ADM-XRC SDK 2.8.1 User Guide (Linux)
© Copyright 2001-2009 Alpha Data
Care should be exercised when using the Flash utility. Storing an invalid bitstream in the Flash memory may cause a card to be damaged when the FPGA loads from Flash on power-up. |
Model | Supported |
ADM-XRC | ![]() |
ADM-XRC-P | ![]() |
ADM-XRC-II-Lite | |
ADM-XRC-II | ![]() |
ADM-XPL | ![]() |
ADM-XP | ![]() |
ADP-WRC-II | ![]() |
ADP-DRC-II | ![]() |
ADP-XPI | ![]() |
ADM-XRC-4LX | ![]() |
ADM-XRC-4SX | ![]() |
ADM-XRC-4FX | ![]() |
ADPE-XRC-4FX | ![]() |
ADM-XRC-5LX | ![]() |
ADM-XRC-5T1 | ![]() |
ADM-XRC-5T2 | ![]() |
ADM-XRC-5T2-ADV | ![]() |
ADM-XRC-5TZ | ![]() |
ADM-XRC-5T-DA1 | ![]() |
Flash is a utility that allows programming, verification and erasing of the Flash memory on a reconfigurable computing card. The utility can be used to blank-check the Flash, erase the Flash, program a bitstream into the Flash or verify that a particular bitstream has been programmed into the Flash.
flash [options ...] chkblank flash [options ...] erase flash [options ...] program <BIT filename> flash [options ...] verify <BIT filename>
Option | Argument type | Meaning |
-card | base 10 integer | ID of card to open |
-failsafe | n/a | Command applies to normal image (default, see below) |
+failsafe | n/a | Command applies to failsafe image (see below) |
-index | base 10 integer | Index of card to open |
The Flash utility has four commands:
An "image" is defined to be a region of Flash memory designated for holding an FPGA bitstream that is used to configure the target FPGA at power-on. If the image is empty, then the target FPGA is not configured from it at power-on (unless the failsafe image is non-empty - see below).
Some models feature a failsafe image that is automatically loaded at power-on, should the normal image be blank. The failsafe image is a "null bitstream" that does nothing but configure the DCMs in a Virtex-4 device, and on Virtex-4 FX devices, also configures the MGTs. This bitstream is required because of NBTI issues in Virtex-4. On applicable models, Alpha Data programs a factory default "null bitstream" into the failsafe image, and overwriting it is not recommended. For an overview of the NBTI issue in Virtex-4, refer to Xilinx answer 21127. On such models, the normal and failsafe images can be blank-checked, erased, programmed and verified independently of each other. In other words, performing a blank-check, erase, program or verification on one image has no effect on the other image. Therefore, in day-to-day operation, end users should not need to use the +failsafe option.