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?