(no subject)

(no subject)

[David L]

Hi,

I'm using a Nand flash driver on a Compulab board with a proprietary driver 
provided by Compulab.  I'd like to switch to a non-proprietary driver like 
MTD for a few reasons.  But having read through the MTD documentation, I'm 
not sure we can maintain our current boot strategy if we migrate to MTD.  
Right now, we boot to DOS that comes with the board and then use loadlin to 
boot a kernel/initial ramdisk that reside on a partition of the Nand flash 
that has a DOS filesystem on it.  On the rare event that we need to change 
the kernel or initial ramdisk, we mount the DOS filesystem from Linux and 
change the file.

Is there a way to maintain this strategy if we use MTD?  I saw in the NAND 
API document that only jffs2 and YAFFS filesystems can be used with MTD.  Is 
there any way around this? (I don't care how efficient it is).  And even if 
there is a workaround that would allow us to modify files in a DOS 
filesystem from Linux, will MTD partitions be visible from DOS so that we 
can boot in the first place?

Thanks...

                    David

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boot to MTD-partitioned NAND from DOS w/loadlin?

[David L]

Sorry about the no subject in my last post.  :(

>Hi,
>
>I'm using a Nand flash driver on a Compulab board with a proprietary driver 
>provided by Compulab.  I'd like to switch to a non-proprietary driver like 
>MTD for a few reasons.  But having read through the MTD documentation, I'm 
>not sure we can maintain our current boot strategy if we migrate to MTD.  
>Right now, we boot to DOS that comes with the board and then use loadlin to 
>boot a kernel/initial ramdisk that reside on a partition of the Nand flash 
>that has a DOS filesystem on it.  On the rare event that we need to change 
>the kernel or initial ramdisk, we mount the DOS filesystem from Linux and 
>change the file.
>
>Is there a way to maintain this strategy if we use MTD?  I saw in the NAND 
>API document that only jffs2 and YAFFS filesystems can be used with MTD.  
>Is there any way around this? (I don't care how efficient it is).  And even 
>if there is a workaround that would allow us to modify files in a DOS 
>filesystem from Linux, will MTD partitions be visible from DOS so that we 
>can boot in the first place?
>
>Thanks...
>
>                    David
>
>_________________________________________________________________
>Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE! 
>http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/
>
>
>______________________________________________________
>Linux MTD discussion mailing list
>http://lists.infradead.org/mailman/listinfo/linux-mtd/

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Re: boot to MTD-partitioned NAND from DOS w/loadlin?

[Jan Vestby]

On Tuesday 21 June 2005 17:11, David L wrote:
> Sorry about the no subject in my last post.  :(
>
> >Hi,
> >
> >
> >Is there a way to maintain this strategy if we use MTD?  I saw in the NAND

Yes. Have you considered using syslinux ?

> >API document that only jffs2 and YAFFS filesystems can be used with MTD.
> >Is there any way around this? (I don't care how efficient it is).  And

It is technically possible to use pretty much any file system, but for 
writable filesystems you will quickly get into trouble without the wear 
levelling  of jffs2/yaffs.
 
> > even if there is a workaround that would allow us to modify files in a
> > DOS filesystem from Linux, will MTD partitions be visible from DOS so
> > that we can boot in the first place?
> >
> >Thanks...
> >
> >                    David

regards 
jan vestby

> >
> >_________________________________________________________________
> >Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE!
> >http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/
> >
> >
> >______________________________________________________
> >Linux MTD discussion mailing list
> >http://lists.infradead.org/mailman/listinfo/linux-mtd/
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE!
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>
>
> ______________________________________________________
> Linux MTD discussion mailing list
> http://lists.infradead.org/mailman/listinfo/linux-mtd/

Re: boot to MTD-partitioned NAND from DOS w/loadlin?

[Sergei Sharonov]

Hi,
> It is technically possible to use pretty much any file system, 

Could you please explain how can "any" file system be used on top of mtd/nand?
As far as I understand at the very minimum the bad blocks would prevent that.
I believe there are no translation layers available for bare nand, only for
DOC.

> but for 
> writable filesystems you will quickly get into trouble without the wear 
> levelling  of jffs2/yaffs.

What about all these digital cameras running FAT on memory cards? Is any 
wear leveling happening in this case? (And yes, I know, it is better to 
have it).

Sergei