V4LX25-ES and systemACE

Hi

has any one some hints or tips how to get an Virtex4 LX25-ES configured from
SystemACE?
we can configure from iMpact and if we load the uclinux kernel from XMD it
works too.
but now when I try to load the uclinux image from CompactFlash then there
are problems
if the FPGA is configured by impact then there will always be random sector
read errors
when attempting to load the image.bin from CompactFlash. On ML300 I had to
load from
CF in order to access the CF, but with V4LX the FPGA config from
CompactFlash doesnt
seem to work, the status led blinks once and then the error led goes on. I
assume it is the TDO
tristate problem with -ES samples, but...

ML401 has systemACE as well and that works! So whats the trick ??

Antti

"Antti Lukats" <antti@openchip.org> wrote in message 
news:cua695$on8$01$1@news.t-online.com...
> Hi
>
> has any one some hints or tips how to get an Virtex4 LX25-ES configured 
> from
> SystemACE?
> we can configure from iMpact and if we load the uclinux kernel from XMD it
> works too.
> but now when I try to load the uclinux image from CompactFlash then there
> are problems
> if the FPGA is configured by impact then there will always be random 
> sector
> read errors
> when attempting to load the image.bin from CompactFlash. On ML300 I had to
> load from
> CF in order to access the CF, but with V4LX the FPGA config from
> CompactFlash doesnt
> seem to work, the status led blinks once and then the error led goes on. I
> assume it is the TDO

I get this symptom with a V2Pro board.  When I load the compact flash with 
the bit, bmm, and elf file.  When I just load the bit file into the compact 
flash, I get same symptom you get.  Also, the error reg in the sysace has a 
value of 0x000000C0 after the error LED goes on.  This doesn't solve your 
problem, but is another point of data.

regards,
-Newman

> tristate problem with -ES samples, but...
>
> ML401 has systemACE as well and that works! So whats the trick ??
>
> Antti
>
> 

"newman5382" <newman5382@yahoo.com> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:1t4Od.15793$qB6.2868@tornado.tampabay.rr.com...
>
> "Antti Lukats" <antti@openchip.org> wrote in message
> news:cua695$on8$01$1@news.t-online.com...
> > Hi
> >
> > has any one some hints or tips how to get an Virtex4 LX25-ES configured
> > from
> > SystemACE?
> > we can configure from iMpact and if we load the uclinux kernel from XMD
it
> > works too.
> > but now when I try to load the uclinux image from CompactFlash then
there
> > are problems
> > if the FPGA is configured by impact then there will always be random
> > sector
> > read errors
> > when attempting to load the image.bin from CompactFlash. On ML300 I had
to
> > load from
> > CF in order to access the CF, but with V4LX the FPGA config from
> > CompactFlash doesnt
> > seem to work, the status led blinks once and then the error led goes on.
I
> > assume it is the TDO
>
> I get this symptom with a V2Pro board.  When I load the compact flash with
> the bit, bmm, and elf file.  When I just load the bit file into the
compact
how?
you mean when the bit file in the ACE file containts both fgpga bitstream
and elf data?
there is now way to directly load the Cf with elf and bmm, or

well with V2Pro boards I havent had problems, except that I wasnt able
to access the OPB_sysace unless the bitstream was loaded from CF
as well, but this was maybe becuase I did not chanhe the systemace
init mode to disable the auto load

> flash, I get same symptom you get.  Also, the error reg in the sysace has
a
> value of 0x000000C0 after the error LED goes on.  This doesn't solve your
> problem, but is another point of data.
hm I think I got 0x80 as or 0xB0 as errors

> regards,
> -Newman
well thanks any points are welcome!
Antti

"Antti Lukats" <antti@openchip.org> wrote in message 
news:cuakor$itp$05$1@news.t-online.com...
> "newman5382" <newman5382@yahoo.com> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
> news:1t4Od.15793$qB6.2868@tornado.tampabay.rr.com...
>>
>> "Antti Lukats" <antti@openchip.org> wrote in message
>> news:cua695$on8$01$1@news.t-online.com...
>> > Hi
>> >
>> > has any one some hints or tips how to get an Virtex4 LX25-ES configured
>> > from
>> > SystemACE?
>> > we can configure from iMpact and if we load the uclinux kernel from XMD
> it
>> > works too.
>> > but now when I try to load the uclinux image from CompactFlash then
> there
>> > are problems
>> > if the FPGA is configured by impact then there will always be random
>> > sector
>> > read errors
>> > when attempting to load the image.bin from CompactFlash. On ML300 I had
> to
>> > load from
>> > CF in order to access the CF, but with V4LX the FPGA config from
>> > CompactFlash doesnt
>> > seem to work, the status led blinks once and then the error led goes 
>> > on.
> I
>> > assume it is the TDO
>>
>> I get this symptom with a V2Pro board.  When I load the compact flash 
>> with
>> the bit, bmm, and elf file.  When I just load the bit file into the
> compact
> how?
> you mean when the bit file in the ACE file containts both fgpga bitstream
> and elf data?
> there is now way to directly load the Cf with elf and bmm, or
>
> well with V2Pro boards I havent had problems, except that I wasnt able
> to access the OPB_sysace unless the bitstream was loaded from CF
> as well, but this was maybe becuase I did not chanhe the systemace
> init mode to disable the auto load
>

I generate the ace file via impact
  - Prepare Configuration Files
  - System ACE File
  - System ACE CF  Novice
  - 128 Mbits Reserve Space
  - etc
  - add file download.bit, system.bmm, executable.elf

I read somewhere that the sysace is like some type of JTAG player,  I 
assumed that the elf would get loaded somehow like it does with xmd, except 
without xmd.  Perhaps I am wrong, and that is why it does not work for me. 
Also, when I try to read a sector via the MPU interface, it goes busy and 
never goes ready again (i.e. Status Reg bit 8 goes low and stays low even 
after I read out a sector of data.)  The sector reads 256 16 bit words of 
the same value.  When I use XSysAce_IdentifyCF, I get the expected 
Signature, but all the other fields come back with the Signature value also, 
and bit 8 of the status reg never goes busy.


>> flash, I get same symptom you get.  Also, the error reg in the sysace has
> a
>> value of 0x000000C0 after the error LED goes on.  This doesn't solve your
>> problem, but is another point of data.
> hm I think I got 0x80 as or 0xB0 as errors
>
>> regards,
>> -Newman
> well thanks any points are welcome!
> Antti
>
>
>
>
> 

"newman5382" <newman5382@yahoo.com> wrote in message 
news:655Od.15899$qB6.3561@tornado.tampabay.rr.com...
>
> "Antti Lukats" <antti@openchip.org> wrote in message 
> news:cuakor$itp$05$1@news.t-online.com...
>> "newman5382" <newman5382@yahoo.com> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
>> news:1t4Od.15793$qB6.2868@tornado.tampabay.rr.com...
>>>
>>> "Antti Lukats" <antti@openchip.org> wrote in message
>>> news:cua695$on8$01$1@news.t-online.com...
>>> > Hi
>>> >
>>> > has any one some hints or tips how to get an Virtex4 LX25-ES 
>>> > configured
>>> > from
>>> > SystemACE?
>>> > we can configure from iMpact and if we load the uclinux kernel from 
>>> > XMD
>> it
>>> > works too.
>>> > but now when I try to load the uclinux image from CompactFlash then
>> there
>>> > are problems
>>> > if the FPGA is configured by impact then there will always be random
>>> > sector
>>> > read errors
>>> > when attempting to load the image.bin from CompactFlash. On ML300 I 
>>> > had
>> to
>>> > load from
>>> > CF in order to access the CF, but with V4LX the FPGA config from
>>> > CompactFlash doesnt
>>> > seem to work, the status led blinks once and then the error led goes 
>>> > on.
>> I
>>> > assume it is the TDO
>>>
>>> I get this symptom with a V2Pro board.  When I load the compact flash 
>>> with
>>> the bit, bmm, and elf file.  When I just load the bit file into the
>> compact
>> how?
>> you mean when the bit file in the ACE file containts both fgpga bitstream
>> and elf data?
>> there is now way to directly load the Cf with elf and bmm, or
>>
>> well with V2Pro boards I havent had problems, except that I wasnt able
>> to access the OPB_sysace unless the bitstream was loaded from CF
>> as well, but this was maybe becuase I did not chanhe the systemace
>> init mode to disable the auto load
>>
>
> I generate the ace file via impact
>  - Prepare Configuration Files
>  - System ACE File
>  - System ACE CF  Novice
>  - 128 Mbits Reserve Space
>  - etc
>  - add file download.bit, system.bmm, executable.elf
>
> I read somewhere that the sysace is like some type of JTAG player,  I 
> assumed that the elf would get loaded somehow like it does with xmd, 
> except without xmd.  Perhaps I am wrong, and that is why it does not work 
> for me. Also, when I try to read a sector via the MPU interface, it goes 
> busy and never goes ready again (i.e. Status Reg bit 8 goes low and stays 
> low even after I read out a sector of data.)  The sector reads 256 16 bit 
> words of the same value.  When I use XSysAce_IdentifyCF, I get the 
> expected Signature, but all the other fields come back with the Signature 
> value also, and bit 8 of the status reg never goes busy.
Meant to say never goes ready
>
>
>>> flash, I get same symptom you get.  Also, the error reg in the sysace 
>>> has
>> a
>>> value of 0x000000C0 after the error LED goes on.  This doesn't solve 
>>> your
>>> problem, but is another point of data.
>> hm I think I got 0x80 as or 0xB0 as errors
>>
>>> regards,
>>> -Newman
>> well thanks any points are welcome!
>> Antti
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
> 

"newman5382" <newman5382@yahoo.com> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:655Od.15899$qB6.3561@tornado.tampabay.rr.com...
>
> "Antti Lukats" <antti@openchip.org> wrote in message
> news:cuakor$itp$05$1@news.t-online.com...
> > "newman5382" <newman5382@yahoo.com> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
> > news:1t4Od.15793$qB6.2868@tornado.tampabay.rr.com...
> >>
> >> "Antti Lukats" <antti@openchip.org> wrote in message
> >> news:cua695$on8$01$1@news.t-online.com...
> >> > Hi
> >> >
> >> > has any one some hints or tips how to get an Virtex4 LX25-ES
configured
> >> > from
> >> > SystemACE?
> >> > we can configure from iMpact and if we load the uclinux kernel from
XMD
> > it
> >> > works too.
> >> > but now when I try to load the uclinux image from CompactFlash then
> > there
> >> > are problems
> >> > if the FPGA is configured by impact then there will always be random
> >> > sector
> >> > read errors
> >> > when attempting to load the image.bin from CompactFlash. On ML300 I
had
> > to
> >> > load from
> >> > CF in order to access the CF, but with V4LX the FPGA config from
> >> > CompactFlash doesnt
> >> > seem to work, the status led blinks once and then the error led goes
> >> > on.
> > I
> >> > assume it is the TDO
> >>
> >> I get this symptom with a V2Pro board.  When I load the compact flash
> >> with
> >> the bit, bmm, and elf file.  When I just load the bit file into the
> > compact
> > how?
> > you mean when the bit file in the ACE file containts both fgpga
bitstream
> > and elf data?
> > there is now way to directly load the Cf with elf and bmm, or
> >
> > well with V2Pro boards I havent had problems, except that I wasnt able
> > to access the OPB_sysace unless the bitstream was loaded from CF
> > as well, but this was maybe becuase I did not chanhe the systemace
> > init mode to disable the auto load
> >
>
> I generate the ace file via impact
>   - Prepare Configuration Files
>   - System ACE File
>   - System ACE CF  Novice
>   - 128 Mbits Reserve Space
>   - etc
>   - add file download.bit, system.bmm, executable.elf

ahok yes that proper, it is adds the bit+elf as ACE same
as you can create a BIT with FPGAbit+elf

> I read somewhere that the sysace is like some type of JTAG player,  I
> assumed that the elf would get loaded somehow like it does with xmd,
except
> without xmd.  Perhaps I am wrong, and that is why it does not work for me.
> Also, when I try to read a sector via the MPU interface, it goes busy and
> never goes ready again (i.e. Status Reg bit 8 goes low and stays low even
> after I read out a sector of data.)  The sector reads 256 16 bit words of
> the same value.  When I use XSysAce_IdentifyCF, I get the expected
> Signature, but all the other fields come back with the Signature value
also,
> and bit 8 of the status reg never goes busy.

correct: systemace is a PicoBlaze based sort of SVF player
if you look at the ChipScope manual then you see partial listing of the
PicoBlaze
code as example how to use ChipScope load mnenmonics :)

so the .ELF file (if that is for PowerPC ) will be converted to SVF that
uses
the PowerPC JTAG and it is "played" after the FPGA bitstream is loaded
so yes it kind similar of how it is done by XMD

to bad the .ACE format is closed information if there is trouble then all
Xilinx users are STUCK. doesnt work and end of story.

hm in your case I still wonder what the problem is

you have v2pro and PPC based design with OPB Sysace right?
try this, create a small sysace test - if I find sources of my
system ace image loader you can use that, or maybe you have
a copy it was downloadable before I had to refromat openchip webserver

so compile the program into BRAMs!
in XPS update bitstream or do it with impact so you will have
download.bit that contains the fpga and ppc code,
then IMPORTANT create ACE from this bitstream
do not add any elf to the ACE !!! the program code is .BIT !
copy to CF card, and configure from the CF

now the systemace SHOULD really work.

if you still have trouble then open a gazilion of webaces :)

Antti

Antti Lukats wrote:
>
> to bad the .ACE format is closed information if there is trouble then
all
> Xilinx users are STUCK. doesnt work and end of story.
>

There is a utility SVF2ACE available from xilinx.  One can use this to
create an .ACE file most .SVF files.  IMPACT can be used to generate an
SVF.  We have found it useful when debugging configuration issues to
remove the bitstream and/or various other JTAG commands, from the SVF
and test with a minimal ACE file to verify that that the JTAG chain is
in intact, and will run at speed.

We used this technique in various stages of a V2Pro design to discover
first that we needed a pullup on TDO, and z few months later, that
internal to our bitstream we had set up the PPC405 cores on the JTAG
chain incorrectly, and at startup this problem was hosing JTAG.


Regards,
Erik.

---
Erik Widding
President
Birger Engineering, Inc.

 (mail) 100 Boylston St #1070; Boston, MA 02116
(voice) 617.695.9233
  (fax) 617.695.9234
  (web) http://www.birger.com

We had similar problems in trying to load an ACE file from CF--but Only if 
the ACE file was NOT in the root directory. Turns out the issue is that a 
Windows 2000/XP formatted CF will NOT work. You must use mkdosfs.exe to 
format the CF. After that, pretty much it started acting as expected. This 
may or may not be your particular issue.

Good luck,

Paul


<widding@birger.com> wrote in message 
news:1107886066.047123.120470@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> Antti Lukats wrote:
>>
>> to bad the .ACE format is closed information if there is trouble then
> all
>> Xilinx users are STUCK. doesnt work and end of story.
>>
>
> There is a utility SVF2ACE available from xilinx.  One can use this to
> create an .ACE file most .SVF files.  IMPACT can be used to generate an
> SVF.  We have found it useful when debugging configuration issues to
> remove the bitstream and/or various other JTAG commands, from the SVF
> and test with a minimal ACE file to verify that that the JTAG chain is
> in intact, and will run at speed.
>
> We used this technique in various stages of a V2Pro design to discover
> first that we needed a pullup on TDO, and z few months later, that
> internal to our bitstream we had set up the PPC405 cores on the JTAG
> chain incorrectly, and at startup this problem was hosing JTAG.
>
>
> Regards,
> Erik.
>
> ---
> Erik Widding
> President
> Birger Engineering, Inc.
>
> (mail) 100 Boylston St #1070; Boston, MA 02116
> (voice) 617.695.9233
>  (fax) 617.695.9234
>  (web) http://www.birger.com
> 

> correct: systemace is a PicoBlaze based sort of SVF player
> if you look at the ChipScope manual then you see partial listing of the
> PicoBlaze
> code as example how to use ChipScope load mnenmonics :)
>
> so the .ELF file (if that is for PowerPC ) will be converted to SVF that
> uses
> the PowerPC JTAG and it is "played" after the FPGA bitstream is loaded
> so yes it kind similar of how it is done by XMD
>
> to bad the .ACE format is closed information if there is trouble then all
> Xilinx users are STUCK. doesnt work and end of story.
>
> hm in your case I still wonder what the problem is
>
> you have v2pro and PPC based design with OPB Sysace right?
> try this, create a small sysace test - if I find sources of my
> system ace image loader you can use that, or maybe you have
> a copy it was downloadable before I had to refromat openchip webserver
>
> so compile the program into BRAMs!
> in XPS update bitstream or do it with impact so you will have
> download.bit that contains the fpga and ppc code,
> then IMPORTANT create ACE from this bitstream
> do not add any elf to the ACE !!! the program code is .BIT !
> copy to CF card, and configure from the CF
>
> now the systemace SHOULD really work.
>
> if you still have trouble then open a gazilion of webaces :)
>
> Antti

Antti,
  Thanks for the reply.

  This information applies to a V2Pro UltraController product and not to a 
V4.

  I make a special test case where I stripped pretty much everything in the 
deisng except the opb_sysace, and some gpio to toggle some led's and some 
uart support for stdout.

  I got some code to fit entirely within the brams and loaded it into the 
compact flash without any elf file stuff.  When I boot via the CF, the 
status led goes green with no lit error led.  After it returns from the 
XSysAce_IdentifyCF routine, the Signature field is 848A which appears 
correct, but the NumCylinders is also 848A.

The registers before rouitne is called are
cf dword 0 = 00000001
cf dword 1 = 00150392
cf dword 2 = 00000000
cf dword 3 = 00000CED
cf dword 4 = 00000000
cf dword 5 = 100C0200
cf dword 6 = 00000802
cf dword 7 = 000000B3
The registers after XSysAce_IdentifyCF called
cf dword 0 = 00000001
cf dword 1 = 003502B2
cf dword 2 = 00000000
cf dword 3 = 00000CED
cf dword 4 = 00000000
cf dword 5 = 100C0200
cf dword 6 = 00000802
cf dword 7 = 000000B3

It looks like the reads of the buffer are not incrementing the FIFO that 
would  cause the IdentifyMemCard command to end.  What bothers me is that I 
appear to be able to read the other registers OK.

I guess I might have to open a web case, wait for EDK6.3i to arrive, buy 
Chipscope or borrow a scope, or apply a blow torch to the Memec SysAce 
card:,)  Usually Memec has pretty good reference designs, but this one did 
not have an MPU interface one for the standalone sysace module.  Of course 
their baseline reference had a bunch of deprecated cores I ended up 
converting to EDK6.2 sp3.  Do you think sysace is going away to be replaced 
by the platform flash stuff?  I'm wondering if I should be researching a 
more valuable target.

-Thanks again,

-Newman

"Bo" <bo@cephus.com> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:9u8Od.2834$2V1.1897@fe40.usenetserver.com...
> We had similar problems in trying to load an ACE file from CF--but Only if
> the ACE file was NOT in the root directory. Turns out the issue is that a
> Windows 2000/XP formatted CF will NOT work. You must use mkdosfs.exe to
> format the CF. After that, pretty much it started acting as expected. This
> may or may not be your particular issue.
>
> Good luck,
>
> Paul

hm I think W2k FAT16  formatted CF actually works, at least it worked for
me,
anyway I am having trouble with V4LX25-ES using a CF card that DID work
on V2Pro board. The sector read commands get error, sometimes after 1 Ok
sector sometimes up to 10 sectors are read OK. The CF has not been
reformatted
and the file I am reading (uclinux image) has not been overwritten since the
time
it worked on V2Pro so I dont think the formatting is the issue

but thanks for the hint, I have had also problems with ACE not in root dir,
so that issue DOES exist too in some cases

Antti