How to let a STM32MP257F boot from eMMC or SD-card?

HMüll.4 · ‎2025-03-20

Hi,

the TRM of the STM32MP257F describes different possibilities to boot the controller including the possibility to boot from eMMC or SD-card. And when looking to the EV-board, there are DIP-switches to choose eMMC or SD-card as boot-device too.

But what I can't find: how does this work exactly? How do I have to format eMMC/SD-card and what do I have to place on these devices in order to let a bare-metal application being loaded? Is there a documentation available somewhere that describes this in detail?

Thanks!

PatrickF · ‎2025-03-21

Hi @HMüll.4

those link could help:

https://wiki.st.com/stm32mpu/wiki/STM32MP2_boot_chain_overview

https://wiki.st.com/stm32mpu/wiki/STM32CubeProgrammer_flashlayout

Note that STM32MP257F does not support Bare-Metal on Cortex-A (only Linux or Android)

Bare-metal HAL is available only on Cortex-M33 (M33 coprocessor FW started by Linux).

Direct boot of Cortex-M33 (i.e. Cortex-M33 is master of the system, then will start Linux) is under development.

Regards.

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HMüll.4 · ‎2025-03-24

Thank you for your feedback.

@PatrickF wrote:
Note that STM32MP257F does not support Bare-Metal on Cortex-A (only Linux or Android)

Oh...wow...that's really a pity! So we have this powerful SoC but then are doomed to burn it's computing power with some bloated Linux or Android stuff? If not bare metal: is there at least some realtime OS like stuff available that does not waste the computing power that much?

SquishyHeart · ‎2025-09-07

Hello @PatrickF

Is there any update on the release of the M33 being the master of the system ? Or we should always boot the Cortex-A first ?

Regards.

PatrickF · ‎2025-09-07

Hi @SquishyHeart

please have a look to latest ecosystem delivery 6.1.0 (look for M33-TD flavor)

https://wiki.st.com/stm32mpu/wiki/STM32_MPU_ecosystem_release_note

https://www.st.com/en/embedded-software/stm32mp2starter.html#get-software

Regards

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SquishyHeart · ‎2025-09-08

Thank you for the quick response !

I downloaded the M33 package and i was wondering where can I find a FlashLayout corresponding to my board (ie: STM32MP257F-DK).

Here is what I currently have with the FLASH-stm32mp2-m33td-openstlinux-6.6-yocto-scarthgap-mpu-v25.06.11 package

Regards.