New FX3/FPGA images make problems?

[dk5ras]

Hi,

with the latest images for FX3 and (115k) FPGA I experience problems. I am using the BladeRF in USB2 mode on a USB3 machine, as 3.0 does not work anyway in this combination of Linux as guest on a Windows host via VMware.

I took the latest images from the autobuilder site, and I ended up in a deleted FX3, identifying as plain Cypress device. So I installed the FX3 SDK within Windows, as I know this stuff in general from the FX2 that I am flashing in my job all the time, but the FX3 looks a bit different anyway.

I managed to flash the latest FX3 image when choosing SPI flash, afterwards the unit identifies itself again as BladeRF, but still in Linux I can't load any FPGA image, it stops with an error.

This all was a quick and dirty lunch break job, then I had to stop it and go back to work

So I crawled my backup for the old files I used, from those I know that they uesd to work, to restore an operating condition

When trying again, I alway run into a condition that does not work. Flashing the FX3 with the BladeRF-cli deletes it, but programs nothing, in native Windows and in virtual Linux OS. When flashing it again with the Cypress software, the latest firmware image brings me into a condition that the BladeRF is recognized, but no FPGA image loads, not the new and not the old one. Only the combination with my old FX3 image from the nuand website together with the old FPGA image from nuand.com/fpga makes my BlaedRF work again. This can reproduced as often as one would like.

Any ideas what there could have gone wrong?

I can attach the error messages later this day or tomorrow, if it helps...

Ralph.

[Montezuma]

A suggestion(if it will provide any assistance to you, dk5ras, or anyone else):

Run Linux from a USB drive(either a "thumb" or "flash" drive, or any other removable storage that can have a bootable image installed upon it). This will not interfere with any current OS install, and the install on the removable drive will allow for making changes(unlike "live CD" options). This might provide the needed assistance with regaining access to USB 3.0, or any other features that virtualization might preclude, or if anyone is having issues and doesn't wish to reinstall their base OS(or install dual booting of Windows and a secondary OS option).

Setting up an installation on a removable drive requires formatting the removable drive, setting up the removable drive to be capable of booting from said drive(Instructions are easily found through Internet searches), and installing(or, in many cases, copying and pasting the OS files after making the removable drive bootable). I have been using that process to run Ubuntu on my main desktop, but I broke the drive and will have to replace it. Regardless, that option worked great for me, though I will be purchasing a USB 3.0 drive when I get a replacement.

Understand, this option will not be as smooth or "quick" as one might be use to with a SATA magnetic hard drive, or a SSD(Solid State Drive, for those that don't know what the acronym stands for). If that is an issue, the other available options will have to be considered. If any assistance is needed, please let me know.

[dk5ras]

My machine is UEFI-only, running linux directly on it is not really an option, only newer versions run smooth, but all the SDR stuff runs much easier with Kubuntu 12.04 LTS. So I am stuck to virtualization.

Now it works, I have no idea why, took the latest FPGA image from the autobuild server, and it loaded. So I will not touch the FX3 image any more for now

Seems a bit more stable with the new FPGA image, and also some distortion I got with TXing analog modes (FM) is gone now.

Ralph.

[Montezuma]

My machine is UEFI-only, running linux directly on it is not really an option, only newer versions run smooth, but all the SDR stuff runs much easier with Kubuntu 12.04 LTS. So I am stuck to virtualization.

Now it works, I have no idea why, took the latest FPGA image from the autobuild server, and it loaded. So I will not touch the FX3 image any more for now

Seems a bit more stable with the new FPGA image, and also some distortion I got with TXing analog modes (FM) is gone now.

Ralph.

So, change the BIOS setting to "Legacy Boot" and enjoy. What company made built your computer, and what model is it? If you built your machine, who manufactured your motherboard? If this is a Windows 8 machine, Microsoft requires(as more of a PR move) that all x86 and x86-64 machine be capable of disabling UEFI. So, if this is a Windows 8 machine, and the option isn't available to disable UEFI(this isn't an ARM-based machine, is it?), then the manufacturer is in breach of contract.

Again, one should always search for potential answers, prior to admitting any preceived "defeat": https://www.google.com/search?q=install ... 2&ie=UTF-8

If this is a machine owned by your employer, and you are unable to disable UEFI, there are still options available to get Linux installed on a removeable drive. If you still refuse those options, then you will have to accept the diminished operation currently encountered. That is, until improvement come about for virtualization, or a workaround is discovered to improve bladeRF operation in a virtual environment.

For what it's worth:

I have tried virtualization for Linux interface with my bladeRF(115 KLE board) and I ran into issues that changed my focus to running Linux from a removable drive(well, I went with Live CD, then moved to the USB installation method so that I could save changes to the chosen path). While using a virtual machine option will allow for some use of a bladeRF, there are a number of issues that will make it the more difficult choice to deal with.

[dk5ras]

As I have already told, it is UEFI-only, there is no legacy boot, no BIOS and such. It is the MS Surface pro tablet PC.

[Montezuma]

As I have already told, it is UEFI-only, there is no legacy boot, no BIOS and such. It is the MS Surface pro tablet PC.

The Surface Pro is a x86-64-based computer(Intel i5-3317U, in fact). I can assure you that UEFI can be disabled, as the computer has an accessible BIOS(all computers, within the terms we are discussing, have a BIOS; in the case of the Surface/Surface Pro, it's renamed UEFI. Though I do understand that UEFI isn't just a replacement term for BIOS, but that UEFI is an intended replacement for the "outdated" BIOS concept), and that many people have successfully installed Linux(...and other OSes; I installed OSX, prior to my Surface Pro becoming an expensive range target). Feel free to search through Google for all your available options, or read: http://forums.wpcentral.com/microsoft-s ... e-pro.html, http://www.zdnet.com/microsoft-rolls-ou ... 000015370/, or http://www.microsoft.com/surface/en-us/ ... -bios-uefi

Check the follow for any potentially useful information, if you choose to move forward with my suggestion(s): https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UEFI

If you are unable to read my links, or if you are too busy(to be clear, I'm being serious, not demeaning or glib), Volume Up, plus Power-On will take the user to UEFI settings. Volume Down, plus Power-On will engage "Boot from USB". There are not a ton of options, but "Secure Boot" can be disabled.

EDIT

I posted this mostly to assist dk5ras, but I also posted so that anyone else that is using a Surface Pro will have some information(if one is seeking such information).

[dk5ras]

I know this UEFI setup screen very well, and I can assure you, you can't switch from UEFI to BIOS, this unit does not have a BIOS, no legacy boot, and with the latest firmware update the possibility to install a Linux disappeared, it simply does not work. Maybe with some deep manual poking around in the efi partition, but not with any Linux out of the box.