Debricking XO 1.5 with Artec Dongle

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Under some circumstances, it's possible to recover a "bricked" XO-1.5 board with an Artec FlexyICE (AKA Artec LPC Dongle) http://www.artecgroup.com/flexyice

TODO: Describe special cabling

The case that can be fixed this way is when the XO's SPI FLASH has intact EC code of a suitable version, but there is something wrong with the OFW code elsewhere in the SPI FLASH that is causing it not to start. A "suitable" EC code version is 1.9.1 or later, up to some future release where we may delete the EC support for this recovery mechanism (in order to free up the use of the rotate button for other purposes).

Procedure:

  • Attach the Artec FlexyICE to the XO-1.5 via the 10-pin LPC connector on the back side of the board - near the flat panel connector (assumes that the LPC connector is present - it probably won't be "stuffed" on production units).
  • Configure the Artec FlexyICE to emulate a FWH FLASH by removing the jumper across pins 5-6 of J1.
  • Download a good OFW image to the FlexyICE (procedure not described here).
  • Hold down the rotate button (below the AC connector) and press the power button.
  • The system should start, using the EC code in the SPI FLASH and the OFW code in the Artec FlexyICE.
  • Get to the ok prompt
  • Insert a USB stick containing a good OFW image.
  • Type "dir u:\" to ensure that the USB driver is loaded into memory.
  • Disable the FlexyICE's FWH FLASH emulation by installing the jumper across pins 5-6 of J1.
  • Type "patch noop verify-firmware reflash"
  • Reflash the SPI FLASH by typing "flash u:\myrom.img" , replacing "myrom.img" with the name of your OFW image.
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