LS1046ARDB - How to update PBL/RCW binary in QSPI NOR flash

[#1]

This how-to topic is applicable for only LSDK 18.09 and older releases.

Follow these steps to update the PBL/RCW binary in QSPI NOR flash. 

cpld reset boots the board from QSPI NOR flash0 and cpld reset altbank boots the board from QSPI NOR flash1.

sf probe 0:1 means that the alternate bank will be written to. So, if the board boots from QSPI NOR flash0 and sf probe 0:1 is entered at the U-Boot prompt, the commands that follow will program QSPI NOR flash1.

Compiling PBL binary from RCW source file (optional)

If user already has a PBL binary this step can be skipped.  

Clone the rcw  repository and compile the PBL binary. 

1. $ git clone https://source.codeaurora.org/external/qoriq/qoriq-components/rcw
2. $ cd rcw
3. $ git checkout -b <new branch name> <LSDK tag>. For example, $ git checkout -b LSDK-18.09 LSDK-18.09 
4. $ cd ls1046ardb
5. If required, make changes to the rcw files.
6. $ make

The default PBL binary for LS1046ARDB is RR_FFSSPPPH_1133_5559/rcw_1800_qspiboot.bin.swapped

By default the QSPI controller on LS1046A reads/writes in 64-bit big endian (BE) mode. This makes it necessary to use a byte swapped PBL binary image, e.g., rcw_1800_qspiboot.bin.swapped. The last PBI command in rcw_1800_qspiboot.bin.swapped is a write to the QPSI_MCR register that changes the endianness of the QSPI controller to 64-bit little endian (LE). With this change, subsequent accesses will be made in little endian format. 

See the rcw/ls1046ardb/README file for an explanation of the naming convention for the directories that contain the RCW source and binary files.

Flashing PBL binary to QSPI NOR flash

PBL image can be loaded to LS1046ARDB from a TFTP server or from a mass storage device (SD, USB, or SATA).

Option 1: Load image from the TFTP server

1. Boot LS1046ARDB from QSPI NOR flash. Ensure that the switches are set to boot the board from QSPI. For booting from QSPI, SW5[1:8] = 00100010
2. Boot from QSPI NOR flash0: => cpld reset

   In boot log, you’ll see:

   Board: LS1046ARDB, boot from QSPI vBank 0

Set up Ethernet connection

When the board boots up, U-Boot prints a list of enabled Ethernet interfaces.

FM1@DTSEC3 [PRIME], FM1@DTSEC4, FM1@DTSEC5, FM1@DTSEC6, FM1@TGEC1, FM1@TGEC2

1. Set server IP to the IP of the host machine on which you have configured the TFTP server. 

   => setenv serverip <ipaddress1>

2. Set ethact and ethprime as the ethernet interface connected to the TFTP server.

   Refer LS1046ARDB Ethernet port mapping for the mapping of Ethernet port names appearing on the chassis front panel with the port names in U-Boot and Linux.

   => setenv ethprime <name of interface connected to TFTP server>

   For example:

   => setenv ethprime FM1@DTSEC4

   => setenv ethact <name of interface connected to TFTP server>

   For example:

   => setenv ethact FM1@DTSEC4

3. Set IP address of the board. You can set a static IP address or, if the board can connect to a dhcp server, you can use the dhcp command.

   Static IP address assignment:
   => setenv ipaddr <ipaddress2>
   => setenv netmask <subnet mask>

   Dynamic IP address assignment:
   => dhcp

4. Save the settings.

   => saveenv

5. Check the connection between the board and the TFTP server.

=> ping $serverip

Using FM1@DTSEC4 device

host 192.168.1.1 is alive

Load PBL binary from the TFTP server

1. Program QSPI NOR flash1: => sf probe 0:1
2. TFTP PBL binary from the server to the DDR and write image to QSPI NOR flash1:
   
   1. => tftp 0xa0000000 <pbl binary>
   2. => print filesize
      

      filesize=128

   3. => sf erase 0x0 +$filesize && sf write 0xa0000000 0x0 $filesize 

      Address 0x0 is the location of PBL in the QSPI NOR flash.  Refer Flash layout for boot flow with PPA – LSDK 18.09 and older releases for the complete flash memory layout.

3. Boot from QSPI NOR flash1: => cpld reset altbank

   In boot log, you’ll see:

   Board: LS1046ARDB, boot from QSPI vBank 4

   Ensure that SD card, USB flash drive, or SCSI hard disk installed with LSDK Ubuntu distribution is plugged into the board to boot the board to Ubuntu. If U-Boot does not find LSDK on a mass storage device, it will boot TinyDistro from lsdk_linux_arm64_ tiny.itb stored in the QSPI NOR flash.

Option 2: Load image from partition on mass storage device (SD, USB, or SATA)

1. Boot LS1046ARDB from QSPI NOR flash. Ensure that the switches are set to boot the board from QSPI. For booting from the QSPI flash, SW5[1:8] = 00100010
2. Boot from flash0: => cpld reset

   In boot log, you’ll see:

   Board: LS1046ARDB, boot from QSPI vBank 0

3. Select mass storage device to use.

   => mmc rescan

   => mmc info

   Or

   => usb start
   => usb info

   Or

   => scsi scan

   => scsi info

4. Optional – List files on the storage device.

   => ls mmc <device:partition>

   For example:

   => ls mmc 0:3
   System Volume Information/
   168 rcw_1800_qspiboot.bin.swapped

   1 file(s), 1 dir(s)

   Or

   => ls usb <device:partition>

   For example:

   => ls usb 0:1

   Or

   => ls scsi <device:partition>

   For example:

   => ls scsi 0:2

   If the ls command fails to run, check that U-Boot in QSPI NOR flash0 supports the command by typing ls at the U-Boot prompt:
   => ls
   ls - lists files in a directory (default)
   Usage:
   ls <interface> [<dev[:part]> [directory]]
   - Lists files in directory [directory] of partition [part] on device type [interface] and instance [dev].
   If U-Boot does not support this command, then update the composite firmware image in QSPI NOR flash0.
   For steps to update composite firmware image in QSPI NOR flash, refer LS1046ARDB - How to update composite firmware image in QSPI NOR flash.

5. Program QSPI NOR flash1: => sf probe 0:1
6. Load PBL image from the storage device.

   => load mmc <device:partition> a0000000 <image name>

   => print filesize

   For example:

   => load mmc 0:3 a0000000 rcw_1800_qspiboot.bin.swapped
   168 bytes read in 13 ms (11.7 KiB/s)
   => print filesize
   filesize=a8

   Or

   => load usb <device:partition> a0000000 <image name>

   => print filesize

   Or

   => load scsi <device:partition> a0000000 <image name>

   => print filesize

7. Program image to QSPI NOR flash: => sf erase 0x0 +$filesize && sf write 0xa0000000 0x0 $filesize

   Address 0x0 is the location of PBL binary in QSPI NOR flash.  Refer Flash layout for boot flow with PPA – LSDK 18.09 and older releases for the complete flash memory layout.

8. Boot from QSPI NOR flash1: => cpld reset altbank

   In boot log, you’ll see:

   Board: LS1046ARDB, boot from QSPI vBank 4

   Ensure that SD card, USB flash drive, or SCSI hard disk installed with LSDK Ubuntu distribution is plugged into the board to boot the board to Ubuntu. If U-Boot does not find LSDK on a mass storage device, it will boot TinyDistro from lsdk_linux_arm64_ tiny.itb stored in QSPI NOR flash.