Cyclone V handoff folder

[Ozzuu]

Where can I find information about how each file within handoff folder is used by bsp editor to generate preloader. I am using Cyclone V and need to load different designs without changing the preloader. For making sure the existing preloader matches my new design, I am comparing the handoff folder. Sometimes the id.txt file containing the MD5 and CRC32 are different. My question is, is this id file really used by bsp editor to generate preloader or is it an information only file?

[AnandRaj_S_Intel]

Hi,

1. You must update the hardware handoff files and regenerate the BSP each time a hardware change impacts the HPS, such as after pin multiplexing or pin assignment changes.
2. The files inside handoff folder are the essential files that needed to proceed the next step: Loading the software into SoC using Pre-Loader and BootLoader image(U-Boot).
3. The Preloader requires a special header to be placed at the beginning of the next stage boot image. Also, the header contains a CRC value used to validate the image. the header can be attached to an image by using the mkimage utility that is included with the SoC EDS.

Regards

Anand

[Ozzuu]

Thanks Anand!

Our cyclone V will be running experiments and to not risk damage we plan to keep the preloader same for most of the experiments. It means, we do not allow changing pin multiplexing or any other HPS parameters.

For most of our designs the handoff folder is exactly the same, because of same pin muxing etc. Only in a few cases I observed a changed id file. Upon checking the source files used to generate preloader, I can see that this id file is not being used as a source while generating the preloader. I also scanned the entire Quartus project folder to check whose md5sum and crc values are written in id file but could not find a matching file.

I suppose the header required by the preloader will be formed by mkimage utility and and CRC value will also be calculated by the same utility right? The CRC value in the id file is gnerated when we compile Quartus project. At that time the preloader is not even generated, so the CRC from id file, can not be the CRC of preloader.

Can you throw some more light on this topic.