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flash write speed very slow

Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2017 3:50 am
by diyinhk
U8 + external SPI flash + windows7, xtimecomposer write the usb audio firmware in ~10s
XUF216 + internal QSPI flash + windows7, xtimecomposer write the usb audio firmware in ~30s!
Is is normal? any method to speed it up?
the console output of the first 20s is nothing(seems check something) before the actual write/verify process

Re: flash write speed very slow

Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2017 4:06 pm
by mon2
https://www.xcore.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=3158

If you are performing a first time flash write then you should be able to use the xflash tool directly with the compiled .xe file to perform a full erase & write without any additional checks to expedite the process. As a QSPI flash, you should be able to pass the flag to invoke QSPI mode for higher data rate transfers with this internal (or external) memory device.

Re: flash write speed very slow

Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2017 2:40 am
by diyinhk
anybody can list their normal flash time of external or internal QSPI flash to compare?
xflash --factory firmware.xx

Re: flash write speed very slow

Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2017 1:50 pm
by mon2
Try with:

Code: Select all

xflash --noinq --verbose --factory firmware.xx
Reference:
http://www.xmos.com/support/knowledgeba ... ted-xflash

What is the SPI pinout definition inside your .XN file ?

Please post your .XN file for this PCB.

Re: flash write speed very slow

Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2017 3:27 pm
by colin
Xflash erases the entire flash site before it programs it. Unfortunately the erase process can take a considerable amount of time to complete. QSPI is longer than the SPI process presumably because the SPI device has a significantly smaller memory size and thus less to erase?

Colin

Re: flash write speed very slow

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2017 8:57 am
by diyinhk
the 10S record is external 512kB spi flash
the 30S is internal 2MB QSPI flash
that means everybody using internal QSPI flash will need over 30s to flash one xmos XUF chip?
can I skip the erases entire flash step?
garbage in the remaining unuse flash area should not affect anything