Problem with Kitprog on FreeSoC2 board

[SaKrst]

Hello guys,

I have FreeSoC2 Dev Board and recently I started having problems with Kitprog programmer/debugger.

The problem starts when I connect the board through debugger port the debugger LED brights up once and then it is turned off for some reason. Also when I go to other devices in windows settings it is registered briefly for the moment after the reset or after I insert USB cable in the debugger port and then disappears even though it's still plugged in.

What's also strange is when I hold target reset button and plug in the cable then it will work and register as kitprog bootloader with no problems. I even managed to erase it with bootloader host, and then program it with kitprog firmware, and the same thing happens again.

My question would be is kitprog somehow damaged, and if so is it possible to desolder CY8C5868LTI-LP039 and solder a new one and program it to kitprog so I can have functional board again?

Also to mention that I desoldered the target processor just to be sure that it's not it that makes problems.

Thank you

[MotooTanaka · Accepted solution]

Hi,

I'm afraid that there could be a chance that you physically damaged the board.

But since KitProg can be detected in Bootloader mode,

the firmware of KitProg might have been damaged.

So I would try below.

(1) Download and install the newest PSoC Programmer from the URL below.

https://www.cypress.com/documentation/software-and-drivers/psoc-programmer-archive

(2) Start PSoC Programmer

Note: Confirm that KitProg is displayed in the "Port Selection" pane.

(3) Select "Utilities" tab then select "Upgrade Firmware"

(4) Firmware Update in progress

(5) Firmware Update Complete

If you can see "Succeeded" in the Results pane, probably KitProg part of your board is OK.

Although it does not mean other part of the board is functional or not.

If the above did not fix your problem,

I'm afraid that you need to suspect the rest of the board.

moto

[SaKrst]

Hi,

First of all, thanks to Motoo Tanaka for reply. I did all the steps as described, and also managed to program debugger with bottloader host application which meant that Kitprog was probably OK. But then the story continues.....

I managed to find what was making a problem on the board. It was VDDIO select switch that selects either 3.3 or 5V on debugger and target processors. I successfully replaced the mentioned switch and soldered back CY8C5888AXI-LP096 target processor on the board, and had luck with that since it seems that it works. However, I have another problem now.

Even though KitProg gets registered in Windows devices, there is a problem when it needs to communicate with the target processor (or with Kitprog).

The error reported in PSoC programmer is "Failed Connect to Can't Open CMSIS-DAP port" which also happens when I try to program or debug from PSoC Creator 4.2 like it's already busy when it's not. I can partially bypass this problem by pressing debugger reset button after which it successfully connects either to PsoC programmer or I get to program a target processor in Creator.

That is not possible if kit is previously plugged in debugger port and debugger LED stays on which means that USB enumeration is successful. From that state accessing CMSIS-DAP port seems to be the problem from Creator or Programmer unless debugger reset button is pressed when the connection is requested. After that debugger LED blinks as it is in bootloader mode and stays like that if it's connected in PSoC Programmer or programs the target in Creator and returns with debugger LED on like it's enumerated.

So I have operating target processor and Kitprog, but not exactly, and would this mean that Kitprog or target are damaged?

Is there anything left to do to try and restore it how it worked before?

[MotooTanaka]

Dear SaKr-san,

I'm very happy hearing that your PSoC was fine!

Reading from the description, I suspect that the RESET signal between the KitProg and the MCU is not correctly connected.

Would you double check if "RESET" signal is connected?

Also double checking your design with the Design Considerations below, may not harm.

PSoC 3 and PSoC 5LP Hardware Design Considerations

https://www.cypress.com/file/44581/download

Best Regards,

30-Oct-2019

Motoo Tanaka

[SaKrst]

Hi MoTa_728816​,

Thanks for the suggestion,

I had the same suspicion, but by checking the schematics for FreeSoC board from https://cdn.sparkfun.com/datasheets/Dev/ARM/SparkFun_FreeSoC2_v11b.pdf

it can be seen that reset signal is connected from P12[4] on debugger to nXRES on target which I verified with continuity test with multimeter.

And while typing this post I somehow accidentally "fixed" the problem by shorting pin 17 of debugger IC with VDDIO on nearby C27 capacitor with oscilloscope probe: I have no explanation or idea what happened, but everything seems to be in order now and works as it should be and was working when I got the board the first time.

Also to note that Kitprog from FreeSoC2 board has differently connected pins P3.3, P3.2, P0.6, P0.4, P0.7 and P0.5 then Kitprog from CY8CKIT-059 which determines hardware ID which left me confused because status LED is connected the same way on both boards (P3[1]), but on Cypress's kit it's on while enumerated and waiting for commands, and off on FreeSoC board, and while facing problems with ports and connecting it seems that Kiprog from FreeSoC somehow behaved like Kitprog from CY8CKIT-059 until that happy accident that got it back to as it was.

Anyway this is somehow resolved so I'll keep using FreeSoC2 board, and if someone has some kind of explanation I would like to read it very much.