How to erase my FEZ?

Archive
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All GHI’s NETMF products include an exclusive feature called RLP. This feature allows you to load native code while still using C# and NETMF. Basically, you keep all commercial grade libraries (FAT/USB/threading) and can also add your own if needed. But in some rare cases, someone may want to run a different OS on FEZ, like Python (this was actually done already). In this case a complete erase is need to FEZ.

Here is how to completely erase it…Do NOT do this if you are using RLP!

Note that once you load this file then you automatically void the warranty. This is also irreversible, once erased, firmware can’t be put back.

You must have a good power source before you do this.
To wipe out the board clean, load this file like if you were updating firmware. Here it is http://www.tinyclr.com/downloads/Porting/USBizi_ERASE.zip
Now wait for 10 seconds while the loaded software erases everything…you now have a blank FEZ board.

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Nice! That should make some people happy! :smiley:

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Gus, you should add: “Once erased It cannot be loaded again by yourself”.

Because you would get a lot of How do I reprogram my Fez ? if not.

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I think that is what he meant by:

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Ops I dont know why I didnt read that… My brain is chosing what to read :wink:

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Does this firmware check to see if the JTAG and/or certain IO lines are not floating (in a known state) before an erase occurs?

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[quote]Does this firmware check to see if the JTAG and/or certain IO lines are not floating (in a known state) before an erase occurs?
[/quote]
Why check? This has northing to do with JTAG. It completely wipes out the processor’s memory and that is all it does.

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Thanks for offering this possibility.
With USB Host and all the other new goodies, it won’t be needed that much.

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Thank you so much for this! My FEZ Panda was, sadly, sitting there, doing nothing, as the project I’m working on can’t be done with .NETMF :o :frowning: (I didn’t know about that when I purchased it)

Now my Panda is happy again, working as an ARM devboard, thanks to the following:

Free Compiler: http://www.yagarto.de/
Free IDE: Eclipse Downloads | The Eclipse Foundation
Free Uploader: http://www.flashmagictool.com/

And I’m impressed on how easy is to setup a USB 2.0 to TTL UART chip (see below) and put the Panda into programming mode: hold LOADR press RESET release everything.

Here’s the UART chip I’m using:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-2-0-CP2102-Module-TTL-UART-6PIN-Serial-Converter-/190532885797?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c5ca51d25
(maybe not from this seller, but its the same chip, and I remember paying a bit more: $ 6.5 USD)

But I won’t lie, working directly with the NXP chip is a BIG task, much harder than working with C#. But its real-time, something I really need, and works nicely anyway.

Thanks again, Wk

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I am curious about your project.

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Don’t want to hijack this thread, so, should I create a new one? Or maybe keep an eye on our Beat707.com Facebook page?

Wk

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We always like to hear about projects. A new thread in General or Off Topic discussions would work great!

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There you go: http://www.tinyclr.com/forum/1/4219/#/1/msg39955

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If you can load a file to erase it, why is it so difficult to revert?

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Let me see if I make any sense saying this:

1.GHI ships you a USBizi
Your payment is revenue for GHI (very small amount per chip / board)

2.You dont want to use NETMF
GHI provides a way to erase the NETMF in total and helps use as a generic ARM/NXP board

3.GHI does not provide a file to restore the generic chip/board to a NETMF board
–if they do this you can buy a tray of LPCxxxx chips and program them to be USBizi chips

:slight_smile:

-HTH.