How to decide NAND boot address?

[hunter hu]

Hi All,

I am trying to boot from NAND, and using Allwinner lichee-dev branch, in
the sun5i_a13.h header, there is a section of hard coded environment setup
like this:

81 #define CONFIG_EXTRA_ENV_SETTINGS \
182 "bootdelay=3\0" \
183 "bootcmd=run setargs boot_normal\0" \
184 "console=ttyS0,115200\0" \
185 "nand_root=/dev/nandd\0" \
186 "mmc_root=/dev/mmcblk0p4\0" \
187 "init=/init\0" \
188 "loglevel=8\0" \
189 "setargs=setenv bootargs console=${console} root=${nand_root}" \
190 "init=${init} loglevel=${loglevel}\0" \
191 "boot_normal=nand read 50000000 boot; boota 50000000\0" \
192 "boot_recovery=nand read 50000000 recovery; boota 50000000\0" \
193 "boot_fastboot=fastboot\0"

My question is: how do I find the nand read address of my own instead of
default 50000000?

My nand-part on the tablet looks like:

9 mbr: version 0x00000100, magic softw311
10 2 partitions
11 partition 1: class = DISK, name = boot, partition
start = 32768, partition size = 52768 user_type=0
12 partition 2: class = DISK, name = root, partition
start = 85536, partition size = 15479264 user_type=0

Is that the start of nandb which is 85536 x 512 = 43794432 ?

I also need to change /dev/nandd to /dev/nandb because I boot from the
second partition /dev/nandb, correct?

Any hints are greatly appreciated,

Cheers,
-Hunter

[Patrick Wood]

That's not the nand read address; that's the RAM address where the nand
read command stores data read from nand. The last argument (boot,
recovery) is the nand partition name where it's reading data.

This is how an android kernel+initrd is loaded.

Post by hunter hu
Hi All,
I am trying to boot from NAND, and using Allwinner lichee-dev branch, in
the sun5i_a13.h header, there is a section of hard coded environment setup
81 #define CONFIG_EXTRA_ENV_SETTINGS \
182 "bootdelay=3\0" \
183 "bootcmd=run setargs boot_normal\0" \
184 "console=ttyS0,115200\0" \
185 "nand_root=/dev/nandd\0" \
186 "mmc_root=/dev/mmcblk0p4\0" \
187 "init=/init\0" \
188 "loglevel=8\0" \
189 "setargs=setenv bootargs console=${console} root=${nand_root}" \
190 "init=${init} loglevel=${loglevel}\0" \
191 "boot_normal=nand read 50000000 boot; boota 50000000\0" \
192 "boot_recovery=nand read 50000000 recovery; boota 50000000\0" \
193 "boot_fastboot=fastboot\0"
My question is: how do I find the nand read address of my own instead of
default 50000000?
9 mbr: version 0x00000100, magic softw311
10 2 partitions
11 partition 1: class = DISK, name = boot, partition
start = 32768, partition size = 52768 user_type=0
12 partition 2: class = DISK, name = root, partition
start = 85536, partition size = 15479264 user_type=0
Is that the start of nandb which is 85536 x 512 = 43794432 ?
I also need to change /dev/nandd to /dev/nandb because I boot from the
second partition /dev/nandb, correct?
Any hints are greatly appreciated,
Cheers,
-Hunter

[hunter hu]

Thanks Patrick,

Does this mean I don't need to change the default 50000000 at all?

My intention is to load Linux instead of Android from NAND and following
this sunxi wiki: http://linux-sunxi.org/Installing_to_NAND.

What changes need to be made in the uboot env besides the /dev/nandd ->
/dev/nandb?

-Hunter

Post by Patrick Wood
That's not the nand read address; that's the RAM address where the nand
read command stores data read from nand. The last argument (boot,
recovery) is the nand partition name where it's reading data.
This is how an android kernel+initrd is loaded.

Post by hunter hu
Hi All,
I am trying to boot from NAND, and using Allwinner lichee-dev branch, in
the sun5i_a13.h header, there is a section of hard coded environment setup
81 #define CONFIG_EXTRA_ENV_SETTINGS \
182 "bootdelay=3\0" \
183 "bootcmd=run setargs boot_normal\0" \
184 "console=ttyS0,115200\0" \
185 "nand_root=/dev/nandd\0" \
186 "mmc_root=/dev/mmcblk0p4\0" \
187 "init=/init\0" \
188 "loglevel=8\0" \
189 "setargs=setenv bootargs console=${console} root=${nand_root}" \
190 "init=${init} loglevel=${loglevel}\0" \
191 "boot_normal=nand read 50000000 boot; boota 50000000\0" \
192 "boot_recovery=nand read 50000000 recovery; boota 50000000\0" \
193 "boot_fastboot=fastboot\0"
My question is: how do I find the nand read address of my own instead of
default 50000000?
9 mbr: version 0x00000100, magic softw311
10 2 partitions
11 partition 1: class = DISK, name = boot, partition
start = 32768, partition size = 52768 user_type=0
12 partition 2: class = DISK, name = root, partition
start = 85536, partition size = 15479264 user_type=0
Is that the start of nandb which is 85536 x 512 = 43794432 ?
I also need to change /dev/nandd to /dev/nandb because I boot from the
second partition /dev/nandb, correct?
Any hints are greatly appreciated,
Cheers,
-Hunter

[Patrick Wood]

This version of uboot loads the entire partition into RAM, not the uImage
file. You need a modified uboot that can be set up more like the one
that's used on SD cards: http://www.cubieforums.com/index.php?topic=511.0

Pat

Post by hunter hu
Thanks Patrick,
Does this mean I don't need to change the default 50000000 at all?
My intention is to load Linux instead of Android from NAND and following
this sunxi wiki: http://linux-sunxi.org/Installing_to_NAND.
What changes need to be made in the uboot env besides the /dev/nandd ->
/dev/nandb?
-Hunter

Post by Patrick Wood
That's not the nand read address; that's the RAM address where the nand
read command stores data read from nand. The last argument (boot,
recovery) is the nand partition name where it's reading data.
This is how an android kernel+initrd is loaded.

Post by hunter hu
Hi All,
I am trying to boot from NAND, and using Allwinner lichee-dev branch, in
the sun5i_a13.h header, there is a section of hard coded environment setup
81 #define CONFIG_EXTRA_ENV_SETTINGS \
182 "bootdelay=3\0" \
183 "bootcmd=run setargs boot_normal\0" \
184 "console=ttyS0,115200\0" \
185 "nand_root=/dev/nandd\0" \
186 "mmc_root=/dev/mmcblk0p4\0" \
187 "init=/init\0" \
188 "loglevel=8\0" \
189 "setargs=setenv bootargs console=${console} root=${nand_root}" \
190 "init=${init} loglevel=${loglevel}\0" \
191 "boot_normal=nand read 50000000 boot; boota 50000000\0" \
192 "boot_recovery=nand read 50000000 recovery; boota 50000000\0" \
193 "boot_fastboot=fastboot\0"
My question is: how do I find the nand read address of my own instead of
default 50000000?
9 mbr: version 0x00000100, magic softw311
10 2 partitions
11 partition 1: class = DISK, name = boot, partition
start = 32768, partition size = 52768 user_type=0
12 partition 2: class = DISK, name = root, partition
start = 85536, partition size = 15479264 user_type=0
Is that the start of nandb which is 85536 x 512 = 43794432 ?
I also need to change /dev/nandd to /dev/nandb because I boot from the
second partition /dev/nandb, correct?
Any hints are greatly appreciated,
Cheers,
-Hunter

[Henrik Nordström]

The lichee u-boot also support fat access, just use fatload instead of
nand command to load files.

Post by Patrick Wood
This version of uboot loads the entire partition into RAM, not the
uImage file. You need a modified uboot that can be set up more like
the one that's used on SD
cards: http://www.cubieforums.com/index.php?topic=511.0
Pat
Thanks Patrick,
Does this mean I don't need to change the default 50000000 at all?
My intention is to load Linux instead of Android from NAND and
following this sunxi
wiki: http://linux-sunxi.org/Installing_to_NAND.
What changes need to be made in the uboot env besides
the /dev/nandd -> /dev/nandb?
-Hunter
That's not the nand read address; that's the RAM
address where the nand read command stores data read
from nand. The last argument (boot, recovery) is the
nand partition name where it's reading data.
This is how an android kernel+initrd is loaded.
Hi All,
I am trying to boot from NAND, and using
Allwinner lichee-dev branch, in the
sun5i_a13.h header, there is a section of hard
81 #define CONFIG_EXTRA_ENV_SETTINGS \
182 "bootdelay=3\0" \
183 "bootcmd=run setargs boot_normal\0" \
184 "console=ttyS0,115200\0" \
185 "nand_root=/dev/nandd\0" \
186 "mmc_root=/dev/mmcblk0p4\0" \
187 "init=/init\0" \
188 "loglevel=8\0" \
189 "setargs=setenv bootargs console=
${console} root=${nand_root}" \
190 "init=${init} loglevel=${loglevel}\0"
\
191 "boot_normal=nand read 50000000 boot;
boota 50000000\0" \
192 "boot_recovery=nand read 50000000
recovery; boota 50000000\0" \
193 "boot_fastboot=fastboot\0"
My question is: how do I find the nand read
address of my own instead of default 50000000?
9 mbr: version 0x00000100, magic softw311
10 2 partitions
11 partition 1: class = DISK, name =
boot, partition start = 32768, partition
size = 52768 user_type=0
12 partition 2: class = DISK, name =
root, partition start = 85536, partition
size = 15479264 user_type=0
Is that the start of nandb which is 85536 x
512 = 43794432 ?
I also need to change /dev/nandd to /dev/nandb
because I boot from the second
partition /dev/nandb, correct?
Any hints are greatly appreciated,
Cheers,
-Hunter
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[hunter hu]

Hi Henrik,

I tried to use fatload in the configurations like these:
182 #define CONFIG_EXTRA_ENV_SETTINGS \
183 "bootdelay=3\0" \
184 "bootcmd=run setargs load_uimage boot_uimage\0" \
185 "console=ttyS0,115200\0" \
186 "nand_root=/dev/nandb\0" \
187 "init=/init\0" \
188 "loglevel=8\0" \
189 "setargs=setenv bootargs console=${console} root=${nand_root}" \
190 "init=${init} loglevel=${loglevel}\0" \
191 "load_uimage=fatload nanda 44000000 uImage\0" \
192 "boot_uimage=bootm 44000000\0"
193
194 #define CONFIG_BOOTDELAY 1
195 #define CONFIG_BOOTCOMMAND "fatload nanda 44000000 uImage;bootm
44000000"
196 #define CONFIG_SYS_BOOT_GET_CMDLINE
197 #define CONFIG_AUTO_COMPLETE


But I am still stuck at the SUNXI logo(that part I got it :-) ), anything
wrong with the above configurations?

Thanks,
-Hunter

Post by Henrik Nordström
The lichee u-boot also support fat access, just use fatload instead of
nand command to load files.

Post by Patrick Wood
This version of uboot loads the entire partition into RAM, not the
uImage file. You need a modified uboot that can be set up more like
the one that's used on SD
cards: http://www.cubieforums.com/index.php?topic=511.0
Pat
Thanks Patrick,
Does this mean I don't need to change the default 50000000 at all?
My intention is to load Linux instead of Android from NAND and
following this sunxi
wiki: http://linux-sunxi.org/Installing_to_NAND.
What changes need to be made in the uboot env besides
the /dev/nandd -> /dev/nandb?
-Hunter
That's not the nand read address; that's the RAM
address where the nand read command stores data read
from nand. The last argument (boot, recovery) is the
nand partition name where it's reading data.
This is how an android kernel+initrd is loaded.
On Monday, March 3, 2014 2:42:17 PM UTC-5, hunter hu
Hi All,
I am trying to boot from NAND, and using
Allwinner lichee-dev branch, in the
sun5i_a13.h header, there is a section of hard
81 #define CONFIG_EXTRA_ENV_SETTINGS \
182 "bootdelay=3\0" \
183 "bootcmd=run setargs boot_normal\0" \
184 "console=ttyS0,115200\0" \
185 "nand_root=/dev/nandd\0" \
186 "mmc_root=/dev/mmcblk0p4\0" \
187 "init=/init\0" \
188 "loglevel=8\0" \
189 "setargs=setenv bootargs console=
${console} root=${nand_root}" \
190 "init=${init} loglevel=${loglevel}\0"
\
191 "boot_normal=nand read 50000000 boot;
boota 50000000\0" \
192 "boot_recovery=nand read 50000000
recovery; boota 50000000\0" \
193 "boot_fastboot=fastboot\0"
My question is: how do I find the nand read
address of my own instead of default 50000000?
9 mbr: version 0x00000100, magic softw311
10 2 partitions
11 partition 1: class = DISK, name =
boot, partition start = 32768, partition
size = 52768 user_type=0
12 partition 2: class = DISK, name =
root, partition start = 85536, partition
size = 15479264 user_type=0
Is that the start of nandb which is 85536 x
512 = 43794432 ?
I also need to change /dev/nandd to /dev/nandb
because I boot from the second
partition /dev/nandb, correct?
Any hints are greatly appreciated,
Cheers,
-Hunter
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[Patrick Wood]

That's not the right syntax for file access. Don't you have a serial port you can get boot logs from?

[hunter hu]

Hi Pat,

I was not be able to get serial port access yet, work in progress.

Regarding the syntax, what are the correct ones?

thanks,
-Hunter

Post by Patrick Wood
That's not the right syntax for file access. Don't you have a serial port
you can get boot logs from?

[Patrick Wood]

fatload nand 0 kernel_address kernel_file

Note that my u-boot is based on a heavily-modified version of the one used
by android.

Post by hunter hu
Hi Pat,
I was not be able to get serial port access yet, work in progress.
Regarding the syntax, what are the correct ones?
thanks,
-Hunter

Post by Patrick Wood
That's not the right syntax for file access. Don't you have a serial port
you can get boot logs from?

[hunter hu]

Thanks Pat,

I have used the correct syntax, but still, stuck at the SUNXI logo; at this
moment I have a few questions:

1> my cpu is A13, your u-boot is for A20, I would think that is not working
for me?

2> I have been using lichee-dev, sun5i_a13 board, trying to modify the
configurations as shown before; when I was adding my board to the
u-boot-sunxi, I had to add a dram_myboard.c to configure the DRAM by
following the sunxi wiki instructions, I tried to do with and without the
DRAM stuff, the same, stuck at the logo, I believe I have to get the serial
port working first.

Thank you very much for all help so far, I greatly appreciated.

-Hunter

Post by Patrick Wood
fatload nand 0 kernel_address kernel_file
Note that my u-boot is based on a heavily-modified version of the one used
by android.

Post by hunter hu
Hi Pat,
I was not be able to get serial port access yet, work in progress.
Regarding the syntax, what are the correct ones?
thanks,
-Hunter

Post by Patrick Wood
That's not the right syntax for file access. Don't you have a serial
port you can get boot logs from?

[hunter hu]

Hi,

I finally got the serial port working on my board, just a side note, we
need a pull up resistor at the Rx pin, and I am using UART1 with SD card
approach, anyone struggles with serial port, here is the thread that helped
me: https://www.olimex.com/forum/index.php?topic=1788.0

All goes well with the SD u-boot and I can stop at u-boot prompt and play
with it, booting up as usual too by typing boot.

However when I set the NAND stuff up with lichee-dev u-boot built out of
sun5i_a13, there is no serial output at all upon boot and stuck at logo,
which indicates something is wrong with the u-boot image and it didn't run
as expected.

I also tried just use the stock android u-boot, some posts say we can stop
android u-boot when booting up, I didn't see that happen either.

Any ideas how to proceed from here would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
-Hunter

Post by hunter hu
Thanks Pat,
I have used the correct syntax, but still, stuck at the SUNXI logo; at
1> my cpu is A13, your u-boot is for A20, I would think that is not
working for me?
2> I have been using lichee-dev, sun5i_a13 board, trying to modify the
configurations as shown before; when I was adding my board to the
u-boot-sunxi, I had to add a dram_myboard.c to configure the DRAM by
following the sunxi wiki instructions, I tried to do with and without the
DRAM stuff, the same, stuck at the logo, I believe I have to get the serial
port working first.
Thank you very much for all help so far, I greatly appreciated.
-Hunter

Post by Patrick Wood
fatload nand 0 kernel_address kernel_file
Note that my u-boot is based on a heavily-modified version of the one
used by android.

Post by hunter hu
Hi Pat,
I was not be able to get serial port access yet, work in progress.
Regarding the syntax, what are the correct ones?
thanks,
-Hunter

Post by Patrick Wood
That's not the right syntax for file access. Don't you have a serial
port you can get boot logs from?

[hunter hu]

Hi,

OK, I think I need to close the topic and drew a conclusion:

The conclusion is: my board in question, which is an IView435TPC, doesn't
allow any hacking on NAND by doing something magic inside closed source
boot1.

The conclusion fis based on my following observations:


1. I have tried Installing to NAND sunxi wiki instructions, it works
fine. just git checkout lichee-dev, make the CONFIG_BOOTCOMMAND changes
with fatload inside include/configs/sun5i_a13.h, basically that is the line
we put inside boot.cmd for boot.scr. No need to do any dram configurations
as we want to do in sd card boot case.
2. when I was using nand-part tool to repartition the internal NAND, the
last re-read partition table command returns -1 on the iview tablet, but
return 0 on Olimex a13 board, which indicates something is going on in the
iview nand.
3. I could see no debugging output from serial when hooking up with
UART1 on the iview, but everything is OK on Olimex NAND, I can see boot0
loading messages, as well as lichee-dev uboot, and my uImage output.

So, the lesson learned here is for some of the commercial tablets out
there, they must have put some magic keys/encryptions to lock down their
internal NAND to prevent any hacking or manipulations, no debug output from
serial is a very good sign of such lock down.

Hope these notes are helpful to someone, and my appreciations to all the
help from you guys.

Cheers,
-Hunter

Post by hunter hu
Hi,
I finally got the serial port working on my board, just a side note, we
need a pull up resistor at the Rx pin, and I am using UART1 with SD card
approach, anyone struggles with serial port, here is the thread that helped
me: https://www.olimex.com/forum/index.php?topic=1788.0
All goes well with the SD u-boot and I can stop at u-boot prompt and play
with it, booting up as usual too by typing boot.
However when I set the NAND stuff up with lichee-dev u-boot built out of
sun5i_a13, there is no serial output at all upon boot and stuck at logo,
which indicates something is wrong with the u-boot image and it didn't run
as expected.
I also tried just use the stock android u-boot, some posts say we can stop
android u-boot when booting up, I didn't see that happen either.
Any ideas how to proceed from here would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
-Hunter

Post by hunter hu
Thanks Pat,
I have used the correct syntax, but still, stuck at the SUNXI logo; at
1> my cpu is A13, your u-boot is for A20, I would think that is not
working for me?
2> I have been using lichee-dev, sun5i_a13 board, trying to modify the
configurations as shown before; when I was adding my board to the
u-boot-sunxi, I had to add a dram_myboard.c to configure the DRAM by
following the sunxi wiki instructions, I tried to do with and without the
DRAM stuff, the same, stuck at the logo, I believe I have to get the serial
port working first.
Thank you very much for all help so far, I greatly appreciated.
-Hunter

Post by Patrick Wood
fatload nand 0 kernel_address kernel_file
Note that my u-boot is based on a heavily-modified version of the one
used by android.

Post by hunter hu
Hi Pat,
I was not be able to get serial port access yet, work in progress.
Regarding the syntax, what are the correct ones?
thanks,
-Hunter

Post by Patrick Wood
That's not the right syntax for file access. Don't you have a serial
port you can get boot logs from?

[Olliver Schinagl]

Post by hunter hu
Hi,
The conclusion is: my board in question, which is an IView435TPC,
doesn't allow any hacking on NAND by doing something magic inside closed
source boot1.
1. I have tried Installing to NAND sunxi wiki instructions, it works
fine. just git checkout lichee-dev, make the CONFIG_BOOTCOMMAND
changes with fatload inside include/configs/sun5i_a13.h, basically
that is the line we put inside boot.cmd for boot.scr. No need to do
any dram configurations as we want to do in sd card boot case.

correct, dram is initialized by boot0/boot1

Post by hunter hu
2. when I was using nand-part tool to repartition the internal NAND,
the last re-read partition table command returns -1 on the iview
tablet, but return 0 on Olimex a13 board, which indicates something
is going on in the iview nand.

nand-part may simply not support the newer version of libnand used on
this tablet

Post by hunter hu
3. I could see no debugging output from serial when hooking up with
UART1 on the iview, but everything is OK on Olimex NAND, I can see
boot0 loading messages, as well as lichee-dev uboot, and my uImage
output.

Closed blobs make you cry. You probably have an incompatible libnand.
But fear not, the mtd driver is very slowly progressing. A year from now
we might be thinking 'oh, heh, good riddens libnand is gone'.

Post by hunter hu
So, the lesson learned here is for some of the commercial tablets out
there, they must have put some magic keys/encryptions to lock down their
internal NAND to prevent any hacking or manipulations, no debug output
from serial is a very good sign of such lock down.

You are the very first one that 'might' (unlikly) have a locked down
nand. I sincerly doubt it's locked down at all.

Olliver

Post by hunter hu
Hope these notes are helpful to someone, and my appreciations to all the
help from you guys.
Cheers,
-Hunter
Hi,
I finally got the serial port working on my board, just a side note,
we need a pull up resistor at the Rx pin, and I am using UART1 with
SD card approach, anyone struggles with serial port, here is the
https://www.olimex.com/forum/index.php?topic=1788.0
<https://www.olimex.com/forum/index.php?topic=1788.0>
All goes well with the SD u-boot and I can stop at u-boot prompt and
play with it, booting up as usual too by typing boot.
However when I set the NAND stuff up with lichee-dev u-boot built
out of sun5i_a13, there is no serial output at all upon boot and
stuck at logo, which indicates something is wrong with the u-boot
image and it didn't run as expected.
I also tried just use the stock android u-boot, some posts say we
can stop android u-boot when booting up, I didn't see that happen
either.
Any ideas how to proceed from here would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
-Hunter
Thanks Pat,
I have used the correct syntax, but still, stuck at the SUNXI
1> my cpu is A13, your u-boot is for A20, I would think that is
not working for me?
2> I have been using lichee-dev, sun5i_a13 board, trying to
modify the configurations as shown before; when I was adding my
board to the u-boot-sunxi, I had to add a dram_myboard.c to
configure the DRAM by following the sunxi wiki instructions, I
tried to do with and without the DRAM stuff, the same, stuck at
the logo, I believe I have to get the serial port working first.
Thank you very much for all help so far, I greatly appreciated.
-Hunter
fatload nand 0 kernel_address kernel_file
Note that my u-boot is based on a heavily-modified version
of the one used by android.
Hi Pat,
I was not be able to get serial port access yet, work in
progress.
Regarding the syntax, what are the correct ones?
thanks,
-Hunter
On Wednesday, March 5, 2014 8:51:22 PM UTC-6, Patrick
That's not the right syntax for file access. Don't
you have a serial port you can get boot logs from?
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