Welcome to the Lounge

4-May-23 3:39

I get an Orange Pi PC some time between the 12th and the first of June. It's my last ditch effort to get xboot running on an ARM based SoC chip - an AllWinner H3 in this case. The Secondary Phase Loader code is what eludes me. I can't find it for xboot. I don't even know if it is *in* xboot. It might be. I can only find SPLs for linux and android, and u-boot, a tool for creating those SPLs for linux.

So far I have not even been able to successfully use the FEL capability of any of this hardware to directly inject xboot code into the device's RAM via USB and execute it even thought it has that capability, and I have done that injection, but got a black screen.

It could be because I was using a 480p LCD and xboot doesn't support it with the default config. So I spent $80 on a new compact 720p screen, which still doesn't show signal. I've probably dropped over $200 trying different boards and equipment now.

It could be any number of things. Lately I haven't even been able to do the injection process because ~~the device isn't enumerating anymore.~~ - update: it enumerates and injects xboot, but black screen

Also these boards don't expose the pin you need to drop the board into FEL mode where you can do the above injection. You have to flash an SD card with a special image to drop the board into FEL mode so you can do the injection, with no way to tell if it actually worked other than trying to inject.

All of this is in Chinese. All of this is scattered across Chinese forums where I've even posted, but haven't received responses. Probably doesn't help that I'm posting in English but I trust the ability of Chinese tech people to read English more than I trust google translate

There is so much going on in this rickety workflow and toolchain setup that anything could go wrong, and it's usually impossible to find out what failed.

That's why I'm close to giving up and instead building a quick loading linux build, except for the fact that I have to launch X server to do any graphics at all. Frown | :(

Damn these things.

To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.

modified 4-May-23 9:48am.

pkfox4-May-23 3:55

4-May-23 3:55

If you follow your usual pattern I expect to see a post in the near future boldly proclaiming, I've cracked it ! Big Grin | :-D

In a closed society where everybody's guilty, the only crime is getting caught. In a world of thieves, the only final sin is stupidity. - Hunter S Thompson - RIP

honey the codewitch4-May-23 4:01

4-May-23 4:01

I appreciate the vote of confidence.

To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.

Matthew Dennis4-May-23 4:23

Matthew Dennis

4-May-23 4:23

We need to collect all your posts into a book "What it is really like to be an Embedded Systems Developer".
You let us know about your frustrations and failures followed by the Eureka Moment of success.

Reminds me of my days developing custom microprocessor systems in the 80s. Things like debugging a flaky board and the scope probe correcting the bad IC socket connection, or the scope ground fixing a missing ground connection.

We are all cheering you on and sitting on the edge or our seats wondering what Out-Of-The-Box solution you will come up with.

"Mistakes are prevented by Experience. Experience is gained by making mistakes."

honey the codewitch4-May-23 4:26

4-May-23 4:26

Thanks. I hope it doesn't put too many people off. I know some don't care for the technical nature of a lot of my forum posts, but to me the struggles of development seem like they should be right at home in the lounge. What kind of coders would we be if we didn't swap war stories? Smile | :)

To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.

glennPattonWork34-May-23 4:55

glennPattonWork3

4-May-23 4:55

Embedded Development is 49% swearing at Chips, 11% swearing at the "person" who told you to do it & 40% alcohol dependency mixed with luck... Roll eyes | :rolleyes:

jeron14-May-23 5:08

jeron1

4-May-23 5:08

Matthew Dennis wrote:
the scope probe correcting the bad IC socket connection, or the scope ground fixing a missing ground connection.

~~Been~~ Still there, ~~done~~ still do that, though less often than years ago.

"the debugger doesn't tell me anything because this code compiles just fine" - random QA comment
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0x01AA4-May-23 4:32

0x01AA

4-May-23 4:32

You're annoying every now and then...
.... but you're annoying in a pleasant way and more importantly in an informative way Poke tongue | ;-P

Mike Hankey4-May-23 4:49

Mike Hankey

4-May-23 4:49

There's so much frustration in embedded work, but that little ray of sunshine makes it worth the effort.

Give me coffee to change the things I can and wine for those I can not!
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englebart4-May-23 7:09

englebart

4-May-23 7:09

These kinds of issues during one of my senior labs is why I stuck with software.

Did the TA know that the chip I am using had a burned out address line? And the next one as well? A4 vs A12, and we figured out the second one a LOT faster.

Third chip worked fine.

megaadam5-May-23 6:20

megaadam

5-May-23 6:20

I know this feeling when it happens

Why why why, did I get into engineering?

"If we don't change direction, we'll end up where we're going"

honey the codewitch5-May-23 6:34

5-May-23 6:34

I thought I had successfully avoided it, given my lack of formal education or background in engineering - I was at Microsoft at 18 - I never went to uni.

But no, I have to get scouted here *shakes fist at Chris Maunder* and now suddenly I'm neck deep in it - hardware as well as software, after leaving the software field professionally for years.

And for some reason I enjoy the hell out of it, even as it makes me want to snatch myself baldheaded. Unsure | :~

To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.

WSO CCC OTD 2023-05-04

OriginalGriff3-May-23 21:47

OriginalGriff

3-May-23 21:47

I can't fly dead south, you apes! (8)

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pkfox3-May-23 22:00

3-May-23 22:00

In a closed society where everybody's guilty, the only crime is getting caught. In a world of thieves, the only final sin is stupidity. - Hunter S Thompson - RIP

OriginalGriff3-May-23 22:15

OriginalGriff

3-May-23 22:15

pkfox3-May-23 22:35

3-May-23 22:35

I'll leave it for someone else

In a closed society where everybody's guilty, the only crime is getting caught. In a world of thieves, the only final sin is stupidity. - Hunter S Thompson - RIP

DerekT-P3-May-23 23:13

DerekT-P

3-May-23 23:13

EMULATES - apes

I can't fly - EMU
dead        -    LATE
south       -        S

Telegraph marker posts ... nothing to do with IT
Phasmid email discussion group ... also nothing to do with IT
Beekeeping and honey site ... still nothing to do with IT

pkfox3-May-23 23:26