EPCS fpga+nios field update

okay so I managed to create a boot loader based on yours which holds

safe image at 0x0000 page 0x0

user image at 0xe0000 page 0x0

My question is now; how do I get it into my design flow in order to create the base image with the safe image?

I did the following:

'elf2flash --after=factory.flash --epcs --input=sw.elf --output=sw.flash --boot=fos_boot_loader_epcs.srec'

which I programmed into the epcs, the factory firmware was loaded correctly!

then I made the user firmware by:

' bin2flash --input=app_image.bin --output=app_image_flash --location=0xe0000'

and programmed it to the epcs

When I run the reconfiguration my factory fimrware is still loaded!

-mitch

I'm a little surprised that you created the bootloader so quickly. Makes me wonder if you missed something. Let's assume you didn't though.

By default, the EPCS controller peripheral in the SoPC system contains a block RAM. This block RAM contains the bootloader. That is why setting your NIOS processor's reset address to the address of the EPCS controller works.

That bootloader that I wrote is meant to replace the bootloader that is inside the RAM in the EPCS controller peripheral. If you are going to do it the same way you need to find some way to get your compiled bootloader into that RAM in place of the default bootloader.

I'm going to suggest a way of doing this that I actually haven't done yet but I think it will be easier for you.

Look in the folder where you've generated your SoPC system. You should see a file named something like "epcs_controller_boot_rom.hex". Your name might be different if you named your EPCS controller component differently. That ".hex" file contains the compiled bootloader that goes into the RAM block. Quartus compiles it into the FPGA image during assembly. You need to overwrite that file with your own compiled bootloader.

1 - Compile your bootloader.

2 - Create a .hex file (or .mif) file out of your .elf file and name it the same as the one being used by the EPCS controller.

3 - Copy your ".hex" file over the top of the old one.

4 - From Quartus run "Processing->Update Memory Initialization File". When that completes run "Processing->Start->Start Assembler". (If you have Smart Compilation enabled for the project you should just be able to hit the compile button and it will automatically determine just to do these steps). This will create a new SOF file with your bootloader in the EPCS RAM block.

You'll need to keep an eye out to see if/when your bootloader gets squashed by the other one (I assume it's going to be regenerated at some point). If you want to avoid this, I can suggest another method that may be slightly more complicated. It's basically telling Quartus to use a different ".hex" file to initialize that RAM block instead of the original.

Jake

thanks, will have to try that tomorrow :)

What I did was to compare your files agains the standard ones in my altera installation.

Since the standard ones are made for the stratix as well as the cyclone I assumed that I just needed to add your check routines for the safe and the user image to my file. Uncomment the altera standard ID checking.

And then run a make together with my system.h and epcs base.

This is properly not the most elegant way :rolleyes:

-mitch

The other part you're going to have to change is my code that interacts with the remote update controller. This is not the same for Cyclone III.

Jake

So it is not enough too point it to he EPCS base address and make sure that the compared registers are those written by the remote_update block?

-mitch

Hi Jake,

I´m also trying to use the remote system upgrade, changing the boot.

I´ve already seen other posts from you about this issue, hope you can help me. I can´t manage to build the boot (not even the altera original files without any change).

I´m just taking the sources in:

C:\altera\90\nios2eds\components\altera_nios2\boot_loader_sources

Without any change, and within this folder, I´m trying with the command shell:

make CODE_BASE=0x000000 EPCS_REGS_BASE=0x2001800 clean all

(in the SOPC the epcs controller is on base address from 0x2001800 to 0x2001fff)

Next, I type:

elf2hex --base=0 --end=0x1ff --width=32 --input=obj/boot_loader_epcs_sii_siii_ciii.elf --output=epcs_flash_controller_0_boot_rom.hex

The output file has the same name as the default (epcs_flash_controller_0_boot_rom.hex). Thus, the INIT memory of the EPCS has the file already assigned, and I only overwrite it in the quartus folder.

I recompile the quartus project, and I use the flash programmer to program the, the sof+application. After power down, It doesn´t boot anymore.

1- Am I using the elf2hex properly? what about the --width and --end?

2- My device is EP3C40, am I using the correct file or shall I use any other of the altera "boot_loader_sources" folder? I tried "boot_loader_epcs_sii_siii_ciii_be.elf" and "boot_loader_epcs.elf", but it´s the same.

I started this with Quartus 9.1 64 bits, but I changed to Quartus 9.0 32 bits, as I thought that there may be some bugs...(have no idea what else to do).

Thanks in advance,

Melo

I have found some nice example here: http://www.grigaitis.eu/?p=514

There is remote update example to EPCS using UART it may help...

Hi Melo,

did you find the solution in the meantime?

I've got the same problem...

Hi,

yes, I finally did it.

from the source code of the boot of altera and the one of "jakobjones", withing the folder of the makefile, just type in the command shell: "make clean all".

The makefile includes in the INCLUDES2 the folder where the system.h is, to take the BASE of the remote_system_upgrade.

From the files I took from "jakobjones", I changed the boot_loader.S and the boot_loader_epcs_bits_sii_siii_ciii.S. For example, when it reopens the epcs at byte_N, I do:

addi r_flash_ptr, r_reconfig_image_base, N

I read the remote system upgrade, and boot from the address 0x200000 if the reconfiguration register is not zero.

Finally, I create the .hex with:

elf2hex --width=32 --base=0x0 --end=0x3ff --input=obj/boot_loader_epcs.elf --output=epcs_flash_controller_0_boot_rom.hex --record=4 --lower

It works. Remember you have to do it again everytime you make a generate in the sopc, as it overwrites the file with the standard "epcs_flash_controller_0_boot_rom".

I've attached the makefile, boot_loader.h, boot_loader.S and boot_loader_epcs_bits_sii_siii_ciii.S. (sorry, I don´t have the winzip at this moment, I just added the .doc extension to upload the file, just throw it).

hope it helps,

Melo.

I have a Cyclone III (3C16) with a NiosII processor with external RAM and I would like to have remote update functionality. My first goal is to able to switch from safe image to user image for as the FPGA configuration (hardware image) and NiosII executable (software image)... and I cannot get this workign!

I'm able to have a safe and user hardware as wel software image in the EPCS device for my Cyclone III

I'm using the Remote System Update and I'm able to switch from the first hardware image to the second hardware image.

But the problem is that my second hardware image loads the software image of my first hardware image.

So after reading several threads on the forum and AN458, AN429 and AN548 I understand that I need to change the bootloader of the EPCS controller. I should give an offset where the bootloader is going to search for the NiosII software Image.

The content of the EPCS is as follow:

0x00000 hwimage_app1..hex followed by swimage_app1.hex

0x90000 hwimage_app2.hex followed by swimage_app2.hex

I'm not very experienced in assembler... but I tried the file "boot_loader_epcs_bits_sii_siii_ciii.S":

// 1) Open EPCS-device at flash-offset zero.

//

movi r_flash_ptr, 0

and changed it to "movi r_flash_ptr, 0x90000".

Then I compiled these files with the make command in the boot_loader_sources directory, I replaced my EPCS_controller in the SOPC builder, generate the NiosII and recompile the Quartus project.

I also checked the bootloader from Melo_01.. and from his comment in the sources I understood that he is spanish...

Can any one help me to change the bootloader to start my second software image. I think I only need to make a small step...