imx6ull boot media

[AngelF]

Hello,

We are making our own design based on imx6ull and we are considering about the boot media sequence.

We would like to use QSPI and seems there is no problem. All examples we have checked about QSPI are based on booting from QSPI NOR flash and them jump to QSPI NAND flash, and our question is:

- Is it also possible to boot directly from QSPI NAND flash, not using NOR as first step ?

Best regards and thank you

Angel

[AngelF]

Hello,

Thank you for your answer.

We have somo prototypes and we are using linux u-boot to to startup the board.

We are also using QuadSPI configuration parameters (offset 0x400) as set in attached file, and it is working fine when we have the QuadSPI NOR FLASH (mt25ql01g).

Unfortunately this is not working when we try with the QuadSPI NAND FLASH (MT29F4G01ABAFD). Could you help us to find what we need to change to make QuadSPI NAND FLASH work?

Best regards and thank you

[Rita_Wang]

Is MT29F4G01ABAFD MLC or SLC? Which version BSP are you using? Firstly, you need to make hardware connection and boot mode design well for it.

[AngelF]

Hello,

MT29F4G01ABAFD is SLC and we are using "u-boot 2021.04" from BSP Linux 5.10.72_2.2.3.

We have tested with our HW design. Boot mode design is fine, because when connecting a Qspi NOR FLASH it works fine. The problem is when we connect a Qspi NAND SLC FLASH (both Qspi NOR and Qspi NAND are pin to pin compatible), it is not working.

I am not sure, but it seems that qspi_header (attached file) is not fine for Qspi NAND. This file is part ot u-boot source code, but only this version is available.

I would like to be sure if imx6ull supports boot from Qspi NAND SLC FLASH and, if this is the case, if this qspi_header file needs to be changed.

Best regards and thank you

[Rita_Wang]

MT29F4G01ABAFD can work on the i.MX6ULL. For the nand boot and QSPI boot setting is not the same. For our reference design board we support the nand boot, you can refer to our design, both software and hardware.

[AngelF]

Hello,

Thank you for your help. We checked your reference design, and you support Qspi NOR FLASH and parallel NAND

But this is not our case. We set BOOT_CFG1[7:4] to 0001 becasuse we need to bootup from Qspi. It is working fine if we use a Qspi NOR FLASH for booting, but it does not work if we try to bootup from Qspi NAND FLASH.

We have not found any reference design that boots up from Qspi NAND FLASH and, if possible, we would like to know what changes need to be done comparing to Qspi NOR FLASH.

Best regards anf thank you

[Rita_Wang]

Boot mode for the nand you need to change, not the 0001, see the picture I share to you above.

[AngelF]

Hello,

I think there is a misunderstanding. Boot mode 0001 is fine because we want to boot from Qspi, we do not want to boot from parallel/raw NAND.

The problem is the memory technology connected to the Qspi. We know that it is possible to boot from Qspi NOR FLASH  and we would like to know if it is also possible to boot from Qspi NAND FALSH.

Best regards

[Rita_Wang]

Here the nand you are using it the Raw Nand, so do not use the QSPI boot mode.

[AngelF]

Hello,

We use QSPI boot mode because memory we are using is a SPI NAND, not a Raw NAND

This is the data sheet

[Rita_Wang]

Yes, you can use it.

The boot ROM supports these boot devices:
• NOR flash
• NAND flash
• OneNAND flash
• SD/MMC
• Serial (SPI) NOR flash and EEPROM
• QuadSPI (QSPI) flash

The selection of the external boot device type is controlled by the BOOT_CFG1[7:4]：