-Service-Pack-with-NWP-MAC-PHY-7-18-2023/servicepack_1.0.1.6-2.7.0.0.bin

[11:38:17] INFO: reading version info

[11:38:17] INFO: CC3100Z Device detected.

[11:38:17] INFO: NWP/MAC/PHY Version from Service Pack:

[11:38:17] INFO:  NWP version: 3.0.0.62

[11:38:17] INFO:  MAC version: 1.0.0.17

[11:38:17] INFO:  PHY version: 2.1.0.7

[11:38:17] INFO: reading version info

[11:38:17] INFO: DEVICE CC3100 ES1.32

[11:38:17] INFO: reading version info

[11:38:19] INFO: downloading NWP CODE

[11:38:19] INFO: Erase storage FLASH

[11:38:19] INFO: erase storage succeeded

[11:38:19] INFO: erase storage completed

[11:38:21] INFO: Verifying Data...

[11:38:21] INFO:

Verification OK

[11:38:22] INFO: Downloading file "/sys/servicepack.ucf" with size 28236

[11:38:27] INFO:

New Token is 0x0

[11:38:27] INFO: Download complete

[11:38:27] INFO: > Executing Operation: Disconnect

[11:38:27] Operation ServicePackProgramming returned.

Step 2: List File System of Card #1

[11:40:23] Begin ListFileSystem operation.

[11:40:24] INFO: > Executing Operation: Connect

[11:40:26] INFO: setting break signal

[11:40:27] INFO: detecting FTDI for device reset

[11:40:28] INFO: connection succeeded

[11:40:28] INFO: getting storage list

[11:40:28] INFO: > Executing Operation: Init

[11:40:28] INFO: reading version info

[11:40:28] INFO: DEVICE CC3100 ES1.32

[11:40:28] INFO: reading version info

[11:40:30] INFO: > Executing Operation: ListFileSystem

[11:40:30] INFO: extracting file system information...

[11:40:30] INFO: Serial Flash block size: 4096 bytes

[11:40:30] INFO: Serial Flash capacity:         256 blocks

[11:40:30] INFO: file  start size  fail  total size  filename

[11:40:30] INFO: index block [BLKs]      safe  [BLKs]

[11:40:30] INFO: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

[11:40:30] INFO: N/A   0     5     N/A   5           FATFS

[11:40:30] INFO: 4     5     5     yes   10          /tmp/phy.cal

[11:40:30] INFO: 6     15    66    no    66          /sys/servicepack.ucf

[11:40:30] INFO: 7     81    2     yes   4           /sys/pref.net

[11:40:30] INFO: 8     85    1     yes   2           /sys/stacfg.ini

[11:40:30] INFO: 9     87    1     yes   2           /sys/ipcfg.ini

[11:40:30] INFO: 10    89    1     yes   2           /sys/mode.cfg

[11:40:30] INFO: 11    91    1     yes   2           /sys/pmcfg.ini

[11:40:30] INFO: 12    93    1     yes   2           /sys/mdns.cfg

[11:40:30] INFO:

[11:40:30] INFO: Flash usage

[11:40:30] INFO: -------------------------

[11:40:30] INFO: used space:  95 blocks

[11:40:30] INFO: free space:  161 blocks

[11:40:30] INFO: memory hole: [95-255]

[11:40:30] INFO: > Executing Operation: Disconnect

[11:40:30] Operation ListFileSystem returned.

Notice that even with this OLD Service Pack still only used 95 blocks.

But when programing the NWP, MAC, and PHY now all have a version number.

Before I upgrade it, see if it works now.

Step3: CC3100 on F5529 with old service Pack

Still cannot GetTime or Send an Email. Tera Term log below:

Get time application - Version 1.3.0

*******************************************************************************

 [GENERAL EVENT]     It took about a minute to get to here

 Device is configured in default state

 Failed to start the device

 Device started as STATION

 Failed to establish connection w/ an AP

 Connection established w/ AP and IP is acquired

 LH Just after get HostIP

 Unable to get host IP

Error creating socket

 LH Just after createConnection

 LH Just BEFORE getSNTPTTime...

 LH Just BEFORE sl_SendTo...

 LH Just AFTER sl_SendTo...

 Device couldn't send SNTP request

 LH Just AFTER getSNTPTTime...

 HTTP Client - Version 1.3.0

*******************************************************************************

 [GENERAL EVENT]

Step 4: Now apply the New Service Pack to Card 1

Note that NWP, MAC, and PHY are all zero so they were not loaded

[12:49:54] Begin ServicePackProgramming operation.

[12:49:55] INFO: > Executing Operation: Connect

[12:49:57] INFO: setting break signal

[12:49:58] INFO: detecting FTDI for device reset

[12:49:59] INFO: connection succeeded

[12:49:59] INFO: getting storage list

[12:49:59] INFO: > Executing Operation: ServicePackProgramming

[12:49:59] INFO: Path to the service pack file: C:/ti/CC3100_CC3200_ServicePack_1.0.1.15-2.14.0.0/servicepack_1.0.1.15-2.14.0.0.bin

[12:49:59] INFO: reading version info

[12:49:59] INFO: CC3100Z Device detected.

[12:49:59] INFO: NWP/MAC/PHY Version from Service Pack:

[12:49:59] INFO:  NWP version: 0.0.0.0

[12:49:59] INFO:  MAC version: 0.0.0.0

[12:49:59] INFO:  PHY version: 0.0.0.0

[12:49:59] INFO: reading version info

[12:49:59] INFO: DEVICE CC3100 ES1.32

[12:49:59] INFO: reading version info

[12:50:01] INFO: downloading NWP CODE

[12:50:01] INFO: Erase storage FLASH

[12:50:01] INFO: erase storage succeeded

[12:50:01] INFO: erase storage completed

[12:50:01] INFO: Verifying Data...

[12:50:02] INFO:

Verification OK

[12:50:03] INFO: Downloading file "/sys/servicepack.ucf" with size 38868

[12:50:08] INFO:

New Token is 0x0

[12:50:08] INFO: Download complete

[12:50:08] INFO: > Executing Operation: Disconnect

[12:50:08] Operation ServicePackProgramming returned.

As expected this card cannot Get Time or send an Email.

I am sure there is an easy fix. It is just matter of knowing what that is.

The new Service Pack has to include the NWP, MAC, and PHY firmware, I assume it is just not loading it? Why not loading? Should I reformat the card? What setting to choose if do reformat it?

Any other debug data you need?

I  just noticed the bad Card #1 says Rev 3.3, and the other Cards all say Rev 4.0. The Rev 3.3 was a fully working card for 9 years, until I did a Service Pack Upgrade, so should be able to get back to that same working state.

Thanks,

Lorne

Hi,

The servicepack may contain two sections, one for a pre-production device and one for production device. The early servicepack files contained both but then only production section was maintained (as the intension is not to use pre-production devices and these should not get to TI store anyway). So the all 0 means that Uniflash identifies the device as a pre-production device but cannot find in the new servicepack the matching code to load so it says 0. This is expected. As I mentioned, the pre-production devices are old devices and the servicepack that does upgrade them is still far from the latest servicepack for production device and hence may experience many issues that have been fixed. The recommendation is not to use the pre-production devices!

How many pre-production devices do you have?

Your understanding of the extra blocks is true, the files for the out-of-box occupy more space and hence the extra storage.

Shlomi

7-20-2023

Thanks Shlomi,

I successfully updated several Rev 4.0 cards, which must be newer. Updating the Service Pack did not fix the TI SMTP Email example. As other TI people have replied, smpt email is likely not solvable / supportable on the CC3100 device, so we gave up on that. We now use http PUT with IFTTT and have multiple applications running in multiple states.

We have several Rev 3.3 cards, but after the first one was rendered useless with trying to do a Service Pack update, we did not touch any other Rev 3.3 cards. The Rev 3.3 cards with whatever version of Factory Service Pack they came with, still works perfectly to Get Time from an snpt time server and send emails via http PUT and IFTTT.

We were thinking it was a simple fix to restore the Rev 3.3 card, but that is not the case. Thanks for your help. It’s only function now is a paper weight!!

Unless you or others have any other solutions, I am OK to close this case.

The important function is that we have twice daily email status reporting for all of our applications restored using IFTTT.

Thanks

Lorne

Hi,

Thanks for the update.

I wouldn't say the Rev3.3 is necessarily build with pre-production devices but if it works as-is with Rev3.3, I suggest not to touch those.

What was the reason you upgraded the boards with a SP? is it to keep on the latest?

Regards,

Shlomi