sb_loader.exe -exec Not Working?

[davidzielinski]

Hello i.MX6 folks,

   My question is regarding the sb_loader.exe tool that comes with the mfgtools package and an issue with the -exec option.  It shouldn't matter but I am running on an i.MX6 Dual Lite (DL).  Awhile back I downloaded a sb_loader.exe that allowed me to run the following successfully:

sb_loader.exe -nojump -f u-boot.imx

sb_loader.exe -trans 0x12000000 -f u-boot.imx

sb_loader.exe -exec 0x17800000

This does the following:

1.  transfers a u-boot image to an i.MX6 getting the image in DDR where the IVT says it shall go and setting DCD register values in the process (but does not start executing the image).

2.  transfers another copy of u-boot.imx to DDR   @ 0x12000000

3.  Executes the image transferred in Step 1.

With more recent versions of sb_loader.exe, when we get to line 3, sb_loader.exe dumps the usage rather than actually doing what it's told:

>sb_loader.exe -exec 0x17800000

Usage: sb_loader.exe [/f <filename>] [/tss] [/? | /h]

        -f or /f <filename> - where <filename> is the file to download. Default:

"firmware.sb"

        -tss or /tss - captures and prints the TSS output after the file is down

loaded.

        -h or /h - displays this screen.

        -nojump - Load but don't execute the image in which plugin is contained

to RAM. Only available for mx50.

        -trans - Load the image to RAM, the target address must be followed. Onl

y available for mx50.

        -exec - Execute the image, the execution address must be followed. Only

available for mx50.

        -init - initialize RAM by using the settings defined in memoryinit.h. On

ly available for mx50.

        below instance download and run an image:

        sb_loader -f uboot.bin

Basically this -exec step doesn't seem to work any longer.  The "usage" is printed from the program as if it doesn't recognize the -exec option any more.  This happens on all versions of sb_loader.exe from recent history. In fact I cannot find an old enough version to where it actually does work.   Furthermore I can't just work around this by running Step 1, then 2, then 1 again because it says "Failed to initialize memory!".

I would continue to just use the old version I have however I'm using newer i.MX6's and I need a version that supports those.

I'm getting my sb_loader.exe from the mfgtools download from the "IMX6_SW: i.MX 6 Series Software and Development Tool Resources" page:

http://www.nxp.com/products/software-and-tools/software-devasdfelopment-tools/i.mx-software-and-tool...

Any ideas?

Thanks!

Dave

P.S. I wish this program was open source so I could take matters into my own hands

[igorpadykov · Accepted solution]

Hi Dave

version sb_loader found in Utils folder of mfg tools is for mx23/28/508,

nxp does not support it for i.MX6. However it can be found in boundary devices

https://boundarydevices.com/eula/?file=sb_loader.zip

https://boundarydevices.com/windows-users-and-unbricking-an-i-mx-device/

Best regards

igor

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[davidzielinski]

Hi Igor,

Thanks for clearing that up.  It turns out, that "old version" that I was using was actually this v1.2 that came from Boundary Devices (verified by looking at a hash of the file).  And that version of sb_loader.exe doesn't work with the i.MX6 SoloX which is why I went searching for a "newer" version.

As you say, NXP doesn't officially support it for the i.MX6 but apparently they do put work into sb_loader related to the i.MX6.  I can see from experimentation that support for the SoloX was added between mfgtools-3.14.28 and 3.14.52.

So it looks like Boundary Devices supplies the source.  Can NXP supply the source for the mfgtools version so I can merge the two?   That would make life easier for me because I already have a production process in place with a Dual Lite and now that I'm using a SoloX my process is broken.

Thanks,

Dave