we suggest to read the following pages before you proceed with this page

Finally, you will find the built images in platform-<platformname>/images.

To install a new firmware use SD cards. To copy the built images on the host system to a connected card type:

$ cd <BSP project>/platform-<platform_name>/images
$ sudo dd if=u-boot_@mod_name_code@_hd.img of=/dev/sdf bs=1M conv=fsync #Assuming the SD card is assigned to /dev/sdf

To find out what device file the SD card has, type “dmesg” after you connect the card to see the system messages. At the bottom you'll see some “Attached scsi …” messages along with something like:

[ 8197.588395]  sdf: sdf1


To update bootloader / kernel / devicetree in a running system you have to copy the images in your tftp directory and upload them to the eMMC or SD Card.

Please see How to setup TFTP Server

1. Boot from eMMC or SD and stop autoboot in U-Boot

Hit any key to stop autoboot:  0
=>


2. Set U-Boot variable mmcdev according to the drive you want to write to

=> setenv mmcdev <Nr.>

Device assignement:
mmcdev 0 = eMMC
mmcdev 1 = SD Card

3. Connect device via ethernet to a tftp server supplying the image
4. Provide the correct network configuration in U-Boot:

  • ⇒ setenv autoload no
  • ⇒ setenv serverip <serverip> (e.g.: setenv serverip 192.168.100.110)
  • ⇒ setenv ipaddr <ipaddr> (e.g.: setenv ipaddr 192.168.100.111)
  • ⇒ setenv netmask <netmask> (e.g.: setenv netmask 255.255.255.0)


5. Provide U-Boot the file name of the desired image on the tftp server:

  • For U-Boot update: ⇒ setenv uboot <filename>
  • For Device Tree update: ⇒ setenv fdt_file <filename>
  • For Kernel update: ⇒ setenv zimage <filename>


6. Perform Update:

  • U-Boot update: ⇒ run update_uboot
  • Device Tree update: ⇒ run update_fdt
  • Kernel update: ⇒ run update_kernel

The u-boot update scripts automatically implement the selection of the primary copy to boot.



  • Write Image to SD card (use dd command under linux or Win32diskImager under Windows)
  • Set Starterkit to boot from SD, please see DIP Switch Settings
  • Interrupt the boot process to get to the U-Boot prompt
  • Use the following command to copy the SD card to eMMMC

Generic command

 
mmc dev 1 && mmc rescan && mmc read ${loadaddr} 0 (number of blocks)  && mmc dev 0 && mmc rescan && mmc write ${loadaddr} 0 (number of blocks)

You have to set the number of blocks according to the image size to read entire data that is stored on the SD card and write the same number of blocks to the eMMC.
Formula to calulate the number of blocks
Size of SD card image in bytes / 512. Convert the result to a hex value.
Since the data is stored in the SDRAM on the module the size of the image must not exeed the size of the SDRAM.

Example for precompiled SD card image included in BSP Rev.0100

  • Size of uboot-tqma7-hd.img in byte = 293.601.280
  • 293.601.280 / 512 = 573.440
  • 540.672 converted to hex value = h8C000
mmc dev 1 && mmc rescan && mmc read ${loadaddr} 0 0x8c000  && mmc dev 0 && mmc rescan && mmc write ${loadaddr} 0 0x8c000

The rootfs is located in the second partition of the SD card/eMMC please seePartition Scheme

example for TQMa7x

dd if=/dev/mmcblk0p2 of=/dev/mmcblk1p2 bs=1M

please keep in mind to resize the eMMC rootfs partition,
if the rootfs size was changed in BSP configuration

Prerequisites

To boot the @mod_name@ from network you need a working bootloader in eMMC/SD-card or SPI-NOR (placement option on @mod_name@) which is able to get the kernel image over tftp and to provide the kernel with commandline settings for NFS.
The dtb-file and kernel image have to be provided via tftp and the rootfs via nfs.

Configuration of U-Boot Environment

The bootloader environment needs to be modified to work with your tftp-server and your nfs-server.

  • setenv autoload no
  • setenv serverip <serverip> (e.g.: setenv serverip 192.168.100.1)
  • setenv ipaddr <ipaddr> (e.g.: setenv ipaddr 192.168.0.10)
  • setenv netmask <netmask> (e.g.: setenv netmask 255.255.255.0)
  • setenv rootpath <rootpath> (NFS share has to set in /etc/exports on the Computer that runs the NFS server first)
  • setenv fdt_file <fdt_file> (name of devicetree file to be downloaded from the tftp server)
  • setenv zimage <zimage> (name of the Linux kernel image to be downloaded from the tftp server)

You have to set the Starterkit to boot-mode “serial downloader”, please see MBa7x DIP switch settings

Starting with TQMa7x-BSP-REV.0105 we deliver a Linux tool to upload U-Boot into the TQMa7x RAM from your development host and start it.
After building the BSP the tool is located in:
…/TQMa7x.BSP.SW.SRC.0105/platform-MBa7x-FSL/packages/host-imx_usb_loader-48a85c0b84611c089cf870638fd1241619324b1d/

You have to apply the following steps before you can start to work with the tool:

  • Copy the content of folder …/TQMa7x.BSP.SW.SRC.0105/platform-MBa7x-FSL/packages/host-imx_usb_loader-48a85c0b84611c089cf870638fd1241619324b1d/usr/etc/ to /usr/etc
  • Copy the content of folder …/TQMa7x.BSP.SW.SRC.0105/platform-MBa7x-FSL/packages/host-imx_usb_loader-48a85c0b84611c089cf870638fd1241619324b1d/usr/bin/ to /bin
  1. Set Starterkit to boot-mode “serial downloader”, please see MBa7x DIP switch settings
  2. Connect Starterkit connector X5 (Micro USB cable provided with the Starterkit) to your host
  3. Connect Starterkit connector X13 (RS232) to your host
  4. Power up Starterkit
  5. Please check that Linux recognized a new USB device, see output of command dmesg | grep -i usb. You should see something like the following :
    usb 3-2.1: Manufacturer: Freescale SemiConductor Inc 
    hid-generic 0003:15A2:0076.0006: hiddev0,hidraw1: USB HID v1.10 Device [Freescale SemiConductor Inc  SE Blank ULT1] on usb-0000:03:00.0-2.1/input0
  6. Open a serial terminal on your host e.g. TeraTerm
  7. Open a Linux terminal and naviagate to folder “images” in the BSP dirctory
    e.g. /home/embedded/TQMa7x.BSP.SW.SRC.0105/platform-MBa7x-FSL/images
  8. Start the serial downloader imx_usb as super user with the desired U-Boot as parameter

    Keep in mind to select a U-Boot that is corresponding to your module, please see deployment

    e.g.

    embedded@ubuntu:~/workspace/TQMa7x.BSP.SW.SRC.0105/platform-MBa7x-FSL/images$ sudo imx_usb u-boot-fsl-1gb-mba7-mmc.imx

    host console output after starting the serial downloader

config file <./imx_usb.conf>
vid=0x066f pid=0x3780 file_name=mx23_usb_work.conf
vid=0x15a2 pid=0x004f file_name=mx28_usb_work.conf
vid=0x15a2 pid=0x0052 file_name=mx50_usb_work.conf
vid=0x15a2 pid=0x0054 file_name=mx6_usb_work.conf
vid=0x15a2 pid=0x0061 file_name=mx6_usb_work.conf
vid=0x15a2 pid=0x0063 file_name=mx6_usb_work.conf
vid=0x15a2 pid=0x0071 file_name=mx6_usb_work.conf
vid=0x15a2 pid=0x007d file_name=mx6_usb_work.conf
vid=0x15a2 pid=0x0076 file_name=mx7_usb_work.conf
vid=0x15a2 pid=0x0041 file_name=mx51_usb_work.conf
vid=0x15a2 pid=0x004e file_name=mx53_usb_work.conf
vid=0x15a2 pid=0x006a file_name=vybrid_usb_work.conf
vid=0x066f pid=0x37ff file_name=linux_gadget.conf
config file <./mx7_usb_work.conf>
parse ./mx7_usb_work.conf
15a2:0076(mx7) bConfigurationValue =1
Interface 0 claimed
HAB security state: development mode (0x56787856)
== work item
filename /home/embedded/Desktop/uboot/u-boot-fsl-512mb-mba7-mmc.imx
load_size 0 bytes
load_addr 0x00000000
dcd 1
clear_dcd 0
plug 1
jump_mode 2
jump_addr 0x00000000
== end work item

<<<0, 492 bytes>>>
succeeded (status 0x128a8a12)

loading binary file(/home/embedded/Desktop/uboot/u-boot-fsl-512mb-mba7-mmc.imx) to 9fbff400, skip=0, fsize=87c00 type=aa

<<<556032, 556032 bytes>>>
succeeded (status 0x88888888)
jumping to 0x9fbff400

9. Now you can see the U-Boot messages in the serial terminal programm

Next steps are:

Disclaimer
TQ-Systems GmbH provides the Board Support Packages (BSP) free of charge. The software included in the shipment has been configured individually for the starter kits. The software is only intended to evaluate the module. The use of the Board Support Packages (BSP) is only allowed within the scope of functionality described by TQ-Systems GmbH. TQ-Systems GmbH does not accept any liability for all further changes of the Board Support Package and for any damage resulting from its use.