CM-T3x: U-Boot: Firmware Update

Failure in CM-T3x firmware update may prevent proper boot from on-board NAND flash. It is recommended to create a bootable MMC/SD card before updating CM-T3x firmware

Introduction

CM-T3x Firmware consists of two components: X-Loader and U-Boot. This article describes the firmware update process for CM-T3x system-on-module product line. The CM-T3x product line includes the following modules:

• CM-T3517
• CM-T3530
• CM-T3730

Preliminary setup

• Make sure to power off the CM-T3x evaluation platform
• Connect the host PC to the SB-T35 base-board (connector P12) via the serial cable supplied with the evaluation kit.
• Start terminal emulation software on your PC. Set baud rate to 115200 bps, 8 bit per frame, 1 stop bit, no parity, no flow control.
• Turn on the CM-T3x evaluation system. The U-Boot boot-loader will start and you will get a command prompt.

If the boot settings of your CM-T3x are different than default, you may need to press and hold ^C while turning the CM-T3x on, in order to get command prompt.

SD-Card Firmware Update for CM-T3x

The firmware can be updated using a workstation with an SD card reader, or using CM-T3x module Linux environment. To update the X-Loader, just replace the X-Loader binary file (MLO) on the MMC/SD card with the newer version. To update the U-Boot, just replace the U-Boot binary file (u-boot.bin) on the MMC/SD card with the newer version.

NAND firmware update for CM-T3x

CM-T3x firmware can be updated from an MMC/SD card, USB storage, or using network TFTP download. Both methods are performed from the U-Boot command line. The U-Boot bootloader can be installed and updated independently without updating the existing X-Loader. In newer versions of U-Boot, X-Loader can also be updated independantly and without updating U-Boot. If only U-Boot update is necessary, please continue to CM-T3x U-Boot Update section.

CM-T3x X-Loader Update

Older U-Boot versions can only install X-Loader to completely erased NAND flash! The procedure for older U-Boot versions erases the entire NAND flash!

MMC/SD card

• Copy x-load.bin.ift from U-Boot package for CM-T3x to the root directory of the MMC/SD card.
• Insert the MMC/SD card into the SD socket (P13) on SB-T35.
• Start the U-Boot MMC subsystem:

On older versions of U-Boot:

# mmc init

On newer versions of U-Boot:

# mmc rescan

• Check that the storage device is ready and contains the X-Loader binary:

# fatls mmc 0

• Load the X-Loader into memory:

# fatload mmc 0 80a00000 x-load.bin.ift

• Proceed to the Flashing X-Loader section

USB storage

• Copy x-load.bin.ift from U-Boot package for CM-T3x to the root directory of the USB storage device.
• Plug the USB storage device into the USB host connector (P17) on SB-T35.
• Start the U-Boot USB subsystem:

# usb start

• Check that the storage device is ready and contains the X-Loader binary:

# fatls usb 0

• Load the X-Loader into memory:

# fatload usb 0 80a00000 x-load.bin.ift

• Proceed to the Flashing X-Loader section

TFTP download

• Setup TFTP server
• Put the X-Loader binary in the root directory of TFTP server
• Setup U-Boot networking:

for dynamic IP configuration:

# dhcp

or for static IP configuration:

# setenv ipaddr <ip address>
# setenv serverip <server ip>

• Download the X-Loader to the CM-T3x RAM:

# tftp 80a00000 x-load.bin.ift

• Proceed to Flashing X-Loader section

Flashing X-Loader

Do not reset or power off the CM-T3x during the update process! Doing so may result in nand flash corruption!

• Select NAND ECC type:

# nandecc hw

• Erase the on-board NAND flash:

On older versions of U-Boot (Note that the below command will erase the whole NAND flash data):

# nand erase
# nand scrub

On newer versions of U-Boot:

# nand erase 0 20000
# nand scrub 0 20000

• Write the X-Loader image into the on-board NAND flash:

# nand write 80a00000 0 20000;

On older U-Boot versions it is essential to install U-Boot immediately after X-Loader update

CM-T3x U-Boot Update

MMC/SD card

• Copy u-boot.bin from U-Boot package for CM-T3x to the root directory of the MMC/SD card.
• Insert the MMC/SD card into the SD socket (P13) on SB-T35.
• Start the U-Boot MMC subsystem and scan for available storage devices:

On older U-Boot versions:

# mmc init

On newer U-Boot versions:

# mmc rescan

• Check that your storage device is ready and contains the U-Boot binary:

# fatls mmc 0

• Load the U-Boot into the CM-T3x RAM:

# fatload mmc 0 80a00000 u-boot.bin

• Proceed to Flashing U-Boot section

USB storage

• Copy u-boot.bin from U-Boot package for CM-T3x to the root directory of the USB storage device.
• Plug the USB storage device into the USB host connector (P17) on SB-T35.
• Start the U-Boot USB subsystem:

# usb start

• Check that your storage device is ready and contains the U-Boot binary:

# fatls usb 0

• Load the U-Boot into the CM-T3x RAM:

# fatload usb 0 80a00000 u-boot.bin

• Proceed to Flashing U-Boot section

TFTP download

• Setup TFTP server
• Put the U-Boot binary in the root directory of TFTP server
• Setup U-Boot networking:

for dynamic IP configuration:

# dhcp

or for static IP configuration:

# setenv ipaddr <ip address>
# setenv serverip <server ip>

• Download the U-Boot to the CM-T3x RAM:

# tftp 80a00000 u-boot.bin

• Proceed to Flashing U-Boot section

Flashing U-Boot

Do not reset or power off the CM-T3x during the update process! Doing so may result in nand flash corruption!

• Flash the U-Boot onto the on-board NAND flash:

# nandecc sw
# nand erase 80000 60000
# nand write 80a00000 80000 60000

• Reset the CM-T3x evaluation platform

U-Boot packages

U-Boot packages can be found by the following links:

• CM-T3517 development resources
• CM-T3530 development resources
• CM-T3730 development resources

See also

• CM-T3x: U-Boot: Firmware Overview
• U-Boot quick reference
• U-Boot images
• Getting started with Linux on CM-T3530
• U-Boot documentation
• SD/MMC format for OMAP3 boot