Need final answer: Sata on ls1043ardb

[john_reed]

Several shallow threads out there on the Sata ls1043ardb question.

From a previous thread:

>> it's posible run sata at LS1043ARDB. SATA serdes is multiplexing with PCIe. You only need is simple reduction from >> pcie connector to sata connector. Next step is change rcw to enable SATA and switch SW3[4] to 0 (100MHz clock). I >> work on LS1043ARDB with SATA without problems.

From another previous thread where the question was Sata on ls1043a:

>> This is not possible because SATA could be configured only on SerDes lane 3 (D), while mPCIe slot is connected to the lane 2 (C).

I have done some work in this area myself.    I have changed the rcw to 0x3358 (verified upon boot), and also set the Switch SW3[4] to 0.     It booted up fine, but no Sata.

I have a simple PCIE to msata board.    Pretty sure the board (have 2 of them) is fine.

At least need to know if the HW can do this, as I've already gone down a pretty deep rabbit hole.

Greatly appreciate any help.

JR

[ufedor]

To make technical things clear at first please refer to the  QorIQ LS1043A Reference Manual, Table 33-1. Supported SerDes options.

In the table it is shown that there are several SerDes protocols (configurations) supporting SATA.

I.e., formally, LS1043A SerDes can be configured to expose SATA on lane D (3).

Concerning the LS1043ARDB.

Refer to the QorIQ LS1043A Reference Design Board Reference Manual, Figure 2-8. LS1043ARDB SerDes lane connections:

From this figure it is clear that SATA can be probed using a converter add-in card inserted into the PCIe x1 slot.

It is important to note that the RDB board has fixed connections of SerDes lanes, corresponding to protocol 1455.

If a SerDes protocol with SATA will be selected in RCW it will be impossible to use all Ethernet ports connected to the SerDes lanes 0 and 1.

[john_reed]

Awesome!!    And thanks for that.

A sidenote to my original post is that I also have a LS1012ARDB platform.    It has a sata interface on that board, with an actual SATA connector (not through PCIE).

I looked at the schematic for the pins feeding into the SATA connector.    On the 1012:

     - SD1_RX2_xx

     - SD1_TX2_xx

On the LS1043arbd, mini pci-express, the same pins are being used:

      - SD1_RX2_xx

      - SD1_TX2_xx

Assumption:  using same pins, so must work the same.    Turns out NOT TRUE.

Digging more today.....     The RX2/TX2 on 1012 is Lane D (sata works there).

                                          RX2/TX2 on 1043 is Lane C (sata does not work there)

Slowly figuring out things here......

JR

[ufedor]