NIOS: Run program from SDRAM

Hi,
I have the NIOS developer board with APEX FPGA.It has a SODIMM socket for
SDRAM module. I use a Micron MT8LSDT864HG-10ECS.
I make a Quartus project based on verilog/standard_32. I use nios_32 CPU.
I create a new memory configuration based on Micron datasheet and I put
 it into class.ptf from altera_avalon_new_sdram_controller.
I write a simple program that can read and write memory maped in sdram.
This configuration has Location Vector, Program and Data memory set to 
ext_ram which is SRAM.
But next I change Progam and Data memory to sdram. Program is compiled
correctly and srecord looks ok. I load it to board using nios-run.
When program starts it prints only "Return address is 0x00000000" and
returns to GERMS. The same situation is which all demo programs from
cpu_sdk and my own programs.
I will be very thankful for any help.
Best regards,
	Maciej Witaszek

-- 
Maciej Witaszek
nospam_mwitaszek@elka.pw.edu.pl

remove "nospam_" from my address

Hi Maciej,

Have you tried SignalTapping it? I've had similar problems, and found
them pretty quickly by SignalTapping the Nios instruction and data
pointer (IIRC, ic_address and dc_address) along with the Avalon
signals going to/from external RAM. I think some of my problems ended
up being stack corruption, I/O drive strength, and corruption with
simultaneous multi-mastering.

-- Pete

Maciej Witaszek <nospam_mwitasze@elka.pw.edu.pl> wrote in message news:<c5s292$rvd$1@mamut.aster.pl>...
> Hi,
> I have the NIOS developer board with APEX FPGA.It has a SODIMM socket for
> SDRAM module. I use a Micron MT8LSDT864HG-10ECS.
> I make a Quartus project based on verilog/standard_32. I use nios_32 CPU.
> I create a new memory configuration based on Micron datasheet and I put
>  it into class.ptf from altera_avalon_new_sdram_controller.
> I write a simple program that can read and write memory maped in sdram.
> This configuration has Location Vector, Program and Data memory set to 
> ext_ram which is SRAM.
> But next I change Progam and Data memory to sdram. Program is compiled
> correctly and srecord looks ok. I load it to board using nios-run.
> When program starts it prints only "Return address is 0x00000000" and
> returns to GERMS. The same situation is which all demo programs from
> cpu_sdk and my own programs.
> I will be very thankful for any help.
> Best regards,
> 	Maciej Witaszek

On Sat, 17 Apr 2004 21:58:26 +0200, Maciej Witaszek
<nospam_mwitasze@elka.pw.edu.pl> napisal:

>But next I change Progam and Data memory to sdram. Program is compiled
>correctly and srecord looks ok. I load it to board using nios-run.
>When program starts it prints only "Return address is 0x00000000" and
>returns to GERMS. The same situation is which all demo programs from

I got SODIMM from laptop and compiled some simple design (only with
UART & lcd). Worked from the first time.
Board was the one with Apex20KE,

Have you tried "minimal_sdram_32" from examples directory?

PS: To juz taki czas, ze rodacy szukaja pomocy za granica? :-)

-- 
Jerry

On Tue, 20 Apr 2004 00:11:46 +0200, jerry1111 wrote:

> I got SODIMM from laptop and compiled some simple design (only with UART
> & lcd). Worked from the first time. Board was the one with Apex20KE,
> 
> Have you tried "minimal_sdram_32" from examples directory?

Hi jerry1111,
where did you find "minimal_sdram_32"? I coudn't find it in Quartus 3.0 and
4.0 both Web Edition and in NIOS dev kit. I'm working now on my own design
so it's posibble that I mixed up a wiring.
I simulated a cpu with Verilog model of SDRAM from Micron and cpu read
instruction from SDRAM. It looked ok. I don't what I'm doing wrong :(

Best regards,
	Maciej

> PS: To juz taki czas, ze rodacy szukaja pomocy za granica? :-)
PS. Milo, ze w Polsce tez sie ktos tym zajmuje :)

-- 
Maciej Witaszek
nospam_mwitaszek@elka.pw.edu.pl
remove "nospam_" from my address

"Maciej Witaszek" <nospam_mwitasze@elka.pw.edu.pl> wrote in message
news:c66q61$t6q$1@mamut.aster.pl...
> On Tue, 20 Apr 2004 00:11:46 +0200, jerry1111 wrote:
>
> > I got SODIMM from laptop and compiled some simple design (only with UART
> > & lcd). Worked from the first time. Board was the one with Apex20KE,
> >
> > Have you tried "minimal_sdram_32" from examples directory?
>
> Hi jerry1111,
> where did you find "minimal_sdram_32"? I coudn't find it in Quartus 3.0
and
> 4.0 both Web Edition and in NIOS dev kit. I'm working now on my own design
> so it's posibble that I mixed up a wiring.
> I simulated a cpu with Verilog model of SDRAM from Micron and cpu read
> instruction from SDRAM. It looked ok. I don't what I'm doing wrong :(
>
> Best regards,
> Maciej
>
> > PS: To juz taki czas, ze rodacy szukaja pomocy za granica? :-)
> PS. Milo, ze w Polsce tez sie ktos tym zajmuje :)
>
> -- 
> Maciej Witaszek
> nospam_mwitaszek@elka.pw.edu.pl
> remove "nospam_" from my address

Maciej,

This may not pertain to the Apex board sample designs, but the Cyclone
samples had a few ns delay on the SDRAM clock.  My custom design with the
same exact SDRAM chip had to have this delay removed.   I was of course
happy with this as I now have an unused pll available.

Ken

On Wed, 21 Apr 2004 23:47:45 +0200, Maciej Witaszek
<nospam_mwitasze@elka.pw.edu.pl> wrote:

>where did you find "minimal_sdram_32"? I coudn't find it in Quartus 3.0 and
>4.0 both Web Edition and in NIOS dev kit. I'm working now on my own design
>so it's posibble that I mixed up a wiring.

Strange, but it disappeared in Nios 3.10
I can send it from older versions, but you must contact
me on priv (watch out for anti-spam mail).
That design was working, because I was in need of having huge
data buffer.

>> PS: To juz taki czas, ze rodacy szukaja pomocy za granica? :-)
>PS. Milo, ze w Polsce tez sie ktos tym zajmuje :)
A milo sie dowiedziec, bo myslalem ze nikt tego u nas nie uzywa...

-- 
Jerry