Reliability of sector erase on a fl512s flash memory by evaluating the E_ERR bit

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Anonymous
Not applicable

Dear community,

How reliable is the evaluation of the E_ERR bit after a sector erase operation on a fl512s in terms of the data being truely erased?

If the E_ERR bit is 0, i.e. the erase operation is successful, is it guaranteed that all bits within a sector are truely set to 1? Are there any mechanisms ensuring a successful erase operation or is the E_ERR bit simply an indicator if the erase operation could not be performed, for example if a sector is protected, but does not provide any additional information on the physical erase operation?

To provide a little more background: We currently use a fl512s in combination with the UFFS file system and the UFFS performs a full sector check, reading back each Byte of a newly erased sector and comparing it to 0xFF to ensure the sector erase was successful. As this is running in software, checking erased sectors takes a significant amount of time which we would like to avoid. Therefore we would rarther use the E_ERR bit to determine if the secotr erase was successful if possible / reliable.

Best regards and thanks in advance,

Manuel

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1 Solution

Hello Manuel,

It can be used as a general indicator, but there are scenarios where monitoring this is not enough (e.g. if the part is HW reset or power cycled) that will result in an incomplete erase without the E_ERR bit set.

We still recommend that the customer checks that bits are erased by reading them or performing a “blank check” command after erase.

Thank you and have a nice day

Regards,

Bushra

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5 Replies
BushraH_91
Moderator
Moderator
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750 replies posted 50 likes received 250 solutions authored

Hello Manuel,

Thank you for contacting Cypress Community Forum. We have received your inquiry and currently reviewing the issue. We will get back to you as soon as we find the resolution.

Have a wonderful day

Regards,

Bushra

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Hello Manuel,

It can be used as a general indicator, but there are scenarios where monitoring this is not enough (e.g. if the part is HW reset or power cycled) that will result in an incomplete erase without the E_ERR bit set.

We still recommend that the customer checks that bits are erased by reading them or performing a “blank check” command after erase.

Thank you and have a nice day

Regards,

Bushra

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Anonymous
Not applicable

Dear Bushra,

thank you a lot for the help!

If I understand you correctly then, in the nominal case of an erase - HW reset or power cycles aside - there is no dedicated check if the erase command truely fulfilled its purpose?

Best regards,

Manuel

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BushraH_91
Moderator
Moderator
Moderator
750 replies posted 50 likes received 250 solutions authored

Hello Manuel,

Yes you are correct.

Thank you

Regards,

Bushra

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Anonymous
Not applicable

Ok, good to be sure!.

Thank you again, Bushra!

Best rgards,

Manuel

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