CC3235SF: Uniflash error when flashing to a CC3235SF based hardware

Subramanyan Krishnan

Part Number: CC3235SF
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: UNIFLASH

Hi,

I am doing my development on Code Composer Studio using TI's CC3235SF Launchpad Dev Kit. I am able to build the code (Debug build) and flash on the TI Dev Kit. No issues.

However, when I flash the same binary using Uniflash on to a CC3235SF custom hardware,I get the following error at the end (bold, underlined, italicized).

Is there something I need to change in Code Composer Studio to make it flash on a custom hardware ?

Since both the Dev Kit and Custom hardware uses the same chip CC3235SF, why should it give this error?

I also see that in Uniflash in Advanced->General->Setting screen, the Capacity is by default 4 MB. But the CC3235SF supports only 1 MB flash. If I change it to 1 MB and try to create an image, I see the error

"Operation failed: Image creation failure: Error ! Total size of files + the programming image exceeded the storage size ". So, not sure what the issue is.

Any help in this regard is greatly appreciated.

Uniflash Log

[9/30/2020, 8:33:17 AM] [INFO] Cortex_M4_0: CC3235SF(Bootloader)

[9/30/2020, 8:33:17 AM] [INFO] Cortex_M4_0: ...Start to invoke the bootloader...

[9/30/2020, 8:33:17 AM] [INFO] Cortex_M4_0: Trigger XDS reset

[9/30/2020, 8:33:19 AM] [INFO] Cortex_M4_0: Send break signal

[9/30/2020, 8:33:22 AM] [INFO] Cortex_M4_0: Bootloader is successfully invoked!

[9/30/2020, 8:33:22 AM] [INFO] Cortex_M4_0: ...Get the storage list bitmap information...

[9/30/2020, 8:33:22 AM] [INFO] Cortex_M4_0: Storage List Information: 0x86

[9/30/2020, 8:33:22 AM] [INFO] Cortex_M4_0: ...Get the version information...

[9/30/2020, 8:33:22 AM] [INFO] Cortex_M4_0: Bootloader version: 01.00.00.04

[9/30/2020, 8:33:22 AM] [INFO] Cortex_M4_0: NWP version: 00.00.00.00

[9/30/2020, 8:33:22 AM] [INFO] Cortex_M4_0: MAC version: 00.00.00.00

[9/30/2020, 8:33:22 AM] [INFO] Cortex_M4_0: PHY version: 00.00.00.00

[9/30/2020, 8:33:22 AM] [INFO] Cortex_M4_0: Chip version: 19.31.00.00

[9/30/2020, 8:33:22 AM] [INFO] Cortex_M4_0: ...Switch mode to Application MCU...

[9/30/2020, 8:33:22 AM] [INFO] Cortex_M4_0: ACK response for switching UART to APPS MCU is received!

[9/30/2020, 8:33:23 AM] [INFO] Cortex_M4_0: ACK response from sending break signal is received!

[9/30/2020, 8:33:23 AM] [INFO] Cortex_M4_0: ...Get the version information...

[9/30/2020, 8:33:23 AM] [INFO] Cortex_M4_0: Bootloader version: 05.00.00.04

[9/30/2020, 8:33:23 AM] [INFO] Cortex_M4_0: NWP version: 00.00.00.00

[9/30/2020, 8:33:23 AM] [INFO] Cortex_M4_0: MAC version: 00.00.00.00

[9/30/2020, 8:33:23 AM] [INFO] Cortex_M4_0: PHY version: 00.00.00.00

[9/30/2020, 8:33:23 AM] [INFO] Cortex_M4_0: Chip version: 19.31.00.00

[9/30/2020, 8:33:23 AM] [INFO] Cortex_M4_0: ...Get the storage list information...

[9/30/2020, 8:33:23 AM] [INFO] Cortex_M4_0: Block size of flash : 4096 bytes

[9/30/2020, 8:33:23 AM] [INFO] Cortex_M4_0: Number of blocks : 256

[9/30/2020, 8:33:23 AM] [INFO] Cortex_M4_0: ACK from host is successully sent to bootloader!

[9/30/2020, 8:33:23 AM] [INFO] Cortex_M4_0: ...Start to program the application image...

[9/30/2020, 8:33:28 AM] [INFO] Cortex_M4_0: Programming memory time elapsed: 4.745s

[9/30/2020, 8:33:28 AM] [INFO] Cortex_M4_0: Number of bytes programmed: 222528 bytes

[9/30/2020, 8:33:28 AM] [INFO] Cortex_M4_0: Programming speed: 45.8kByte/s

[9/30/2020, 8:33:28 AM] [INFO] Cortex_M4_0: ..Waiting the post-programming process..

[9/30/2020, 8:33:28 AM] [INFO] Cortex_M4_0: This might take about 40 seconds

[9/30/2020, 8:33:28 AM] [INFO] Cortex_M4_0: Post programming was unsuccessfully executed : 4.745s

[9/30/2020, 8:33:28 AM] [INFO] Cortex_M4_0: Please check if the image built is based on the connected device

[9/30/2020, 8:33:28 AM] [INFO] Cortex_M4_0: Image Creator tool generates specific SLI image based on the device properties

[9/30/2020, 8:33:28 AM] [ERROR] Cortex_M4_0: Post programming was unsuccessfully executed

[9/30/2020, 8:33:28 AM] [ERROR] Cortex_M4_0: [ERROR_MESSAGE]Process is failed!

Thanks and Regards,

Subramamyan

over 4 years ago

0 Jan D over 4 years ago

Guru 78475 points

Hi Subramamyan,

I think you are using Uniflash by wrong way. Please see this document.

Do you use CC3235 QFN or CC3235MOD? In case of CC3235 QFN is used what size of sFlash do you have connected to chip?

Jan

0 Subramanyan Krishnan over 4 years ago in reply to Jan D

Intellectual 520 points

Hi Jan,

Thanks for getting back.

We are using the CC3235QFN (64-VFQFN). We dont have an external flash and se we sholuld be using only the CC3235SF's internal flash of 1 MB.

When you say that I am using Uniflash wrongly, what exactly do you mean? I am going through the steps of creating an image using Image Creator and then flashing it using Uniflash.

Thanks and Regards,

Subramanyan

0 Jan D over 4 years ago in reply to Subramanyan Krishnan

Guru 78475 points

Hi Subramanyan,

CC3235 chip cannot be used without external flash. In case you not have connected SPI flash to you hardware, your design cannot work properly.

Jan

0 Subramanyan Krishnan over 4 years ago in reply to Jan D

Intellectual 520 points

Hi Jan,

We are using CC3235SF12RGKR chip. I checked the schematic again and it is indeed using a MX25U3235FZNI-10G which is a 4MB flash. Sorry for the misinformation earlier.

Regards,

Subramanyan

0 Jan D over 4 years ago in reply to Subramanyan Krishnan

Guru 78475 points

Hi Subramanyan,

Please provide device status Window when you are connected by Uniflash like this:

Jan

0 Subramanyan Krishnan over 4 years ago in reply to Jan D

Intellectual 520 points

0 Jan D over 4 years ago in reply to Subramanyan Krishnan

Guru 78475 points

Hi,

Your device is not programmed at development mode. Please program your device at development mode and after that JTAG for CCS debug will be unlocked.

Jan

0 Subramanyan Krishnan over 4 years ago in reply to Jan D

Intellectual 520 points

Hi Jan,

I am attaching the screen shot where i am trying to burn the image and then flash the SLI image to the device. I have set the device to Development mode before I burn the image.

The file transfer takes place when I Load Image in Uniflash, but it finally fails with the error message as reported in the information above.

So, if I need to set the custom hardware in Development mode, how do I do that without flashing the device even once. Currently, the first flash itself is failing.

Regards,

Subramanyan

0 Subramanyan Krishnan over 4 years ago in reply to Subramanyan Krishnan

Intellectual 520 points

Hi Jan,

A more important question is for my custom board, when I connect, I see that the Storage Capacity, Formatted Capacity, Available for User Files are all N/A.

Does it mean the CC3235SF chip is not able to connect to the external flash to get this information?

I presume that it does not matter whether the device is in Development or Production mode. I should at least get the Flash information correctly, isn't it, even if there is no firmware on the chip.

Currently, even if I am not able to debug it's fine, I am looking at trying to flash successfully.

Thanks and Regards,

Subramanyan

0 Jan D over 4 years ago in reply to Subramanyan Krishnan

Guru 78475 points

Hi,

Because you have 4MB sFlash you cannot change size to 1MB. What error do you see when 4MB size of memory is selected? It is "Operation failed: Image creation failure: Error ! Total size of files + the programming image exceeded the storage size "?

btw ... your flash chip is not at list of recommended/tested chips. But I am not sure if this can be reason of your issue. List of recommanded flash chips you find here.

Jan

0 Subramanyan Krishnan over 4 years ago in reply to Jan D

Intellectual 520 points

The flash size selected in Advanced is 4MB only. If I select any other, it says that the binary is not built for this.

My question is that if the flash is connected correctly to the chip in the hardware, should I see 4096KB when I select Connect, even if I have not programmed the device.

Regards,

Subramanyan

0 Jan D over 4 years ago in reply to Subramanyan Krishnan

Guru 78475 points

Hi,

Yes, I think so.

Behaviour need to be same as Launchpad.

Jan

0 Subramanyan Krishnan over 4 years ago in reply to Jan D

Intellectual 520 points

Thanks, Jan.

Regards,

Subramanyan

0 Subramanyan Krishnan over 4 years ago in reply to Jan D

Intellectual 520 points

Hi Jan,

If I select anything other than 4MB, I get the error "Operation failed: Image creation failure: Error ! Total size of files + the programming image exceeded the storage size". during the Burn operation.

Regards,

Subramanyan

0 Subramanyan Krishnan over 4 years ago in reply to Subramanyan Krishnan

Intellectual 520 points

Hi Jan,

What can I conclude from this?

Does it mean that the CC3235SF is not able to communicate correctly with the Flash chip. I see some Macronix modules supported by CC3235 in the link that you sent. Maybe it has not been tested with this particular module we are using like MX25U3235FZNI-10G.

Thanks and Regards,

Subramanyan

0 Jan D over 4 years ago in reply to Subramanyan Krishnan

Guru 78475 points

Hi Subramanyan,

Similar behaviour can be explained by incompatible SPI flash, but I am not able guarantee that this is your case.

At first step you should check if your SPI flash supports all requested commands (see document at my previous answer).

Jan

0 Subramanyan Krishnan over 4 years ago in reply to Subramanyan Krishnan

Intellectual 520 points

Hi Jan,

As per datasheet, the CC3235SF has a 1MB internal flash. What changes do I need to do to flash the code to this 1 MB internal flash instead of the external SPI flash ?

Thanks and Regards,

Subramanyan

0 Jan D over 4 years ago in reply to Subramanyan Krishnan

Guru 78475 points

Hi Subramanyan,

No. This is not possible. Without external flash your CC3235SF chip cannot work properly.

Internal 1MB XIP flash is used as execution flash. Content of this flash is loaded by ROM bootloader from SPI flash after startup. At development mode can be content of XIP flash loaded by JTAG from CCS. But without functional SPI flash is not possible set development mode.

As first step you need to solve your problem with SPI flash. After that you can move forward. There is no shortcut.

Jan

0 Subramanyan Krishnan over 4 years ago in reply to Jan D

Intellectual 520 points

Thanks, Jan, for your quick response.

Regards,

Subramanyan

0 Subramanyan Krishnan over 4 years ago in reply to Subramanyan Krishnan

Intellectual 520 points

Hi Jan,

Since the Device Status in Uniflash shows Storage Capacity and Formatted Capacity, does the 4BM flash need to be formatted prior to usage?

Could that be the reason for the issue I am facing where the SPI flash is not formatted?

Thanks and Regards

Subramanyan

0 Jan D over 4 years ago in reply to Subramanyan Krishnan

Guru 78475 points

Hi Subramanyan,

sFlash is formatted automatically after programming image by Uniflash. Device (code at ROM bootlaoder) do this by yourself. In case you have issue with sFLash, device is not able to format SPI flash and filesystem is not created.

Jan

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CC3235SF: Uniflash error when flashing to a CC3235SF based hardware