RE: [ECOS] ROMRAM on EB55

RE: [ECOS] ROMRAM on EB55

[Alan Bowman]

Thanks.  I've tried building the redboot image myself, and I am getting the same problem, i.e. when I boot into it, I see no output from Hyperterminal.  I'm not sure where best to start debugging a ROM(RAM) image.  Any suggestions?  I don't mind using Redboot from ROM or ROMRAM, but I want my application to run as a ROMRAM app, and I can't get that to work either, so I thought that Redboot would be a better starting point.

-----Original Message-----
From: Jani Monoses [mailto:jani@iv.ro]
Sent: 16 December 2003 15:08
To: ecos-discuss@sources.redhat.com
Subject: Re: [ECOS] ROMRAM on EB55



> It is not (yet) in my ecc file, since the import failed.  Do you mean
> that I should remove it from the ecm file (that I pulled from CVS)?
> 

yes, from the .ecm then. Grepping shows that the ecm-s in at91 and
powerpc/cme555 and ec555 still reference that option.

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RE: [ECOS] ROMRAM on EB55

[Scott Dattalo]

On Tue, 16 Dec 2003, Alan Bowman wrote:

> Thanks.  I've tried building the redboot image myself, and I am getting
> the same problem, i.e. when I boot into it, I see no output from
> Hyperterminal.  I'm not sure where best to start debugging a ROM(RAM)
> image.  Any suggestions?  I don't mind using Redboot from ROM or ROMRAM,
> but I want my application to run as a ROMRAM app, and I can't get that
> to work either, so I thought that Redboot would be a better starting
> point.

Alan,

Is it possible to connect a JTAG debugger like a Wiggler to your board and 
single step through the startup sequence? I know that I had similar 
problems with ROMRAM for an EB40-type system. It turned out that in my 
case the memory map of the board I was debugging was slightly different 
than Atmel's EB40 board. I discovered that in the startup code 
(hal_platform_setup.h) addresses were hardcoded for the EB40. This of 
course caused the ROMRAM image to fail. 

Scott


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Re: [ECOS] ROMRAM on EB55

[Nick Garnett]

Alan Bowman <ABowman@synaptics-uk.com> writes:

> I've connected a Wiggler to the board, and here are my results so far:
> 
> mlt_arm_at91_eb55_romram.ldi contains a line -> SECTION_rom_vectors
> (ram, 0x02008000, LMA_EQ_VMA).  I believe that this is causing the
> ROMRAM image to be linked to run from 0x02008000 upwards.  However,
> in the assembly code in the appropriate hal_platform_setup.h file,
> we mask an address (because at this point we want to point to flash,
> not to RAM).  The code that performs the masking shifts the address
> down in to (pre-remap) flash, but it still points at 0x8000 upwards
> - I need this bit to be removed as well, so it seems that the
> masking code is incomplete.  We then copy some useless area of
> memory into the registers and use it to setup our EBI.
> 
> I have tried changing the .ldi file such that the
> SECTION_rom_vectors is now at 0x02000000 and recompiled.  This
> causes the redboot_ROMRAM image to load correctly, and bring up a
> command prompt, as I would expect.  However, when I use Insight to
> load a RAM image of my application for debugging, it crashes.  I
> presume that I am attempting to load the RAM image over the top of
> Redboot.
>
> There seems to be two alternatives to this problem - change the .ldi
> file for my RAM builds, such that RAM images do not overwrite
> redboot, or to alter the assembly code in hal_platform_setup.h to
> better mask the address that is given in the .ldi file down to the
> correct location.  Which of these is the "correct" way (or is there
> something else that I haven't mentioned)?  Do you think that these
> changes will break other things?


It makes more sense to load the ROMRAM executable at 0x02000000, so
the change to the .ldi file is the right one to use. There also seems
little need to over-complicate the masking code.

One of the problems with these EBXX boards is that they don't have
much RAM. In other targets where we support both ROM and ROMRAM
RedBoots we have just set the load address for RAM applications to be
well above either and waste some space in the ROM case. Usually these
targets have several Mb of RAM so this doesn't matter much. The EBXX
boards only have 256 or 512Mb, so the load address for RAM apps is set
as close as possible to the RAM RedBoot upper limit as possible. This
means that the ROMRAM RedBoot overlaps with RAM apps.

We have therefore not really supported the ROMRAM startup type for
RedBoot, which is why it has fallen into disuse and suffered a bit of
bitrot.

If you want to use the ROMRAM RedBoot, then you will need to raise the
RAM application base address. However, if you are running self-booting
stand-alone applications, then you are probably now in a good position
to go forward.

If you would like to submit a patch (+ChangeLog) I'll be happy to
check it in.

-- 
Nick Garnett                    eCos Kernel Architect
http://www.ecoscentric.com      The eCos and RedBoot experts


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RE: [ECOS] ROMRAM on EB55

[Alan Bowman]

I've connected a Wiggler to the board, and here are my results so far:

mlt_arm_at91_eb55_romram.ldi contains a line -> SECTION_rom_vectors (ram, 0x02008000, LMA_EQ_VMA).  I believe that this is causing the ROMRAM image to be linked to run from 0x02008000 upwards.  However, in the assembly code in the appropriate hal_platform_setup.h file, we mask an address (because at this point we want to point to flash, not to RAM).  The code that performs the masking shifts the address down in to (pre-remap) flash, but it still points at 0x8000 upwards - I need this bit to be removed as well, so it seems that the masking code is incomplete.  We then copy some useless area of memory into the registers and use it to setup our EBI.

I have tried changing the .ldi file such that the SECTION_rom_vectors is now at 0x02000000 and recompiled.  This causes the redboot_ROMRAM image to load correctly, and bring up a command prompt, as I would expect.  However, when I use Insight to load a RAM image of my application for debugging, it crashes.  I presume that I am attempting to load the RAM image over the top of Redboot.

There seems to be two alternatives to this problem - change the .ldi file for my RAM builds, such that RAM images do not overwrite redboot, or to alter the assembly code in hal_platform_setup.h to better mask the address that is given in the .ldi file down to the correct location.  Which of these is the "correct" way (or is there something else that I haven't mentioned)?  Do you think that these changes will break other things?

Alan Bowman

-----Original Message-----
From: Scott Dattalo [mailto:scott@dattalo.com]
Sent: 16 December 2003 17:03
Cc: ecos-discuss@sources.redhat.com
Subject: RE: [ECOS] ROMRAM on EB55


Alan,

Is it possible to connect a JTAG debugger like a Wiggler to your board and 
single step through the startup sequence? I know that I had similar 
problems with ROMRAM for an EB40-type system. It turned out that in my 
case the memory map of the board I was debugging was slightly different 
than Atmel's EB40 board. I discovered that in the startup code 
(hal_platform_setup.h) addresses were hardcoded for the EB40. This of 
course caused the ROMRAM image to fail. 

Scott


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Re: [ECOS] ROMRAM on EB55

[Jani Monoses]

> It is not (yet) in my ecc file, since the import failed.  Do you mean
> that I should remove it from the ecm file (that I pulled from CVS)?
> 

yes, from the .ecm then. Grepping shows that the ecm-s in at91 and
powerpc/cme555 and ec555 still reference that option.

-- 
Before posting, please read the FAQ: http://sources.redhat.com/fom/ecos
and search the list archive: http://sources.redhat.com/ml/ecos-discuss

RE: [ECOS] ROMRAM on EB55

[Alan Bowman]

It is not (yet) in my ecc file, since the import failed.  Do you mean that I should remove it from the ecm file (that I pulled from CVS)?

-----Original Message-----
From: Jani Monoses [mailto:jani@iv.ro]
Sent: 16 December 2003 14:55
To: ecos-discuss@sources.redhat.com
Subject: Re: [ECOS] ROMRAM on EB55



> Has anyone managed to build a redboot_ROMRAM image for the EB55 (or
> the other EBxx boards)?  I have just tried, to see if my previous
> problem (below) is with the pre-built images, and the "ecosconfig
> import" command failed with the comment that "The savefile contains a
> cdl_option for an unknown option `CYGNUM_FLASH_WORKSPACE_SIZE'".
> 

just delete that option from the .ecc file, it was removed a while ago
from the sources.

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Re: [ECOS] ROMRAM on EB55

[Jani Monoses]

> Has anyone managed to build a redboot_ROMRAM image for the EB55 (or
> the other EBxx boards)?  I have just tried, to see if my previous
> problem (below) is with the pre-built images, and the "ecosconfig
> import" command failed with the comment that "The savefile contains a
> cdl_option for an unknown option `CYGNUM_FLASH_WORKSPACE_SIZE'".
> 

just delete that option from the .ecc file, it was removed a while ago
from the sources.

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RE: [ECOS] ROMRAM on EB55

[Alan Bowman]

Has anyone managed to build a redboot_ROMRAM image for the EB55 (or the other EBxx boards)?  I have just tried, to see if my previous problem (below) is with the pre-built images, and the "ecosconfig import" command failed with the comment that "The savefile contains a cdl_option for an unknown option `CYGNUM_FLASH_WORKSPACE_SIZE'".

Can anyone suggest what could be causing this error?

Thanks

Alan

-----Original Message-----
From: Alan Bowman [mailto:ABowman@synaptics-uk.com]
Sent: 16 December 2003 08:43
To: 'Nick Garnett'
Cc: ecos-discuss@sources.redhat.com
Subject: RE: [ECOS] ROMRAM on EB55


Nick, thanks for your response.

So now I understand why the addresses aren't what I expected.  I have now attempted to place the redboot_ROMRAM.srec file into the boot area of flash, using the sequence below (obtained from HyperTerminal, after rebooting my EB55 into Redboot ROM):

RedBoot(tm) bootstrap and debug environment [ROM]
Non-certified release, version UNKNOWN - built 20:04:38, Jul 15 2003

Platform: Atmel AT91/EB55 (ARM7TDMI)
Copyright (C) 2000, 2001, 2002, Red Hat, Inc.

RAM: 0x02000000-0x02040000, 0x02006948-0x0203f000 available
FLASH: 0x01000000 - 0x01200000, 32 blocks of 0x00010000 bytes each.
RedBoot> load -m ymodem -b %{FREEMEMLO}
CAddress offset = 0xffffec00
Entry point: 0x02006c40, address range: 0x02006c00-0x02015894
xyzModem - CRC mode, 2(SOH)/178(STX)/0(CAN) packets, 4 retries
RedBoot> fi wr -f 0x01100000 -b %{FREEMEMLO} -l 0x10000
* CAUTION * about to program FLASH
            at 0x01100000..0x0110ffff from 0x02006c00 - continue (y/n)? y
... Erase from 0x01100000-0x01110000: .
... Program from 0x02006c00-0x02016c00 at 0x01100000: .
RedBoot>

At this point I then switch the boot jumper to boot from the alternative area (0x01100000 instead of 0x01000000) and reapply power to the board.  I get no output on my Hyperterminal window.  Am I applying my ROMRAM image incorrectly?

Alan Bowman

-----Original Message-----
From: Nick Garnett [mailto:nickg@ecoscentric.com]
Sent: 15 December 2003 17:56
To: Alan Bowman
Cc: ecos-discuss@sources.redhat.com
Subject: Re: [ECOS] ROMRAM on EB55


Alan Bowman <ABowman@synaptics-uk.com> writes:

> I am attempting to use a Redboot ROMRAM image on an EB55 board.  I
> have the images that are in the CVS repository, under
> images\arm\at91eb55.  I thought that the ROMRAM image should act in
> the same way as the ROM image at startup, i.e. it sits in the boot
> area of flash, and sets up the processor, etc.  However, when I look
> at the provided srec image, redboot_ROMRAM.srec, I can see that it
> intends all the data to end up in the 0x02000000 area, which is RAM.
> The Redboot_ROM.srec file has its address in the 0x01000000 area,
> which is what I would expect, as this is the boot area of flash
> prior to remap.  (I appreciate that I need to load this into RAM
> before it can be placed in this location).
> 
> Is there an error in the ROMRAM.srec file, or have I misunderstood
> where it should end up in memory?  My ROM and RAM images work
> exactly as I would expect, but I am really struggling with ROMRAM.

A ROMRAM startup executable is designed to copy itself to RAM from ROM
on startup. It is therefore linked to execute at its RAM address and
the code that runs up to the point it does the copy and jumps to RAM
is position independent.

What you see in the srec file are therefore the RAM addresses. We
could, I suppose, use objcopy to rebase the file to its ROM
location. However, since you have to load it into a different memory
address from either in order to then program it into the flash, it
doesn't actually matter. All the addresses in the srec file do is
serve to define the relative positioning of the records as they are
loaded.

-- 
Nick Garnett                    eCos Kernel Architect
http://www.ecoscentric.com      The eCos and RedBoot experts

-- 
Before posting, please read the FAQ: http://sources.redhat.com/fom/ecos
and search the list archive: http://sources.redhat.com/ml/ecos-discuss

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Before posting, please read the FAQ: http://sources.redhat.com/fom/ecos
and search the list archive: http://sources.redhat.com/ml/ecos-discuss

RE: [ECOS] ROMRAM on EB55

[Alan Bowman]

Nick, thanks for your response.

So now I understand why the addresses aren't what I expected.  I have now attempted to place the redboot_ROMRAM.srec file into the boot area of flash, using the sequence below (obtained from HyperTerminal, after rebooting my EB55 into Redboot ROM):

RedBoot(tm) bootstrap and debug environment [ROM]
Non-certified release, version UNKNOWN - built 20:04:38, Jul 15 2003

Platform: Atmel AT91/EB55 (ARM7TDMI)
Copyright (C) 2000, 2001, 2002, Red Hat, Inc.

RAM: 0x02000000-0x02040000, 0x02006948-0x0203f000 available
FLASH: 0x01000000 - 0x01200000, 32 blocks of 0x00010000 bytes each.
RedBoot> load -m ymodem -b %{FREEMEMLO}
CAddress offset = 0xffffec00
Entry point: 0x02006c40, address range: 0x02006c00-0x02015894
xyzModem - CRC mode, 2(SOH)/178(STX)/0(CAN) packets, 4 retries
RedBoot> fi wr -f 0x01100000 -b %{FREEMEMLO} -l 0x10000
* CAUTION * about to program FLASH
            at 0x01100000..0x0110ffff from 0x02006c00 - continue (y/n)? y
... Erase from 0x01100000-0x01110000: .
... Program from 0x02006c00-0x02016c00 at 0x01100000: .
RedBoot>

At this point I then switch the boot jumper to boot from the alternative area (0x01100000 instead of 0x01000000) and reapply power to the board.  I get no output on my Hyperterminal window.  Am I applying my ROMRAM image incorrectly?

Alan Bowman

-----Original Message-----
From: Nick Garnett [mailto:nickg@ecoscentric.com]
Sent: 15 December 2003 17:56
To: Alan Bowman
Cc: ecos-discuss@sources.redhat.com
Subject: Re: [ECOS] ROMRAM on EB55


Alan Bowman <ABowman@synaptics-uk.com> writes:

> I am attempting to use a Redboot ROMRAM image on an EB55 board.  I
> have the images that are in the CVS repository, under
> images\arm\at91eb55.  I thought that the ROMRAM image should act in
> the same way as the ROM image at startup, i.e. it sits in the boot
> area of flash, and sets up the processor, etc.  However, when I look
> at the provided srec image, redboot_ROMRAM.srec, I can see that it
> intends all the data to end up in the 0x02000000 area, which is RAM.
> The Redboot_ROM.srec file has its address in the 0x01000000 area,
> which is what I would expect, as this is the boot area of flash
> prior to remap.  (I appreciate that I need to load this into RAM
> before it can be placed in this location).
> 
> Is there an error in the ROMRAM.srec file, or have I misunderstood
> where it should end up in memory?  My ROM and RAM images work
> exactly as I would expect, but I am really struggling with ROMRAM.

A ROMRAM startup executable is designed to copy itself to RAM from ROM
on startup. It is therefore linked to execute at its RAM address and
the code that runs up to the point it does the copy and jumps to RAM
is position independent.

What you see in the srec file are therefore the RAM addresses. We
could, I suppose, use objcopy to rebase the file to its ROM
location. However, since you have to load it into a different memory
address from either in order to then program it into the flash, it
doesn't actually matter. All the addresses in the srec file do is
serve to define the relative positioning of the records as they are
loaded.

-- 
Nick Garnett                    eCos Kernel Architect
http://www.ecoscentric.com      The eCos and RedBoot experts

-- 
Before posting, please read the FAQ: http://sources.redhat.com/fom/ecos
and search the list archive: http://sources.redhat.com/ml/ecos-discuss

Re: [ECOS] ROMRAM on EB55

[Nick Garnett]

Alan Bowman <ABowman@synaptics-uk.com> writes:

> I am attempting to use a Redboot ROMRAM image on an EB55 board.  I
> have the images that are in the CVS repository, under
> images\arm\at91eb55.  I thought that the ROMRAM image should act in
> the same way as the ROM image at startup, i.e. it sits in the boot
> area of flash, and sets up the processor, etc.  However, when I look
> at the provided srec image, redboot_ROMRAM.srec, I can see that it
> intends all the data to end up in the 0x02000000 area, which is RAM.
> The Redboot_ROM.srec file has its address in the 0x01000000 area,
> which is what I would expect, as this is the boot area of flash
> prior to remap.  (I appreciate that I need to load this into RAM
> before it can be placed in this location).
> 
> Is there an error in the ROMRAM.srec file, or have I misunderstood
> where it should end up in memory?  My ROM and RAM images work
> exactly as I would expect, but I am really struggling with ROMRAM.

A ROMRAM startup executable is designed to copy itself to RAM from ROM
on startup. It is therefore linked to execute at its RAM address and
the code that runs up to the point it does the copy and jumps to RAM
is position independent.

What you see in the srec file are therefore the RAM addresses. We
could, I suppose, use objcopy to rebase the file to its ROM
location. However, since you have to load it into a different memory
address from either in order to then program it into the flash, it
doesn't actually matter. All the addresses in the srec file do is
serve to define the relative positioning of the records as they are
loaded.

-- 
Nick Garnett                    eCos Kernel Architect
http://www.ecoscentric.com      The eCos and RedBoot experts


-- 
Before posting, please read the FAQ: http://sources.redhat.com/fom/ecos
and search the list archive: http://sources.redhat.com/ml/ecos-discuss

[ECOS] ROMRAM on EB55

[Alan Bowman]

I am attempting to use a Redboot ROMRAM image on an EB55 board.  I have the images that are in the CVS repository, under images\arm\at91eb55.  I thought that the ROMRAM image should act in the same way as the ROM image at startup, i.e. it sits in the boot area of flash, and sets up the processor, etc.  However, when I look at  the provided srec image, redboot_ROMRAM.srec, I can see that it intends  all the data to end up in the 0x02000000 area, which is RAM.  The Redboot_ROM.srec file has its address in the 0x01000000 area, which is what I would expect, as this is the boot area of flash prior to remap.  (I appreciate that I need to load this into RAM before it can be placed in this location).

Is there an error in the ROMRAM.srec file, or have I misunderstood where it should end up in memory?  My ROM and RAM images work exactly as I would expect, but I am really struggling with ROMRAM.

Thanks for your assistance

Alan Bowman

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