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

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ID 852610
Date 12/15/2025
Public
Document Table of Contents
Document Table of Contents x
1. Overview 2. Use Cases 3. Quad SPI Flash Layout 4. Quartus® Prime Software and Tool Support 5. Software Support 6. Flash Corruption - Detection and Recovery 7. Remote System Update Example 8. Version Compatibility Considerations 9. Revision History for the Hard Processor System Remote System Update User Guide: Agilex™ 3 and Agilex™ 5 SoCs A. Configuration Flow Diagrams B. RSU Status and Error Codes C. U-Boot RSU Reference Information D. LIBRSU Reference Information E. Combined Application Images
1. Overview x
1.1. Features 1.2. System Components 1.3. Glossary
2. Use Cases x
2.1. Manufacturing 2.2. Application Image Boot 2.3. Factory Image Boot 2.4. Modifying the List of Application Images 2.5. Querying RSU Status 2.6. Loading a Specific Image 2.7. Protected Access to Flash 2.8. Remote System Update Watchdog 2.9. RSU Notify 2.10. Updating the Factory Image 2.11. Updating the Decision Firmware 2.12. Retrying when Configuration Fails 2.13. Querying the Decision Firmware Version
3. Quad SPI Flash Layout x
3.1. High-Level Flash Layout 3.2. Detailed Quad SPI Flash Layout 3.3. Decision Firmware Data Max Retry Information 3.4. Firmware Version Information
3.1. High-Level Flash Layout x
3.1.1. Standard (non-RSU) Image Layout in Flash 3.1.2. RSU Image Layout in Flash - SDM Perspective 3.1.3. RSU Image Layout – Your Perspective
3.2. Detailed Quad SPI Flash Layout x
3.2.1. RSU Image Sub-Partitions Layout 3.2.2. Sub-Partition Table Layout 3.2.3. Configuration Pointer Block Layout
4. Quartus® Prime Software and Tool Support x
4.1. Quartus® Prime Pro Edition Software 4.2. Programming File Generator 4.3. Quartus® Prime Programmer 4.4. Supported QSPI Flash Devices
4.1. Quartus® Prime Pro Edition Software x
4.1.1. Selecting Factory Load Pin 4.1.2. Enabling HPS Watchdog to Trigger RSU 4.1.3. Setting the Max_Retry Parameter 4.1.4. Setting QSPI Ownership
4.2. Programming File Generator x
4.2.1. Programming File Generator File Types 4.2.2. Bitswap Option 4.2.3. Creating Images
4.2.3. Creating Images x
4.2.3.1. Creating Initial Flash Image 4.2.3.2. Creating Application Images 4.2.3.3. Creating Factory Update Images 4.2.3.4. Creating Decision Firmware Update Images 4.2.3.5. Creating Combined Application Images
4.2.3.1. Creating Initial Flash Image x
4.2.3.1.1. Creating Initial Flash Image for FPGA Configuration First 4.2.3.1.2. Creating Initial Flash Image for HPS Boot First
5. Software Support x
5.1. SDM RSU Support 5.2. Arm Trusted Firmware Support 5.3. U-Boot RSU Support 5.4. Linux* RSU Support
5.3. U-Boot RSU Support x
5.3.1. U-Boot RSU APIs 5.3.2. U-Boot RSU Commands
5.4. Linux* RSU Support x
5.4.1. Altera™ Service Driver 5.4.2. Altera™ RSU Driver 5.4.3. LIBRSU Library 5.4.4. RSU Client
6. Flash Corruption - Detection and Recovery x
6.1. Decision Firmware 6.2. Decision Firmware Data 6.3. Configuration Pointer Block 6.4. Sub-Partition Table 6.5. Application Image 6.6. Factory Image 6.7. Example Maintenance Procedure
6.7. Example Maintenance Procedure x
6.7.1. Maintenance Procedure
6.7.1. Maintenance Procedure x
6.7.1.1. Recover Decision Firmware Procedure
8. Version Compatibility Considerations x
8.1. Component Versions 8.2. Component Interfaces 8.3. Component Version Compatibility 8.4. Using Multiple Quartus® Prime Software Versions for Bitstreams 8.5. Updating U-Boot to Support Different SSBL per Bitstream
A. Configuration Flow Diagrams x
A.1. Load Image on Power Up or nConfig Flow A.2. Try Loading Image Process A.3. Request Specific Image Flow A.4. Configure after Image Failure Process A.5. Watchdog Timeout Flow
C. U-Boot RSU Reference Information x
C.1. Configuration Parameters C.2. Error Codes C.3. Using U-Boot RSU Without a Valid SPT or CPB C.4. Macros C.5. Data Types C.6. Functions C.7. RSU U-Boot Commands
C.1. Configuration Parameters x
C.1.1. rsu_protected_slot C.1.2. rsu_log_level C.1.3. rsu_spt_checksum
C.5. Data Types x
C.5.1. rsu_slot_info C.5.2. rsu_status_info
C.6. Functions x
C.6.1. rsu_init C.6.2. rsu_exit C.6.3. rsu_slot_count C.6.4. rsu_slot_by_name C.6.5. rsu_slot_get_info C.6.6. rsu_slot_size C.6.7. rsu_slot_priority C.6.8. rsu_slot_erase C.6.9. rsu_slot_program_buf C.6.10. rsu_slot_program_factory_update_buf C.6.11. rsu_slot_program_buf_raw C.6.12. rsu_slot_verify_buf C.6.13. rsu_slot_verify_buf_raw C.6.14. rsu_slot_enable C.6.15. rsu_slot_disable C.6.16. rsu_slot_load C.6.17. rsu_slot_load_factory C.6.18. rsu_slot_rename C.6.19. rsu_slot_delete C.6.20. rsu_slot_create C.6.21. rsu_status_log C.6.22. rsu_notify C.6.23. rsu_clear_error_status C.6.24. rsu_reset_retry_counter C.6.25. rsu_dcmf_version C.6.26. rsu_max_retry C.6.27. rsu_dcmf_status C.6.28. rsu_create_empty_cpb C.6.29. rsu_restore_cpb C.6.30. rsu_save_cpb C.6.31. rsu_restore_spt C.6.32. rsu_save_spt C.6.33. rsu_running_factory
C.7. RSU U-Boot Commands x
C.7.1. dtb C.7.2. list C.7.3. slot_by_name C.7.4. slot_count C.7.5. slot_disable C.7.6. slot_enable C.7.7. slot_erase C.7.8. slot_get_info C.7.9. slot_load C.7.10. slot_load_factory C.7.11. slot_priority C.7.12. slot_program_buf C.7.13. slot_program_buf_raw C.7.14. slot_program_factory_update_buf C.7.15. slot_rename C.7.16. slot_delete C.7.17. slot_create C.7.18. slot_size C.7.19. slot_verify_buf C.7.20. slot_verify_buf_raw C.7.21. status_log C.7.22. update C.7.23. notify C.7.24. clear_error_status C.7.25. reset_retry_counter C.7.26. display_dcmf_version C.7.27. display_dcmf_status C.7.28. display_max_retry C.7.29. restore_spt C.7.30. save_spt C.7.31. create_empty_cpb C.7.32. restore_cpb C.7.33. save_cpb C.7.34. check_running_factory
D. LIBRSU Reference Information x
D.1. Configuration File D.2. Error Codes D.3. Using LIBRSU Without a Valid SPT or CPB D.4. Macros D.5. Data Types D.6. Functions D.7. RSU Client Commands
D.5. Data Types x
D.5.1. Operative System Abstraction Layer Data Types D.5.2. rsu_slot_info D.5.3. rsu_status_info D.5.4. rsu_data_callback
D.6. Functions x
D.6.1. rsu_slot_priority D.6.2. rsu_slot_erase D.6.3. rsu_slot_program_buf D.6.4. rsu_slot_program_factory_update_buf D.6.5. rsu_slot_program_file D.6.6. rsu_slot_program_factory_update_file D.6.7. rsu_slot_program_buf_raw D.6.8. rsu_slot_program_file_raw D.6.9. rsu_slot_verify_buf D.6.10. rsu_slot_verify_file D.6.11. rsu_slot_verify_buf_raw D.6.12. rsu_slot_verify_file_raw D.6.13. rsu_slot_program_callback D.6.14. rsu_slot_program_callback_raw D.6.15. rsu_slot_verify_callback D.6.16. rsu_slot_verify_callback_raw D.6.17. rsu_slot_copy_to_file D.6.18. rsu_slot_enable D.6.19. rsu_slot_disable D.6.20. rsu_slot_load_after_reboot D.6.21. rsu_slot_load_factory_after_reboot D.6.22. rsu_slot_rename D.6.23. rsu_slot_delete D.6.24. rsu_slot_create D.6.25. rsu_status_log D.6.26. rsu_notify D.6.27. rsu_clear_error_status D.6.28. rsu_reset_retry_counter D.6.29. rsu_dcmf_version D.6.30. rsu_max_retry D.6.31. rsu_dcmf_status D.6.32. rsu_save_spt D.6.33. rsu_restore_spt D.6.34. rsu_save_cpb D.6.35. rsu_create_empty_cpb D.6.36. rsu_restore_cpb D.6.37. rsu_running_factory
D.7. RSU Client Commands x
D.7.1. count D.7.2. list D.7.3. size D.7.4. priority D.7.5. enable D.7.6. disable D.7.7. request D.7.8. request-factory D.7.9. erase D.7.10. add D.7.11. add-factory-update D.7.12. add-raw D.7.13. verify D.7.14. verify-raw D.7.15. copy D.7.16. log D.7.17. notify D.7.18. clear-error-status D.7.19. reset-retry-counter D.7.20. display-dcmf-version D.7.21. display-dcmf-status D.7.22. display-max-retry D.7.23. create-slot D.7.24. delete-slot D.7.25. restore-spt D.7.26. save-spt D.7.27. create-empty-cpb D.7.28. restore-cpb D.7.29. save-cpb D.7.30. check-running-factory D.7.31. help
1. Overview
2. Use Cases
3. Quad SPI Flash Layout
4. Quartus® Prime Software and Tool Support
5. Software Support
6. Flash Corruption - Detection and Recovery
7. Remote System Update Example
8. Version Compatibility Considerations
9. Revision History for the Hard Processor System Remote System Update User Guide: Agilex™ 3 and Agilex™ 5 SoCs
A. Configuration Flow Diagrams
B. RSU Status and Error Codes
C. U-Boot RSU Reference Information
D. LIBRSU Reference Information
E. Combined Application Images

3.1.3. RSU Image Layout – Your Perspective

The sub-partition table (SPT) is used for managing the allocation of the quad SPI flash.

The Quartus® Prime Programming File Generator creates the SPT when creating the initial RSU image. To ensure reliable operation, the Programming File Generator creates two copies of the sub-partition table (SPT0 and SPT1) and the configuration pointer block (CPB0 and CPB1).

The initial RSU image stored in flash typically contains the following partitions:

Table 3.  Typical Sub-Partitions of the RSU Image
Sub-partition Name Contents
BOOT_INFO Decision firmware and decision firmware data
FACTORY_IMAGE Factory image
SPT0 Sub-partition table 0
SPT1 Sub-partition table 1
CPB0 Pointer block 0
CPB1 Pointer block 1
P1 Application image 1
P2 Application image 2
Note: In Linux, the qspi_boot partition must start at the location of the SPT0 to reduce the risk of accidental corruption of components before this. This partition can be hardcoded in the device tree, or also the U-Boot can edit the device tree with the appropriate information before passing it to Linux. In U-Boot, the rsu dtb command updates the start address of this partition in the Linux device tree. The rsu dtb command is called as part of the rsu_status boot command before launching Linux.
Figure 5. RSU Image Layout - Your PerspectiveIn this figure:
  • SPT0 and SPT1 point to everything:
    • BOOT_INFO
    • Factory Image
    • Pointer Block 0 and Pointer Block 1
    • All Application Images
  • Pointer Block 0 and Pointer Block 1 point to all Application Images
To summarize, your view of flash memory is different from SDM view in two ways:
  • You do not need to know the addresses of the decision firmware, decision firmware data, and factory image.
  • You have access to the sub-partition tables. The sub-partition tables provide access to the data structures required for remote system update.
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