Skip to main content

Using 'uuu' to flash QSPI

Introduction​

This article takes you through the process to load QSPI of u-boot with the Universal Update Utility or uuu. Most of the steps are the same as flash e.MMC except the Run(-b) option is setting to qspi.

Supported platforms​

  • TEK-IMX8MP
  • TEP-IMX8MP

Those platform use QSPI to store the u-boot image and environment. Once enter the u-boot prompt, it will try to boot to OS stored in e.MMC. Depend on the condition, you might want to flash the e.MMC image as well.

Obtain and install the 'uuu' tool​

There are several ways that you can obtain the 'uuu' tool. You can download prebuilt versions of it, or you can build it from source.

Fetch a prebuilt binary from TechNexion's download site​

Prebuilt binaries of uuu can be download from TechNexion's download site

These are conveniently packaged with boot images for most of our platforms as well.

Clone "uuu" on TechNexion github​

You can clone the source for 'uuu' from our github repository. https://github.com/TechNexion/imx-mfgtools-tn

Please follow the README within the repository to build the tool from source.

info

For more information about how to use uuu, please refer to UUU.pdf in the link above.

Use uuu to flash QSPI image under Linux​

  1. Install required packages for running mfgtool (uuu). The following command will install them onto an Ubuntu host machine.
sudo apt-get install libusb-1.0-0-dev libbz2-dev libzstd-dev pkg-config cmake libssl-dev g++ zlib1g-dev libtinyxml2-dev

  1. Left device disconnect the power, connect USB Type-C peripheral cable to the board, and the other end to the host PC. Press and hold the S1 button and plug the power cable, then release the S1 button.

  2. Locate the image you want to flash. This will usually has name of *fspi_u-boot.bin

  3. Execute uuu to start flashing process.

cd imx-mfg-uuu-tool
# sudo ./uuu/linux64/uuu -b qspi <fspi_u-boot.bin>
sudo ./uuu/linux64/uuu -b qspi imx8mp/tek-imx8mp/tek-imx8mp-fspi_u-boot.bin

image.png

  1. Once the flash process completes, power off the board, and re-power on it. You will see theu-boot image is changed.

Use uuu to Flash QSPI Images Under Microsoft Windows​

  1. Left device disconnect the power, connect USB Type-C peripheral cable to the board, and the other end to the host PC. Press and hold the S1 button and plug the power cable, then release the S1 button.

  2. Locate the image you want to flash. This will usually has name of *fspi_u-boot.bin

  3. Run Windows Powershell or cmd with administrator permission.

  4. Run uuu to start flashing process:

cd imx-mfg-uuu-tool
#  .\uuu\windows64\uuu.exe -b qspi <fspi_u-boot.bin>
.\uuu\windows64\uuu.exe -b qspi imx8mp\tek-imx8mp\tek-imx8mp-fspi_u-boot.bin

pic_uuu_fspi.png

  1. Once the flash process completes, power off the board, and re-power on it. You will see theu-boot image is changed.

Troubleshooting:​

  • After starting uuu, the board should enter to fastboot mode and wait for request from host PC:

Uuu_troubleshooting_01.png

  • If it stops in fastboot mode, you might need to install USB driver under MS Windows. Please refer to Use zadig to install winusb driver chapter in UUU.pdf in MFGtool github.

Uuu_troubleshooting_02.png

  • Enter shell mode is helpful to check uuu fails on what step. Add -s to enter shell mode. uuu.inputlog record all input commands you can use "uuu uuu.inputlog" next time to run all commands