[U-Boot] procedure to down load u-boot to RAM

[Marek Vasut <marex@denx.de>]

Dear apple pie,

> Hi Wolfgang,
> 
> I have a number of u-boot development questions that I would like to raise
> to you for answers:
> 
> (1) Is it possible to install u-boot in a Windows XP environment? If it is,
> please tell me the steps to follow. Are they the same as those cut out for
> Linux?

Well, it's probably possible, but honestly, why?

> (2) Is it possible to use 'cgywin' to build u-boot, since 'cgywin'
> mimicks Linux's environment?

Again, probably -- you can invest some time and try yourself.

> (3) Is it possible to directly download an
> u-boot image onto the RAM space of a customerized development board to
> debug u-boot? If it is, please list out the steps to follow.

It is possible, but not always and it can have side effects. It is not 
supported.

> (4) What type
> of u-boot image should be used, if downloading of the u-boot image to the
> RAM space of the board is via a Lauterbach ICE (a debugger with a JTAG
> interface)? Normally, a Lauterbach ICE expects a .axf file to be
> downloaded (axf = archived, executable file), but in the u-boot case,
> should it be the ELF image u-boot build generates?

No idea, really ... probably u-boot.bin

> (5) The intention of
> the endeavor is to develope some "standalone applications" that allow
> frequencies/operating-voltages of the CPU & peripherals to be changed,
> during the time when u-boot is run, such as to measure the performances of
> the CPU & other peripherals. The existing development board has an ARM
> Cortex-A9 and a Cortex-R4 running on it.

Why don't you patch uboot itself and submit patches mainline?

> (6) Is it possible to make "minor
> changes" to the u-boot codes, such that controls could be passed back to
> u-boot at will from an application, which gets executed using the u-boot
> command: go <address>  ?
> Please elaborate in as much details as possible, if it can. The motivation
> is that after a change of operating frequencies & voltages of the CPU &
> peripherals, u-boot command: go <address> would be called to measure
> performances of the board. Thereafter, control would be returned to u-boot
> again, such that another set of operating frequencies & voltages could be
> selected.

Add a standard uboot command, use a standard uboot commands to measure this 
stuff, why make standalone app, it's nonsense and affects the results too.

> (7) Is it possible for a file to be read in, say, from a SD card
> via u-boot command, since u-boot comes with a SD driver?
> 

Yes

> 
> Also, is there any write-up that describes how to search past questions
> raised by u-boot users? As it stand, I google search seems to be the only
> way that I could be used to come up with relevant questions associated
> with a keyword.

How did you register to this mailing list anyway? There are archives at the same 
place.

> 
> Thank you in advance for your help, and looking forward to your reply.
> 
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> 
> Ivan


Best regards,
Marek Vasut