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Altera_Forum's avatar
Altera_Forum
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19 years ago

about sdram addrss/data bus shared

hi all:

In tne altera reference design, the SDRAM not share address/data bus with flash,

sram, lan chip. But in my design I shared sdaram address/data bus with flash to

reduce IO pins. Now I meet a problem. I can run the single program fine without

OS.But when I run uClinux 2.6 os on own board the system will boot fail.The fail

information is CRC erro. However I run the same uClinux 2.6 os on altera cyclone

1c20 dev board, it is work fine.The difference is my design shared the SDRAM a/d

bus with flash.I think maybe the reason is disturb.

Who can give me some advice to solve the question?

Thank a lot!

8 Replies

  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    19 years ago

    So you program sof and kernel to flash, then try to boot without jtag debug/terminal?

    Please give more error message.
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    19 years ago

    --- Quote Start ---

    originally posted by hippo@Apr 10 2006, 10:39 PM

    so you program sof and kernel to flash, then try to boot without jtag debug/terminal?

    please give more error message.

    <div align='right'><{post_snapback}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=14218)

    --- quote end ---

    --- Quote End ---

    hi hippo:

    Can I program sof in the epcs and program zImage in the flash?
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    19 years ago

    Sounds like you have hardware issues. If you have SDRAM and Flash on the same bus (which is a bad idea IMO), the SDRAM bus will be more heavily loaded, meaning you should test it for stability first.

    - You should run the SDRAM at full speed with a hardware core to verify for errors

    - Have you downloaded just to SDRAM and run from RAM instead of Flash?

    - If you can, disable or remove the Flash chip and just run from SDRAM. This should help you narrow down the problem.
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    19 years ago

    --- Quote Start ---

    originally posted by jdhar@Apr 11 2006, 02:04 AM

    sounds like you have hardware issues. if you have sdram and flash on the same bus (which is a bad idea imo), the sdram bus will be more heavily loaded, meaning you should test it for stability first.

    - you should run the sdram at full speed with a hardware core to verify for errors

    - have you downloaded just to sdram and run from ram instead of flash?

    - if you can, disable or remove the flash chip and just run from sdram. this should help you narrow down the problem.

    <div align='right'><{post_snapback}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=14231)

    --- quote end ---

    --- Quote End ---

    Thank you for reply.

    I just downloaded zImage to sdram use "nios2-download -g zImage" command.
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    19 years ago

    --- Quote Start ---

    originally posted by alex824+apr 11 2006, 01:59 am--><div class='quotetop'>quote (alex824 @ apr 11 2006, 01:59 am)</div>

    --- quote start ---

    <!--quotebegin-hippo@Apr 10 2006, 10:39 PM

    so you program sof and kernel to flash, then try to boot without jtag debug/terminal?

    please give more error message.

    <div align='right'><{post_snapback}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=14218)

    --- quote end ---

    --- Quote End ---

    hi hippo:

    Can I program sof in the epcs and program zImage in the flash?

    <div align='right'><{post_snapback}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=14230)</div>

    [/b]

    --- Quote End ---

    sorry. The question of my is wrong.

    The correct question is: Can I program pof in the epcs flash and program zImage in the cfi flash?
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    19 years ago

    [<div align='right'><{post_snapback}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=14247)</div>

    --- Quote End ---

    sure,

    setup nios2 to reset from cfi flash in sopc builder, and generate.

    setup your fpga to configure from AS, epcs in quartusII and compile . the config mode pins of fpga should be wired to epcs (standard or fast) config mode .

    then you can program the sof to epcs, and zImage to cfi flash, as in step7 in the buildroot guide, 

    # Creating .flash file for the FPGA configuration
sof2flash --epcs --input=your_system.sof --output=standard.flash#  Programming flash with the FPGA configuration
nios2-flash-programmer --epcs --base=0x02200000 standard.flash#  Creating .flash file for the project
elf2flash --base=0x00000000 --end=0xffffff --reset=0x0 --input=zImage --output=ext_flash.flash --boot=$SOPC_KIT_NIOS2/components/altera_nios2/boot_loader_cfi.srec#  Programming flash with the project
nios2-flash-programmer --base=0x00000000 ext_flash.flash

    <div align='right'><{post_snapback}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=14251)</div>

    --- Quote End ---

    hi hippo:

    Thank you for you reply.But I still have some doubt.

    If I use quartus programer burn the cpu.pof in to EPCS4 using AS mode by jtag download cable.Do I need exec following step?

    # Creating .flash file for the FPGA configuration

    sof2flash --epcs --input=your_system.sof --output=standard.flash# Programming flash with the FPGA configuration

    nios2-flash-programmer --epcs --base=0x02200000 standard.flash

    Because the nios2 cpu.pof have already exist the EPCS4.When I pown on the

    customer board , the FPGA will download the cpu.pof from the EPCS4 ,then the

    nios2 cpu will reset from the cfi flash address 0x00000000.
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
    Icon for Honored Contributor rankHonored Contributor
    19 years ago

    --- Quote Start ---

    [<div align='right'><{post_snapback}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=14247)</div>

    --- Quote End ---

    sure,

    setup nios2 to reset from cfi flash in sopc builder, and generate.

    setup your fpga to configure from AS, epcs in quartusII and compile . the config mode pins of fpga should be wired to epcs (standard or fast) config mode .

    then you can program the sof to epcs, and zImage to cfi flash, as in step7 in the buildroot guide, 

    # Creating .flash file for the FPGA configuration
sof2flash --epcs --input=your_system.sof --output=standard.flash#  Programming flash with the FPGA configuration
nios2-flash-programmer --epcs --base=0x02200000 standard.flash#  Creating .flash file for the project
elf2flash --base=0x00000000 --end=0xffffff --reset=0x0 --input=zImage --output=ext_flash.flash --boot=$SOPC_KIT_NIOS2/components/altera_nios2/boot_loader_cfi.srec#  Programming flash with the project
nios2-flash-programmer --base=0x00000000 ext_flash.flash

    <div align='right'><{post_snapback}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=14251)</div>

    --- Quote End ---

    hi hippo:

    Thank you for you reply.But I still have some doubt.

    If I use quartus programer burn the cpu.pof in to EPCS4 using AS mode by jtag download cable.Do I need exec following step?

    # Creating .flash file for the FPGA configuration

    sof2flash --epcs --input=your_system.sof --output=standard.flash# Programming flash with the FPGA configuration

    nios2-flash-programmer --epcs --base=0x02200000 standard.flash

    Because the nios2 cpu.pof have already exist the EPCS4.When I pown on the

    customer board , the FPGA will download the cpu.pof from the EPCS4 ,then the

    nios2 cpu will reset from the cfi flash address 0x00000000.

    <div align='right'><{post_snapback}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=14264)</div>

    --- Quote End ---

    The two methods do the same thing.

    So you can just use quartusII programmer for pof.

    there is no need to use sof2flash again.