[U-Boot-Users] u-boot for Vertex4-based board.

[U-Boot-Users] u-boot for Vertex4-based board.

[Leonid]

Hi:

I'm porting u-boot on Vertex-4 based board (with PPC405 inside); I'm
trying use ml403 u-boot as example. I have first stage boot loader,
taking my u-boot image from serial and loading it to SDRAM, u-boot is
configured to boot from main memory. 

Several questions:

1) I'm using ELDK 3.1.1 as crosstool; which target should I choose:
ppc_4xxFP or ppc_4xx?

2) My board unlike ML403 has UARTLITE for serial interface. Can I use
serial_xuartlite.c from microblaze directory?

Thanks,

Leonid.

[U-Boot-Users] u-boot for Vertex4-based board.

[Markus Klotzbücher]

Dear Leonid,

"Leonid" <Leonid@a-k-a.net> writes:

> I'm porting u-boot on Vertex-4 based board (with PPC405 inside); I'm
> trying use ml403 u-boot as example. I have first stage boot loader,
> taking my u-boot image from serial and loading it to SDRAM, u-boot is
> configured to boot from main memory. 

Are you aware that this setup is strongly discouraged? Have you read
this:

http://www.denx.de/wiki/view/DULG/CanUBootBeConfiguredSuchThatItCanBeStartedInRAM
?

Regards

Markus Klotzbuecher

--
DENX Software Engineering GmbH, HRB 165235 Munich, CEO: Wolfgang Denk
Office: Kirchenstr. 5, D-82194 Groebenzell, Germany

[U-Boot-Users] u-boot for Vertex4-based board.

[Grant Likely]

On 2/13/07, Markus Klotzb?cher <mk@denx.de> wrote:
> Dear Leonid,
>
> "Leonid" <Leonid@a-k-a.net> writes:
>
> > I'm porting u-boot on Vertex-4 based board (with PPC405 inside); I'm
> > trying use ml403 u-boot as example. I have first stage boot loader,
> > taking my u-boot image from serial and loading it to SDRAM, u-boot is
> > configured to boot from main memory.
>
> Are you aware that this setup is strongly discouraged? Have you read
> this:
>
> http://www.denx.de/wiki/view/DULG/CanUBootBeConfiguredSuchThatItCanBeStartedInRAM
> ?

That's not necessarily relevant when using the virtex parts.  His only
option might be to boot from SDRAM.  I've got a number of Virtex
designs where the SystemACE (FPGA loader hardware) loads code into
SDRAM after the FPGA is configured.

That being said; I actually use a 3 stage loading process.  I have an
early boot loader which fits into Block RAM (BRAM, on chip memory) in
the fpga.  Earlyboot loads a u-boot image off of the CF card which is
attached to the system ace.  When u-boot starts, it is already in RAM.
 In the past, I have bypassed the relocation code so I can run u-boot
from where it was linked; but now I link u-boot to the base of ram and
let the standard relocation code move it to the top of ram.  It's kind
of an unnecessary copy; but I don't need to fiddle with the code as
much.

BTW, Leonid;  You want to use ppc_4xx, not ppc_4xxFP.  I don't know
about the uartlite driver.

Cheers,
g.
>
> Regards
>
> Markus Klotzbuecher
>
> --
> DENX Software Engineering GmbH, HRB 165235 Munich, CEO: Wolfgang Denk
> Office: Kirchenstr. 5, D-82194 Groebenzell, Germany
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Take Surveys. Earn Cash. Influence the Future of IT
> Join SourceForge.net's Techsay panel and you'll get the chance to share your
> opinions on IT & business topics through brief surveys-and earn cash
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>


-- 
Grant Likely, B.Sc. P.Eng.
Secret Lab Technologies Ltd.
grant.likely at secretlab.ca
(403) 399-0195

[U-Boot-Users] u-boot for Vertex4-based board.

[Leonid]

Behalf Of Grant Likely
On Wednesday, February 14, 2007 6:28 AM Grant Likely:
> > Are you aware that this setup is strongly discouraged? Have you read

> That's not necessarily relevant when using the virtex parts.  His only
> option might be to boot from SDRAM.  I've got a number of Virtex
> designs where the SystemACE (FPGA loader hardware) loads code into
> SDRAM after the FPGA is configured.
[Leonid] It's also not relevant for many ARM platforms as I wrote in my answer on Marcus' posting. In any rate I don't see anything specifically evil in such setup, quite opposite, it's much more convenient for debug since allows to reload code very quickly. I think I could resort to traditional for PPC (and probably for u-boot, being in the past PPCboot) loading algorithm in future if will see it fit.

> That being said; I actually use a 3 stage loading process.  I have an
> early boot loader which fits into Block RAM (BRAM, on chip memory) in
> the fpga.  Earlyboot loads a u-boot image off of the CF card which is
> attached to the system ace.  When u-boot starts, it is already in RAM.
[Leonid] I do precisely the same on many platforms. U-boot doesn't work on this particular board yet, but that to be expected - the board is new.

> In the past, I have bypassed the relocation code so I can run u-boot
> from where it was linked; 

[Leonid] You just commented out relocation function? Can you send me your change if you have saved one to try?

> but now I link u-boot to the base of ram and
> let the standard relocation code move it to the top of ram.  It's kind
> of an unnecessary copy; but I don't need to fiddle with the code as
> much.

[Leonid] Agree.

> BTW, Leonid;  You want to use ppc_4xx, not ppc_4xxFP.  I don't know
> about the uartlite driver.

[Leonid] I use ppc_4xx, now I'm running Kegel cross tool - all the same.

BTW, could you manage source level debug for you target? I download elf file via XMD and then try to connect GDB remotely, but addresses GDB show have nothing to do with real address (u-boot is located on 0x01f00000):

leonid at mylinux u-boot-1.1.4]$ ~/gdb-ppc/gdb/gdb -symbols=u-boot.map u-boot
GNU gdb 6.4
Copyright 2005 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
GDB is free software, covered by the GNU General Public License, and you are
welcome to change it and/or distribute copies of it under certain conditions.
Type "show copying" to see the conditions.
There is absolutely no warranty for GDB.  Type "show warranty" for details.
This GDB was configured as "--host=i686-pc-linux-gnu --target=powerpc-linux"...
(gdb) target remote 192.168.0.70:1234
Remote debugging using 192.168.0.70:1234
0x00000000 in ?? ()
(gdb) where
#0  0x00000000 in ?? ()
#1  0x01f0c8fc in env_init () at env_flash.c:270
#2  0x01f0c8fc in env_init () at env_flash.c:270
#3  0x01f0c8fc in env_init () at env_flash.c:270
#4  0x01f0c8fc in env_init () at env_flash.c:270
#5  0x01f0c8fc in env_init () at env_flash.c:270
Previous frame inner to this frame (corrupt stack?)
(gdb)  

Thanks,

Leonid.

[U-Boot-Users] u-boot for Vertex4-based board.

[Grant Likely]

On 2/14/07, Leonid <Leonid@a-k-a.net> wrote:
> Behalf Of Grant Likely
> > In the past, I have bypassed the relocation code so I can run u-boot
> > from where it was linked;
>
> [Leonid] You just commented out relocation function? Can you send me your change if you have saved one to try?

It's pretty trivial stuff.  I don't have a patch for you, but go into
start.S and look for the relocate_code symbol.  All the stuff between
there and clear_bss is strictly relocation code.  I just exported the
clear_bss symbol and called it from board_init_f!  (but I had to fix
up some of the calling parameters first.  *HUGE* hack, but it worked.
:)  I don't do this any more though.

(hint: add #define DEBUG above the includes in board.c)

> > BTW, Leonid;  You want to use ppc_4xx, not ppc_4xxFP.  I don't know
> > about the uartlite driver.
>
> [Leonid] I use ppc_4xx, now I'm running Kegel cross tool - all the same.
>
> BTW, could you manage source level debug for you target? I download elf file via XMD and then try to connect GDB remotely, but addresses GDB show have nothing to do with real address (u-boot is located on 0x01f00000):

You need to load the symbol table at an offset.  I think you use the
add-symbol-file command.  The details are in the u-boot documentation
somewhere.

Cheers,
g.

-- 
Grant Likely, B.Sc. P.Eng.
Secret Lab Technologies Ltd.
grant.likely at secretlab.ca
(403) 399-0195

[U-Boot-Users] u-boot for Vertex4-based board.

[Leonid]

On Wednesday, February 14, 2007 9:35 AM Grant Likely:
>  I don't do this any more though.

Actually, I have got u-boot working without that "dirty trick" already.

> You need to load the symbol table at an offset.  I think you use the
> add-symbol-file command.  The details are in the u-boot documentation
> somewhere.

Well, I expect that BEFORE relocation it must work without any special table be loaded. DULG says so and I have personal experience with Yosemite board. After all, ELF file is compiled with 0x01f00000 address and that where u-boot is loaded...

Thanks a lot,

Leonid.

[U-Boot-Users] u-boot for Vertex4-based board.

[Leonid]

On Tuesday, February 13, 2007 10:55 PM Markus Klotzb?cher:
> > I'm porting u-boot on Vertex-4 based board (with PPC405 inside); I'm
> > trying use ml403 u-boot as example. I have first stage boot loader,
> > taking my u-boot image from serial and loading it to SDRAM, u-boot is
> > configured to boot from main memory. 

> Are you aware that this setup is strongly discouraged? Have you read
> this:

>http://www.denx.de/wiki/view/DULG/CanUBootBeConfiguredSuchThatItCanBeStarte> dInRAM?

[Leonid] The answer in DULG FAQ chapter you are referring to doesn't say that such practice is bad, it simply states that u-boot doesn't support such an option. That could be truth in the time of DULG FAQ writing but now there are many platforms, naturally using 3-stage booting. For example, ATMEL ARM boards have small boot program which fetches u-boot from flash, loads it to RAM and then starts. I would like to hear why do you think it's so bad, but in any case this way u-boot is normally used for such boards (at91rm9200-ek for instance).

In my case I probably could change EDK project to put flash on the end of the memory, but I prefer to load u-boot via XMD debugger or serial directly to RAM - much more convenient for debugging - since otherwise I will need to burn flash each time I change something and I cannot use BDI2000 on this board. Xilinx tools are not that convenient for frequent flash burning.

Regards

Leonid.

[U-Boot-Users] u-boot for Vertex4-based board.

[Markus Klotzbücher]

Dear Leonid,

"Leonid" <Leonid@a-k-a.net> writes:

> On Tuesday, February 13, 2007 10:55 PM Markus Klotzb?cher:
>> > I'm porting u-boot on Vertex-4 based board (with PPC405 inside);
> I'm
>> > trying use ml403 u-boot as example. I have first stage boot
> loader,
>> > taking my u-boot image from serial and loading it to SDRAM, u-boot
> is
>> > configured to boot from main memory. 
>
>> Are you aware that this setup is strongly discouraged? Have you read
>> this:
>
>>http://www.denx.de/wiki/view/DULG/CanUBootBeConfiguredSuchThatItCanBeStarte>
> dInRAM?
>
> [Leonid] The answer in DULG FAQ chapter you are referring to doesn't
> say that such practice is bad, it simply states that u-boot doesn't
> support such an option. That could be truth in the time of DULG FAQ
> writing but now there are many platforms, naturally using 3-stage
> booting. For example, ATMEL ARM boards have small boot program which
> fetches u-boot from flash, loads it to RAM and then starts. I would
> like to hear why do you think it's so bad, but in any case this way
> u-boot is normally used for such boards (at91rm9200-ek for instance).

I didn't say it's bad to do this, I just wanted to point out that
starting U-Boot from RAM is not the standard way and you might
experience difficulties. Having said that, yes, I'm well aware there are
boards doing this, to be honest I have done it myself. Sometimes there
is no other way.

> In my case I probably could change EDK project to put flash on the end
> of the memory, but I prefer to load u-boot via XMD debugger or serial
> directly to RAM - much more convenient for debugging - since otherwise
> I will need to burn flash each time I change something and I cannot
> use BDI2000 on this board. Xilinx tools are not that convenient for
> frequent flash burning.

Well, I guess I would still burn U-Boot to flash if I had the
choice. This setup has been tested much better. But as you seem to know
what you are doing, it's ok.

Best Regards

     Markus

--
DENX Software Engineering GmbH, HRB 165235 Munich, CEO: Wolfgang Denk
Office:  Kirchenstr. 5,       D-82194 Groebenzell,            Germany

[U-Boot-Users] PLB TMAC 3.0 drivers for ML403 u-boot.

[Leonid]

Hi:

Can somebody send me code or location of PLB TMAC drivers for ML403
u-boot? I have got some u-boot tree which presumably supports ML403
(//www.xilinx.com/ml410-p/designs/u-boot.zip), but drivers there are for
some different core (under board/xilinx/xilinx_enet) - XEMAC instead of
XTEMAC. XTEMAC drivers are present in EDK tree, but I assume that many
people have already ported them to u-boot - can anybody please share
this code with me? I have everything working in u-boot but Ethernet...

Thanks,

Leonid.

[U-Boot-Users] u-boot for Vertex4-based board.

[Wolfgang Denk]

In message <406A31B117F2734987636D6CCC93EE3CB05891@ehost011-3.exch011.intermedia.net> you wrote:
> 
> [Leonid] The answer in DULG FAQ chapter you are referring to doesn't say th
> at such practice is bad, it simply states that u-boot doesn't support such
> an option. That could be truth in the time of DULG FAQ writing but now there

No, it does not say that U-Boot doesn't support this, it sais that
this is difficult, unsupported, and fraught with peril.

And "unsupported" means that: you might not  get  any  support  doing
this.

> are many platforms, naturally using 3-stage booting. For example, ATMEL
> ARM boards have small boot program which fetches u-boot from flash, loads it

And in which way is this a 3-stage procedure? I see only two  stages.
Also, in some cases this is absolutely not "naturally".

>  to RAM and then starts. I would like to hear why do you think it's so bad,
>  but in any case this way u-boot is normally used for such boards (at91rm9200-ek for instance).

This  has been discussed in lenght before. See the archives.


Best regards,

Wolfgang Denk

-- 
DENX Software Engineering GmbH, HRB 165235 Munich, CEO: Wolfgang Denk
Office:  Kirchenstr. 5,       D-82194 Groebenzell,            Germany
Phone: (+49)-8142-66989-10 Fax: (+49)-8142-66989-80 Email: wd at denx.de
"Don't worry about people stealing your ideas. If your ideas are  any
good, you'll have to ram them down people's throats."  - Howard Aiken

[U-Boot-Users] u-boot for Vertex4-based board.

[mikeIngle]

Leonoid,

I am working on a similar project:
   Avnet Virtex 4 mini-module configured with
      MPMC2 to 64Mb of x16 DDR
      OPB EMC to 4Mb x16 linear flash
      OPB to UARTLITE
      PLB to TEMAC

I also would like uartlite and temac drivers for both u-boot and linux
2.6.xx.
Where did you get to?
I am also considering the GSRD, but right now I just want to get a
bootloader working

My boot sequence (planned)
step 1
Hardware and initial bootloader (executing from BRAM, later from cache ALA
Ultra Controller?) placed in platform flash
Load U-boot to memory, or jump to U-boot in flash?

step 2
Load linux image from either flash or from TFTP server


What is assumed by the existing drivers in terms of interrupts and DMA?

Mike


Leonid-4 wrote:
> 
> Hi:
> 
> I'm porting u-boot on Vertex-4 based board (with PPC405 inside); I'm
> trying use ml403 u-boot as example. I have first stage boot loader,
> taking my u-boot image from serial and loading it to SDRAM, u-boot is
> configured to boot from main memory. 
> 
> Several questions:
> 
> 1) I'm using ELDK 3.1.1 as crosstool; which target should I choose:
> ppc_4xxFP or ppc_4xx?
> 
> 2) My board unlike ML403 has UARTLITE for serial interface. Can I use
> serial_xuartlite.c from microblaze directory?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Leonid.
> 
> 
> 
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Take Surveys. Earn Cash. Influence the Future of IT
> Join SourceForge.net's Techsay panel and you'll get the chance to share
> your
> opinions on IT & business topics through brief surveys-and earn cash
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> 

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[U-Boot-Users] Spartan-3e Starter Kit SW EDK application for SPI serial flash.

[Leonid]

Hi:

Xilinx Spartan-3e Starter kit board has SPI serial flash on it, but
standard EDK project, supplied with this kit doesn't contain SPI IP core
or SW application which can be used with it.

Does somebody have such EDK project/SW application?

Thanks,

Leonid.