Issues on custom PCB on debugging/booting from NOR Flash.

[tcha_ub]

Hi all, 

I have a custom design that resembles the the MIMXRT1060-EVK. I am using the same flash chip (IS25WP064-ABLE) as the EVK, and I have connected it as on the EVK (see bellow)

I can connect to the MCU through SWD and through Serial Download mode. I can erase/read/write the Flash (0x60000000 address space). The issue that I have is that the code does not run and I cannot debug.

What could I do to troubleshoot this? Should it work like that, or am I missing something?

Thank you in advance!

[tcha_ub]

Hi @jeremyzhou ,

Thank you for your prompt reply!
I have been playing with the NXP-MCUBootUtility tool. The thing that I have found is that the memory that was soldered by PCBA is not working after boot. To test this I soldered my board's memory to the RT1060EVK and the RT1060EVK's memory to my board. Now my board is working and the RT1060EVK is failing in the exact same way. So now I have 2 questions:

Question 1:

Can I (for testing purposes) lower clocks or use it as a single wire SPI (in the mode that it's accessed when written through serial download) for normal operation (even if it is slow)? If yes, what should I configure and where? Is there a guide somewhere?

Question 2:

I have a secondary flash footprint for a bigger flash (ISSI IS25WP256D-RMLE) that I could also use. Could you help me on how I should configure things for it to work?

Thank you in advance

[jeremyzhou]

Hi,
Thanks for your reply and clarification.
According to your current testing, it seems like the issue is related to the IS25WP064.
1) Can I (for testing purposes) lower clocks or use it as a single wire SPI (in the mode that it's accessed when written through serial download) for normal operation (even if it is slow)?
-- No, I'm afraid not, as the single-wire SPI protocol doesn't support the XIP.
2) I have a secondary flash footprint for a bigger flash (ISSI IS25WP256D-RMLE) that I could also use. Could you help me on how I should configure things for it to work?
-- Actually, the NXP-MCUBootUtility tool can program an image to IS25WP256D-RMLE, which is as same as the IS25WP064, when selecting the below device option.

Have a great day,
TIC

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[tcha_ub]

Hi @jeremyzhou,

It seem that I can program the flash through the serial bootload method with the NXP-MCUBootUtility tool but I can't debug my code (using Segger J-Link).

The debugging session stalls on:

Break at address "0xdeadbeee" with no debug information available, or outside of program code.

Do you have any idea on how to proceed with this error?

Thank you in advance

[jeremyzhou]

Hi,
Thanks for your reply.
After programing the code via the NXP-MCUBootUtility tool, does the board boot up successfully? Moreover, what's the QSPI flash you use now?
Have a great day,
TIC

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[tcha_ub]

Hi @jeremyzhou ,

Yes the board seems to boot successfully with the code programmed. But I cannot debug.

I am using MCUXpresso and a Segger J-Link Base.

The flash that I am using is the ISSI IS25WP256D-RMLE

[jeremyzhou]

Hi,
Thanks for your reply.
I'd like to suggest you solder your custom QSPI to the MIMXRT1060 EVK, then try to debug the code on the MIMXRT1060 EVK, if it can debug, I think you'd better check the hardware circuit of the custom board carefully.
Have a great day,
TIC

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[tcha_ub]

Hi @jeremyzhou 

The circuit for the SOIC-16 Flash is the following:

The thing is that I have 2 boards from preproduction, one with the ISSI IS25WP256D-RMLE (the Flash that I am planning to use for production) and one with ISSI IS25WP256D-JMLE (that I soldered just for tests).

- Board with IS25WP256D-JMLE is programmable and debuggable through SWD with J-LINK

- Board with IS25WP256D-RMLE is programmable but not debuggable through SWD with J-LINK.

Other than the 2 Flash chips the 2 boards should be identical. 

My questions are:

1. Do I have to change something (in code or in PCB) for the RESET pin on the -RMLE flash?

2. What is the mechanism that makes it programmable but not debuggable?

Also I have tried to solder the ISSI IS25WP256D-RMLE on the EVK in the past but I could not get it to debug either (but to be honest I thought it was not working due to bad signal integrity of the lines with the rework). The ISSI IS25WP256D-RMLE is SOIC-16 and the EVK uses an ISSI IS25WP064A-JBLE which is SOIC-8, so the rework was with airwires and a SOIC-16 breakout.

Thank you in advance for your valuable help so far!

[jeremyzhou]

Hi，
Thanks for your reply and clarification.
1. Do I have to change something (in code or in PCB) for the RESET pin on the -RMLE flash?
-- No, I don't think so.
2. What is the mechanism that makes it programmable but not debuggable?
-- I guess the issue is related to the Flashloader algorithm, you can refer to solution to update the default Flashloader algorithm of Jlink.
Have a great day,
TIC

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[jeremyzhou]

Hi @tcha_ub ,
Thank you for your interest in NXP Semiconductor products and for the opportunity to serve you.
To provide the fastest possible support, I'd highly recommend you use the NXP-MCUBootUtility tool to program some simple demo images (likes hello_world) to the QSPI.
Next, maybe you can use the oscilloscope to observe the signals of the FlexSPI pins during the boot-up process.
Have a great day,
TIC

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