Recommended CRC16 polynomials for data logging application

Question

I'm writing a data logging application (running on a microcontroller) which will write data to ordinary, embedded NOR-type serial flash memory (in this case - an AT25DF161.)

Each packet of data (240 or 496 bytes) will be logged individually to the flash one after another. I figure the most common failure in the flash memory would be a stuck bit - typically "0", the non-erased state. I need to be able to detect single bit events, typically -at most- two per record (I assume this as a worst case after 100,000 write cycles.)

I'm using a processor which has a built in 16-bit CRC calculation module, so there's no performance implication for using less or more terms - so what decisions would I need to make to decide on an optimum polynomial?

Answer 1

Use a standard polynomial. You can find a list to choose from here.

Answer 2

Look at the paper by Philip Koopman, "Cyclic Redundancy Code (CRC) Polynomial Selection for Embedded Networks". He analyzes a number of 16-bit polynomials, measuring their error detection capability for different message lengths. As you'll see from his paper, they are not all created equally. For a small number of errors (HD=2 in your case) and a fairly large block, 0xBAAD might be a good choice.