[Arm-netbook] evaluating rk3188

[Dr. David Alan Gilbert]

* FUKAUMI Naoki (fun at naobsd.org) wrote:

Hi,
  Thanks for the reply.

> On 07/16/2013 05:38 AM, Dr. David Alan Gilbert wrote:

> structure of firmware image/flash rom and USB flashing protocol
> should be basically same from RK28 ages(from users' PoV). there are
> some amount of experiences.
> 
> some open source tools such as rkflash/rkflashtool can do some work
> for RK3188 too.
> 
> >OK, so my understanding for the rk3066 is that:
> >  a) The flash driver is a closed binary blob - i.e. you can't even read the flash
> 
> probably you're talking about kernel NAND/MTD driver. it's binary
> blob, true, it's strange(some difference from standard MTD device),
> true, but

Yes, the NAND/MTD driver - which seems a bit fundamental to getting
an open board.

> >   a1) It's broken enough that people tell you never to dd into a partition,
> 
> it's possible. all you need is 'don't use MEMERASE ioctl, use bs=16384'.
> if you need working flash_image command, you can get it from my site,
> 
>  http://androtab.info/clockworkmod/rockchip/

OK, useful to know; a bit late for my board at the moment.

> >because as I did it broke it so that the following didn't work.
> >
> >  b) There are at least 2 levels of USB programming protocol
> >   b1) 'rkflashtool' (there are various github copies) can reflash one layer
> >   b2) But if it's too broken for that you're stuck....
> >   b3) .... except with rkbatchtool which is a windows program that
> >can reflash via USB if you short some pin on the chip to force
> >some fallback mode.
> >      (Which I've not got a windows box to try; doesn't work in wine,
> >even with the wine USB hacks)
> >
> >Dave
> 
> there are 2 modes for USB communication.
> 
> mask rom mode, like as FEL mode on sunxi, bootloader needs to be
> loaded by rockchip official tools such as RKAndroidTool,
> RKBatchTool, etc.
> rkflash/rkflashtool doesn't support this mode yet.

Is the protocol for that mode known so that it could be supported?

> bootloader mode, bootloader(currently made by rockchip only) is
> loaded from flash or USB, it should be possible to read/write RAM,
> NAND and IDB(bootloader) via USB.
> rkflashtool can read/write NAND and can read RAM/IDB for now.
> 
> if you don't touch bootloader, rkflashtool works nicely for
> kernel/userland development.

Well, I didn't intend to touch the bootloader - thus is life!

Dave
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