IMXRT10xx Boot ROM Firmware Default Location

[Lukas_Frank]

Hi Dear Authorized,

I need an information related to boot process of iMX.RT Processors. My specifically designed card which use IMXRT1064 is lost debug connection after program my flash. I want to be sure that were the default firmware of bootloader in IMXRT1064. Could you please validate me?

• Is the On Chip Memory - Boot ROM (96KB) hold the default boot loader software of IMXRT? 
• Is there possibility to corrupt that software during programming the IMXRT over GUI Flash Tool?

Thanks and Regards.

[MultipleMonomials]

I will say that I have never been able to brick an MIMXRT by a failed or corrupt program operation.  However, I have observed something like this happen in the case where I load code which does something bad in the startup phase (e.g. where the first few assembly instructions set an invalid FlexRAM configuration or read from a peripheral which is powered off).  When this happens, the debugger isn't able to connect to the chip, because the chip starts executing the first lines of code *after* being reset by the debugger but *before* the debugger can pause it, and then locks up.

To recover from this type of situation, you have to use the boot mode pins to start the MIMXRT in another boot mode, such as Serial Downloader.  Then you should be able to connect to it again in the debugger as it won't execute the bad instructions out of flash.  Hope that helps!

[Miguel04]

Hi @Lukas_Frank 

1. Yes the default bootloader is located on the ROM.

2. The GUI flash tool shouldn't be corrupting the software while programming the RT.

Is the project from the SDK or is your own developed project?

Have you tried to flash the RT using another method?

Best Regards, Miguel.

[Lukas_Frank]

Hi Dear @Miguel04 ,

I tried both SDK examples and my default project from scratch. In both scenarios, my cards loss connection for debug. By the way, I am using specifically designed card which uses RT1024 and RT1064 separately. I also programmed flash by using different debuggers(SEGGER, PEMicro and LinkServer Debug) and options.

I am trying to recover my cards but as I understood it is not possible without USB_Micro port available in card. My cards not consist of USB_Micro port. It only includes LPUARTn. I am trying to recover it by using MCUXpresso Secure Provisioning Tool. But it is not seeing my card. 

Do you have specific advice about how to recover my cards?

Thanks and Regards.

[Miguel04]

Hi @Lukas_Frank 

I have some questions. 

You said you lost connection to debuger after flashing the program, have you been able to verify if your program is working after the board disconnects from the debuger? I mean, does the program executes correctly after a power reset.

I understand that the secure provisioning tool is not detecting your board, with which RT are you trying to enable a connection and how?

Best Regards, Miguel.

[Lukas_Frank]

Hi Dear @Miguel04,

I actually did not sure whether the code works as expected. I didn't verify that by some test.

Here is my setup and related information. Did you realized such kind of recovery operation before? Is this the official way of using secure provisioning tool by UART?

It uses:

• LPUART1
• FTDI Module
• PmodRS485
• Type-C USB Convertion HUB for Mac.

 

Thanks and Regards.