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

4.2.1. Device and Pin Options

The device and pin options can be accessed from Quartus® Prime, by going to Assignments > Device > Device and Pin Options. The most important options related to configuration and HPS boot are:

  • General > Configuration Clock Source—allows using an internal oscillator or an external input clock for configuration purposes.
  • Configuration > Configuration Scheme—allows selecting the configuration source:
    • Active Serial x4
    • AVST x8
    • AVST x16
      Note: The AVST x16 configuration scheme cannot be used in designs that include the HPS. HPS-EMIF signals and AVST x16 signals are both located in the same bank, therefore, they cannot be used simultaneously. The AVST x8 mode uses dedicated SDM I/O pins, therefore, it can be used in designs that include the HPS.
  • Configuration > Active Serial Clock Source—allows selecting the QSPI clock speed when Active Serial x4 mode is selected
  • Configuration > Configuration Pin Options—allows selecting SDM pin behavior for configuration purposes
  • Configuration > HPS/FPGA Configuration Order—allows selecting FPGA Configuration First (called After INIT_DONE) or HPS Boot First (called HPS First) modes.
  • Configuration > HPS Debug Access Port (DAP)—allows the HPS JTAG port to be connected to HPS Pins, SDM Pins, or Disabled. It is typically connected to SDM pins, so you can have a single JTAG connection covering both SDM and HPS.
  • Configuration > QSPI Ownership—allows the selection of QSPI controller ownership, either for the HPS or the SDM. At power up, the QSPI controller ownership is assigned to the SDM. However, the HPS can request the ownership by sending the QSPI_DIRECT command through the HPS-to-SDM mailbox. This setting controls whether the ownership request from the HPS is granted or rejected.
    • QSPI Ownership: SDM. The QSPI_DIRECT command from the HPS is actively rejected. This means the HPS cannot perform direct access to the QSPI controller. This ensures that the SDM retains ownership of the QSPI so that it can support features that depend on this ownership.
    • QSPI Ownership: HPS. The QSPI_DIRECT command from the HPS is accepted, and the HPS takes control of the QSPI controller. This means the HPS can perform direct access to the QSPI controller, enabling it to support features that depend on this access.
  • CvP Settings > Configuration via Protocol—can be selected as Initialization and Update or Off.
The following information focus on the QSPI Selection Configuration option:
  • Quartus Prime 25.1 supports this configuration option, implementing it to enhance security in features like attestation and those relying on off-chip storage (e.g., QSPI flash device) of encryption keys, which require SDM ownership of the QSPI controller.
  • The key point is that you configure this setting to support the QSPI controller features required by your project.
    Note: The QSPI Ownership selection feature lacks backward compatibility. Therefore, for Remote System Update, do not use QSPI image bitstreams created before the 25.1 release alongside those created with 25.1 and later releases.
For more information, refer to:
  • Device Configuration User Guide: Agilex™ 5 FPGAs and SoCs
  • Device Configuration User Guide Agilex™ 3 FPGAs and SoCs
  • A.2.2.1. Feature Availability under SDM/HPS Ownership of Quad SPI Controller in the Hard Processor System Technical Reference Manual: Agilex 5 SoCs for information about the features supported in each of the configuration options.
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