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Altera_Forum's avatar
Altera_Forum
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21 years ago

FlashProgrammer

Hello,

I have a question about FlashProgrammer.

I want to write data in two 16bit Flash ROMs

I made interface as one of 32 bit Flash ROM.

Interface is 32bit data,22bit address.

Flash ROM is Fujitsu.

But the data can not be written in Flash Programmer.

Data is written only about 16 bits.

As the result,data is written only in one Flash ROM.

Will FlashProgrammer not be able to write data in two Flash ROM even if it shares data and an address bus?

The board must be revised if not solving this problem.

Can I have some good idea?

Best Regards,

suyo

5 Replies

  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    21 years ago

    Take a look at the flash programming hardware (under the Nios II kit install/comonents/<name of your board>) From there you can see what the flash programmer sends to the board first before programming the flash (need to have a hardware design present to do the flash programming). If you have to modify that hardware be sure to backup the original (just in case you break it). Also the contents are read only so you would have to change that as well.

    My question is are you going after higher access speeds to flash (usually most people don&#39;t care too much about flash access speed and just use it in 8/16 bit modes).
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    21 years ago

    If your trying to use the Flash programmer on a custom board then presumably you have created your own Flash programmer hardware to download to the FPGA, as the standard ones are specific to a particular Altera kit.

    Regardless, if the Altera code is written to work with 16 bit Flash width only then it will not work.

    One idea if you get really stuck, though it&#39;s a bit a nightmare, would be to create 2 flash programmer harwdware designs - one that connects to the lower 16 bits of the flash data bus, one that connects to the upper 16 bits. You would then have to create 2 flash programming files, one containing the least significant 16 bits of your flash data the other containg the ms 16 bits. You could then program the upper and lower halves of your 32 bit wide flash devices seperately.

    The hardest part of this is creating the two flash files from the original one.... but it may be easier and cheaper than re-spinning your PCB.
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    21 years ago

    Hi,

    Thanks BadOmen and Mark.

    I confirmed Flash Programming Hardware.

    Therefore, I had one doubt about firmware,data RAM and payload_buffer.

    Firmware and data RAM are 32bit but payload_buffer is 16 bit.

    I rewrite 32 bit of the payload_buffer.

    But it has returned to 16 bits when Generate.

    I think that 32 bit data can not write in two 16 bit FlashROMs because payload_buffer is 16 bits.

    Mark&#39;s idea is good,but difficult.

    One program must be completely divided.

    I think that I need think about the program memory, too.

    Can I have some good idea?
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    21 years ago

    This is a sticky situation. I would read up on the flash programmer documentation to see if there is any information in there. Off the top of my head I can&#39;t think of a clean solution.