newbie question: i've got a device (a radio control transmitter for model airplanes/helicopters) with 'f149. the pads for the jtag are present and we know the fuse is not burned. i'd like to read the contents of the flash (the firmware), make some edits, and upload the changes. does the mspgcc tool chain include a means to read the flash memory as well as a disassembler? can the IAR kickstart do this? are their other free tools that might do this? many thanks.
msp430: mspgcc tool chain and iar kickstart question
Started by ●March 13, 2007
Reply by ●March 13, 20072007-03-13
On 2007-03-13, 4MLA1FN <eff1fan@yahoo.com> wrote:> newbie question: i've got a device (a radio control transmitter for > model airplanes/helicopters) with 'f149. the pads for the jtag are > present and we know the fuse is not burned. i'd like to read the > contents of the flash (the firmware), make some edits, and upload the > changes. > > does the mspgcc tool chain include a means to read the flash memoryYes. The msp430-jtag utility can do that.> as well as a disassembler?Yes. GDB includes a dissassembler, and the msp43-objdump also has a disassembler feature. Neither is particularly well suited to a reverse engineering effort (if that's where you're headed). I have seen 8086 dissassemblers that were intended for reverse-engineering: they allowed the user to interactively add labels, comments, and mark regions as code vs. data. I've never seen such a beast for the '430.> can the IAR kickstart do this?I would guess so, but I don't know.> are their other free tools that might do this?Rowley's CrossWorks has a free trial version, and a personal license is only US$149: http://www.rowley.co.uk/msp430/index.htm -- Grant Edwards grante Yow! I'm having at a tax-deductible visi.com experience! I need an energy crunch!!
Reply by ●March 13, 20072007-03-13
On 2007-03-13, Grant Edwards <grante@visi.com> wrote:> On 2007-03-13, 4MLA1FN <eff1fan@yahoo.com> wrote: >> newbie question: i've got a device (a radio control transmitter for >> model airplanes/helicopters) with 'f149. the pads for the jtag are >> present and we know the fuse is not burned. i'd like to read the >> contents of the flash (the firmware), make some edits, and upload the >> changes. >> >> does the mspgcc tool chain include a means to read the flash memory > > Yes. The msp430-jtag utility can do that.I should mention that of course GDB can as well...>> as well as a disassembler? > > Yes. GDB includes a dissassembler, and the msp43-objdump alsomsp430-objdump -- Grant Edwards grante Yow! My mind is a potato at field... visi.com
Reply by ●March 13, 20072007-03-13
On Tue, 13 Mar 2007 15:36:41 -0000, Grant Edwards <grante@visi.com> wrote:> Neither is particularly well suited to a reverse engineering > effort (if that's where you're headed).many thanks for your reply. that was very helpful. i don't think what i'm hoping to do would be considered reverse engineering. there are bug and desired features that the manufacturer seems unwilling or unable to fix/add in a timely manner. i'd like to make these tweaks and additions for my own device and to give freely to anyone who may be interested if i succeed. anyway, it sounds like i'll have my bases covered with mspgcc or kickstart or the commercial product you suggested. thanks again.
Reply by ●March 14, 20072007-03-14
On Tue, 13 Mar 2007 15:36:41 -0000, Grant Edwards <grante@visi.com> wrote:> ...msp43-objdump also has a disassembler feature.it looks like objdump requires the input file to be in a particular format; e.g. tekhex, binary, ihex, etc. google hasn't help me find a spec for those formats.
Reply by ●March 14, 20072007-03-14
On 2007-03-14, 4MLA1FN <eff1fan@yahoo.com> wrote:> On Tue, 13 Mar 2007 15:36:41 -0000, Grant Edwards <grante@visi.com> > wrote: > >> ...msp43-objdump also has a disassembler feature. > > it looks like objdump requires the input file to be in a particular > format; e.g. tekhex, binary, ihex, etc. google hasn't help me find a > spec for those formats.It expects an .elf file. msp430-objcopy can convert from various formats (srec, ihex, etc.) to elf. -- Grant Edwards grante Yow! My mind is a potato at field... visi.com
Reply by ●March 14, 20072007-03-14
On Wed, 14 Mar 2007 14:02:24 -0000, Grant Edwards <grante@visi.com> wrote:>It expects an .elf file. msp430-objcopy can convert from >various formats (srec, ihex, etc.) to elf.thanks grant. before i saw your response, i posted a question about converting my raw hex dump to one of those formats. so far, i can only find a spec for the srec format, so i guess i'll start writing a converter for it. thanks.
Reply by ●March 14, 20072007-03-14
On 2007-03-14, 4MLA1FN <eff1fan@yahoo.com> wrote:> On Wed, 14 Mar 2007 14:02:24 -0000, Grant Edwards <grante@visi.com> > wrote: > >>It expects an .elf file. msp430-objcopy can convert from >>various formats (srec, ihex, etc.) to elf. > > thanks grant. before i saw your response, i posted a question about > converting my raw hex dumpmsp430-jtag will create either an ihex or binary file, and objcopy can convert either.> to one of those formats. so far, i can only find a spec for > the srec format, so i guess i'll start writing a converter for > it.How did you get a raw hex dump? -- Grant Edwards grante Yow! Are we live or at on tape? visi.com
Reply by ●March 14, 20072007-03-14
On Wed, 14 Mar 2007 14:48:33 -0000, Grant Edwards <grante@visi.com> wrote:>How did you get a raw hex dump?my device and be reflashed via my pc. i used a serial port monitor to sniff and record the firmware update that was sent to the device.
Reply by ●March 14, 20072007-03-14