EEPROM question

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niksun
 
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EEPROM question

Post by niksun »

So I built my YBox2 yesterday. I double-checked all connections and they look fine. The EEPROM I received from Mouser is the ATMLU716 (which is what I received when ordering the AT24C512B-PU25). I was able to program it with the bootloader (v1.1a) and all seemed to work well. The only problem: First boot! is all that appeared (did not get a MAC address or IP). So I connected pin 7 of the EEPROM (WP) to VSS as suggested in another post--to no avail.

Another issue. The Ethernet jack seems to do nothing (i.e. ne LEDs light up when connected to my router). I am not using a crossover cable (I checked), the cable works (I checked), the Ethernet port in the router works (I checked), and my router is a Linksys WRT54GX2. Any ideas? Again, I double-checked all resistor values and such, and my soldering job looks fine.

BTW, I am using Propellent (the command line version of the compiler) along with a python script (Loader.py) to do the programming with a USB Propeller plug I got as a sample from Parallax. I use Linux (Ubuntu) as my OS and the programming both into RAM and onto the EEPROM looks fine.

Any ideas?

adafruit
 
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Re: EEPROM question

Post by adafruit »

Im confused, did you build it from a kit or from your own DIY parts? How did you burn on the bootloader?

niksun
 
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Re: EEPROM question

Post by niksun »

I bought the PCB from adafruit. I bought parts from Mouser (using mostly links from the make page). I burned the bootloader using a Parallax prop plug I had laying around. I haven't had the chance to get back to the yBox (since I've been busy finishing up my x0x), but I'll double-check everything this weekend. Let you know how it goes.

edit: I'll bring it to the university to see if I can get an IP there (could possibly be the router brand at home, but who knows).

niksun
 
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Re: EEPROM question

Post by niksun »

Rechecked all parts and solder joints. Everything is in the right place; the joints look good (no colder solder joints, etc). I'll test it out elsewhere tomorrow.

adafruit
 
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Re: EEPROM question

Post by adafruit »

some people talked about the bootloader and different versions in the SVN, check the forum for those posts.

niksun
 
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Re: EEPROM question

Post by niksun »

Are the Ethernet jacks fairly sensitive to static electricity? I somehow remember stinging my finger at some point after the build. Probably that's it. I wonder if it screwed up the EEPROM as well. I'm getting new parts for both the jack and EEPROM sometime this week and I'll replace.

The LEDs on the Ethernet jack do nothing which leads me to believe that it's bad. I've more than triple-checked the solder joints and passive components.

I get a First Boot! every time I turn the YBox2 on which leads me to believe that either I have the wrong EEPROM (but it was ordered through the make link) or that it is "fried."

The following images link to high-resolution versions; the top of the board:

Image

A look at the top without the Propeller chip:

Image

Two shots of the bottom:

Image

Image

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darco
 
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Re: EEPROM question

Post by darco »

Sounds like you may be running into the EEPROM write-protect issue, mentioned in the errata.

Here is a quote from a post I wrote to this thread:
...according to the datasheet this pin will be internally pulled low if left unconnected... but apparently this isn't always the case.

Adding a haywire from pin7 (the only unconnected pin on the EEPROM) to a pin on the other side of the chip (which are all connected to VSS) fixed his problems.

I would recommend everyone doing the same at some point, especially before upgrading the bootloader if you don't have a prop-plug.
Give that a try and let us know if it worked.

niksun
 
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Re: EEPROM question

Post by niksun »

darco wrote:Sounds like you may be running into the EEPROM write-protect issue, mentioned in the errata.

Here is a quote from a post I wrote to this thread:
...according to the datasheet this pin will be internally pulled low if left unconnected... but apparently this isn't always the case.

Adding a haywire from pin7 (the only unconnected pin on the EEPROM) to a pin on the other side of the chip (which are all connected to VSS) fixed his problems.

I would recommend everyone doing the same at some point, especially before upgrading the bootloader if you don't have a prop-plug.
Give that a try and let us know if it worked.
Thanks. I'll try that later this afternoon or evening and let you know how it goes...

niksun
 
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Re: EEPROM question

Post by niksun »

niksun wrote:Thanks. I'll try that later this afternoon or evening and let you know how it goes...
Nope, no luck. I did as suggested and reprogrammed the bootloader. Again: First boot! I think it may be some other issue in my case, but I'll wait until I get my spare parts and try to debug then. If it still doesn't work, then we'll worry about that when the time comes...

niksun
 
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Re: EEPROM question

Post by niksun »

I just realized something. The EEPROM has to be working because I upload the bootloader to it via Propellent. I can power down the YBox, and it will load upon power up (and show me the NEVERENDING "First boot!"). Maybe it's the Propeller chip--I will try another one right now...

Still no lights on the Ethernet jack though.

adafruit
 
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Re: EEPROM question

Post by adafruit »

maybe replace the enc chip? someone else mentioned they fried it. if you dont even get a link light...that may be the problem!

niksun
 
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Re: EEPROM question

Post by niksun »

ladyada wrote:maybe replace the enc chip? someone else mentioned they fried it. if you dont even get a link light...that may be the problem!
I thought about that too. I'll order one and check it out.

The Propeller is fine. I replaced it anyways, but no difference.

niksun
 
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Re: EEPROM question

Post by niksun »

Great! Mouser is out of the ENC chip for at least 3 weeks. Anyone have a spare they'd care to send me? :mrgreen:

adafruit
 
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Re: EEPROM question

Post by adafruit »

have you looked at octopart?

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darco
 
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Re: EEPROM question

Post by darco »

I keep forgetting this possibility when symptoms like this come up for some reason, but you may be using a bad bootloader.

Try using this bootloader binary, instead of building from SVN. The sources on SVN a while back had EEPROM writing issues (which didn't come to my attention until a few weeks ago).

Just to reiterate what I mentioned on a different thread, the only reason you would see "First Boot" multiple times is if the propeller is failing to write the initial settings to the second page of the 64KB EEPROM. This can happen for the following reasons:

* Using a 32KB EEPROM instead of a 64KB EEPROM (Unlikely)

* Bad EEPROM (Unlikely)

* Write Protected EEPROM (Which we already ruled out)

* Bad firmware (Most likely scenario at this point)

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