microcontroller content

[lionelkjh]

Hello everyone! I am looking for how to perform the means of reading the contents of the following microcontroller: EFM32ZG222F32 (box: QFP-48). I have the programmers: TL866 and RH809. but they are not in the list... Do you have to put another circuit there?? Thanks for your help!

[Psi]

The mcu appears to have a "Pre-Programmed UART Bootloader"  so you can probably program it using any FTDI or usb to serial cable at the right voltage.

https://www.silabs.com/documents/public/application-notes/an0042-efm32-usb-uart-bootloader.pdf

[ataradov]

Bootloader is in the flash, so chances are it was overwritten by the real firmware. And bootloader can't read the data out of the device.

And if the device is locked, then there is no way to read the firmware out.

But to try you can use any ARM programmer (ST-Link, J-Link, any generic) and Open-OCD.  Or just vendor tools.

[lionelkjh]

Hello; and already thank you for this quick info .... Something troubles me: the TL866 and RH809 programmers are very complete, and do not seem to adapt to the reading of a microcontroller? No equivalence possible to read it?

[pcprogrammer]

Like ataradov you can use ST-Link clones to do the job. They are not expensive and can be bought on Aliexpress.

For instance this one, but you can search for the cheapest or a shop with more sales and feedback. https://nl.aliexpress.com/item/1005004428192100.html

[ataradov]

Something troubles me: the TL866 and RH809 programmers are very complete

From what I know those programmers are for reading standard ROM chips. All microcontrollers are unique, so it would be a lot of work to support them all.

[Siwastaja]

Buying a cheap ST-LINK/V2 clone would cost you neither arm nor leg. Try to see if you find a configuration in OpenOCD for the EFM32 part in question. It could work out-of-the-box, maybe.

If it is a commercial device, the MCU is likely locked, though, and you can't read it out using normal means. (All protection mechanisms can be broken of course, then it's just matter of time and resources available. For example, NSA can read it out for sure.)