BOOTLIN has released the first version of its Synagboot tools, aimed at restoring and flashing built-in devices that have stopped working due to firmware damage. The code is written in Python and is open under the license gplv2.
When built-in platforms are damaged due to firmware damage, they usually provide interfaces that operate via USB or UART to restore the device’s operation and transmit the loading image. However, these interfaces are specific to each platform and require the use of utilities tied to the products of individual manufacturers. Synagboot acts as an alternative to these utilities, most of which are proprietary.
Synagboot is designed to work with a wide range of boards and built-in devices, eliminating the need for developers to study the specifics of working with different utilities. For example, the first release of Synagboot can be used to restore devices based on SOC STM32MP1, Microchip Sama5, NXP I.MX6/7/8, Texas Instruments AM335X, Allwinner Sunxi, and Texas Instruments AM62X.
The tools include two utilities for downloading and flashing:
– Snagrecover – uses specific mechanisms for various manufacturers to work with the code in the ROM to initialize external RAM and start the U-boot bootloader without changing the content of constant memory.
– Snagflash – interacts with a neglected U-boot firmware for firming a systemic image in an unchanged memory, using dfu (Device Firmware Upgrade Mechanism), UMS (USB Mass Storage), or fastboot.
With Synagboot, developers of built-in systems no longer need to use different utilities to restore their devices, saving them time and effort.