Hello, I need to update the configuration device (EPCS4N) of a Cyclone II FPGA (EP2CF4848N). Sector number 7 was used to store information that is programmed during production. I would like to maintain the information stored in this sector, but saw that when I download the new configuration using a JIC file that the complete contents of the EPCS4 device is erased before the new configuration data is programmed. Are there any tools available that will allow me to only update the lower sectors, or to read out the top sector and then program it again after the update? Thanks, Richard.

Are you certain the JIC method overwrites the entire device? You can use the NIOS flash programmer which will only erase the space required for the new data. Jake

Yes I tested, after programming the new JIC file the sector that I am interested in is filled with 0xff. The problem with the Nios flash programmer is that I need a Nios core running on the FPGA. I do not have a valid Nios license to generate such a configuration, and also don't have any experience in using Nios.

Hi Raz, In this case, you need to use altasmi_parallel megafunction to write into the EPCS from your FPGA in user mode. The correct file format to be written into the EPCS is RPD file. You need to generate RPD file using QII conversion tool- Convert Programming File. However, the default RPD file also overwrite the whole EPCS memory with unused memory set to '1'. You only need the portion of the RPD file that consists the configuration data. Therefore, you need to use external binary tool to crop away the unused data and sustain the useful configuration data within the RPD, namely modified-RPD. With this, you only begin to write the rpd file into the EPCS at memory location 0x0. In fact, you also can sector protect the EPCS memory using the altasmi_parallel megafunction. See details in the User Guide. altasmi_parallel: http://www.altera.com/literature/ug/mfug_asmi.pdf Please make sure the relevant inputs into the altasmi_parallel block are correct and hopefully you can get it done well. Please try to write simple data into the EPCS and read it out to confirm the altasmi_parallel megafunction is working well now before you proceed to write the entire configuration data into the EPCS for reconfiguration purpose. I hope this help out pretty well. Regards, KT

Richard, have you had success with this? I am trying to achieve the same function currently. I store parameters to flash during production and want to update the configuration without overwriting these parameters. I too am not using the NIOS.

Hi Wahilakn, I managed to get it working. What I did was to compile a minimal NIOS core, upload this first to the FPGA using the quartus_pgm.exe, and then used the nios2-flash-programmer.exe utility to erase and program only parts of the EPCS device. This is a bit of a hack, but I did not find another way to do it. Regards, Richard.

Preserving sectors in an EPCS

14 Replies

Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor
16 years ago
Are you certain the JIC method overwrites the entire device? You can use the NIOS flash programmer which will only erase the space required for the new data.

Jake
Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor
16 years ago
Yes I tested, after programming the new JIC file the sector that I am interested in is filled with 0xff.

The problem with the Nios flash programmer is that I need a Nios core running on the FPGA. I do not have a valid Nios license to generate such a configuration, and also don't have any experience in using Nios.
Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor
16 years ago
Hi Raz,

In this case, you need to use altasmi_parallel megafunction to write into the EPCS from your FPGA in user mode. The correct file format to be written into the EPCS is RPD file. You need to generate RPD file using QII conversion tool- Convert Programming File. However, the default RPD file also overwrite the whole EPCS memory with unused memory set to '1'. You only need the portion of the RPD file that consists the configuration data. Therefore, you need to use external binary tool to crop away the unused data and sustain the useful configuration data within the RPD, namely modified-RPD. With this, you only begin to write the rpd file into the EPCS at memory location 0x0.

In fact, you also can sector protect the EPCS memory using the altasmi_parallel megafunction. See details in the User Guide.
altasmi_parallel: http://www.altera.com/literature/ug/mfug_asmi.pdf

Please make sure the relevant inputs into the altasmi_parallel block are correct and hopefully you can get it done well. Please try to write simple data into the EPCS and read it out to confirm the altasmi_parallel megafunction is working well now before you proceed to write the entire configuration data into the EPCS for reconfiguration purpose.

I hope this help out pretty well.

Regards,
KT
Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor
16 years ago
Richard, have you had success with this? I am trying to achieve the same function currently. I store parameters to flash during production and want to update the configuration without overwriting these parameters. I too am not using the NIOS.
Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor
16 years ago
Hi Wahilakn,

I managed to get it working. What I did was to compile a minimal NIOS core, upload this first to the FPGA using the quartus_pgm.exe, and then used the nios2-flash-programmer.exe utility to erase and program only parts of the EPCS device.

This is a bit of a hack, but I did not find another way to do it.

Regards,
Richard.
Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor
16 years ago
Sorry. I would have suggested this to you but I assumed you were trying to avoid NIOS.

Jake
Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor
16 years ago
--- Quote Start ---
Hi Wahilakn,

I managed to get it working. What I did was to compile a minimal NIOS core, upload this first to the FPGA using the quartus_pgm.exe, and then used the nios2-flash-programmer.exe utility to erase and program only parts of the EPCS device.

This is a bit of a hack, but I did not find another way to do it.

Regards,
Richard.
--- Quote End ---

Richard,

I wanted to avoid NIOS if possible, but to maintain user flash, this seems to be the way to go. I am still using the ALTASMI_PARALLEL megafunction to do my reads and writes. I built a NIOS with the recommended peripherals according to the Nios II Flash Programmer User guide and added this to my project.

So now the problem is that the Fitter fails. It cannot place a node:
Error: Cannot place node "calibration:calibration_0|NIOS_FLSH_PRGMR:NIOS|epcs_flash_controller_0:the_epcs_flash_controller_0|tornado_epcs_flash_controller_0_atom:the_tornado_epcs_flash_controller_0_atom|internal_data0out" of type ASMI block

Do you know if there is contention between the Nios and the ALTASM function? Perhaps I am missing a setting somewhere?

Thanks,
Kevin
Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor
16 years ago
I cannot get the ALTASMI megafunction and the Nios EPCS peripheral to get along. Perhaps I will use AS for the initial config of the EPCS. Then if I want to reconfigure the device after I have already written to the user portion of flash, I will use a separate project that just contains the Nios, program the FPGA using the sof via JTAG, then run the nios flash programmer to write the new config data to the EPCS device. Wow that sounds convoluted...
Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor
16 years ago
Yes it does sound convoluted. However, consider the following:

1 - Your scheme is no more convoluted than using the Quartus programmer with the JIC method. The programmer downloads a special image to the FPGA which it can then use to communicate with to reprogram the flash. You'd basically be doing the same thing.
2 - You don't have to use AS for the initial config. You could program your special image into the FPGA and use the nios2-flash-programmer for your initial config. No reason to maintain two processes.
3 - I suspect your proposed method still yields a faster programming time with the NIOS over the AS method.

Jake
Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor
16 years ago
I should ask as well. What data exactly do you need to read/write from/to the EPCS device from your firmware design? Is it just the user parameters or are you also doing remote field upgrades of the firmware through this mechanism? How much data do the user parameters consist of?

Jake

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Preserving sectors in an EPCS

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