Hardware bring-up correction (Dennis, 2026-08-22): writing the FT2232H product
string to the undersized 93LC46B (U7) does NOT harmlessly fail — the partial,
mirrored write lands a checksum-valid-but-garbage config, and the FT2232H then
FAILS USB enumeration entirely (dead silent, no dmesg attach). It does NOT fall
back to ROM defaults; only a blank/checksum-invalid EEPROM does. The earlier
claim that "a bad EEPROM always falls back and still enumerates" was WRONG.
Recovery (confirmed working): power on with U7 CLK shorted to GND so the FT2232H
can't read a valid config -> forces ROM defaults -> enumerates -> then erase U7.
Updated REVIEW.md, TODO.md, the flash-re-bba-rb skill (do-not-program warning +
recovery, native-Linux troubleshooting), and flash_ftdi_eeprom.py comments/help
to state the soft-brick reality. The script already refuses the write on
mirroring detection; --force now documented as "reproduce the soft-brick".
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Devcontainer now grants libusb access to the FT2232H so iceprog (bitstream) and
pyftdi (FT2232H EEPROM) run inside the container:
- devcontainer.json: --privileged + /dev/bus/usb bind mount
- Dockerfile: sudo (NOPASSWD for vscode; USB nodes are root-owned), libusb-1.0-0,
libftdi1-2, pyftdi
Add the flash-re-bba-rb skill documenting the procedure (bitstream via best swept
seed, optional EEPROM string, troubleshooting, guardrails) and
flash_ftdi_eeprom.py (pyftdi, backup-first, dry-run default) + ftdi_eeprom.conf
value spec.
Bring-up on the repaired V1 unit: bitstream flash VERIFY OK (iceprog
build/seed4/top.bin, capture 58.36 MHz). EEPROM product string CANNOT be
programmed on V1 — U7 is a 93LC46B (128 B), too small for the FT2232H, which
needs a 93LC56B (256 B); the 128 B chip mirrors and the config write fails
verify. This overturns the old REVIEW note "93LC46B = correct for FT2232H"
(that only checked ORG, not size). Board still works blank -> ROM defaults;
iceprog + UART unaffected. Documented in REVIEW.md + TODO.md (swap U7->93LC56B
for V2); flash_ftdi_eeprom.py detects the mirroring and refuses the write.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Roflin
Dennis Brentjes