topic Re: Atom E39xx boot flash selection in Embedded Intel Atom® Processors

Atom E39xx boot flash selection

LeonYv — Thu, 01 Feb 2018 10:34:01 GMT

Can the SoC E39xx boot from single, dual and/or quad SPI device? Will the SoC recognize device type/configuration (from SPI memory OTP) automatically?

Re: Atom E39xx boot flash selection

CarlosAM_INTEL — Thu, 01 Feb 2018 18:12:14 GMT

Hello, Leecat :

Thank you for contacting Intel Embedded Community.

The information that may help you is stated on page 19 of the https://cdrd.intel.com/v1/dl/getcontent/564344 Apollo Lake Platform Component List (PCL) document # 564344.

We hope that this information may help you.

Best regards,

Carlos_A.

Re: Atom E39xx boot flash selection

PDu_T — Fri, 02 Feb 2018 07:19:23 GMT

Hi Carlos

If a QUAD SPI physical device is used, can it be set-up to boot in single-bit SPI mode as well OR must it be used in 4-bit mode ?

Regards

Piet

Re: Atom E39xx boot flash selection

LeonYv — Fri, 02 Feb 2018 09:09:04 GMT

Hi Carlos,

Thanks for your reply, but, unfortunately, the doc you mentioned doesn't give any info in regard to my question. I will try to re-phrase it.

We are planning to use W25Q128FWSIQ, which is in the referenced PCL. We may also to use Micron devices, but it's not my question. I will refer to Winbond W25Q128FWSIQ.

The flash device can be configured to be used in one of 3 modes: SPI, dual-SPI or quad-SPI. To be more accurate it can be used in the 4th mode as well: QPI, but I don't think the QPI will be supported by SoC.

Does the flash device need to be configured to one of the modes mentioned above to boot from it? Or, otherwise, will the SoC re-configure the FAST_SPI controller itself according to any of the mentioned flash memory configurations?

Kind Regards

Leon

Re: Atom E39xx boot flash selection

CarlosAM_INTEL — Fri, 02 Feb 2018 16:25:22 GMT

Hello, Leecat and PdT:

Thanks for your updates.

It is important to let you know that in some occasions SPI part does not require a Quad Enable bit to be set, either because Quad is not supported or because the manufacturer permanently enables Quad capability (e.g. Micron, Numonyx).

However, we suggest you review sections 3.1 and 4.1.7.2, on pages 17, 18, 19, and 33 of the https://cdrd.intel.com/v1/dl/getcontent/559702 Apollo Lake SoC SPI and Signed Master Image Profile (SMIP) Programming Guide document # 559702, where you find guidelines that should answer your questions.

We hope that this information may help you.

Best regards,

Carlos_A.