TK1 hangs on "waiting for bootloader to initialize" when flashing

Hello guys,

We are developing a customized board using TK1 chip. Actually we have already developed the first version of our board and everything just works fine.

After that we developed the second version, and the hardware design of these two versions are almost the same. We try to flash the new board as before, but this time it doesn’t work any more.

I’m not sure the exact version of the Linux_for_Tegra we used. It may be R21.3, since the comment of the flash.sh file shows that it was released in 2015.

1. The flash command is

./nvflash --boardid 0x177 0x00 0x03 --bct PM375_Hynix_2GB_H5TC4G63AFR_RDA_792MHz.cfg --setbct --configfile flash.cfg --create --bl fastboot.bin --odmdata 0x6009C00 --go

2. The host shell shows

RCM communication completed
auxInfo->NCTBoardInfo->proc_board_id is 375
auxInfo->NCTBoardInfo->proc_sku is 0
auxInfo->NCTBoardInfo->proc_fab is 3
BCT sent successfully
sending file: tegra124-jetson_tk1-pm375-000-c00-00.dtb
- 57127/57127 bytes sent
tegra124-jetson_tk1-pm375-000-c00-00.dtb sent successfully
odm data: 0x6009c000
downloading bootloader -- load address: 0x83d88000 entry point: 0x83d88000
sending file: fastboot.bin
- 594519/594519 bytes sent
fastboot.bin sent successfully
waiting for bootloader to initialize

3. The serial console of the board shows

[0000.000] [TegraBoot] (version UNDEF_BUILD)
[0000.004] Reset reason: power on reset
[0000.007] Processing in recovery mode
[0000.011] Established communication link with host
[0001.508] Downloaded bct successfully 
[0001.554] No Battery Present
[0001.557] Sdram initialization is successful 
[0001.813] Downloaded DTB successfully 
[0001.889] No Battery Present
[0004.189] Downloaded bootloader successfully 
[0004.193] CPU-bootloader entry address: 0x83d88000 
[0004.198] BoardId: 375
[0004.200] Vpr Carveout Base=0x0f4600000 Size=0x00ba00000
[0004.205] Tsec Carveout Base=0x0f2600000 Size=0x002000000
[0004.210] Lp0 Carveout Base=0x0f25ff000 Size=0x000001000
[0004.215] Xusb Carveout Base=0x0f2300000 Size=0x000200000
[0004.220] Platform-DebugCarveout: 0
[0004.247] CPU power rail is up 
[0004.250] Performing RAM repair

3. host environment: we used a VM Ubuntu host

4. The TK1 chips used in these two versions are bought at the same time, and thus there shall be no version difference.

The host environment, flashing command used in these two version are all the same.

Anyone any ideas about this? Thanks in advance.

Hi, what’s the design difference between your two version boards? Please check your Jtag interface and strapping pins design based on the design guide, that could be the risk if not follow the guide.

Hello @Trumany

Thanks for replying. Unfortunately we can not see the hardware design difference about TK1, including the related pins. Of course, we will check it again. Thanks for your suggestions.

Besides, is there any other possibility that may cause the problem? Or can the “Performing RAM repair” printing of the serial console be a hint of something?

hello Freffy,

there should be some condition to trigger RAM repair, and TK1’s TegraBoot will keep waiting for RAM repaired.
may i know had you connect any other devices to the board?
thanks

Sorry for the late replying. We finally find that it is due to the hardware issue. We add one more resistor in the Jtag circuit in the second version. After removing the resistor, we can flash the chip normally again.

Anyway thanks for your inspiring suggestion.