How to use Mfgtool with a Yocto i.MX6 build

[simonr99]

I have used Mfgtool to reflash i.MX6 on a previous (non-Yocto) project where we successfully built everything from source (U-boot 2009.08).

We are now using Yocto Fido to successfully produce an SD card image for our Hummingboard (U-boot 2013.10, Kernel 3.14.60).

I would like to use Mfgtool again, this time to program our Hummingboard eMMC flash memory, but I'm struggling with generating a U-boot image that will transfer/boot over USB/mfgtool.

Questions:

1. meta-fsl-arm/recipes-bsp/u-boot/u-boot-imx-mfgtool_2014.04.bb looks like just what I need to build a U-boot for Mfgtool. But this recipe does not build anything and generates empty rpm packages. Is this recipe broken for fido? Should it generate a U-boot for Mfgtool? I've tried the usual tricks e.g. bitbake u-boot-imx-mfgtool -c compile -f. I see the unpack and configure but nothing ever gets built.
2. Are the instructions in the Firmware Development Guide still valid/correct? I've modified my U-boot 2013.10 as per the instructions, but the U-boot.bin produced won't boot/transfer over USB. I've then tried building the .imx file but this also doesn't work (stuck at 'Loading U-boot'). Are these instruction only applicable to a certain U-boot version? 
3. How do NXP recommend I build a U-boot for Mfgtool serial boot? Specifically which U-boot versions are compatible with Mfgtool2 and what is the i.MX6 expecting (the .bin, the .imx, IVT headers etc).
4. Should we all be giving up with Mfgtool and instead using the new U-boot UMS (USB Mass Storage) support?

Thanks

Simon

[Yuri]

Hello,

  from section 6.2 (Manufacturing Tool, MFGTool) of "Freescale_Yocto_Project_User's_Guide.pdf" :

---

 One way to place an image on a device is to use the MFGTool. The recipes used to build a manufacturing tool image are
linux-imx-mfgtool and u-boot-mfgtool.

To build a manufacturing image do the following -

$ bitbake fsl-image-mfgtool-initramfs

A manufacturing tool kernel is built using the imx_v7_mfg_defconfig while the default kernel is built by using the
imx_v7_defconfig. This is handled automatically by the MFGTool recipes listed above.

---

  Note : in the newest BSP, mfgtool can use the same u-boot with the normal u-boot for our board. So we don’t need to build the u-boot for mfgtool separately.

Regards,

Yuri.

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[simonr99]

Yuri Muhin wrote:

linux-imx-mfgtool and u-boot-mfgtool.

To build a manufacturing image do the following -

$ bitbake fsl-image-mfgtool-initramfs

So it looks like I need to patch the u-boot-imx-mfgtool recipe/source to make it support my target.

Note : in the newest BSP, mfgtool can use the same u-boot with the normal u-boot for our board. So we don’t need to build the u-boot for mfgtool separately.

I'm afraid I don't know what you mean by 'the newest BSP'. Please specify a version/build number so I can determine if mine is new enough.

Thanks

[Yuri]

Hello,

  Yes, since mfg recipe will use default configuration file to build u-boot and kernel - adaptation is needed. 

As for newest BSP - this concerns, at least, L4.

Regards,

Yuri.