Hard Processor System Booting User Guide: Agilex™ 3 and Agilex™ 5 SoCs

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ID 813762
Date 5/09/2025
Public
Document Table of Contents
Document Table of Contents x
1. Introduction 2. FPGA Configuration First Mode 3. HPS Boot First Mode 4. Creating the Configuration Files 5. HPS Boot Flows 6. Configuring the FPGA Fabric from HPS Software 7. Debugging the Agilex™ 3 and Agilex™ 5 SoC Boot Flow 8. Document Revision History for the Hard Processor System Booting User Guide: Agilex™ 3 and Agilex™ 5 SoCs
1. Introduction x
1.1. Glossary 1.2. Agilex™ 3 and Agilex™ 5 SoC Boot Overview
2. FPGA Configuration First Mode x
2.1. Boot Flow Overview for FPGA Configuration First Mode 2.2. System Layout for FPGA Configuration First Mode
2.1. Boot Flow Overview for FPGA Configuration First Mode x
2.1.1. Power-On Reset (POR) 2.1.2. Secure Device Manager 2.1.3. First-Stage Bootloader 2.1.4. Second-Stage Bootloader 2.1.5. Operating System 2.1.6. Application
2.2. System Layout for FPGA Configuration First Mode x
2.2.1. External Configuration Host Only 2.2.2. External Configuration Host with HPS Flash 2.2.3. Single SDM Flash 2.2.4. FPGA Configuration First - Dual Flash System
3. HPS Boot First Mode x
3.1. Boot Flow Overview 3.2. System Layout for HPS Boot First Mode
3.1. Boot Flow Overview x
3.1.1. Power-On Reset (POR) 3.1.2. Secure Device Manager 3.1.3. First-Stage Bootloader 3.1.4. Second-Stage Bootloader 3.1.5. Operating System 3.1.6. Application
3.2. System Layout for HPS Boot First Mode x
3.2.1. External Configuration Host Only 3.2.2. External Configuration Host with HPS Flash 3.2.3. Single SDM Flash 3.2.4. HPS Boot First - Dual Flash System
4. Creating the Configuration Files x
4.1. Overview 4.2. Quartus® Prime Hardware Project Compilation 4.3. Bootloader Software Compilation 4.4. Programming File Generator 4.5. Configuration over JTAG 4.6. Configuration from QSPI 4.7. Configuration over AVST 4.8. Configuration via Protocol 4.9. Remote System Update 4.10. Partial Reconfiguration 4.11. Preserving SDRAM Content across HPS Resets for Agilex™ 5 Devices 4.12. QSPI Controller Ownership Selection Impact on the HPS Software
4.2. Quartus® Prime Hardware Project Compilation x
4.2.1. Device and Pin Options 4.2.2. Platform Designer Options 4.2.3. Generation of Debug HPS FSBL from Hardware Design Build
4.5. Configuration over JTAG x
4.5.1. FPGA Configuration First 4.5.2. HPS Boots First
4.6. Configuration from QSPI x
4.6.1. Supported QSPI Devices 4.6.2. FPGA Configuration First 4.6.3. HPS Boot First
4.6.2. FPGA Configuration First x
4.6.2.1. Creating Configuration Files from Command Line 4.6.2.2. Creating Configuration Files Using Graphical Interface
4.6.3. HPS Boot First x
4.6.3.1. Creating Configuration Files from Command Line 4.6.3.2. Creating Configuration Files Using Graphical Interface
4.7. Configuration over AVST x
4.7.1. FPGA Configuration First 4.7.2. HPS Boot First
4.7.1. FPGA Configuration First x
4.7.1.1. Creating Configuration Files from Command Line 4.7.1.2. Creating Configuration Files Using Graphical Interface
4.7.2. HPS Boot First x
4.7.2.1. Creating Configuration Files from Command Line 4.7.2.2. Creating Configuration Files Using Graphical Interface
4.8. Configuration via Protocol x
4.8.1. Creating Configuration Files from Command Line 4.8.2. Creating Configuration Files Using Graphical Interface
4.11. Preserving SDRAM Content across HPS Resets for Agilex™ 5 Devices x
4.11.1. Data Retention Mechanism Flow 4.11.2. Setting to Enable the Data Retention Mechanism 4.11.3. Preserving Data in SDRAM Across Reset Examples
5. HPS Boot Flows x
5.1. U-Boot ATF Linux* Boot 5.2. ATF Linux Boot 5.3. ATF Zephyr* Boot
6. Configuring the FPGA Fabric from HPS Software x
6.1. Configuring the FPGA Fabric from U-Boot 6.2. Hardware Project Compatibility in HPS Boot First Mode
6.2. Hardware Project Compatibility in HPS Boot First Mode x
6.2.1. HPS IO Hash Compatibility 6.2.2. HPS IO Hash Handling as related to the HPS EMIF IO Bank(s)
6.2.2. HPS IO Hash Handling as related to the HPS EMIF IO Bank(s) x
6.2.2.1. IO Configuration Differences on non-HPS EMIF IPs 6.2.2.2. Pin Location Differences 6.2.2.3. PLL Differences 6.2.2.4. Clock Spine Differences 6.2.2.5. HPS IO Hash Mismatch Troubleshooting Examples for HPS EMIF IOs
6.2.2.4. Clock Spine Differences x
6.2.2.4.1. Agilex™ 5 -Specific Clock Spine Differences 6.2.2.4.2. Register Packing Differences
7. Debugging the Agilex™ 3 and Agilex™ 5 SoC Boot Flow x
7.1. Reset 7.2. Debugging the HPS Bootloader
7.1. Reset x
7.1.1. HPS Reset Pin 7.1.2. L4 Watchdog Timer 0
1. Introduction
2. FPGA Configuration First Mode
3. HPS Boot First Mode
4. Creating the Configuration Files
5. HPS Boot Flows
6. Configuring the FPGA Fabric from HPS Software
7. Debugging the Agilex™ 3 and Agilex™ 5 SoC Boot Flow
8. Document Revision History for the Hard Processor System Booting User Guide: Agilex™ 3 and Agilex™ 5 SoCs

1.2. Agilex™ 3 and Agilex™ 5 SoC Boot Overview

The Agilex™ 3 and Agilex™ 5 SoC combines an FPGA with a hard processor system (HPS) that is capable of booting baremetal and operating systems such as Linux* and Zephyr* .

You can choose between two different methods of booting:
  • FPGA Configuration First Mode— When you select the FPGA First option, the SDM fully configures the FPGA, then configures the HPS SDRAM pins, loads the HPS first-stage bootloader (FSBL) and takes the HPS out of reset.
    Note: The FPGA and all of the I/Os are fully configured before the HPS is released from reset. Thus, when the HPS boots, the FPGA is in user mode and is ready to interact with the HPS.
  • HPS Boot First Mode—When you select the HPS First option, the SDM first configures the HPS SDRAM pins, loads the HPS FSBL and takes the HPS out of reset. Then the HPS configures the FPGA I/O and FPGA fabric at a later time.
    Note: This mode is also referred to as Early I/O Release Mode or Early I/O Configuration. After power-on, the device configures a minimal amount of I/O required by the HPS before releasing the HPS from reset. This mode allows the HPS to boot quickly without having to wait for the full fabric configuration to complete. Subsequently, the HPS may trigger an FPGA configuration request during the SSBL or OS stage.
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