Lost the Raptor

NETMF & Gadgeteer
1

Some code was built and deployed that had a serious bug, the Raptor is now inaccessible via USB and reboots continually.

MFDeploy seems to try to talk to the device but cannot because once it reboots it behaves well for a seond or two then crashes again before MFDeploy can get much info, no hope of erasing the app this way.

I next ran FEZ Config and this too is transiently able to “see” the board but it becomes inaccessible shortly after every reboot, its rebooting over and over.

I have the LCD attached so can see what’s it doing:

It reboots:

G400
Version 4.3.6.0
Debug: USB
LCD: 480x272

After 1 or secs it crashes with:

[b]ABORT Data
Build Date:
Oct 21 2014
13:05:18

cps=
pc=
lr=
sp=[/b]

After about 15 seconds it repeats.

The image show FEZ Config, the device gets reset and I press ‘Check for device update’ over and over rapidly, as you can see there’s a brief interval where FEZ Config successfully communicates then the device crashes.
I’d like to know the exact steps to take next in order to reload whatever needs to be reloaded!

Frustrated because I’ve just started a short vacation and had planned to spend quite a bit of time learning more of Gadgeteer and .Net MF!

Please Help !!

Korp.

PS: Because the device briefly communicates this suggest that an enhancement could be made in which we ask FEZ Config to freeze the loading of apps after reboot, that is FEZ Config could assert some flag/value etc and as the device reboots it checks/looks for this flag/value - like saying “Hey, I know your rebooting but DONT go any further” with the device saying “OK I’m rebooting, first let me see if FEZ Config is alerting me”.

Perhaps this could be a FEZ Config button “Intercept on reboot” or something…

2

Did you try reflashing using SAM-BA?
https://www.ghielectronics.com/docs/321/fez-raptor-developers-guide

3

No, wasn’t aware - let me read this, I appreciate your help !

Korp

4

sam-ba_cd.exe (if that’s what you’re referring to) is no help, it displays a tiny dialog with ‘Select the connection’ option that’s always empty, the next box ‘Select your board’ says ‘at91sam9rl64-ek’ but pressing Connect etc does nothing and it looks like this holds no hope !

5

nope, he doesn’t mean that. Use the guidance in the G400 PDF manual page 21

6

Ahh OK, thanks…

7

OK I’m reading this and after resetting with the relevant pin grounded it (the documentation) instructs me to look for the COM port…but the device is connected to USB…am I missing something?

Thx

PS: I just overnighted a couple of Spider II mainboards - keep me afloat during vacation of I can’t resolve the Raptor promptly.

(Feels like a jackass).

8

Once you’ve started in bootloader mode then you should be able to go to your “Devices and Printers” control panel and see your device loaded and it normally shows something such as “COM6” with it. Sorry, I don’t have a Raptor handy at the moment to do a screenshot.

EDIT: Actually, it looks like page 22 of the manual has the screenshot I was wanting to take :slight_smile:

9

OK Thanks Ian, much appreciated (just wary of making things worse) - the CPU pin referred to in the docs - PA11 - seems to be directly available at either Socket 3 or Socket 11 - Pin 8…so bridging pins 8 and 10 on either socket is what’s called for here…time to reach for the toolbox - nothing better to hand than a micro screwdriver…

10

You are correct. I keep a Breakout or Extender module handy that has male headers soldered on. Then I can use a jumper wire to bridge the pins. Trying to do it directly to the tiny pins in the socket is difficult.