Using QSPI with external flash

RE: Using QSPI with external flash

Amanda Hsieh — Fri, 05 Jul 2024 19:01:59 GMT

Check out this course https://academy.nordicsemi.com/courses/nrf-connect-sdk-intermediate/lessons/lesson-8-bootloaders-and-dfu-fota/

RE: Using QSPI with external flash

Udi Vahaba — Fri, 05 Jul 2024 14:59:41 GMT

Thabks for replying.

The course give an example of using external flash with mcuboot- https://github.com/nrfconnect/sdk-nrf/tree/main/tests/modules/mcuboot/external_flash

I don't understand how can I make the mcuboot to start the dfu process without using mcumgr (need to make it from the code).

Any suggestions to do so?

RE: Using QSPI with external flash

Amanda Hsieh — Fri, 05 Jul 2024 12:31:23 GMT

Hi, please create a new support for your issue.

RE: Using QSPI with external flash

Thanuha — Thu, 04 Jul 2024 09:32:18 GMT

Hi I am trying to interface QSPI with NRF5340 dk board. I am getting build errors. I have used SPI-FLASH sample and it was working fine and I am trying to change the SPI-FLASH code into a modular form for QSPI.

Here I am attaching the overlay file:

// To get started, press Ctrl+Space to bring up the completion menu and view the available nodes.

// You can also use the buttons in the sidebar to perform actions on nodes.

// Actions currently available include:

// * Enabling / disabling the node

// * Adding the bus to a bus

// * Removing the node

// * Connecting ADC channels

// For more help, browse the DeviceTree documentation at docs.zephyrproject.org/.../index.html

// You can also visit the nRF DeviceTree extension documentation at nrfconnect.github.io/.../nrfdevicetree.html

// &qspi {

// status = "okay";

// };

aliases {

flash = &mx25r64;

};

// Configuration take from nrf5340_cpuapp_commom-pinctrl.dtsi file

&pinctrl {

qspi_default: qspi_default {

group1 {

psels = <NRF_PSEL(QSPI_IO0, 0, 13)>,

<NRF_PSEL(QSPI_IO1, 0, 14)>,

<NRF_PSEL(QSPI_IO2, 0, 15)>,

<NRF_PSEL(QSPI_IO3, 0, 16)>,

<NRF_PSEL(QSPI_SCK, 0, 17)>,

<NRF_PSEL(QSPI_CSN, 0, 18)>;

nordic,drive-mode = <NRF_DRIVE_H0H1>;

};

qspi_sleep: qspi_sleep {

group1 {

psels = <NRF_PSEL(QSPI_IO0, 0, 13)>,

<NRF_PSEL(QSPI_IO1, 0, 14)>,

<NRF_PSEL(QSPI_IO2, 0, 15)>,

<NRF_PSEL(QSPI_IO3, 0, 16)>,

<NRF_PSEL(QSPI_SCK, 0, 17)>;

low-power-enable;

};

group2 {

psels = <NRF_PSEL(QSPI_CSN, 0, 18)>;

low-power-enable;

bias-pull-up;

};

// Configuration take from nrf5340_cpuapp_commom.dtsi file

&qspi {

status = "okay";

pinctrl-0 = <&qspi_default>;

pinctrl-1 = <&qspi_sleep>;

pinctrl-names = "default", "sleep";

mx25r64: mx25r6435f@0 {

compatible = "nordic,qspi-nor";

reg = <0>;

/* MX25R64 supports only pp and pp4io */

writeoc = "pp4io";

/* MX25R64 supports all readoc options */

readoc = "read4io";

sck-frequency = <8000000>;

jedec-id = [c2 28 17];

sfdp-bfp = [

e5 20 f1 ff ff ff ff 03 44 eb 08 6b 08 3b 04 bb

ee ff ff ff ff ff 00 ff ff ff 00 ff 0c 20 0f 52

10 d8 00 ff 23 72 f5 00 82 ed 04 cc 44 83 68 44

30 b0 30 b0 f7 c4 d5 5c 00 be 29 ff f0 d0 ff ff

];

size = <67108864>;

has-dpd;

t-enter-dpd = <10000>;

t-exit-dpd = <35000>;

};

Here I am attaching the prj.conf :

CONFIG_GPIO = y

CONFIG_SPI_NOR = y

CONFIG_SPI = n

CONFIG_NORDIC_QSPI_NOR=y

CONFIG_NORDIC_QSPI_NOR_FLASH_LAYOUT_PAGE_SIZE=4096

CONFIG_TRUSTED_EXECUTION_SECURE=y

CONFIG_BUILD_WITH_TFM = n

This is the error I am getting:

FATAL ERROR: command exited with status 1: 'C:\ncs\toolchains\c57af46cb7\opt\bin\cmake.EXE' -DWEST_PYTHON=C:/ncs/toolchains/c57af46cb7/opt/bin/python.exe '-Bc:\Users\TDANAM\NRF\Flash\build' -GNinja '-Sc:\Users\TDANAM\NRF\Flash'

And I am using v2.5.2 sdk.

Please try to help in this.

RE: Using QSPI with external flash

Amanda Hsieh — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 18:22:00 GMT

Hi,

[quote user=""]1. Use QSPI with external flash for read/write operation - to understand how to use the QSPI (device tree, drivers, etc)[/quote]

See this sample https://github.com/nrfconnect/sdk-zephyr/tree/v3.5.99-ncs1/samples/drivers/spi_flash

[quote user=""]2. Use QSPI XIP to achieve DFU using the extra space of the external flash.[/quote]

We do not have an example on how to run code from the XiP area on for nRF52840, but this course indicated how to set the flash as a secondary mcuboot.

The [216] QSPI: Race condition occurs in XIP errata limits the usability of XiP on the 52840.

[quote user=""]I want to load into the external flash my new code, and use the mcuboot to use it as slot. (in the exercises the methods for DFU are using UART/USB/BLE etc which not fit thew idea of using external flash as partition)[/quote]

As Step.8 in this course would show how to enable the mcuboot on the external flash as the second slot as the figure indicated.

[quote user=""]how can I manage to use the flash as one of my slots and the most important how to make the mcuboot to get the code from there (swapping/scratch method)?[/quote]

See the Using swap-using-scratch flash algorithm doc.

Regards,
Amanda H.