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doc/Rvinterf-tools write-up added
author Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
date Sun, 04 Nov 2018 09:58:50 +0000
parents 579441d7dcd8
children 3100f534340b
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1 [Historical note: this document was originally written in 2014 when the vision
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2 of FreeCalypso was very different from what it is today. Since then we have
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3 transitioned from making aftermarket hacks on pre-existing Calypso phones and
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4 modems to producing and supporting our own FreeCalypso hardware products, and
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5 our firmware work has changed from a nebulous dream to stable production code.
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6 The ways in which we approach various technical aspects have changed
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7 accordingly, but much of our documentation has been slow to catch up. The
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8 documentation is now being updated, but there may still be some passages where
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9 the old world view shines through.]
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10
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11 All TI GSM firmwares known to this author (Mother Mychaela of FreeCalypso)
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12 implement some kind of flash file system, or FFS. Several different FFS code
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13 implementations, and correspondingly several different on-flash data formats,
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14 have been used throughout the history of TI's involvement in the wireless
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15 terminal business. The FFS incarnation of primary interest to the FreeCalypso
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16 project is the one invented by Mads Meisner-Jensen at TI in the early 2000s
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17 (at least according to the comments in the sources available to us), and it is
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18 relevant to us in the following ways:
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19
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20 * When targeting the GSM modem in Openmoko's GTA01/02 smartphones, we need to
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21 work with the original FFS from the factory (call it MokoFFS), the same FFS
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22 as used by the mokoN firmwares: this FFS contains the IMEI and the RF
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23 calibration values from the factory, which we most certainly don't want to go
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24 without.
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25
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26 * The Leonardo firmware semi-src which we are using as the reference for
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27 building our own full source, multi-target GSM fw contains a turnkey-working
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28 implementation of this very FFS, using the on-flash format in question and
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29 providing run-time APIs expected by the rest of the GSM fw suite. Following
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30 the principle of ``if it ain't broke, don't fix it'', we use this FFS not
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31 only on the gtamodem target, but also on other targets, including those where
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32 we are starting from a blank state and thus have the freedom to use whatever
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33 FFS we like.
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34
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35 * The original proprietary fw on the Pirelli DP-L10 phone also happens to use
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36 an FFS in the same format, although Pirelli's FFS does *not* contain the IMEI
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37 or any of the RF calibration values. This Pirelli phone was originally a
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38 target of high interest for FreeCalypso, as we had high hopes of turning it
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39 into a libre phone by way of our aftermarket firmware - but this plan has
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40 since been abandoned when it became clear that Pirelli's hw is unsuitable for
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41 aftermarket fw development because of the multitude of extra peripheral chips
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42 for non-GSM functions which get in the way. In the earlier years of
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43 FreeCalypso a lot of effort had been invested into studying all aspects of
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44 the Pirelli DP-L10 phone and its original firmware, including the FFS.
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45
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46 Naming
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47 ======
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48
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49 I have previously referred to the FFS format in question as Mokopir-FFS or
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50 MPFFS, from "Moko" and "Pirelli". I was originally hesitant to call it TIFFS,
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51 as lacking the source code, I had no way of knowing whether the FFS format and
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52 implementation were of TI's own invention, or something that TI licensed as a
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53 black box from one of their many proprietary software partners. (I was unable
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54 to identify it as any well-known, industry-standard FFS format, but absence of
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55 evidence is not evidence of absence.) But now that we have TI's original source
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56 code which implements this FFS (first the MV100-0.1.rar source, then the full
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57 Leonardo one), complete with comments and a HISTORY file, we know that our FFS
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58 was invented and implemented by someone named Mads Meisner-Jensen at TI - I'm
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59 guessing in the SSA group in Nice, France.
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60
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61 I am now making a naming transition from MPFFS to TIFFS: there is really no
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62 link between this FFS format and the Openmoko+Pirelli duo, other than the
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63 happenstance of me having first encountered this FFS on these two GSM device
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64 brands, and the name TIFFS is more neutrally-descriptive.
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65
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66 What it is
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67 ==========
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68
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69 In a rare departure from TI's norm (most of TI's GSM firmware and associated
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70 development tools suffer from heavy Windows poisoning), what I call TIFFS is
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71 very Unixy. It is a file system with a hierarchical directory tree structure
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72 and with Unixy forward-slash-separated, case-sensitive pathnames; the semantics
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73 of "what is a file" and "what is a directory" are exactly the same as in UNIX;
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74 and TIFFS even supports symlinks, although that support is a little under-
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75 developed, and apparently no FFS symlinks were ever used in any production GSM
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76 device. Thus the FFS implemented in TI-based GSM devices (modems and
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77 "dumbphone" handsets) is really no different from, for example, JFFS2 in
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78 embedded Linux systems.
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79
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80 (The only traditional UNIX file system features which are missing in TIFFS are
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81 the creation/modification/access timestamps and the ownership/permission
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82 fields.)
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83
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84 The FFS in a GSM device typically stores two kinds of content:
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85
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86 * Factory data: IMEI, RF calibration values, device make/model/revision
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87 ID strings etc. These files are expected to be programmed on the factory
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88 production line and not changed afterward.
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89
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90 * Dynamic data written into the FFS in normal device operation: when you use a
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91 "dumbphone" running TI-based firmware, every time you store something "on the
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92 phone" or in "non-volatile memory", that item is actually stored in the FFS.
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93 (Where else, if you think of it?) That includes contacts and received SMS
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94 stored "on the phone" instead of the SIM, any selections you make in the
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95 settings/preferences menus which persist across reboots (power cycles), call
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96 history etc.
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97
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98 It needs to be noted that the "dynamic data" aspect of FFS usage applies not
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99 only to complete phones, but also to modems like the one used in the GTA01/02.
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100 One would naively think that non-volatile storage of data in flash outside of
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101 factory programming would be needed only in a device with its own UI, and that
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102 a modem subservient to external AT commands would be completely stateless
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103 across reboot/power cycles; but that is not the case in actuality. TI-baseed
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104 GSM firmwares, including Openmoko's mokoN and our own FreeCalypso, are designed
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105 to always "mount" their FFS with read/write access; TI's FFS implementation in
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106 the firmware has no concept of a "read-only mount".
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107
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108 I am still investigating just what kinds of data are routinely written into the
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
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109 non-volatile FFS by the firmware in normal operation on devices like the GTA0x
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
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110 modem, but there most definitely are some.
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
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111
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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112 There is no hard separation between "static" and "dynamic" data in the file
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
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113 system structure; TIFFS is thus akin to an embedded Linux system with just a
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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114 single root file system containing both "static" files like userland binaries
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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115 and "dynamic" ones like configuration files under /etc which the user is
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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116 expected to edit with vi after logging into the box, or log and similar files
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117 created by the system itself under /var, for example.
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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118
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119 Where it lives
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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120 ==============
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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121
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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122 The type of flash memory used in Calypso GSM modems and "dumbphones" is called
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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123 NOR flash. This NOR flash memory is physically divided (by the design of the
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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124 flash chip itself) into units called "sectors" or more descriptively, erase
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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125 blocks. The typical NOR flash sector size (in Calypso GSM devices) ranges from
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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126 64 KiB in the GTA02 modem's NOR flash (4 MiB total) to 256 KiB in the
431
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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127 S71PL129NC0 flash+RAM chip used in the Pirelli DP-L10 and in our own FreeCalypso
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
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128 hardware designs (16 MiB of flash total). The key physical property is that
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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129 any bit may be changed from a '1' to a '0' at any time, in any combination, but
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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130 resetting of '0' bits back to ones can be done only on the granularity of these
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
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131 largish sectors, in an operation called "sector erase".
0
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132
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133 The location of TIFFS within the flash memory of a given GSM device is defined
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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134 by the firmware design of that device, but is always some integral number of
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
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135 contiguous flash sectors. Some examples:
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
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136
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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137 * On the GTA01/02 GSM modem, FFS occupies 7 sectors of 64 KiB each, starting at
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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138 flash offset 0x380000.
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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139
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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140 * On the Pirelli DP-L10, the FFS used by the original proprietary fw occupies
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
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141 18 sectors of 256 KiB each (for 4.5 MiB in total), starting at the beginning
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
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142 of the 2nd flash chip select (0x02000000 in the ARM7 address space).
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
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143
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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144 * On Motorola/Compal C139/140 phones, the FFS used by the original proprietary
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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145 fw occupies 5 sectors of 64 KiB each (320 KiB in total), starting at 0x370000.
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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146 C11x/123 use smaller FFS configurations, whereas C155/156 seem to have
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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147 switched to some other FFS format, different from our familiar TIFFS.
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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148
431
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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149 * On our own FreeCalypso hardware family we have put our FFS in the first 8
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
150 sectors (of 256 KiB each) in the 2nd flash chip select bank, which appears at
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
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151 0x01800000 in the ARM7 address space instead of Pirelli's 0x02000000 because
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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152 we have wired the 2nd flash chip select to nCS2 on the Calypso instead of
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
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153 Pirelli's nCS3.
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
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154
0
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
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155 * The smallest real FFS configuration called for by the table in dev.c in TI's
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
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156 original Leonardo fw source is 3 sectors of 64 KiB each; the same table also
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
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157 sports a 4 KiB x 4 configuration for RAM-based testing (emulation of FFS in
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
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158 RAM without real flash).
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
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159
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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160 * The largest FFS configuration that has been envisioned by the original
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
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161 designers seems to be somewhere around 128 sectors.
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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162
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
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163 Each flash sector used for TIFFS begins with this 6-byte signature:
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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164
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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165 46 66 73 23 10 02
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166
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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167 The first 4 bytes are 'Ffs#' in ASCII, and the following two bytes are the
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
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168 format version number of 0x0210 in little-endian byte order. The following two
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
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169 bytes give a count of how many times that sector has been erased and rewritten
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
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170 (FF FF in "fresh" or "virgin" FFS images), and the following byte indicates
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
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171 that block's role and status in the FFS life cycle.
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
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172
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
173 How it works
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
174 ============
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
175
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
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176 Just like JFFS2 and other high-quality flash file systems, TIFFS is designed to
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
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177 recover gracefully from any possible power failure or crash: one can yank the
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
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178 battery from the GSM device (or induce a firmware crash) at the most mis-
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
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179 opportune moment in the middle of an FFS write operation, and the FFS is
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
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180 expected to recover on the next boot cycle. I won't be able to document here
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
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181 all gory details of exactly how this goal is achieved, partly because I haven't
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
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182 studied the code to the requisite level of depth myself yet, but all of the
431
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
183 responsible code lives under src/cs/drivers/drv_app/ffs in our fc-magnetite and
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
184 fc-selenite source trees; feel free to study it.
0
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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185
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
186 In its "normal" or "clean" state (i.e., when not in the middle of a write
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
187 operation or recovery from an ungracefully interrupted one), a TIFFS instance
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
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188 consists of the following 3 types of blocks:
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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189
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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190 * One block containing inode records, indicated by AB in its type/flags/status
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
191 byte in the block header;
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
192 * N-2 blocks (where N is the total number of flash sectors allocated for the
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
193 FFS) containing (or waiting to be filled with) data chunks - indicated by BD
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
194 in the type/flags/status byte;
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
195 * One "free" block, indicated by BF - destined to become a new AB or a new BD
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
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196 at some point.
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
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197
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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198 Each object written into the FFS (file, directory or symlink) consists of a
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
199 16-byte inode record written into the AB block and a data chunk written into
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
200 one of the BD blocks. The data chunk includes the name of the object, hence
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
201 one is required even for directories. Data chunks are contiguous, uncompressed,
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
202 and subject to an upper size limit of 2048 or 8192 bytes, depending on the FFS
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
203 configuration. Files larger than this limit are stored in a "segmented" form,
e7502631a0f9 initial import from freecalypso-sw rev 1033:5ab737ac3ad7
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
204 giving rise to a 4th inode or object type (after file, directory and symlink):
e7502631a0f9 initial import from freecalypso-sw rev 1033:5ab737ac3ad7
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
205 segment. Each segment of a segmented file consists of not only a data chunk,
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
206 but also an inode record for the segment, which gives the location of the data
e7502631a0f9 initial import from freecalypso-sw rev 1033:5ab737ac3ad7
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
207 chunk and ties the segment object into the overall FFS structure, making it
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
208 accessible.
e7502631a0f9 initial import from freecalypso-sw rev 1033:5ab737ac3ad7
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
209
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
210 Because aside from complete sector erasure, flash memory bits can only
e7502631a0f9 initial import from freecalypso-sw rev 1033:5ab737ac3ad7
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
211 transition from '1' to '0' but not the other way around, overwriting an existing
e7502631a0f9 initial import from freecalypso-sw rev 1033:5ab737ac3ad7
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
212 file with some new content (an operation which any reasonable file system must
e7502631a0f9 initial import from freecalypso-sw rev 1033:5ab737ac3ad7
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
213 implement in some way) cannot be done in place. Instead like most flash file
e7502631a0f9 initial import from freecalypso-sw rev 1033:5ab737ac3ad7
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
214 systems, TIFFS implements this common operation by writing the new version of
e7502631a0f9 initial import from freecalypso-sw rev 1033:5ab737ac3ad7
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
215 the file to a new location (previously blank flash) and then invalidating the
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
216 old version - and doing all that while keeping in mind the possibility of an
e7502631a0f9 initial import from freecalypso-sw rev 1033:5ab737ac3ad7
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
217 ungraceful crash or powerdown at any moment, and the requirement of recovering
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218 gracefully from any such event.
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219
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220 Of course as an FFS receives more write activity, even if one keeps overwriting
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221 some existing files with new content of the same size, without adding to the
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222 visible total content size (think du(1) command), eventually all remaining blank
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223 flash space will fill up. At that point (or at some earlier point, depending
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224 on the FFS design and/or configuration) the FFS has to invoke a compaction or
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225 reclamation or garbage collection procedure: any "mixed" blocks containing both
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226 valid and stale data are transitioned into a "stale-only" state by having the
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227 active data moved to a new block, and then the "all stale" blocks are subjected
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228 to sector erasure, becoming new blank sectors. The logic responsible for these
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229 operations once again needs to be resilient to the possibility of a crash or
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230 powerdown occurring at the most mis-opportune moment, and it also needs to
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231 implement flash wear leveling: there is a physical limit to how many times a
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232 given flash sector can be erased and rewritten before it goes bad.
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233
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234 All of the above are common and well-known principles, successfully implemented
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235 in well-known flash file systems such as JFFS2 in Linux. TIFFS is absolutely
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236 no different in this regard; for the implementation details, read the source
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237 code.
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238
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239 How this FFS comes into being
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240 =============================
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241
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242 (This section is only relevant to you if you plan on physically producing your
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243 own GSM phones or modems on your own factory production line, like we currently
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244 do at our family company, or if you simply enjoy knowing how it is done.)
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245
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246 To my knowledge, TI never used or produced a tool akin to mkfs.jffs2 in the
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247 embedded Linux world, which would produce a TIFFS image complete with some
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248 initial directory and file content "in vitro". Instead it appears that the FFS
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249 instances found in shipped products such as Openmoko phones have been created
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250 "in vivo" by TI's firmware running on the device itself during the "production
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251 test" phase.
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252
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253 We never got a copy of the original factory production line software that was
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254 used by Openmoko, but we have successfully replicated the process using our own
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255 Unix/Linux-based FreeCalypso host tools, the very same tools that are contained
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256 in the present source package you are looking at. The process goes like this:
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257
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258 * When the printed circuit board is physically populated with components such
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259 as the Calypso chip and the flash chip, the latter can be blank - if the
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260 board design has the nIBOOT pin pulled low, enabling the Calypso boot ROM
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261 (Openmoko and Pirelli both good on this one, but shame on Compal!), there is
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262 no need to preprogram the flash chip with anything prior to populating it on
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263 the board, and the device remains fully unbrickable at all times afterward.
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264
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265 * When the assembled board is powered up for the first time, with completely
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266 blank flash, the Calypso boot ROM will sit there and patiently wait for a
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267 code download on either of its two UARTs.
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268
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269 * Using TI's FLUID (Flash Loader Utility Independent of Device) or FreeCalypso's
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270 fc-loadtool free replacement, the factory production station loads the main
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271 firmware image into the flash. Note, it is just the firmware image at this
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272 step, and the FFS sectors remain blank.
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273
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274 * The board is commanded to reboot (or power-cycled), and the firmware image
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275 boots for the first time.
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276
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277 * TI's FFS implementation code in their standard firmware reacts to all blank
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278 flash in the FFS sectors as follows: it performs what they call the preformat
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279 operation, writing the TIFFS signature and a BF state byte into every FFS
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280 sector, but the main "format" operation, which sets up the AB/BD block roles,
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281 creates the root inode and makes the FFS ready to accept the creation of its
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282 first directories and files, is not done automatically.
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283
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284 In order to perform the FFS format operation and then fill the new FFS with
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285 whatever directories and files are deemed needed to be present in "fresh"
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286 shipping products, the factory production station connects to the just-booted
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287 firmware running on the target via the RVT/ETM protocol (see the RVTMUX
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288 write-up), and sends "test mode" commands to this running firmware. These
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289 "FFS test mode" (or TMFFS) commands include the format operation, an mkdir
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290 operation to create directories, and a "file write" operation akin to doing
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291 'cat > /dir/whatever/file', creating files in FFS and storing any desired data
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292 in them.
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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293
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294 The IMEI is assigned and written into FFS in this process, but it is not the
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295 only data item that will be unique for each individual device made. Much more
431
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296 important are the RF calibration values; the factory calibration procedure does
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
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297 the following for each individual unit:
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
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298
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
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299 * Measures the frequency offset produced by the VCXO as a function of the AFC
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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300 DAC control value and constructs the afcparams table based on these
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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diff changeset
301 measurements;
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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diff changeset
302
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
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diff changeset
303 * Characterizes the dBm output of the Tx chain as a function of the APC DAC
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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diff changeset
304 control value and comes up with a set of these DAC values which produce Tx
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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diff changeset
305 power levels prescribed by the GSM 05.05 spec;
0
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parents:
diff changeset
306
431
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diff changeset
307 * Determines the correction values which need to be applied in order to set the
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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diff changeset
308 correct Rx path gains and to determine the true Rx signal level from the dBfs
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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diff changeset
309 power measurements made in the DSP from Rx I&Q samples.
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310
431
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diff changeset
311 These calibration procedures are performed by connecting a suitable RF test
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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diff changeset
312 instrument (R&S CMU200 is the industry gold standard) to the GSM device's
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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diff changeset
313 antenna connector or RF test port and running special calibration programs
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
314 which talk both to the CMU200 or other test instrument and to the L1TM (Layer 1
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
315 test modes) component in the DUT (device under test). In FreeCalypso hardware
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
316 manufacturing we use a CMU200 instrument which is itself maintained in good
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
317 calibration standing, and for the calibration software we use our own
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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diff changeset
318 fc-rfcal-tools which talk to the DUT via rvinterf.
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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diff changeset
319
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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diff changeset
320 All of the resulting calibration values are stored in a bunch of files under the
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
321 /gsm/rf subtree, and these files are "owned" by the L1 code. The latter has
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
322 RAM data structures which correspond to these files; upon normal boot the
0
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
323 initialization code looks in FFS, and if it finds any of the RF calibration
e7502631a0f9 initial import from freecalypso-sw rev 1033:5ab737ac3ad7
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
324 files, it reads each present file into the corresponding RAM data structure,
431
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
325 overwriting the compiled-in defaults. With TI's standard production calibration
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
326 procedure which we have replicated in our FreeCalypso hw manufacturing setup,
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
327 these RF calibration files in FFS come into being as follows:
0
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328
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diff changeset
329 * The Test Mode support code in L1 (i.e., part of the main GSM fw) performs the
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
330 measurements and stores results in its RAM data structures as commanded by
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
331 the production test station through the Test Mode interface;
0
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332
431
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
333 * Certain special test mode commands encoded via the MISC_ENABLE opcode direct
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
334 the above L1TM code to write its RAM data structures into FFS.
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
335
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
336 See the RF_tables article for more information.
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337
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parents:
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338 Compal and Pirelli differences
e7502631a0f9 initial import from freecalypso-sw rev 1033:5ab737ac3ad7
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
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339 ==============================
e7502631a0f9 initial import from freecalypso-sw rev 1033:5ab737ac3ad7
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
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340
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parents:
diff changeset
341 The above description refers to TI's vanilla reference version, and it seems
431
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
342 like Openmoko (FIC) was the only phone/modem manufacturer (prior to us!) who
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
343 followed it without major deviations. In contrast, both Compal (Mot C1xx) and
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
344 Foxconn (Pirelli DP-L10) moved their vital per-unit factory data (IMEI and RF
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
345 calibration) out of the FFS into their own ad hoc flash data structures (which
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
346 are very difficult to reverse-engineer and make use of, unfortunately), leaving
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
347 their FFS only for less critical data.
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348
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parents:
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349 In Compal's case (at least on the C139 model with which I have extensive
e7502631a0f9 initial import from freecalypso-sw rev 1033:5ab737ac3ad7
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
350 personal experience) the FFS stores only users' personal information and nothing
e7502631a0f9 initial import from freecalypso-sw rev 1033:5ab737ac3ad7
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
351 more. One can turn the phone off, use fc-loadtool to erase the FFS sectors, and
e7502631a0f9 initial import from freecalypso-sw rev 1033:5ab737ac3ad7
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
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352 boot the regular fw back up; the fw will automatically do a new FFS format (it
e7502631a0f9 initial import from freecalypso-sw rev 1033:5ab737ac3ad7
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
353 even displays a message on the LCD as it does so) and carry on happily as a
e7502631a0f9 initial import from freecalypso-sw rev 1033:5ab737ac3ad7
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
354 "fresh" or "blank", perfectly functional and usable phone.
e7502631a0f9 initial import from freecalypso-sw rev 1033:5ab737ac3ad7
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parents:
diff changeset
355
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
356 In Pirelli's case, booting their official fw with blank FFS sectors will also
e7502631a0f9 initial import from freecalypso-sw rev 1033:5ab737ac3ad7
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
357 result in the FFS being automatically formatted, but their fw expects some
e7502631a0f9 initial import from freecalypso-sw rev 1033:5ab737ac3ad7
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
358 static "asset" files to be present in this FFS: UI graphics and language
e7502631a0f9 initial import from freecalypso-sw rev 1033:5ab737ac3ad7
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
359 strings, ringtones, firmware images for the WiFi and VoIP processors and some
e7502631a0f9 initial import from freecalypso-sw rev 1033:5ab737ac3ad7
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
360 static configuration files, about 3 MiB in total. Thus although the firmware
e7502631a0f9 initial import from freecalypso-sw rev 1033:5ab737ac3ad7
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
361 will auto-format the blank FFS sectors, it won't function normally with all of
e7502631a0f9 initial import from freecalypso-sw rev 1033:5ab737ac3ad7
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
362 these "asset" files missing. Foxconn's original factory production line station
e7502631a0f9 initial import from freecalypso-sw rev 1033:5ab737ac3ad7
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
363 must have uploaded these files to each phone via the TMFFS2 protocol, and our
e7502631a0f9 initial import from freecalypso-sw rev 1033:5ab737ac3ad7
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
364 FreeCalypso suite now features a tool that can replicate this feat: fc-fsio.
e7502631a0f9 initial import from freecalypso-sw rev 1033:5ab737ac3ad7
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
365
431
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
366 Aftermarket FFS for FreeCalypso on Compal & Pirelli targets
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
367 ===========================================================
0
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368
431
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parents: 0
diff changeset
369 When we run our own FreeCalypso fw on "alien" (not native to us) Mot C1xx and
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
370 Pirelli DP-L10 hardware, we don't use the FFS from their respectively original
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
371 firmwares: those original FFS instances don't contain any bits of interest to
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
372 us, trying to make our fw use the same FFS as Mot/Compal's or Pirelli's original
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
373 fw would be more trouble than benefit, and on one of the target devices in this
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
374 family (Mot C155/156) the original FFS is in some different format. Instead we
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
375 create our own aftermarket FFS for our FreeCalypso fw on these alien hw targets,
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
376 using a different flash location from the original so that the original fw's FFS
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
377 cannot be mistaken for our own.
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
378
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
379 On the Pirelli DP-L10 we put our aftermarket FFS in an area of the flash which
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
380 the official fw family uses as a staging area for over-the-air firmware updates,
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
381 thus as long as you are not doing official fw updates over WLAN (i.e., if you
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
382 only run one fixed official fw version or flash different official fw versions
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
383 with fc-loadtool without going through "fw update" protocols), our aftermarket
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
384 FFS used by our run-from-RAM FreeCalypso firmwares should remain undisturbed
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
385 while the phone is in the official fw mode.
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parents:
diff changeset
386
431
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parents: 0
diff changeset
387 The situation is different on Mot C1xx phones. The lower-end C1xx models
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
388 including the C139 (our primary hw target in this family) have too little RAM
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
389 to run our FreeCalypso fw entirely out of RAM without flashing; the C155/156
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
390 subfamily does have enough RAM to allow a complete FC GSM fw image to be loaded
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
391 and run via fc-xram under some conditions (we previously supported such usage
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
392 in our now-retired Citrine fw and may bring it back in the gcc-built config of
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
393 FC Selenite), but there is no place in the flash where we can put our
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
394 aftermarket FFS without overwriting some part of the original fw or its data -
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
395 thus our general procedure for running FreeCalypso on any C1xx model is to
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
396 convert the victim phone to FC on a long-term basis by flashing our modified
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
397 bootloader, flashing one of our fw builds and establishing a FreeCalypso
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
398 aftermarket FFS in a flash area designated by us.
0
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
399
431
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
400 It was already mentioned earlier that the factory RF calibration values on these
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
401 alien phones are stored in non-TIFFS flash data structures of Mot/Compal's or
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
402 Foxconn's invention, and our currently supported FreeCalypso firmwares
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
403 (Magnetite and Selenite) do not contain any code for reading these alien data
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
404 structures. (FC Citrine could read directly from Pirelli's factory data block,
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
405 but none of our fw offerings ever parsed Compal's weird flash records.) Instead
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
406 our current approach is to have an external tool extract the bits of interest
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
407 from the alien factory records, convert them to our TI-standard format if
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
408 necessary, and upload them into our FreeCalypso aftermarket FFS. The specifics
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
409 are as follows:
0
e7502631a0f9 initial import from freecalypso-sw rev 1033:5ab737ac3ad7
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
410
431
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
411 * The Pirelli DP-L10 is a breeze: simply run our special pirelli-magnetite-init
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
412 command in fc-fsio while connected to a Magnetite or Selenite fw instance
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
413 running with our aftermarket FFS, and the tool will copy both the IMEI and
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
414 the RF calibration records from Pirelli's factory data block into our
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
415 aftermarket FFS.
0
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
416
431
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
417 * Mot C1xx phones present a lot more hassle: our current official procedure is
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
418 to make a dump of the flash prior to the xenotransplantation procedure (also
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
419 serves as a backup), extract the RF calibration values with our c1xx-calextr
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
420 tool, and then later in the procedure when you initialize your aftermarket FFS
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
421 with fc-fsio, upload these extracted and format-converted RF calibration files
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
422 as one of the several steps involved. You will need to enter your IMEI
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
423 manually: we never figured out where Mot/Compal have it stored and how it is
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
424 obfuscated.
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents:
diff changeset
425
431
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
426 FreeCalypso host tools for TIFFS
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
427 ================================
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
428
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
429 Our FC host tools package supports TIFFS in two ways:
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
430
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
431 1) Our primary tool for working with GSM device file systems is fc-fsio. When
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
432 run against a compatible firmware version (primarily our own, but Pirelli's
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
433 proprietary fw is also compatible), fc-fsio allows various read and write
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
434 operations to be performed on the target device FFS.
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
435
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
parents: 0
diff changeset
436 2) We have a TIFFS In Vitro Analyzer (IVA) tool for "in vitro" examination of
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437 FFS images that have been read out of raw flash with fc-loadtool. See the
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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438 TIFFS-IVA-usage article for more information.
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439
431
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440 In addition to the above, back in the days of Openmoko (back when the Openmoko
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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441 community was still active and we considered ourselves a part of it) we had
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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442 produced a kit for editing the modem FFS on Openmoko GTA01/02 devices, giving
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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443 users an easy way to change their /pcm/IMEI file. Changing IMEIs for no good
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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444 reason is completely pointless and is actually detrimental rather than helpful
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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445 for privacy, but whoever came up with the edicts that "the IMEI MUST be
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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446 immutable" had obviously failed Human Psychology 101: declaring something to be
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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447 forbidden causes people to want it simply because it is forbidden and for no
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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448 other reason - hence the popular demand for IMEI changing tools.
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
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449
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450 Our Openmoko FFS editing kit from early 2014 consisted of a very early version
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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451 of what much later became the present FC host tools package (more specifically,
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Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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452 it was before fc-fsio, and the set-imeisv command had been hacked into fc-tmsh
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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453 instead) plus a pair of "in vivo" FFS editing agent target binaries. Our
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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454 current FC host tools fully supplant the ancient version in that 2014 kit, but
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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455 we do not currently have a non-deprecated replacement for the old "in vivo" FFS
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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456 editing agent: those FFS editing agent binaries were built from our old gsm-fw
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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457 framework which was deemed to be a dead end in 2016 and fully retired in 2018.
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458
431
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459 We have not produced a new and actively maintained replacement for the "in vivo"
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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460 FFS editing function which was previously provided as a side product of the old
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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461 gsm-fw framework because we have no real need for it: the *only* use case we
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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462 have for it involves Openmoko devices, and even then only two special use cases:
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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463
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
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464 1) If someone wishes to change their IMEI from within the FreeRunner (without
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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465 using an external serial cable) *or* while keeping an old firmware version
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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466 (without updating to moko13 or later), or
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467
431
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468 2) If someone has updated the modem fw on their FR to one of our current
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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469 releases, wishes to fix the /gsm/com/rfcap file to reflect the true tri900 or
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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470 tri850 band configuration of their device, but wishes to do it from within the
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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471 FR, without using an external serial cable.
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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472
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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473 If anyone does need to exercise one of the two special use cases listed above,
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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474 they can use the "in vivo" FFS editing agent binaries from the ancient
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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475 ffs-edit-kit-r1.tar.bz2 package - they are ancient, but will do the job just
579441d7dcd8 doc/TIFFS-Overview: long-overdue update for the current state of FC
Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
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476 fine for both use cases in question.