Trying to get IPXE to work on Framework 13 board

[arcivanov]

So far unsuccessful - ipxe.efi chainloaded from GRUB fails with no output.
Same happens when renaming ipxe.efi to bootriscv64.efi - splash screen stays up and system is non-responsive even with debug enabled on IPXE.
Could you provide some pointers on how to start debugging this?

Here's the thread from the IPXE discussion: ipxe/ipxe#1370

[wypcc]

Tested according to the steps and configuration. iPXE was able to start but then exited with r = 1.

---

Found EFI removable media binary efi/boot/bootriscv64.efi
944640 bytes read in 49 ms (18.4 MiB/s)
libfdt fdt_check_header(): FDT_ERR_BADMAGIC
iPXE initialising devices...
INIT startup cachedhcp1...
INIT startup efi_tick...
INIT startup devices...
file:autoexec.ipxe... Not found (https://ipxe.org/7f4de18e)
file:/autoexec.ipxe... Not found (https://ipxe.org/7f4de18e)
INIT startup efi_cmdline...
INIT startup rbg...
INIT startup cachedhcp2...
INIT startup complete

iPXE 1.21.1+ (g83ba3) -- Open Source Network Boot Firmware -- https://ipxe.org
Features: DNS HTTP iSCSI TFTP VLAN SRP AoE EFI Menu
console=ttyS0,115200: command not found
INIT shutdown cachedhcp2...
INIT shutdown tcp...
INIT shutdown rbg...
INIT shutdown devices...
INIT shutdown efi_tick...
INIT shutdown heap...
INIT shutdown efi_watchdog...
INIT shutdown complete
Application failed, r = 1

---

The Type-C port at the bottom right of the motherboard supports serial expansion and can be used to view debugging information. Please check if the package includes a serial expansion cable.

[SpieringsAE]

@wypcc I got a usb-c to usb-c cable, a usb-c breakout board and an st-link v2 with a four lane ribbon cable.

I am guessing these somehow combine into a debugging cable but there is no documentation yet how, as in which pins are which.

I would love to use this debugging information, could you provide a little more info on how to actually do it?

[arcivanov]

Tested according to the steps and configuration. iPXE was able to start but then exited with r = 1.

Found EFI removable media binary efi/boot/bootriscv64.efi 944640 bytes read in 49 ms (18.4 MiB/s) libfdt fdt_check_header(): FDT_ERR_BADMAGIC iPXE initialising devices... INIT startup cachedhcp1... INIT startup efi_tick... INIT startup devices... file:autoexec.ipxe... Not found (https://ipxe.org/7f4de18e) file:/autoexec.ipxe... Not found (https://ipxe.org/7f4de18e) INIT startup efi_cmdline... INIT startup rbg... INIT startup cachedhcp2... INIT startup complete

iPXE 1.21.1+ (g83ba3) -- Open Source Network Boot Firmware -- https://ipxe.org Features: DNS HTTP iSCSI TFTP VLAN SRP AoE EFI Menu console=ttyS0,115200: command not found INIT shutdown cachedhcp2... INIT shutdown tcp... INIT shutdown rbg... INIT shutdown devices... INIT shutdown efi_tick... INIT shutdown heap... INIT shutdown efi_watchdog... INIT shutdown complete Application failed, r = 1

The Type-C port at the bottom right of the motherboard supports serial expansion and can be used to view debugging information. Please check if the package includes a serial expansion cable.

Wow!
Did you get the above from the screen or the USB-C serial expansion?
I did not receive any serial cables with the two CoolMaster boards I received.

[NiKiZe]

Is there any config file or similar with parameters that contains that console=ttyS0,115200 and normally intended for grub?

ipxe/ipxe#1370 (reply in thread)

It does seem like text output is not directed to the console, maybe that is a known improvement point for the framework firmware?

[arcivanov]

@wypcc I got a usb-c to usb-c cable, a usb-c breakout board and an st-link v2 with a four lane ribbon cable.

I am guessing these somehow combine into a debugging cable but there is no documentation yet how, as in which pins are which.

I would love to use this debugging information, could you provide a little more info on how to actually do it?

That's also what I got and same - no documentation.

[arcivanov]

The Type-C port at the bottom right of the motherboard supports serial expansion and can be used to view debugging information. Please check if the package includes a serial expansion cable.

This is EN for HT-189 breakout.
https://www.agarwalelectronics.com/product/type-c-to-dip-converter/

ST Link/V2 programmer is being recognized but how the USB-C is to be wired with the pins of the programmer to get VCOM functionality isn't clear.

USB-C pins

Don't really marry with this without a hardware datasheet:

[achappuis]

@arcivanov the ST-LINK does not seems to have a VCOM (at least I can't see any ttyUSB nor ACM device when plugin the device, and can't find mention of this in the official doc).

Anyway, I managed to check the break-out board. Here is what I've found :

• UART 8N1@115200
• TX (of the FML13V01) is on SBU1
• Signal level is 3.3v
• I haven't tested yet, but I assume that RX would be on SBU2.

Using a USB to UART cable with 3.3v should be good enough, not sure if and how the ST-LINK can be used.

Hope that helps.

[wypcc]

This is just a quick response; the detailed documentation will be updated by a colleague later.

1. Only the bottom-right TYPE-C port supports serial port expansion. If no debug information is visible, try flipping the TYPE-C connector.
2. Uart TTL 3.3V：USB1(Txd), USB2(Rxd)，Baud rate: 115200

[arcivanov]

FYI, in the breakouts we received USB1=SUB1 and USB2=SBU2 😄

[arcivanov]

Interestingly I can't get the COM port to work...

Here's my setup. Anything I'm doing wrong? The dongle works 100% (verified with a jumper across RX-TX). Do I need a special USB-C cable?

[arcivanov]

Nevermind, it was a bad USB-C framework module.

      U-Boot SPL 2021.10 (Nov 17 2024 - 18:15:56 -1000)
LPDDR4: 8G version: g8ad50857.
Trying to boot from SPI

OpenSBI v1.2
   ____                    _____ ____ _____
  / __ \                  / ____|  _ \_   _|                                                                                                  
 | |  | |_ __   ___ _ __ | (___ | |_) || |                                                                                                    
 | |  | | '_ \ / _ \ '_ \ \___ \|  _ < | |                                                                                                    
 | |__| | |_) |  __/ | | |____) | |_) || |_                                                                                                   
  \____/| .__/ \___|_| |_|_____/|___/_____|                                                                                                   
        | |
        |_|

Platform Name             : StarFive VisionFive V2
Platform Features         : medeleg
Platform HART Count       : 5
Platform IPI Device       : aclint-mswi
Platform Timer Device     : aclint-mtimer @ 4000000Hz
Platform Console Device   : uart8250
Platform HSM Device       : ---
Platform PMU Device       : ---
Platform Reboot Device    : pm-reset
Platform Shutdown Device  : pm-reset
Platform Suspend Device   : ---
Firmware Base             : 0x40000000
Firmware Size             : 392 KB
Firmware RW Offset        : 0x40000
Runtime SBI Version       : 1.0

Domain0 Name              : root
Domain0 Boot HART         : 1
Domain0 HARTs             : 0*,1*,2*,3*,4*
Domain0 Region00          : 0x0000000002000000-0x000000000200ffff M: (I,R,W) S/U: ()
Domain0 Region01          : 0x0000000040000000-0x000000004003ffff M: (R,X) S/U: ()
Domain0 Region02          : 0x0000000040040000-0x000000004007ffff M: (R,W) S/U: ()
Domain0 Region03          : 0x0000000000000000-0xffffffffffffffff M: (R,W,X) S/U: (R,W,X)
Domain0 Next Address      : 0x0000000040200000
Domain0 Next Arg1         : 0x0000000042200000
Domain0 Next Mode         : S-mode
Domain0 SysReset          : yes
Domain0 SysSuspend        : yes

Boot HART ID              : 1
Boot HART Domain          : root
Boot HART Priv Version    : v1.11
Boot HART Base ISA        : rv64imafdcbx
Boot HART ISA Extensions  : none
Boot HART PMP Count       : 8
Boot HART PMP Granularity : 4096
Boot HART PMP Address Bits: 34
Boot HART MHPM Count      : 2
Boot HART MIDELEG         : 0x0000000000000222
Boot HART MEDELEG         : 0x000000000000b109


U-Boot 2021.10 (Nov 17 2024 - 18:15:56 -1000)

CPU:   rv64imacu_zba_zbb
Model: StarFive VisionFive V2
DRAM:  8 GiB
MMC:   sdio0@16010000: 0, sdio1@16020000: 1
Loading Environment from SPIFlash... SF: Detected gd25lq128 with page size 256 Bytes, erase size 4 KiB, total 16 MiB
OK
StarFive EEPROM format v2

--------EEPROM INFO--------
Vendor : StarFive Technology Co., Ltd.
Product full SN: FML13V01-2447-XXXXXXXX-YYYYYYYY
data version: 0x2
PCB revision: 0xb2
BOM revision: A
Ethernet MAC0 address: <snip>
Ethernet MAC1 address: <snip>
--------EEPROM INFO--------

sf_display_init: device 'dc8200@29400000' display won't probe (ret=1)
In:    serial
Out:   serial
Err:   serial
Model: StarFive VisionFive V2
Error: 1 bit/pixel mode, but BMP has 24 bit/pixel
Net:   eth0: ethernet@16030000, eth1: ethernet@16040000
Hit any key to stop autoboot:  0 
starting USB...
Bus usb@10100000: Register 2000820 NbrPorts 2
Starting the controller
USB XHCI 1.00
scanning bus usb@10100000 for devices... 6 USB Device(s) found
       scanning usb for storage devices... 0 Storage Device(s) found
Scanning mmc 1:3...
libfdt fdt_check_header(): FDT_ERR_BADMAGIC
Card did not respond to voltage select! : -110
** Unable to read file ubootefi.var **
Failed to load EFI variables
Found EFI removable media binary efi/boot/bootriscv64.efi
943104 bytes read in 52 ms (17.3 MiB/s)
libfdt fdt_check_header(): FDT_ERR_BADMAGIC
EFI handle 0xf76e2630 systab 0xf7ed9d10
EFI does not provide protocol ConsoleControl
EFI protocol ef9fc172-a1b2-4693-b327-6d32fc416042 is at 0xf7fcf200
EFI does not provide protocol c12b1873-ac17-4176-ac77-7ecb4defffec
EFI does not provide protocol AcpiTable
EFI protocol 8b843e20-8132-4852-90cc-551a4e4a7f1c is at 0xf7fcf100
EFI does not provide protocol 3152bca5-eade-433d-862e-c01cdc291f44
EFI does not provide configuration table eb9d2d30-2d88-11d3-9a16-0090273fc14d
EFI does not provide configuration table f2fd1544-9794-4a2c-992e-e5bbcf20e394
EFI configuration table eb9d2d31-2d88-11d3-9a16-0090273fc14d is at 0xf66b0000
EFI image base address 0xf651a000
EFI image device path /VenHw(e61d73b9-a384-4acc-aeab-82e828f3628b)/SD(1)/SD(1)/HD(3,GPT,fc1c4670-d302-4064-ab03-95f410c3d887,0x4000,0x92000)
iPXE initialising devices...                                                                                                                  
file:autoexec.ipxe... Not found (https://ipxe.org/7f4de18e)                                                                                   
file:/autoexec.ipxe... Not found (https://ipxe.org/7f4de18e)                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                              

iPXE 1.21.1+ (g83ba3) -- Open Source Network Boot Firmware -- https://ipxe.org
Features: DNS HTTP iSCSI TFTP VLAN SRP AoE EFI Menu
console=ttyS0,115200: command not found
EFI image unloading
EFI image unloaded
## Application failed, r = 1
EFI LOAD FAILED: continuing...
Scanning mmc 1:4...
Found /boot/extlinux/extlinux.conf
Retrieving file: /boot/extlinux/extlinux.conf
770 bytes read in 8 ms (93.8 KiB/s)
U-Boot menu
1:      Debian GNU/Linux bookworm/sid 6.6.20
2:      Debian GNU/Linux bookworm/sid 6.6.20 (rescue target)
Enter choice: 1:        Debian GNU/Linux bookworm/sid 6.6.20
Retrieving file: /initrd.img-6.6.20
Failed to load '/initrd.img-6.6.20'
Skipping l0 for failure retrieving initrd
2:      Debian GNU/Linux bookworm/sid 6.6.20 (rescue target)
Retrieving file: /initrd.img-6.6.20
Failed to load '/initrd.img-6.6.20'
Skipping l0r for failure retrieving initrd
SCRIPT FAILED: continuing...
44047 bytes read in 16 ms (2.6 MiB/s)
Card did not respond to voltage select! : -110
Card did not respond to voltage select! : -110
Couldn't find partition mmc 0:1
starfive_pcie pcie@2C000000: Port link down.
starfive_pcie pcie@2C000000: Starfive PCIe bus probed.
PCI: Failed autoconfig bar 10

Device 0: unknown device
switch to partitions #0, OK
mmc1 is current device
Try booting from MMC1 ...
Failed to load 'vf2_uEnv.txt'
## Error: "boot2" not defined
Card did not respond to voltage select! : -110

Device 0: unknown device

Device 0: unknown device
Tring booting distro ...
switch to partitions #0, OK
mmc1 is current device
Try booting from MMC1 ...
Failed to load '/uEnv.txt'
Retrieving file: /extlinux/extlinux.conf
Failed to load '/extlinux/extlinux.conf'
Error reading config file
Card did not respond to voltage select! : -110

Device 0: unknown device

Device 0: unknown device
StarFive # 

[arcivanov]

OK it may not have been cable/module after all - USB-C connector orientation is important, it works one way but not the other!!!

[arcivanov]

So, lessons:

1. Not all USB-C cables actually work for the UART.
2. Having UART on USB1 and USB2 pins makes USB-C connector directional. The short USB-C 3.2 8k supplied with the board works but only in one orientation.

[SpieringsAE]

@arcivanov

2. Having UART on USB1 and USB2 pins makes USB-C connector directional. The short USB-C 3.2 8k supplied with the board works but only in one orientation.

this was mentioned up here btw:

1. Only the bottom-right TYPE-C port supports serial port expansion. If no debug information is visible, try flipping the TYPE-C connector.

[arcivanov]

this was mentioned up here btw:

1. Only the bottom-right TYPE-C port supports serial port expansion. If no debug information is visible, try flipping the TYPE-C connector.

Yes, however it wasn't mentioned that not all USB-C cables actually work either.