[LS1043ARDB] Cores boot at different exception levels

[zalbassam]

Hi,

Iam having a problem with one of the LS1043ARDB board (Orange box), after U-boot loads my program, core0 is at exception level 2 (EL2), but the other cores boot at EL1 and get hang when trying to switch to EL2. I have another LS1043ARDB board (Gray box) and all the cores boot at EL2. the same uboot image is on both boards: "U-Boot 2016.012.0+ga9b437f (May 15 2016 - 11:01:10 +0800)", and both boards have the same dip switch settings. I have however noticed the below differences in the uboot boot log:

The orange box (not working):

CPLD:  V1.4

PPA Firmware: Version 0.1

EEPROM: NXID v1

The gray box (working):

CPLD:  V1.5

PPA Firmware: Version 0.2

EEPROM: Invalid ID (0b 0c 03 04)

Any idea why the orange box has the cores boot at different EL? Should  the color of the box mean something (like secure)?

Thanks,

[yipingwang · Accepted solution]

Hello Zaid Albassam,

The problem should be caused by PPA firmware not compatible with U-BOOT 2016.012.

Please flash the attached ppa image on the problem board.

PPA address on NOR flash of LS1043.

bank 0:0x60500000

bank 4: 0x64500000

Have a great day,
TIC

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[zalbassam]

Hi yipingwang‌,

My board now shows that the PPA version is upped to v0.2, and with that my problem is resolved.

I wished that U-boot could detect these incompatibility with the PPA and at least print a warning in the boot log, It could have saved me couple of days of investigations.

Anyways, thanks for the help.

Zaid