3.5.1. Flash via USB Device Firmware Upgrade (DFU)

Flash Writer is a tool used to flash binaries to the on-board memory. This application note provides instructions on how to use flash writer tool for flashing. Flash writer script will use USB DFU to boot the board and then flash the binaries to on-board memory. This tool also supports flashing multiple boards via DFU simultaneously.

3.5.1.1. Get Tool

3.5.1.1.1. SDK installer

Download and install Processer SDK Installer. For steps refer Download and Install the SDK.

3.5.1.1.2. Clone repository

The sources are publicly available at git.ti.com/uboot-flash-writer.

You can clone the sources on your host by running the following commands,

git clone https://git.ti.com/git/processor-sdk/uboot-flash-writer.git
git checkout master

3.5.1.2. Important files

bin/ - Contains boot binaries used to boot the board via USB DFU, also config files for GP, HS and HS-SE.
src/ - other python modules.
dfu_flash.py - main python script that is to be run.
Python script for flashing via DFU is located at <TI_SDK_PATH>/bin/DFU_flash/dfu_flash.py.
Config files and example dfu boot binaries are located at <TI_SDK_PATH>/bin/DFU_flash/bin/<device>/.

3.5.1.3. Requirements

Linux or Windows Development PC that can access serial console.
Type C USB cable
dfu-util program needs to installed on your host.

3.5.1.3.1. For Ubuntu

sudo apt-get install dfu-util

3.5.1.3.2. For Windows

Download the dfu-util-0.9-win64.zip file from dfu-util site. Place executable files in a directory ex. C:\Program Files\dfu-util and then edit the environment variables to add this path.

Download Zadig installer from here.

Put the device in DFU mode. Then run the Zadig_<version>.exe file.

Select libusbK and then click the Install Driver button. For more information about libusbK, refer wiki.

Python (3.10+)
dfu-util installed on host (0.11+)
USB hub to connect multiple boards (Optional)
UART to read the logs from the EVM (Optional)

3.5.1.4. Flow of flashing

Host PC is connected to boards via USB Type C.
After tool is run, it will detect the boards. Script will send the bootloader binaries ( tiboot3.bin, tispl.bin and u-boot.img ) from host PC to boards and boards will be booted.
After the boards are booted, tool will send uEnv.txt file from host PC to boards.
Environment variables on boards is set using uEnv.txt and boards are now ready for flashing. tool can now flash files from host PC to boards.

3.5.1.5. Building bootloader binaries for flashing and DFU boot

Override the bootcmd command to receive the environment variable text file after DFU boot and flash the binaries/images. Following change needs to be done.

Pre-built DFU boot binaries for TI boards are already present in bin directory. To flash custom board(s) generate the boot binaries and place them in <TI_SDK_PATH>/bin/DFU_flash/bin/<board>/<type> folder.

Following change needs to be done in <platform>_a53_defconfig file located at following path inside the SDK /board-support/ti-u-boot-2024*/configs/.

Add or update the CONFIG_BOOTCOMMAND

CONFIG_BOOTCOMMAND="setenv dfu_alt_info_flashenv uEnv.txt ram 0x82000000 0x10000000; setenv dfu_alt_info ${dfu_alt_info_flashenv}; dfu 0 ram 0; env import -t ${loadaddr} $filesize; run user_commands;"

It will enable script to send uEnv.txt file, import the environment variables from the uEnv.txt file and run user_commands after DFU boot. The user_commands variable is defined in the uEnv.txt file and the value assigned will be based on flashing memory and binaries/images to be flashed.

Additionallly, these changes can also be done:

To make sure board does not use saved environment variables after boot.

Add below line.
CONFIG_ENV_IS_NOWHERE=y

Remove below line.
CONFIG_ENV_IS_IN_MMC=y

To decrease boot delay to 0
CONFIG_BOOTDELAY=0

For DFU boot, build the bootloader images using below configs file. Following change is needed in Rules.make file present in the top level of Linux SDK Installer.

UBOOT_MACHINE_R5=am64x_evm_r5_defconfig

Generate the bootloader images for DFU boot using top-level makefile by running following commands on the terminal from the top-level of the Linux SDK installer.

$ make u-boot_clean
$ make u-boot

Save the bootloader binaries generated in a separate directory. These bootloader images will be used for DFU boot and to start flashing the images. The bootloader images after make will be generated in the following path.

board-support/u-boot_build/r5/tiboot3.bin
board-support/u-boot_build/a53/tispl.bin
board-support/u-boot_build/a53/u-boot.img

DFU boot binaries are required for flashing. These DFU binaries once booted on the board listens for the images to be flashed over USB DFU. Go to the respective directory bin/$device/$type and copy paste the DFU boot binaries (tiboot3.bin, tispl.bin, u-boot.img).

For more details regarding USB DFU refer USB Device Firmware Upgrade (DFU).

3.5.1.6. Connections

Power off the EVM and set up the boot mode switches to boot from USB DFU

SW2-11001100
SW3-00000000

Power on the board.

Optionally you can also connect host PC to board via UART to read the console logs.

3.5.1.7. Preparing the Flash Configuration file

Go to the directory bin/$device/$type according to the device and the type.
Edit the configuration file flash-files.cfg to list the commands for each of the files to be flashed.
For each config line, prepare the following three arguments separated by space.
Edit the path of files to be flashed using -file=${path}.
Edit the operation using --operation=${flash-nor|flash-emmc|flash-nand|flash-gpmc_nand}.
The operation flash-nor is used to flash the SPI NOR.
The operation flash-nand is used to flash the SPI NAND.
The operation flash-emmc is used to flash the eMMC.
The operation flash-gpmc_nand is used to flash the GPMC NAND.
Edit the offset using --offset=${hex_address}.

3.5.1.8. Flashing the files

Change the working directory in terminal to flash writer tool directory i.e. <TI_SDK_PATH>/bin/DFU_flash/

$ ${PYTHON} dfu_flash.py [ -d device ] [ -t type ] [ -c cfg ] [ -r reset]

where ${PYTHON} evalutes to specific python command according to the OS.
In most cases, this should be `python` for Windows while `python3` for Linux.

Options

    - -d | --device : Argument to identify the device (Mandatory).
    - -t | --type   : Argument to identify the type of the device gp,hs,hsfs (Mandatory).
    - -c | --cfg    : Argument to get the path of the custom configuration file.
    - -r | --reset  : Argument to reset the board after flashing.

3.5.1.8.1. Flash to eMMC

Flashing to eMMC needs and additional attributes named --attributes in flash configuration file. The key --attributes is only valid for eMMC and has the following value:

--attributes="<raw|part>,<hwpart>,<partid>"

Use raw for raw flashing to any offset of any hardware partition in eMMC. If raw is used, only hwpart is required and the third parameter partid should be set to -.
Use part for raw flashing to a partition defined in GPT or DOS partition table. If part is used, both hwpart & partid are required.
It should be noted using part requires a partition table already in the respective hardware partition in eMMC. For steps refer Partitioning eMMC from U-Boot.

In the config file, specify operation as

--operation=flash-emmc

Run following command in Linux or Windows to start the flash tool.

$ ${PYTHON} dfu_flash.py -d <device> -t <type> -c <cfg file>

3.5.1.8.2. Flash to SPI NOR

In the config file, specify operation as

--operation=flash-nor

Run following command in Linux or Windows host to start the flash tool.

$ ${PYTHON} dfu_flash.py -d <device> -t <type> -c <cfg file>

3.5.1.8.3. Flash to SPI NAND

In the config file, specify operation as

--operation=flash-nand

Run following command in Linux or Windows host to start the flash tool.

$ ${PYTHON} dfu_flash.py -d <device> -t <type> -c <cfg file>

3.5.1.8.4. Flash to GPMC NAND

In the config file, specify operation as

--operation=flash-gpmc_nand

Run following command in Linux or Windows host to start the flash tool.

$ ${PYTHON} dfu_flash.py -d <device> -t <type> -c <cfg file>