This note explains how to load images to the target via Ethernet. With an Ethernet connection available, U-Boot can load images from a TFTP host quickly and easily. This is the development and software manufacturing option that is preferable with U-Boot and Linux.
The download procedure is based on the tftpboot command provided by the U-Boot command interface. tftboot implements a download capability over Ethernet using the TFTP protocol and has the following synopsis:
tftpboot <file> [<load_addr>]
If you do not specify a load address, then the value will be taken from the loadaddr environment variable. On the NXP i.MX RT1170 EVK board, loadaddr is set as follows, placing the download buffer into the on-module SDRAM:
=> print loadaddr
loadaddr=0x80007fc0
=>
The MAC address of the Ethernet interface is defined by the ethaddr environment variable.The IP address of the board is defined by the ipaddr U-Boot environment variable. The TFTP server IP address is defined by the serverip U-Boot environment variable. Make sure you define these environment variables to values that make sense for your LAN and save them in the SD Card:
=> setenv ethaddr C0:B1:3D:88:88:89
=> setenv ipaddr 192.168.88.89
=> setenv serverip 192.168.88.170
=> saveenv
Saving Environment to MMC... Writing to MMC(0)... OK
Once the transmission using tftpboot finishes, the file will be in memory at the specified load address. The loadaddr environment variable will automatically be set to the address the tftpboot command used. The filesize environment variable will automatically be set to the number of bytes transferred during the load operation.
Then you are free to do whatever you like with the loaded image. You can boot Linux from the image (assuming it is a Linux uImage file), display the memory, etc.
One typical command sequence involving tftpboot is defined in the netboot environment variable, which by default is set in U-Boot as follows:
=> print netboot
netboot=tftp ${image} && run addip && bootm
=>
What netboot does is load from tftpdir in a TFTP host a file defined by image (the tftp command), then add the TCP/IP related parameters to the kernel command string (addip), and finally boot Linux from the just loaded image (bootm).
Let's use netboot to boot Linux via TFTP from the sample Linux image (rootfs.uImage) included in the Emcraft software distribution. Copy rootfs.uImage to the appropriate (tftpdir) TFTP directory on the host and then from U-Boot on the target set the image environment variable to point to the image:
=> setenv image imxrt1170/rootfs.uImage
=> saveenv
Saving Environment to MMC... Writing to MMC(0)... OK
=> run netboot
Using ethernet@40424000 device
TFTP from server 192.168.88.170; our IP address is 192.168.88.89
Filename 'imxrt1170/rootfs.uImage'.
Load address: 0x80007fc0
Loading: #################################################################
#################################################################
#################################################################
...
##########################################################
476.6 KiB/s
done
Bytes transferred = 8481682 (816b92 hex)
## Booting kernel from Legacy Image at 80007fc0 ...
Image Name: Linux-6.1.22
Image Type: ARM Linux Multi-File Image (uncompressed)
Data Size: 8481618 Bytes = 8.1 MiB
Load Address: 80008000
Entry Point: 80008001
Contents:
Image 0: 8472032 Bytes = 8.1 MiB
Image 1: 9574 Bytes = 9.3 KiB
Verifying Checksum ... OK
## Flattened Device Tree from multi component Image at 80007FC0
Booting using the fdt at 0x8081c5ec
Working FDT set to 8081c5ec
Loading Multi-File Image
Loading Device Tree to 2032a000, end 2032f565 ... OK
Working FDT set to 2032a000
Starting kernel ...
Booting Linux on physical CPU 0x0
Linux version 6.1.22 (sasha@workbench.emcraft.com)
(arm-none-eabi-gcc (GNU Arm Embedded Toolchain 10.3-2021.10)
10.3.1 20210824 (release), GNU ld (GNU Arm Embedded Toolchain
10.3-2021.10) 2.36.1.20210621) #2 Fri Sep 1 07:28:26 UTC 2023
CPU: ARMv7-M [411fc272] revision 2 (ARMv7M), cr=00000000
CPU: PIPT / VIPT nonaliasing data cache, PIPT instruction cache
OF: fdt: Machine model: NXP IMXRT1170 EVK board
...
This architecture does not have kernel memory protection.
Run /init as init process
[72] Jan 01 00:00:01 Running in background
/ # mmc0: host does not support reading read-only switch, assuming
write-enable
mmc0: new high speed SDHC card at address 59b4
mmcblk0: mmc0:59b4 USD 7.39 GiB
mmcblk0: p1
Micrel KSZ8081 or KSZ8091 40424000.ethernet-1:02: attached PHY
driver (mii_bus:phy_addr=40424000.ethernet-1:02, irq=POLL)
fec 40424000.ethernet eth0: Link is Up - 100Mbps/Full - flow control
off
/ # ps
PID USER VSZ STAT COMMAND
1 root 872 S init
2 root 0 SW [kthreadd]
3 root 0 IW [kworker/0:0-eve]
4 root 0 IW< [kworker/0:0H-kb]
5 root 0 IW [kworker/u2:0-ev]
6 root 0 IW< [mm_percpu_wq]
7 root 0 SW [ksoftirqd/0]
8 root 0 SW [kdevtmpfs]
9 root 0 IW< [inet_frag_wq]
10 root 0 IW< [writeback]
11 root 0 IW< [kblockd]
12 root 0 IW [kworker/0:1-eve]
13 root 0 IW< [rpciod]
14 root 0 IW< [xprtiod]
15 root 0 IW< [cfg80211]
16 root 0 SW [kswapd0]
17 root 0 IW [kworker/u2:1-ev]
18 root 0 IW< [nfsiod]
20 root 0 IW< [uas]
21 root 0 SW< [krfcommd]
22 root 0 IW< [kworker/u3:0]
23 root 0 IW [kworker/0:2-eve]
24 root 0 IW< [sdhci]
25 root 0 SW [irq/449-mmc0]
50 root 0 IW [kworker/u2:2]
51 root 0 IW< [ci_otg]
52 root 0 IW< [ci_power_lost]
53 root 0 IW [kworker/u2:3]
54 root 0 IW< [ci_otg]
55 root 0 IW< [ci_power_lost]
57 root 0 IW [kworker/0:3]
72 root 728 S dropbear -R
74 root 884 S -/bin/hush
88 root 0 IW< [mmc_complete]
91 root 0 IW< [kworker/0:1H-kb]
97 root 880 R ps
Here are some troubleshooting tips, in case tftpboot does not work for you from U-Boot:
- As trivial as it sounds make sure that the board is connected to the LAN with an Ethernet cable.
- Suppose you are still not getting your file from the TFTP server. It is possible that the problem is on the host side - you must set up a TFTP server correctly. Just google for "how to set up a tftp server" and follow the advice from some top articles.
- Make sure you have copied a file you are trying to download to the TFTP server directory on the host.
- Disable the firewall on the host since get enabled, it will block TFTP requests from the target.
- On the target, make sure that you have set ipaddr and serverip correctly. Check ethaddr and make sure that you don't have another embedded board (eg. another NXP i.MX RT1170 EVK board) configured for the same MAC address.
