[ECOS] Redboot and edb7211

[ECOS] Redboot and edb7211

[Wilson Kwan]

Hi folks,

After downloading my 300K image via serial to my dev board many times I
decided to finally fire up redboot over ethernet. However, I'm having some
trouble getting redboot running on my Cirrus logic 7211 board and I was
wondering if anyone had any experience with it. I tried the prebuilt
binaries from anoncvs but when I reset the board it complains of a checksum
error. I see the redboot banner but after the checksum error nothing
happens. I can't seem to find any specific documentation in the redboot
manual for this board.

Also I'd like to build my own redboot images. I used the windows config tool
to configure for ebd7xxx board and selected the redboot package. I built it
for ROM and flashed it to my 7211 board. When I reset it nothing happens.
The LED status doesn't come on...nothing. Has anyone had any experience
building redboot for this board?

Thanks in advance,

Wilson

Re: [ECOS] Redboot and edb7211

[Lewin A.R.W. Edwards]

Hi Wilson,

>trouble getting redboot running on my Cirrus logic 7211 board and I was
>wondering if anyone had any experience with it. I tried the prebuilt

I am working with the EDB7212 but it's essentially the same board...

>binaries from anoncvs but when I reset the board it complains of a checksum
>error. I see the redboot banner but after the checksum error nothing

This is PROBABLY not the problem you're experiencing, but I have had 
trouble with my EDB7212s (I have two) wherein the NOR flash [i.e. the 
bootable flash memory] will spontaneously go bad. We have one that travels 
in the field inside a working demo, and every couple of weeks it comes back 
here with corrupt flash. So my first thought when getting a checksum error 
would be just to re-flash it.

>Also I'd like to build my own redboot images. I used the windows config tool
>to configure for ebd7xxx board and selected the redboot package. I built it
>for ROM and flashed it to my 7211 board. When I reset it nothing happens.
>The LED status doesn't come on...nothing. Has anyone had any experience
>building redboot for this board?

I used the command-line tools, running under Linux, and had no problem with 
this. However note that I did find something odd with the edb7xxx 
templates: if you use the "net" template instead of using the default 
template and adding ethernet support, the result was unbootable as a ROM 
application. So I think you may have been bitten by a similar problem. 
Jonathan (I think) posted a specific list of commands for building redboot 
recently, that is the specific set of commands I used.

=== Lewin A.R.W. Edwards (Embedded Engineer)
Work: http://www.digi-frame.com/
Personal: http://www.zws.com/ and http://www.larwe.com/

"... a man who is endowed with real qualities of leadership will be tempted 
to refrain from taking part in political life; because [...] the situation 
does not call for a man who has a capacity for constructive statesmanship 
but rather for a man who is capable of bargaining for the favour of the 
majority. Thus the situation will appeal to small minds and will attract 
them accordingly."

Re: [ECOS] Redboot and edb7211

[Jonathan Larmour]

"Lewin A.R.W. Edwards" wrote:
> 
> >binaries from anoncvs but when I reset the board it complains of a checksum
> >error. I see the redboot banner but after the checksum error nothing
> 
> This is PROBABLY not the problem you're experiencing, but I have had
> trouble with my EDB7212s (I have two) wherein the NOR flash [i.e. the
> bootable flash memory] will spontaneously go bad. We have one that travels
> in the field inside a working demo, and every couple of weeks it comes back
> here with corrupt flash. So my first thought when getting a checksum error
> would be just to re-flash it.

Perhaps the message is the initial checksum error reported when no Flash
Image System has been created yet. If you do a "fis init" it may just go
away.
 
> >Also I'd like to build my own redboot images. I used the windows config tool
> >to configure for ebd7xxx board and selected the redboot package. I built it
> >for ROM and flashed it to my 7211 board. When I reset it nothing happens.
> >The LED status doesn't come on...nothing. Has anyone had any experience
> >building redboot for this board?
> 
> I used the command-line tools, running under Linux, and had no problem with
> this. However note that I did find something odd with the edb7xxx
> templates: if you use the "net" template instead of using the default
> template and adding ethernet support, the result was unbootable as a ROM
> application. So I think you may have been bitten by a similar problem.
> Jonathan (I think) posted a specific list of commands for building redboot
> recently, that is the specific set of commands I used.

The best thing to do is follow the generic instructions for rebuilding
redboot in the on-line RedBoot user's guide at
http://sources.redhat.com/ecos/docs-latest/

Unfortunately there is no edb7xxx-specific section yet (Hi Gary :)), but it
should just be a case of following the generic instructions, bearing in
mind that there are configuration import files at
hal/arm/edb7xxx/current/misc which should be used.

Jifl
-- 
Red Hat, Rustat House, Clifton Road, Cambridge, UK. Tel: +44 (1223) 271062
Maybe this world is another planet's Hell -Aldous Huxley || Opinions==mine

Re: [ECOS] Redboot and edb7211

[Lewin A.R.W. Edwards]

Hi Jonathan,

> > Jonathan (I think) posted a specific list of commands for building redboot
> > recently, that is the specific set of commands I used.
>
>Unfortunately there is no edb7xxx-specific section yet (Hi Gary :)), but it
>should just be a case of following the generic instructions, bearing in

Someone - and I'm pretty sure it was you :) - posted a list of "try me" 
instructions on how to build redboot for the EDB7xxx quite recently. This 
wasn't in the context of providing a generic howto, but rather to 
illustrate to someone how the build process works and/or make sure he was 
following the correct steps.

Anyway, whoever it was - that sequence of steps you posted works :))
=== Lewin A.R.W. Edwards (Embedded Engineer)
Work: http://www.digi-frame.com/
Personal: http://www.zws.com/ and http://www.larwe.com/

"... a man who is endowed with real qualities of leadership will be tempted 
to refrain from taking part in political life; because [...] the situation 
does not call for a man who has a capacity for constructive statesmanship 
but rather for a man who is capable of bargaining for the favour of the 
majority. Thus the situation will appeal to small minds and will attract 
them accordingly."

Re: [ECOS] Redboot and edb7211

[Jonathan Larmour]

"Lewin A.R.W. Edwards" wrote:
> 
> Hi Jonathan,
> 
> > > Jonathan (I think) posted a specific list of commands for building redboot
> > > recently, that is the specific set of commands I used.
> >
> >Unfortunately there is no edb7xxx-specific section yet (Hi Gary :)), but it
> >should just be a case of following the generic instructions, bearing in
> 
> Someone - and I'm pretty sure it was you :) - posted a list of "try me"
> instructions on how to build redboot for the EDB7xxx quite recently. This
> wasn't in the context of providing a generic howto, but rather to
> illustrate to someone how the build process works and/or make sure he was
> following the correct steps.
> 
> Anyway, whoever it was - that sequence of steps you posted works :))

Sure, it may well have been me although I don't remember. But I want to
point people at the documentation simply because they _should_ be looking
at the documentation first anyway! Instructions without context will only
get people as far as their next problem.

The answer from the command line by the way is almost certainly just:

ecosconfig new edb7xxx redboot
ecosconfig import ${ECOS_REPOSITORY}/hal/arm/edb7xxx/current/misc/FLIBBLE
ecosconfig tree
make

where FLIBBLE is one of edb7211_redboot.ecm, edb7211_redboot_ROM.ecm,
edb7212_redboot.ecm or edb7212_redboot_ROM.ecm

But still read the documentation first. That's why it's there!

Jifl
-- 
Red Hat, Rustat House, Clifton Road, Cambridge, UK. Tel: +44 (1223) 271062
Maybe this world is another planet's Hell -Aldous Huxley || Opinions==mine

Re: [ECOS] Redboot and edb7211

[Wilson Kwan]

Hi Jonathan,

> "Lewin A.R.W. Edwards" wrote:
> >
> > Hi Jonathan,

snip

> > Anyway, whoever it was - that sequence of steps you posted works :))
>
> Sure, it may well have been me although I don't remember. But I want to
> point people at the documentation simply because they _should_ be looking
> at the documentation first anyway! Instructions without context will only
> get people as far as their next problem.

I read over the documentation and for some reason I completely missed the
point about importing the edb7xxx_redboot_rom.ecm. I should really try to
get more sleep. :)

I have been using the configuration tool under NT2K for most of my eCos
development to date. FYI for anyone wanting to use this tool to build the
redboot for edb7xxx boards:

1) Set your eCos repository
2) Build->Templates select Cirrus Logic dev board
3) Select package redboot. Hit OK
4) File->import. Select the FLIBBLE file where FLIBBLE is one of
edb7211_redboot.ecm, edb7211_redboot_ROM.ecm, edb7212_redboot.ecm or
edb7212_redboot_ROM.ecm.
5) Build->Library

Thanks for the tip on resetting the flash directory and fconfig.

Wilson

Re: [ECOS] Redboot and edb7211

[Gary Thomas]

On 19-Apr-2001 Jonathan Larmour wrote:
> Perhaps the message is the initial checksum error reported when no Flash
> Image System has been created yet. If you do a "fis init" it may just go
> away.

These two items are not related in any way.

*  'fis init' rebuilds only the FIS directory.

*  The warning about checksum failures is about the 'fconfig' database.  One
   needs to run 'fconfig' to fix that.

Re: [ECOS] Redboot and edb7211

[Jonathan Larmour]

Gary Thomas wrote:
> 
> On 19-Apr-2001 Jonathan Larmour wrote:
> > Perhaps the message is the initial checksum error reported when no Flash
> > Image System has been created yet. If you do a "fis init" it may just go
> > away.
> 
> These two items are not related in any way.
> 
> *  'fis init' rebuilds only the FIS directory.
> 
> *  The warning about checksum failures is about the 'fconfig' database.  One
>    needs to run 'fconfig' to fix that.

But presumably you can't do an fconfig until you've done an "fis init", so
both steps are required in order. 

Actually it's a good point that I don't think this is covered in the
RedBoot user's guide. I'll add it.

Jifl
-- 
Red Hat, Rustat House, Clifton Road, Cambridge, UK. Tel: +44 (1223) 271062
Maybe this world is another planet's Hell -Aldous Huxley || Opinions==mine

Re: [ECOS] Redboot and edb7211

[Hugo Tyson]

Jonathan Larmour <jlarmour@redhat.com> writes:
> Gary Thomas wrote:
> > On 19-Apr-2001 Jonathan Larmour wrote:
> > > Perhaps the message is the initial checksum error reported when no Flash
> > > Image System has been created yet. If you do a "fis init" it may just go
> > > away.
> > 
> > These two items are not related in any way.
> > 
> > *  'fis init' rebuilds only the FIS directory.
> > 
> > *  The warning about checksum failures is about the 'fconfig' database.  One
> >    needs to run 'fconfig' to fix that.
> 
> But presumably you can't do an fconfig until you've done an "fis init", so
> both steps are required in order. 

Not sure.  I think the fconfig stuff is placed where it's placed and that's
that.  "fis init" happens to make an entry that decribes where fconfig is
placed, to help the user know what flash is used for what, and to keep the
fis from using that flash itself.  But the fconfig does not refer to the
fis to determine what flash to use; it's not that way round.
 
If RedBoot startup reports a bad checksum, and the system appears to hang
without a RedBoot> prompt, it's probably trying to use BOOTP to get an IP
address.  Either wait a while, or build a RedBoot with no networking
included and try that, use it to initialize the flash then upgrade to one
with net - no net => no BOOTP => no delay at startup.

Warning, if you have a valid fconfig block in flash, but a new
configuration of RedBoot adds some new keys, you might have to explicitly
erase (using "fis erase -f 0x503e0000 -l 0x10000" or whatever) the old
fconfig data and reset it all to get the new keys to "take".  Doesn't
happen often that a new configuration changes things like this - except
when debugging a whole new port and messing with extra fco settings - but
mentioned just in case...

	- Huge

Re: [ECOS] Redboot and edb7211

[Gary Thomas]

On 20-Apr-2001 Hugo Tyson wrote:
> 
> Jonathan Larmour <jlarmour@redhat.com> writes:
>> Gary Thomas wrote:
>> > On 19-Apr-2001 Jonathan Larmour wrote:
>> > > Perhaps the message is the initial checksum error reported when no Flash
>> > > Image System has been created yet. If you do a "fis init" it may just go
>> > > away.
>> > 
>> > These two items are not related in any way.
>> > 
>> > *  'fis init' rebuilds only the FIS directory.
>> > 
>> > *  The warning about checksum failures is about the 'fconfig' database.  One
>> >    needs to run 'fconfig' to fix that.
>> 
>> But presumably you can't do an fconfig until you've done an "fis init", so
>> both steps are required in order. 
> 
> Not sure.  I think the fconfig stuff is placed where it's placed and that's
> that.  "fis init" happens to make an entry that decribes where fconfig is
> placed, to help the user know what flash is used for what, and to keep the
> fis from using that flash itself.  But the fconfig does not refer to the
> fis to determine what flash to use; it's not that way round.
>  

Totally correct.

> If RedBoot startup reports a bad checksum, and the system appears to hang
> without a RedBoot> prompt, it's probably trying to use BOOTP to get an IP
> address.  Either wait a while, or build a RedBoot with no networking
> included and try that, use it to initialize the flash then upgrade to one
> with net - no net => no BOOTP => no delay at startup.
> 

Most likely this would make things seem to get "stuck".  Wait for a little
while (maybe 30 seconds) and the RedBoot prompt should appear.

> Warning, if you have a valid fconfig block in flash, but a new
> configuration of RedBoot adds some new keys, you might have to explicitly
> erase (using "fis erase -f 0x503e0000 -l 0x10000" or whatever) the old
> fconfig data and reset it all to get the new keys to "take".  Doesn't
> happen often that a new configuration changes things like this - except
> when debugging a whole new port and messing with extra fco settings - but
> mentioned just in case...

This should no longer be the case, with the newest 'fconfig' layout and
32 bit checksums.  [It did use to be the case however]