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Star C4 has a debug port that provides a log of the boot process and some runtime information.
Based on this information, it is possible to detect some hardware and software problems, especially by comparing the log with that of a known good device.
There are also some details about the system if you are interested in how it works.
Pinout:
1+3,3V no connection (this is the square pad).
2=TxD -> connect to RxD of your converter.
3=RxD <- connect to TxD of your converter.
4=GND - GND.
Terminal settings:
115200,8,N,1.
Use a good quality 3,3 V TTL - USB (or RS232) serial adapter.
Sample log:
Just a few lines from the beginning of a boot sequence.
Code:
Restarting system.
U-Boot 1.0.3 (Jun 14 2007 - 1052)
CPU: MPC5200 (JTAG ID 1001101d) at 396 MHz
Bus 132 MHz, IPB 66 MHz, PCI 33 MHz
Board: Bright Star MPC5200 (PowerEngine)
I2C: 85 kHz, ready
DRAM: DDR=64 MB
FLASH: 8 MB
PCI: Bus Dev VenId DevId Class Int
00 1a 1057 5809 0680 00
00 1b 104c ac56 0607 ff
In: serial
Out: serial
Err: serial
Net: FEC ETHERNET
Type "run flash_nfs" to mount root filesystem over NFS
# BootImage: 2... 0:0 > try boot image 2 (0:0) @ kaddress ffb80000
# Booting image at ffb80000...
Image Name: Linux-2.6.32-next-20091204
Image Type: PowerPC Linux Multi-File Image (gzip compressed)
Data Size: 3635897 Bytes = 3.5 MB
Load Address: 00400000
Entry Point: 004005a8
Contents:
Image 0: 1333040 Bytes = 1.3 MB
Image 1: 2302845 Bytes = 2.2 MB
Verifying Checksum... OK
Uncompressing Multi-File Image... OK
Loading Ramdisk to 03d6c000, end 03f9e37d... OK
arch/powerpc/platforms/52xx/powerengine.c:124 # POWERENGINE
Using mpc5200-powerengine-platform machine description
Linux version 2.6.32-next-20091204 (root@statler) (gcc version 3.3.2) #5 Tue May 21 1623 CEST 2013
-> check_for_initrd) initrd_start=0xc3d6c000 initrd_end=0xc3f9e37d
Found initrd at 0xc3d6c000:0xc3f9e37d
...