[HOWTO] flash your jalapeno to 8+ ghs

[lyth0s]

Anyone have an extra AVR dragon that they would want to sell for cheap? Or just lend me one and I'll mail it back to you? I'd like to try this out, but I'd rather not have to fork out $50 at the moment

There are ways to reflash the units that don't involve an AVR Dragon.... If you're game

I am game, how would it be done? I'm not very electronic savvy.

[Red_Wolf_2]

Anyone have an extra AVR dragon that they would want to sell for cheap? Or just lend me one and I'll mail it back to you? I'd like to try this out, but I'd rather not have to fork out $50 at the moment

There are ways to reflash the units that don't involve an AVR Dragon.... If you're game

I am game, how would it be done? I'm not very electronic savvy.

Find a linux based device with 3.3v GPIO pins broken out on it, then use them to reflash the jalapeno. I used a raspberry pi, but I'd imagine things like the BeagleBone would also work, just the pinout would be different.

[lyth0s]

I actually have a Raspberry Pi coming to me in the mail within the next couple days. Could you give me a little run down of how the process works the Pi?

[Red_Wolf_2]

I actually have a Raspberry Pi coming to me in the mail within the next couple days. Could you give me a little run down of how the process works the Pi?

Pretty much you install a bunch of software on the pi, then hook some of its GPIO pins from the 26 pin header to the jalapenos JTAG1 connector. You then run the software on the pi and use it to erase and reflash the jalapeno with your own firmware. Not quite as easy as using an AVR Dragon, but I suspect more people have a pi or similar hanging around than JTAG programmers.

Full details are on my site:
http://randomcontent.wolfnexus.net/RandomSite/reflashing-a-butterfly-labs-jalapeno-with-only-a-raspberry-pi/
You can also find a summary version on the BFL forums at https://forums.butterflylabs.com/jalapeno-single-sc-support/4484-reflashing-jalapeno-using-raspberry-pi.html if you'd prefer...

[ElitePork]

I am willing to help anyone who needs to flash the jallies if they need it. And it's locate in singapore

* I am not responsible for any damage done *

[yachtsman]

Pittsburgh Area Jalapeno Flash service. PM me.

[Red_Wolf_2]

I'm also happy to help people reflash their units. Generally don't do in-person jobs but if you're located close to me (Australia, southern states) let me know and we can see if something can be worked out.

[lyth0s]

Red_wolf are you familiar with the Raspberry pi technique? Are you guys able to help over skype chat? And what do you guys charge? I should have my Pi in 1-2 days and then I want to give it a go.

[Red_Wolf_2]

Red_wolf are you familiar with the Raspberry pi technique? Are you guys able to help over skype chat? And what do you guys charge? I should have my Pi in 1-2 days and then I want to give it a go.

Definitely familiar with the RasPi technique!
Happy to help out if you're able to do the remote hands aspect of plugging cables up to things. An easy source of suitable hookup wires is those old CD-ROM to soundcard hookup cables. If you can get two of those (you'll only need six of the pins rather than eight) they should fit nicely onto both the RasPi's header and the JTAG1 connector once extracted from their original plugs. I'd suggest using some tape or shrinkwrap on the ends though to avoid shorting anything out.

[Red_Wolf_2]

Quick query for everyone, what is the maximum clock rate you've managed to push the chips to in a Jalapeno? From what I've seen, the chips in a Little Single seem to be clocked between 340 and 375MHz, whereas the two chips in my Jalapenos are clocked at maybe 270MHz on average?

[erk]

Quick query for everyone, what is the maximum clock rate you've managed to push the chips to in a Jalapeno? From what I've seen, the chips in a Little Single seem to be clocked between 340 and 375MHz, whereas the two chips in my Jalapenos are clocked at maybe 270MHz on average?

I read somewhere that that was some crystal frequency thing between the different boards, and is misleading.

Do a search on BFL_Engineer's posts over the last week or so.

[juhakall]

Quick query for everyone, what is the maximum clock rate you've managed to push the chips to in a Jalapeno? From what I've seen, the chips in a Little Single seem to be clocked between 340 and 375MHz, whereas the two chips in my Jalapenos are clocked at maybe 270MHz on average?

2 Units
~8.08 GH/s, frequency index 7, PROCESSOR 3: 15 engines @ 265 MHz PROCESSOR 7: 15 engines @ 274 MHz - Does not start with a higher frequency index, but only 0.5% HW errors with this setting.
~8.75 GH/s, frequency index 8, PROCESSOR 3: 15 engines @ 292 MHz PROCESSOR 7: 15 engines @ 285 MHz - 1.1% HW errors. Results were not so great with index 9: an engine dropped when testing for just 1 valid nonce. HW error rate spiked up greatly, the clocks were a little over 300MHz.

[ElitePork]

It appears that when I change the thermal pad to thermal paste, the engines are able to startup better.
E.g. When using the default thermal pad
Both my jallies will not start with more than 28 engines running. And at times, it will drop to 26 or less.
After replacing the thermal pad, my engines is always 29 and is at the same HW error rate of 4.5%.

[lyth0s]

Red_wolf are you familiar with the Raspberry pi technique? Are you guys able to help over skype chat? And what do you guys charge? I should have my Pi in 1-2 days and then I want to give it a go.

Definitely familiar with the RasPi technique!
Happy to help out if you're able to do the remote hands aspect of plugging cables up to things. An easy source of suitable hookup wires is those old CD-ROM to soundcard hookup cables. If you can get two of those (you'll only need six of the pins rather than eight) they should fit nicely onto both the RasPi's header and the JTAG1 connector once extracted from their original plugs. I'd suggest using some tape or shrinkwrap on the ends though to avoid shorting anything out.

Ok awesome! When the raspberry pi arrives I'll send you a PM. I don't have a Jtag cable or any extra cd audio cables lying around (that I know of). I do have extra IDE cables though. I'd prefer to go to radioshack and buy a cable if it cant be done with an IDE cable modification. Could you point me to what cable I would need to purchase from radioshack? (in case they don't have jtag cables).

[Red_Wolf_2]

Red_wolf are you familiar with the Raspberry pi technique? Are you guys able to help over skype chat? And what do you guys charge? I should have my Pi in 1-2 days and then I want to give it a go.

Definitely familiar with the RasPi technique!
Happy to help out if you're able to do the remote hands aspect of plugging cables up to things. An easy source of suitable hookup wires is those old CD-ROM to soundcard hookup cables. If you can get two of those (you'll only need six of the pins rather than eight) they should fit nicely onto both the RasPi's header and the JTAG1 connector once extracted from their original plugs. I'd suggest using some tape or shrinkwrap on the ends though to avoid shorting anything out.

Ok awesome! When the raspberry pi arrives I'll send you a PM. I don't have a Jtag cable or any extra cd audio cables lying around (that I know of). I do have extra IDE cables though. I'd prefer to go to radioshack and buy a cable if it cant be done with an IDE cable modification. Could you point me to what cable I would need to purchase from radioshack? (in case they don't have jtag cables).

Pretty much what you're after is something like this:
http://www.adafruit.com/products/266
However you only need six pins total to hook up between the JTAG1 socket on the jalapeno and the various pins on the RasPi. Pretty much anything will do here so long as it won't short out or have dodgy connectivity.

[tom99]

Red_wolf are you familiar with the Raspberry pi technique? Are you guys able to help over skype chat? And what do you guys charge? I should have my Pi in 1-2 days and then I want to give it a go.

Definitely familiar with the RasPi technique!
Happy to help out if you're able to do the remote hands aspect of plugging cables up to things. An easy source of suitable hookup wires is those old CD-ROM to soundcard hookup cables. If you can get two of those (you'll only need six of the pins rather than eight) they should fit nicely onto both the RasPi's header and the JTAG1 connector once extracted from their original plugs. I'd suggest using some tape or shrinkwrap on the ends though to avoid shorting anything out.

Ok awesome! When the raspberry pi arrives I'll send you a PM. I don't have a Jtag cable or any extra cd audio cables lying around (that I know of). I do have extra IDE cables though. I'd prefer to go to radioshack and buy a cable if it cant be done with an IDE cable modification. Could you point me to what cable I would need to purchase from radioshack? (in case they don't have jtag cables).

Pretty much what you're after is something like this:
http://www.adafruit.com/products/266
However you only need six pins total to hook up between the JTAG1 socket on the jalapeno and the various pins on the RasPi. Pretty much anything will do here so long as it won't short out or have dodgy connectivity.

   I went out of house and I got Ras pi and some wires both female like one show above.  I am now waiting for Jals and Single.

[tonyca]

anybody who successfully flash it,would you please confirm when you flash jalapeno do you have to turn it off or keep it on to do it?
and how you guys load  ckolivas's BitForce_SC_1.2.5ck.elf to hex file?
and if you keep it on, when you connect to cable do you have to turn on dragon connect with usb to computer first? or you have to turn on jalapeno first?
and how you load it,please advise,thanks.

[mrrad]

 Attach ribbon cable between dragon and jalapeno, turn on dragon  by plugging in the usb to square printer cable, plug in jalapeno to power supply . I only used the elf file at the “Memories" stage from Kano's excellent guide at the bottom. At the memories stage u navigate to where u saved the elf file and hit program, that is after erasing the chip .... I didn't try it without hitting the erase button first....... I would run the jalapeno after the flash without the case and with the fan blowing down...  hope this helps......  http://www.kano-kun.net/?p=70

[tonyca]

Attach ribbon cable between dragon and jalapeno, turn on dragon  by plugging in the usb to square printer cable, plug in jalapeno to power supply . I only used the elf file at the “Memories" stage from Kano's excellent guide at the bottom. At the memories stage u navigate to where u saved the elf file and hit program, that is after erasing the chip .... I didn't try it without hitting the erase button first....... I would run the jalapeno after the flash without the case and with the fan blowing down...  hope this helps......  http://www.kano-kun.net/?p=70

thanks, used 1.25 flashed from 5g to 7g,not bad. will try ck's 1.26 to see if will work much better.

[mrrad]

ck did a 1.25 , that's the one I used...........