Here I start a new discussion about the latest problem I have on my BB
rev C4.
This thread is a fork about this specific topic from
http://groups.google.com/group/beagleboard/browse_thread/thread/8fbca4350022f57d/99ae172328ed59c1#99ae172328ed59c1
Now.. a little recap:
I'm trying to use the latest Angtrom-demo from this link:
http://www.angstrom-distribution.org/demo/beagleboard/
but I cant' get the uboot work.
I put all the needed files on the MMC, the beagle start up correctly
and load the u-boot.bin from MMC without problems, but the boot
process hang at the
I2C: Ready
ad nothing more.
Others u-boot works just fine.
I tested the same SD on another beagle same rev C4, and get the same
results.
Tried remaking the SD, but nothing changed...
Am I the only One with this problem?
As said in other threads, your MLO is too old. Hold down the USER button and reflash the MLO in nand. The instructions can be found on the angstrom site.
And next time please include the complete output, I had to guess at the mlo version.
regards,
Koen
Hi
I have the same problem.
I am the happy owner of a Beagleboard ver.C4 - newcomer in Linux,
U-boot, x-load and so on. I succeeded, following the steps prescribed in
the beagleboard sites to get the 0xdroid android working on a 480x272
4.3" LCD of LG (the Special Computing kit provided with beagleboard with
the expansion board of Hy-Research). The android is sensing an USB mouse
and an USB keyboard connected through a hub. I understand that for
activating the touchscreen controller TSC2064 I need to make changes in
U-boot pinmux in omap3-beagle.h file.
I downloaded the U-boot from
git://gitorious.org/beagleboard-validation/u-boot.git the most updated
version of U-boot for C4 and I succeeded to obtain the U-boot and the
U-boot.bin files after make. In the install.conf file I uncommented
U_BOOT_IMAGE = flash-uboot.bin and I copied in the SD card the
U-boot.bin as flash-uboot.bin.
After succesfully passing the autoinstall stage and rebooted the
board I
obtained:
Texas Instruments X-Loader 1.4.2 (Feb 19 2009 - 12:01:24) Reading boot
sector Loading u-boot.bin from mmc
U-Boot 2010.03-dirty (Jul 10 2010 - 08:50:06)
OMAP3530-GP ES3.1, CPU-OPP2, L3-165MHz, Max clock-720Mhz
OMAP3 Beagle board + LPDDR/NAND
I2C: ready
Here the board is stuck. Please, has somebody any idea?
Sincerely yours
Dorian Barladeanu
As said before, you need 1.4.4ss, not 1.4.2 for newer uboots to work
Thanks - this solved the hanging problem.
I need a bit of infos before upgrading : as far as I know, the X-
loader is the main loader program. Now, I can't get what the MLO file
on the SD is for. I think it is the equivalent of the X-loader only on
the SD, but is there a way to use that? The main problem here is that
I'm trying to figure out how the boot process works and what files are
loaded from where...
Another little question... if during the update of the X-loader I
encounter problems... is there a way to boot the BB anyway for
restore?
Last question: I read somewhere on the net that in some flashing
scripts the flashed file is the x-load.bin.ift, in other the flashed
file is directly the MLO... what is the difference?
Thanks for your patience 
and for the help!
MLO == xloader == xloader.bin.ift == xloader.bin == xload
They are all the same
Hi Koen and Jeff,
MLO == xloader == xloader.bin.ift == xloader.bin == xload
They are all the same
Im not sure I agree 100% to this although I totally agree that the changes
are minor (though important) In my world the following is true:
- X-loader, xload and xloader.bin : Unsigned (meaning missing the 8
bytes header in the start of the image)
- MLO, cloader.bin.ift : Signed (meaning containing the 8 bytes
header in the start of the image)
The 8 byte header is 2 x 32bit containing image size and address of which to
load the image...
MLO only needs to be on the SD card when the ROM code is actually booting
from MMC. For BeagleBoard this is only the case when holding the user-button
during power on. For BeagleXM MLO on SD card will normally always be needed
since it doesnt contain any NAND...
Another little question... if during the update of the X-loader I
encounter problems... is there a way to boot the BB anyway for
restore?
You can always boot the board from either USB, UART or MMC (by pressing the
user button) regardless of the NAND and xloader/MLO state. For more info
please see chapter 25 of the OMAP TRM (spruf98g.pdf)
Best regards - Hope this clarified your questions
Søren
Hi all,
I'm new here and I'm a university student;
I've the same problem as Jeff but I don't feel sure about flashing on
the NAND
as for now, I tried booting from an SD putting the latest MLO and U-
BOOT.bin
and pressing the user button but with no succes.
I'm using a BB rev.C4 but I keep getting the BB to boot only from NAND
and
not from SD.
Are there any particular timing about the user button?
You need to hold it down while powering/resetting the board. Secondly you
FAT partition needs to be minimum 32MB in case it's FAT32 formatted - In
case it's less than 32MB you should format it FAT12/16 - Otherwise the OMAP
ROM-code won't accept it. Last but not least you need to make sure that you
MLO is signed as discussed in the previous post.
Having these in place should give you the ability to boot from MMC...
Good luck
Søren
The reason behind my question about the flashing of a new Xloader on
the nand was mainly because I'm afraid of "bricking" then BB.
When I read the question of Alphaemmeo, I tested the procedure to boot
from the MMC using the xloader on the MMC (MLO).
I get the "booting from MMC" message and alla start up, buit now i
don't understand a thing... at that point the X-loader was already
executed ad it was from the nand,
infact i put on the CD the MLO from angstrom-demo-page (the one needed
to run the most recent u-boot.bin) but the latest u-boot.bin keep on
shangin at I2C:ready and the
X-loader version print if always 1.4.2... now i can't understand if I
get it wrong or something else about he user button thing...
can I run the MLO from mmc bypassing the x-loader on the nand? I can't
get this point
Thanks to all for the patience 
Hi Jeff,
can I run the MLO from MMC bypassing the x-loader on the nand?
Yes you can. As stated in my previous post. Pressing and holding the User
Button during power up, the ROM code will first search the MMC for a file
called MLO. In case this is found, this is used. In case this isn't found it
will continue and try loading it from NAND...
For the MLO to be loaded succesfuly from MMC you need:
1) A FAT partition marked bootable (normally the first one on the MMC)
2) In case the partition is <32MB is needs to be formatted FAT12/16
3) In case the partition is >=32MB is needs to be formattet FAT32 (normally
used by BeagleBoard users)
4) The MLO file needs to be named 'MLO' and not 'Mlo' og 'mlo'
I hope the above is clear?
Best regards - Good luck
Søren
I think there is also another requirement. The MLO file must be the
first file written to the newly formated FAT filesystem.
Hi Richard,
I think there is also another requirement.
The MLO file must be the first file written to the newly formated FAT
filesystem.
It was by full intention that I didn't mention that one. I'm 99.99999% sure
that this is just an old rumor (unfortunately still floating around - and
which BTW doesn't harm :-). It was the case for some of the first ROM code
revision for OMAP3430, but I'm nearly 100% certain, that it has been fixed
somewhere around Beagle revision Cx and onwards...
Best regards
Søren
I'd appreciate knowing the definitive answer on this one (including
beagleboard/OMAP revisions with different behaviours) if anyone knows.
I'm writing some beginner docs. Best if the info is accurate.
Hi Richard,
I'd appreciate knowing the definitive answer on this one (including
beagleboard/OMAP revisions with different behaviours) if anyone knows.
I'm writing some beginner docs. Best if the info is accurate.
The problem with this one is, that it's not considered a bug (and therefore
not existing in the errata list :-).
All I know for sure is, that the first revision(s) of the ROM code needed
the file to be first in the FAT.
Newer versions doesn't (and I think the change was somewhere around Beagle
Rev C2 - Or maybe even earlier).
I will try to see if I can get any more precise information
Søren
Finally I've found some time for a bit of testing.
I made a SD card (kingston 8Gb) with 3 partitions:
1) Fat32 bootable (~ 400Mb)
2) Ext3 for he rootfs (~3.6Gb)
3) Ext3 for <other_use_here> (the remaining space).
I copied the MLO, u-boot.bin and all the other files from the Angstrom
demo e tested to run the X-loader only from SD.
Follows the results (log from minicom):
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hello All,
I am using BB rev C4.
I tried downloading the demo image from the angstrom distribution.it
didnt worked.the u-boot image is not working.
my MLO version is 1.4.4.u-boot image hangs at i2c ready..
can anyone pls help me to overcome this issue....
You 'still' have incompatible X-loader and U-boot.. X-load 1.4.4ss
will only work with U-boot 2010-03
Read the directions at the bottom of this page:
http://www.angstrom-distribution.org/demo/beagleboard/
Specifically the first nand flashing instructions..
Regards,
@Robert
I've take a look at the page you linked.
But I've the same dubt: if I use an up-to-date MLO on the SD, and I
boot from SD using the USER button, ne X-loader version number that I
should read during statup would be the new one.
Am I right?
If so, Why I can't proper boot the SD? Any ideas?
Thanks