Avoiding EEPROM corruption problems

EEPROM is invaluable for storing operating parameters, error codes, and other non-volatile data. But it can also be a source of problems if stored values get corrupted.  Here are some good practices for avoiding EEPROM problems and increasing EEPROM reliability.

• Pay attention to error return codes when writing values, and make sure that the data you wanted to write actually gets written. Read it back after the write and checking for a correct value.
• It takes a while to write to data. If your EEPROM supports a "finished" signal, use that instead of a fixed timeout that might or might not be long enough.
• Don't access the EEPROM with marginal voltage. It is common for an external EEPROM chip to need a higher minimum voltage than your microcontroller. That means the microcontroller can be running happily while the EEPROM doesn't have enough voltage to operate properly, causing corrupted writes. In other words, you might have to set your brownout protection at a higher voltage than normal to protect EEPROM operation.
• Have a plan for power loss during a write cycle. Will your hold-up cap keep things afloat long enough to finish the write? Do you re-initialize the EEPROM when the CPU powers up in case the EEPROM was left half-way through a write cycle when the CPU was reset?
• Don't use address zero of the EEPROM. It is common for corruption problems to hit address zero, which can be the default address pointed to in the EEPROM if that chip is reset or otherwise has a problem during a write cycle.
• Watch out for wearout. EEPROM can only be written a finite number of times. Make sure you stay well within the wearout rating for your EEPROM.
• Consider using error coding such as a CRC protection for critical data items or blocks of data items stored in the EEPROM. Make sure the CRC isn't re-written so often that it causes EEPROM wearout.

If you've seen other problems or strategies that you'd like to share, let me know!

You might also be interested in my blog post on EEPROM and flash memory wearout.

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Embedded System Code Review Checklist

This past summer I had the opportunity to work with my friend Gautam Khattak on several industry design reviews. By the time the dust had settled, we'd had a lot of time to think about patterns of common problems and the types of things that designers should be looking for in peer reviews for embedded system software.

As a result, we've written a two-page checklist for embedded system code reviews that you are free to use however you like.

• Acrobat version (.pdf file)
• MS Word version (.rtf file)
• Web page version (.html)

The sections include: function, style, architecture, exception handling, timing, validation/test, and hardware. This is a pretty thorough starting point, but no doubt you will want to tailor these to your specific situation.

The checklists are broken into sections to make it easier to do perspective-based reviews. The idea is to divide up the sections among 3 or 4 reviewers so that each reviewer is thinking about somewhat different aspects of the code, resulting in better review coverage of potential issues.

Everyone has their own favorite thing to look for in a review. If you think we've missed one please let us know with a comment. One thing we have intentionally left out is system-level problems that are better done in a system-level review. These are primarily intended for module reviews that look at a couple hundred lines of code at a time.

Again, you can use these within your company or for any other purpose without having to ask our permission. But we'd be happy to hear from you if you've found them especially useful or if you have suggestions for things we've missed.

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