memory_regions.icf is not updating with flash_image start_address and few other parameters when generated by IAR EWARM.

Hello adithi ,

Thanks for reaching out Renesas Engineering Community.

The e2studio includes a tooling mechanism which the application project can use to pick up the bootloader project, the flash layout settings and a python command line for creating finally the signed application image. In IAR this tooling mechanism doesn't exist so you have to do some work manually to make it work.

Basically as soon as you add in Build settings of your application project in e2studio the .bld file of the bootloader it modifies the memory_regions.ld file automatically to include the information for the flash layout:

So in IAR as you mentioned you need to modify manually the necessary info for the flash layout in the memory_regions.icf file and modify it according your flash layout:

In order these settings won't be overwritten every time you build your project in IAR when using newer RASC versions than 5.2.0 there is a batch file which launches RASC and generated code every time you build your project and that's why you loose the modifications you make to the memory_regions.icf file. To prevent this batch file from running and generate code through RASC and loose your changes every time you build the project you should go to your project Options->Build Actions and remove this Pre-Built and Post-Build commands:

In my case I made tests with a bootloader project for EK-RA6M5 using overwrite only upgrade mode and I created in IAR a bootloader project using MCUboot and a blinky application project. I will also attach here the projects for your reference.

So as soon as I created my bootloader project in IAR using MCUboot and RASC , generated code and built my bootloader project I proceeded creating my application image blinky project with RASC again.

1.In my application project I modified the memory_regions.icf file to include the flash layout information by doing the steps mentioned above.

2. I built my application project.

3. Than I need to convert the output file generated to a .bin file. To do this I run this command in command line:

arm-none-eabi-objcopy.exe -O binary Debug\Exe\app_ra6m5_boot.out Debug\Exe\app_ra6m5_boot.out.bin

4. The binary file now also contains the option setting registers so to remove these from the binary file I cropped the generated binary by using srec_cat.exe. So I run this command:

srec_cat.exe Debug\Exe\app_ra6m5_boot.out.bin -binary -crop 0 0x1FB00 -o Debug\Exe\app_ra6m5_boot.out.bin.cropped -binary

And by this way I created a cropped binary finally that doesn't include the option setting registers.

5.Then I signed this cropped binary file by running this python script from the bootloader project in command line:

python ..\mcuboot_ra6m5\ra\mcu-tools\MCUboot\scripts\imgtool.py sign --key ..\mcuboot_ra6m5\ra\mcu-tools\MCUboot\root-ec-p256.pem --version 1.0 --header-size 0x200 --align 128 --max-align 128 --slot-size 0x20000 --max-sectors 4 --overwrite-only --confirm --pad-header Debug\Exe\app_ra6m5_boot.out.bin.cropped Debug\Exe\app_ra6m5_boot.out.bin.cropped.signed

6. Then I needed to write the application image to the area of internal flash that I have declared as primary slot in my bootloader layout.

So I loaded into the area where the primary slot starts and I verified that this area includes the application image:

And that the rest areas like from example from where bootloader starts are blank:

And this it when I launched a debug session in IAR in my bootloader project the bootloader was able to jump to my application image and I could see the leds on EK-RA6M5 blinking.

Find the projects in this link for your reference. 

Your files can be downloaded at:
download.transfer.hennge.com/jK0A_abcIZaqq3

Expiration date: 2025-04-17 14:24 (UTC)

Your files can be accessed with the following password:
6dx1nV1p*8gV

Best Regards,

IK

Hello adithi ,

I saw that you downloaded the projects. Is there any feedback you would like to share?

Thanks and Regards,

IK

Hi,

Thanks a lot for the immediate response. 

I downloaded it yesterday thinking I would implement it. But unfortunately, day before yesterday I dumped the hex file of bootloader to the board and since then I am not able to erase this board or write to it. I can only read it. 

The bootloader has instruction to write Fs onto address 0x0100a134 but that address is filled with 00. So I got to know that the FSPR Bit is set to 0 and we cannot write it to 1. I dint write 0 to it. I dont know what made it 0.

Also, when I tried to initialize it with RASC, initialisation failed with error code DA. 

This is my bootloader.

:100000005825002045070000990400005107000012
:100010005107000051070000510700005107000080
:100020000000000000000000000000005107000078
:1000300051070000000000005107000051070000B8
:1000400000000000000000000000000000000000B0
:1000500000000000000000000000000000000000A0
:100060000000000000000000000000000000000090
:100070000000000000000000000000000000000080
:100080000000000000000000000000000000000070
:100090000000000000000000000000000000000060
:1000A0000000000000000000000000000000000050
:1000B0000000000000000000000000000000000040
:1000C0000000000000000000000000000000000030
:1000D0000000000000000000000000000000000020
:1000E0000000000000000000000000000000000010
:1000F0000000000000000000000000000000000000
:100100000100020008001000DFF8BC110120088087
:1001100008880028FCD10120DFF8B01108800120F8
:10012000DFF8AC1108600120DFF8A8110860704703
:100130006A480078C0B26A490968C1F30261664A38
:1001400052F82000C84067490860704780B5032016
:100150006549087065486249086005205F49087074
:10016000FFF7E6FF6248F12101700121614A117039
:10017000F021017001BD80B557485F4901605F49BA
:1001800041604FF4004181605D4AC26001615D4998
:100190004161FFF7CDFF01BD10B55B4C4AF2035042
:1001A0002080FFF7B1FFFFF7E6FF002057490870F6
:1001B00009205749087000F024F8002055490870BC
:1001C00055480178C1F3C001C9B20029F8D043F203
:1001D0000211524A11800021514A11700178C1F375
:1001E0004011C9B20029F9D0FFF7B0FF01204D49F5
:1001F000087001204C4908704FF42540208010BD44
:10020000704710B5494C2078002804D14848007840
:1002100010F0030F11D02078002808D101202070A1
:100220000121C82000F090F820780128FCD100209E
:100230003F4908700020207003E04FF47A70FFF708
:10024000DFFF10BD80B500203A4908700121C820A9
:1002500000F07AF838490020087008780028FCD1AE
:10026000087850F0020008700878C0F34000C0B26F
:100270000028F9D131490020087008780028FCD105
:10028000002112E02E4A0800C0B202EB40000378C1
:1002900013F07F0303700800C0B212F81000C0B260
:1002A000C009C0B20028F6D1491C0800C0B203281A
:1002B000E8D3012000F0B5F80020224908700120A1
:1002C00000F084F801BD000004C1014000C10140FC
:1002D0000870004000700040A445002026E0014066
:1002E00020E00140A04500201CC101402112012056
:1002F0000C20004008200040002D310100127A003F
:1003000000366E0100C2EB0BFEE3014013E4014036
:10031000A2E0014032E001403CE0014028E0014021
:100320002AE0014030E0014052E0014080E4014019
:1003300081E4014028300840243008402230084041
:1003400040300840BBE40140F8B5002248431A4958
:1003500009681A4AB2FBF1FC4FF47A7400250021B7
:10036000A4FB002304FB013305FB00330026012717
:10037000BB4206D801D3B24203D2B2FBFCF08008E4
:1003800014E05FEA8C01B0FBF1F20023A4FB020150
:1003900004FB031105FB021100220123994203D83B
:1003A00001D3904200D201E05FF0FF30002801D07D
:1003B00000F006F8F1BD0000A045002000CA9A3BFD
:1003C00001380028FCD170477047000010B40021AC
:1003D000EFF31082012181F31088244B0100C9B290
:1003E00033F81110002908D00100C9B233F81110F8
:1003F000491E0400E4B223F814100100C9B233F816
:100400001110002909D11A490B8853F42543194CBE
:10041000C0B234F8100083430B8082F3108810BC04
:10042000704770B40021EFF31082012181F310882E
:100430000E4B0100C9B233F8111000290AD10C4C3F
:1004400025880C490600F6B231F816100D4355F414
:10045000254525800100C9B233F81110491CC0B2EE
:1004600023F8101082F3108870BC70479845002064
:10047000FEE301400001000080B50100134A0800BE
:10048000C0B252F82000002805D00800C0B2C9B29E
:1004900052F82110884701BD38B50D4804880D4831
:1004A0000088044000250AE00121A940200080B214
:1004B000084203D02800C0B2FFF7DEFF6D1C280001
:1004C000C0B21028F0DB0448048031BD584500203C
:1004D0002061004040610040306100403EB5032093
:1004E000FFF79FFF7FF0FF00224908600C21FF22E9
:1004F0006C46200000F048F8002014E01E4931F955
:10050000101089B200290DD00200520910F01F030B
:10051000694651F82240012515FA03F334EA030332
:1005200041F82230401C6028E8D3144900220AE038
:10053000684650F8223041F8223050F82200104B23
:1005400043F82200521C032AF2D30320FFF73EFF98
:1005500000200BE0084931F9102092B2002A04D0A3
:1005600031F91010074A42F82010401C6028F1D3DE
:1005700037BD00BF48800040400000007080004050
:1005800080E300E00063004062F30F2262F31F4249
:10059000401810F0030308D0C91A1FD3DB0748BF67
:1005A00000F8012D28BF20F8022D130030B41446A6
:1005B0001546103928BF20E93C00FAD8490728BF62
:1005C00020E90C0048BF40F8042D890028BF20F81E
:1005D000022D48BF00F8012D30BC7047C91818BF64
:1005E00000F8012DCB0728BF00F8012D704700004F
:1005F000DFF820110120088008880028FCD10120A4
:10060000DFF8141108800120DFF8101108600120C4
:10061000DFF80C1108607047DFF80811020052B2D1
:1006200001EB8202136833F48033136040B251F857
:100630002000704710B50400200040B2FFF7ECFF27
:10064000BFF35F8F200040B2012110F01F0011FAAC
:1006500000F0DFF8D41064B2640941F8240010BD42
:1006600040B2012210F01F018A40DFF8C01040099B
:1006700041F82020704710B50400200040B2FFF779
:10068000D9FF200040B2FFF7EBFF10BD010049B2D7
:10069000012211F01F0112FA01F1DFF8942040B29B
:1006A000400942F82010BFF34F8FBFF36F8F7047A0
:1006B0002148006810F00700072801D11F4800E01A
:1006C0001F48704738B5050000244FF4964000904D
:1006D00068680078012809D1686890F91100FFF76F
:1006E000CAFF686890F91300FFF7C5FF11494AF681
:1006F0008020088002E00098401E00900888802832
:1007000005D000980028F6D14FF4FA7000E02000E0
:1007100032BD000004C1014000C10140087000402A
:10072000007000400063004080E200E000E100E073
:1007300080E100E084E07F4090A2000190A10001F0
:1007400010A2000180B500F005F800F08DF8FEE77A
:1007500000BE704710B55FF470002E4908602E4C43
:100760002E480460002000F085F8FFF715FD0120F9
:1007700000F080F82068B0F5005080F30A8828491E
:100780000022284C2000FFF7FFFE274A2749284C6B
:10079000200000F071F8274A2749284C200000F07B
:1007A0006BF8274A2749284C200000F065F82748B5
:1007B000274900F09DF8FFF7BBFCFFF743FD03203E
:1007C000FFF72FFE002005E04FF6FF71214A22F8C7
:1007D0001010401C0C28F7D30320FFF7F7FD03206F
:1007E000FFF71FFE00201C49086000201B4908601D
:1007F00000201B49086000201A4908600320FFF709
:10080000E5FD022000F036F8FFF768FE002000F05A
:100810007BF810BD88ED00E00000000008ED00E06E
:100820004C0000005845002010000000C40E0000DD
:10083000440500204405000080090000000000205D
:1008400000000000000000000000000000000000A8
:1008500000000000100D084004000E4008000E408B
:100860000C000E4010000E4080B500F002F8002091
:1008700002BD70477047000062B38B0708D0521E5C
:1008800011F8013B00F8013B00F024808B07F6D102
:10089000830740F0208000BF103A07D330B4B1E89E
:1008A0003810103AA0E83810F9D230BC530724BFF2
:1008B000B1E80810A0E8081044BF51F8043B40F824
:1008C000043BD20724BF31F8022B20F8022B44BF8F
:1008D0000B7803707047083A07D3B1E80810083A5C
:1008E00040F8043B40F804CBF7D25307E4E700009C
:1008F00038B504460D46AC4205D020682018804724
:10090000241DAC42F9D131BD704700004EF688512C
:10091000CEF20001086840F470000860BFF34F8F0A
:10092000BFF36F8F4FF00170E1EE100A70470000C7
:1009300000000805352E382E300000004275696C25
:100940007420776974682052656E65736173204105
:100950006476616E63656420466C657869626C6577
:1009600020536F667477617265205061636B6167B5
:10097000652076657273696F6E20352E382E3000D3
:10098000F8B505000E001400002C04D1686890F939
:10099000110000F07FFA686BDFF8C4140860DFF81C
:1009A000C414E8200870760802220E70002309E0C3
:1009B000286B10182863686B10186863A86B401EBA
:1009C000A8635B1CB34212D2286B00880880286998
:1009D0000090DFF894040068C0F380200028E7D07E
:1009E0000098471E00970028F3D1142009E0D0207A
:1009F0000870002C07D1686890F9110000F04EFAD9
:100A00000020F2BD641EDFF860040068C0F3C0304F
:100A10000028F5D1002CF5D11420F2E738B50024D8
:100A2000DFF848542B78C3F30013DBB2002B0BD054
:100A3000DFF834341B68C3F38033002B02D02B78EB
:100A400000232B7040F2F514DFF81C341B680B42B6
:100A500000D01400002800D00400002C01D000F0C9
:100A6000F7F8200032BD38B505000020280000F05E
:100A7000C9F90400002C0CD0200015E0AA688021E0
:100A80002800FFF77DFF18224FF4A041FFF7C6FFB3
:100A90000400A86B002801D0002CEFD000F083F8F0
:100AA000002C00D10400200032BDF8B50400002065
:100AB00000F0F8F90500DFF8B86329684FF6F87020
:100AC00070EA010131800E21FF22B71C380000F0CE
:100AD000EDF9200000F096F932002900200000F026
:100AE0006AF918220021FFF799FF040000F05BF873
:100AF000002C00D104002000F2BD10B4036BDFF81D
:100B000060432360DFF85C3320241C70D0241C7009
:100B1000036BC9180163816B491E8163002A03D1ED
:100B2000002010BC7047521EDFF83C030068C0F381
:100B3000C0300028F4D1002AF5D11420F1E738B5EF
:100B4000050000202963AA63280000F05BF9040077
:100B5000002C04D10120DFF81C13088017E02000CE
:100B600020E02A6A4FF4004108E0286B30F40010BE
:100B7000B0F5803FF5D2EA694FF400512800FFF745
:100B8000BCFF19224FF4C041FFF748FF0400A86BD7
:100B9000002801D0002CE8D000F005F8002C00D18E
:100BA0000400200032BD38B500240025B24B1A885D
:100BB0004FF496404FF42A41198004E0002801D1F7
:100BC0004FF4FA74401E19880029F7D1012A06D182
:100BD0004DF60110A949088000F06CF907E0802A61
:100BE00005D1A7490120086008680028FCD140F21F
:100BF000F510854200D12C00200032BD38B505002B
:100C000068680078002809D0686890F9110000F041
:100C100041F9686890F9130000F03CF996480088A3
:100C200080B2002802D1280000F048F900F010F846
:100C3000040000F030F8002C00D10400FFF7B3FFEF
:100C4000002C00D10400002085F83C00200032BDBB
:100C500081B04FF496400090B3208249087005E0BF
:100C60000098002811D00098401E00907E4800682F
:100C7000C0F3C0300028F3D07C480078C0F30010E7
:100C8000C0B2002803D1002003E0142001E040F2AC
:100C9000F51001B0704781B04FF49640009050209D
:100CA0007049087005E00098002811D00098401E97
:100CB00000906D480068C0F3C0300028F3D06B4846
:100CC0000078C0F30010C0B2002803D1002003E078
:100CD000142001E040F2F51001B0704710B4644BED
:100CE0004FF6FF741C805C8052EAC03252F4F0422E
:100CF000DA8051F4784199801C815C819C81DC818F
:100D000010BC7047F8B504000D0016005D48076878
:100D1000FF0F200000F076F8002817D1760B320084
:100D20006D0B29003800FFF7D9FF514A56492000C2
:100D300000F041F818220021FFF770FE0400FFF7D1
:100D400032FF002C00D104002000F2BDFDE7F8B511
:100D500006000F001500300000F054F80400002CCD
:100D600021D1EDB2002D20D11021FF22404C2500D1
:100D7000280000F09BF8FFB2FF4347F6FF7050EAEF
:100D8000C730E08022004049300000F014F81822FB
:100D90000021FFF743FE0400FFF705FF002C00D100
:100DA00004002000F2BD2000FCE7FFB257F4CC475E
:100DB00036480780F0E718B48069009008230820BF
:100DC000274C2160274940240C700B70002303E05E
:100DD00032F813400C805B1C8342F9D3D02008709A
:100DE00005E0009800280AD00098401E00901E4898
:100DF0000068C0F3C0300028F3D0002000E01420C9
:100E000012BC704738B5050000244FF4964000909E
:100E100000201F49086068680078012809D16868C7
:100E200090F9110000F036F8686890F9130000F0AE
:100E300031F84FF45940114908800F494AF6012012
:100E4000088002E00098401E00900888012805D024
:100E500000980028F6D14FF4FA7000E0200032BD6F
:100E600030E07F4000007E4080E07F4010E07F4027
:100E700044050020E0E07F4084E07F4044E07F4084
:100E800004700040DCE07F4030A10001E8E07F40DA
:100E900000700040DFF800F08D060000DFF800F081
:100EA00061060000DFF800F0B1060000DFF800F096
:100EB00089050000DFF800F0F1050000DFF800F020
:100EC000C5060000FFFF0000000000000000000059
:040ED000000000001E
:020000040100F9
:04A10000FFFFFFFF5F
:04A11000FFFFFFFF4F
:04A13400FFFFFFFF2B
:04A20000FFFDFFFF60
:04A21000FFFFFFFF4E
:10A24000FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF1E
:10A26000FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFE
:04A28000F8F8FFFFEC
:04A29000FFFFFFFFCE
:10A2C000FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF9E
:0400000500000745AB
:00000001FF

Also,

:04A10000FFFFFFFF5F
:04A11000FFFFFFFF4F
:04A13400FFFFFFFF2B
:04A20000FFFDFFFF60
:04A21000FFFFFFFF4E
:10A24000FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF1E
:10A26000FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFE
:04A28000F8F8FFFFEC
:04A29000FFFFFFFFCE
:10A2C000FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF9E
:0400000500000745AB
:00000001FF

According to the above instructions, Fs are filled on addresses 0x0100A100 and 0x0100A110 but is filled with 0s from the address 0x0100a134.

Can you please tell me how to recover my board? I also ran the scripts suggested by this answer but I am unable to recover. Please let me know what I can do. I am unable to find out what caused this issue.

 Could not erase chip RA6M3G 

Also, on Jflash lite i had dumped the hex file. So my bootloader should have started on address 0x0000000 but when i read the memory with Jmem, I got to know that from 0x00000000 to 0x0002000 the area is filled with 0 and my bootloader is written from address 0x0002000. Will this be the cause of 0 being written on FSPR? Also why did my bootloader start from 0x0002000.

Please tell me what do i do to fix this.

Thanks and regards,

Adithi K

Hello adithi ,

Looks like your answers were not approved. I have approved them now. Please let me check in more detail this and come back to you.

Thanks and Regards,

IK

Can you also attach your bootloader to  a .hex file so I can put it in a hex viewer and check it in more detail?

Also attach both hex files from your bootloader and application image.

Can you please try to go to Renesas Flash Programmer and try to initialize the device back to factory defaults?

Please select 2-wire UART interface if testing on EK-RA6M5.

In order to be able to extract more logs from the response you get from RFP tool.

And also try to initialize back to factory defaults the device:

And let me know and I will check in further detail what happened to your board.

Thanks and Regards,

IK

Hi IK,

Alright, I will attach the .hex files. Also, from what I understood from your first answer, you first cropped your application, then signed it and then dumped the .bin.cropped.signed file to the board directly with jflash and checked if your application exists in the defined address [without dumping bootloader in the flash]. then checked if all bits in bootloader address is F. Then through IAR you opened the bootloader project and started debugging. Thats when your bootloader was dumped to the flash and the bootloader  was able to verify your signed application and thats how LEDs started glowing. Is my understanding correct? 

Thanks and regards,

Adithi K

Hi,

Here is the .hex files. Also, this is the response i got when i tried to initialize with RFP. Also, i was only able to dump my bootloader once into the board and was not able to dump my application.hex after that.

I connected Jlink Ultra+ emulator to the board and powered the board with usb. In device manager when i connect the board the white LED on the board lights up but in device manager the port is not getting recognised. It was getting recognised before when my board was working properly. I was even able to work with tera term to boot my image but now the port is not recognised on tera term either. 

zipp.zip

Thanks and regards,

Adithi K

Hello adithi ,

Yes you get this response in Renesas Flash Programmer because you probably use a custom board with a J-Link debugger and SWD interface so you haven't connected to your debug interface also pins TXD9,RXD9  (P109,P110) which are the SCI9 interface pins to support also 2-wire interface. On EK-RA6M5 these connections have been already taken care, and that's why I mentioned you if you are using EK-RA6M5.

The good thing is that after checking your hex files it looks like that in the option setting memory area registers (BPS, BPS_SEL, PBPS) which are responsible for enabling protection in blocks of flash memory (if these are the only hex files you have flashed to your board) there aren't any zero values written to enable any security protection that doesn't allow you to reprogram or erase your board.

It looks like in both hex files you have the default values written:

Also the SAS register contents where the FSPR bit is included has value FF. So the FSPSR bit is set to 1 as the default value.

So if these are the only hex files you have flashed to your board it doesn't look like you have enabled any security protection.

Permanent lock comes when:

And if zeros are written in BPS and PBPS registers, which seems to do not happen in your case (if these are the only hex files you have flashed in your board and you haven't flashed any other files).

So the first thing I would recommend you to do is to check what are these values in your chip.

Please try to use J-Link commander and connect to your device and as soon as you connect type:

mem32 0x0100A1C0 128

To see what are the actual values written in your chip in the registers of option setting memory area that are responsible for enabling security protections in flash memory.

Please check these and we will see how we will proceed. And let me know what the readings are.

In case they are all zeros than I am afraid that your board is permanently locked and cannot be recovered.

Thanks and Regards,

IK

Hii,

I read those bytes and unfortunately they are all 0s. 

So there is nothing I can do to recover it?

Thanks and regards,

Adithi K

Hii,

Also, I wanted to know if my understanding of the whole MCUBoot process on RASC and IAR as I mentioned before correct, so that I could implement the same on RA6E1 board as you have shown?

Thanks and regards,

Adithi K