Write memory error

rks · Mar 11th 2011, 12:50pm

Hi,

We have some problems in our production when downloading software via J-link to a LPC2290 with ST M29W160EB flash. It is only in the production we have the problem, when downloading from a laptop via a segger J-link it never generates erros - in the production the error rate is from 1%-50%.

Production setup: "IAR J-Link of ARM" from IAR Systems with J-Flash license from SEGGER.

Log file (one of many) 10002275600063_08032011_161048.txt

Dll used for bootloader download LPC2290_Boot.txt
Dll used for application download LPC2290_App.txt

The dll's are used together with several other products (same processor and flash), but it is only this product that generates the error.
Any idea what could cause this error?

SEGGER - Alex · Mar 16th 2011, 8:54am

Hi,

If I understand you correctly, you have other products which use the
same configuration (LPC2290 + ST M29W160EB NOR flash) and do not show any problems, so it does not seem to be a generic problem with the CPU + flash combination.

It seems that the first action after performing the reset fails (Setup for CS0).
Are there any differences regarding reset, for this product in contrast to the other products you have?

Best regards
Alex

rks · Mar 17th 2011, 11:02am

Hi Alex,

There is no differences between the products regarding reset.

SEGGER - Alex · Mar 17th 2011, 3:59pm

Hi,

if only this product is having problems and all other ones which use the same CPU & flash do never show any problems there have to be a difference.
One question: Does the error only occur on devices which have been programmed before so there is already an application running on it?
If it only occurs on devices which are already programmed, there might be some interference between what is done by the application and J-Link.

Best regards
Alex

rks · Mar 22nd 2011, 10:15am

Hi Alex,

The error occur on both programed and empty flashes - it's totally random when it occurs.
I'll get our HW designers to take another look at the layout, to see if something is different in our new product.

BR
Rasmus

rks · Mar 29th 2011, 11:26am

Hi Alex,

Could the binary file cause the problem?
We have done some more testing:
Same hardware programed 50 times with 3 different bootloaders/applications.
Boot/App (made for this product) : Fails 15% OK 85%
Boot/App (made for product 2): Fails 0% OK 100%
Boot/App (made for product 3): Fails 15% OK 85% - has never failed on the original hardware, only on this new one

We have used same compiler/setup for all binary files.

BR
Rasmus

rks · Sep 1st 2011, 11:21am

I've attached the newest log file. Any idea of what can cause this error?

Error read flash id.
Read - 0xF018E59F
Expected - 0x202249

It always is the same error we get when a pcb fails the download process. The same pcb can be test OK and next time we tri to download it fails (same pcb test 50 times, fails 10 times)

We still use the same download files as listed earlier in this thread.

BR
Rasmus

SEGGER - Alex · Sep 6th 2011, 8:33am

Hi Rasmus,

Maybe there is a problem with the initialization of the external memory interface, for example some timings may be too tight,
so that it works most of the time but sometimes there are data inconsistencies (the flash does not get our commands correctly)?
Moreover, are there maybe any nWP pins floating on the flash side?
In the past we had a couple of customers which did not have pull-ups on the nWP pin of the flash memory which caused some inconsistencies during programming (sometimes the write protection suddenly got activated etc.)

Best regards
Alex

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