soc: nxp: MCXNx4x: enable booting from QSPI flash

The ROM bootloader has the option to boot from external QSPI flash on
the FlexSPI instead of internal flash.  Adds
CONFIG_NXP_FLEXSPI_BOOT_HEADER to include the FlexSPI boot ROM header
in the image.

Signed-off-by: Derek Snell <[email protected]>

Author: DerekSnell

soc/nxp/mcx/mcxn/CMakeLists.txt

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #
-# Copyright 2024 NXP
+# Copyright 2024-2025 NXP
 #
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 #
@@ -8,6 +8,20 @@
 # Flexcomm SDK driver
 zephyr_compile_definitions_ifdef(CONFIG_NXP_LP_FLEXCOMM LPFLEXCOMM_INIT_NOT_USED_IN_DRIVER=1)
 
+zephyr_linker_sources_ifdef(CONFIG_NXP_FLEXSPI_BOOT_HEADER
+  ROM_START SORT_KEY 0 boot_header.ld)
+
+if(CONFIG_NXP_FLEXSPI_BOOT_HEADER)
+  zephyr_linker_section_configure(
+    SECTION .rom_start
+    INPUT ".flexspi_fcb"
+    OFFSET ${CONFIG_FLEXSPI_CONFIG_BLOCK_OFFSET}
+    KEEP
+    PRIO 10
+  )
+  zephyr_compile_definitions(XIP_EXTERNAL_FLASH)
+endif()
+
 zephyr_sources(soc.c)
 
 if(CONFIG_FLASH_MCUX_FLEXSPI_XIP OR CONFIG_FLASH_MCUX_FLEXSPI_NOR)

soc/nxp/mcx/mcxn/Kconfig

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Copyright 2024 NXP
+# Copyright 2024-2025 NXP
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
 config SOC_SERIES_MCXN
@@ -77,6 +77,27 @@ config SECOND_CORE_MCUX_ACCESS_LEVEL
 	  enabled.
 endif
 
+config NXP_FLEXSPI_BOOT_HEADER
+	bool "Boot header"
+	default y if FLASH_MCUX_FLEXSPI_XIP && !BOOTLOADER_MCUBOOT
+
+	help
+	  Enable data structures required by the boot ROM to boot the
+	  application from an external flash device.
+
+if NXP_FLEXSPI_BOOT_HEADER
+
+config FLEXSPI_CONFIG_BLOCK_OFFSET
+	hex "FlexSPI config block offset"
+	default 0x400
+	help
+	  FlexSPI configuration block consists of parameters regarding specific
+	  flash devices including read command sequence, quad mode enablement
+	  sequence (optional), etc. The boot ROM expects FlexSPI configuration
+	  parameter to be presented in serial nor flash.
+
+endif # NXP_FLEXSPI_BOOT_HEADER
+
 rsource "../../common/Kconfig.flexspi_xip"
 
 endif # SOC_SERIES_MCXN

soc/nxp/mcx/mcxn/Kconfig.defconfig

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Copyright 2024 NXP
+# Copyright 2024-2025 NXP
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
 if SOC_SERIES_MCXN
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ config NUM_IRQS
 
 config ROM_START_OFFSET
 	default 0x400 if BOOTLOADER_MCUBOOT
+	default 0x1000 if !BOOTLOADER_MCUBOOT && FLASH_MCUX_FLEXSPI_XIP
 
 config MCUX_LPTMR_TIMER
 	default n if (DT_HAS_NXP_OS_TIMER_ENABLED || DT_HAS_ARM_ARMV8M_SYSTICK_ENABLED)

soc/nxp/mcx/mcxn/boot_header.ld

@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2025 NXP
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+ */
+
+#if defined(CONFIG_NXP_FLEXSPI_BOOT_HEADER)
+	. = CONFIG_FLEXSPI_CONFIG_BLOCK_OFFSET;
+	KEEP(*(.flexspi_fcb))
+#endif

west.yml

@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ manifest:
       groups:
         - hal
     - name: hal_nxp
-      revision: d0e49d63ac74208e183ed47ebb4bf8d490ab63fb
+      revision: 73d478f7afff753c9cf60248e0c0fff4ac572ee0
       path: modules/hal/nxp
       groups:
         - hal