Need information regarding boot image update

Technical Support
1

Hello,

Our customer is using Toradex Verdin iMX8MP Q 4GB IT v1.1B PN: 0063 board for their prototype. We understand there are following ways to update images on this board,

  • Using Toradex Easy Installer
  • Using UUU
  • Using SD card boot

On the board, eMMC is the default boot media. We want to update boot image as well as kernel on the board.

Queries:

  • Is it possible to use SD card as default boot media?
  • We are unable to flash images using UUU on the eMMC? Can you share the steps to do so?
  • What will be the Toradex recommended way to update images in a production environment?

Regards,
Aishwarya

2

Hi, I’m the Toradex AI Assistant. The Toradex Support team will follow up with you shortly!

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:+1: :-1:

Hello Aishwarya,

Thank you for reaching out with your questions about the Toradex Verdin iMX8MP board. Let me address each of your queries:

  1. Using SD Card as Default Boot Media:

    While it is possible to boot from an SD card, this method is generally used for development and testing rather than as a default boot media in production. To boot from an SD card, you need to prepare it with the necessary boot and root filesystem partitions. You can create a bootable image using the OpenEmbedded build system and write it to the SD card with tools like dd. Once prepared, insert the SD card into the board, interrupt the U-Boot process by pressing any key during boot, and execute run bootcmd_mmc1 to boot from the SD card.

  2. Flashing Images Using UUU on eMMC:

    The Universal Update Utility (UUU) is indeed suitable for flashing images to the eMMC. Ensure you have UUU installed on your host machine. Typically, you need to set the board into recovery mode and use UUU commands to transfer the image to the eMMC. The exact steps can vary, so it’s best to refer to the UUU documentation specific to your board for detailed instructions.

  3. Recommended Way to Update Images in Production:

    For production environments, Toradex recommends using the Toradex Easy Installer. This tool is robust and allows for flashing images via Ethernet, USB, or SD card. It supports automated installations and can be customized to meet your specific needs, making it ideal for mass production scenarios.

I hope this information helps you with your project. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.

Best regards,
Toradex AI Assistant

Please, also check if these links can help you solve your problem:

U-boot cannot read SD card - is this expected to work?.

3

Hello,

We need more elaborate steps for image flashing steps using UUU utility. Also, the information for boot media change is not enough.

Regards,
Aishwarya

4

Hi @aishwarya_picus

Sorry, I’m not sure if I fully understood this question.

You mean to install an image from an SD card using Toradex Easy Installer?

Or for the Toradex Easy Installer to automatically install an image when an SD card is inserted?

You don’t actually need to directly use UUU, the Toradex Easy Installer handles this for you.

To update devices after they are deployed to the field, the recommended approach is to use the Torizon Cloud Remote Updates.

5

Hello @allan.tx ,

Thank you for your response.

We are checking for various boot image update options that are available for this board so that we can pick the way that works with our customer requirement.

Clarification on the requirements is like follows:

  • We want to use SD card to boot the board i.e. the bootimage should be read from the SD card by the ROM code. Currently, the eMMC device on the board is used to load the bootimage. We don’t want to use eMMC device at all.
  • So, can we use SD card as a boot media on this board?
  • We are able to use Toradex Easy Installer for image installation but we want to use UUU instead of the easy installer.
  • Is it possible to use UUU utility to update all the images on the eMMC device?
  • If possible, could you please share some reference steps for the same?

Regards,
Aishwarya

6

Hi @aishwarya_picus

Have you tried this? While this could work for a prototype, we don’t recommend booting from SD/USB in a real-world scenario.

We highly recommend using Toradex Easy Installer and it’s the approach we support. But if you want to use UUU directly, you can find instructions about how to use the UUU tool on official NXP documentation.