From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Received: from mercury.testsyseng.com (unknown [209.120.144.205]) (using TLSv1 with cipher EDH-RSA-DES-CBC3-SHA (168/168 bits)) (Client did not present a certificate) by ozlabs.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 0C9CD67A2E for ; Sat, 29 Jul 2006 00:03:15 +1000 (EST) Message-ID: <44CA1909.5080001@digis.net> Date: Fri, 28 Jul 2006 08:02:49 -0600 From: bennett78 MIME-Version: 1.0 To: dhlii@comcast.net Subject: Re: Booting Linux Kernel without bootloader References: <3C02138692C13C4BB675FE7EA240952915DF66@bluefin.Soneticom.local> <44C9C4E4.2060206@dlasys.net> In-Reply-To: <44C9C4E4.2060206@dlasys.net> Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="------------070108020504090709010501" Cc: Clint Thomas , linuxppc-embedded Reply-To: bennett78@digis.net List-Id: Linux on Embedded PowerPC Developers Mail List List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , This is a multi-part message in MIME format. --------------070108020504090709010501 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit David H. Lynch Jr. wrote: > Clint Thomas wrote: > >> Hey guys, >> >> I have gone through the Linuxppc embedded and dev lists for >> information related to what I am trying to do, but was unable to find >> exactly what i'm looking for. >> >> Basically, the system I want linux running on does not require the >> initialization of hardware that U-boot provides, or at least it does >> not need it to boot the linux kernel. I want to load an uncompressed >> linux kernel into memory and start the execution of the kernel, >> without using any kind of bootloader. Is this possible? Or does linux >> need some kind of firmware or other software to tell it to start >> executing? Thanks for any info you might have. > > > You system powers on. It starts executing whatever is at the reset > vector, Something has to get you from the ppc powering up and going to > never never land, to starting to execute Linux. > The steps to get from Power on to booting Linux may not be that > complicated, Much of what needs to be done can likely be included as > part of the code for your board in arch/ppc/boot/simple. > But something still has to be done. > > In my instance I am dealing with a Xilinx V4 (not an ML403). A > small "monitor" program is automatically loaded as part of the FPGA > .bit image. On power on it starts executing. Curious, how long does the V4 take to load up it's brain? (using a serial EEprom?) > It sets up the CPU, cache, and very minimal hardware > configuration, and then loads Linux out of flash and executes it. > > Linux does not have to have alot setup to boot. But something has > to to some minimal initial setup, get Linux into the memory of your > system, and jump to it. > >> >> Clinton Thomas >> cthomas@soneticom.com >> >> >>------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> >>_______________________________________________ >>Linuxppc-embedded mailing list >>Linuxppc-embedded@ozlabs.org >>https://ozlabs.org/mailman/listinfo/linuxppc-embedded >> > > >-- >Dave Lynch DLA Systems >Software Development: Embedded Linux >717.627.3770 dhlii@dlasys.net http://www.dlasys.net >fax: 1.253.369.9244 Cell: 1.717.587.7774 >Over 25 years' experience in platforms, languages, and technologies too numerous to list. > >"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex... It takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." >Albert Einstein > > >------------------------------------------------------------------------ > >_______________________________________________ >Linuxppc-embedded mailing list >Linuxppc-embedded@ozlabs.org >https://ozlabs.org/mailman/listinfo/linuxppc-embedded > Frank Bennett */Technical Contractor/* /Triad Systems Engineering 200 West Mountain Avenue, Suite 103C Ft. Collins, CO 80521 /http://www.traidsyseng.com frank.bennett@triadsyseng.com / /office: 970-493-7586 cell: 970-402-9269 "I think there's a world market for about five computers." -- attr. Thomas J. Watson (Chairman of the Board, IBM), 1943 --------------070108020504090709010501 Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit David H. Lynch Jr. wrote:
Clint Thomas wrote:
Hey guys,

I have gone through the Linuxppc embedded and dev lists for information related to what I am trying to do, but was unable to find exactly what i'm looking for.

Basically, the system I want linux running on does not require the initialization of hardware that U-boot provides, or at least it does not need it to boot the linux kernel. I want to load an uncompressed linux kernel into memory and start the execution of the kernel, without using any kind of bootloader. Is this possible? Or does linux need some kind of firmware or other software to tell it to start executing? Thanks for any info you might have.

    You system powers on. It starts executing whatever is at the reset vector, Something has to get you from the ppc powering up and going to never never land, to starting to execute Linux.
    The steps to get from Power on to booting Linux may not be that complicated, Much of what needs to be done can likely be included as part of the code for your board in arch/ppc/boot/simple.
    But something still has to be done.

    In my instance I am dealing with a Xilinx V4 (not an ML403). A small "monitor" program is automatically loaded as part of the FPGA .bit image. On power on it starts executing.
Curious, how long does the V4 take to load up it's brain? (using a serial EEprom?)
    It sets up the CPU, cache, and very minimal hardware configuration, and then loads Linux out of flash and executes it.
   
    Linux does not have to have alot setup to boot. But something has to to some minimal initial setup, get Linux into the memory of your system, and jump to it.

 
Clinton Thomas
cthomas@soneticom.com
 

_______________________________________________
Linuxppc-embedded mailing list
Linuxppc-embedded@ozlabs.org
https://ozlabs.org/mailman/listinfo/linuxppc-embedded


-- 
Dave Lynch 					  	    DLA Systems
Software Development:  				         Embedded Linux
717.627.3770 	       dhlii@dlasys.net 	  http://www.dlasys.net
fax: 1.253.369.9244 			           Cell: 1.717.587.7774
Over 25 years' experience in platforms, languages, and technologies too numerous to list.

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex... It takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction."
Albert Einstein
  

_______________________________________________
Linuxppc-embedded mailing list
Linuxppc-embedded@ozlabs.org
https://ozlabs.org/mailman/listinfo/linuxppc-embedded

Frank Bennett
Technical Contractor

Triad Systems Engineering
200 West Mountain Avenue, Suite 103C
Ft. Collins, CO 80521
http://www.traidsyseng.com
frank.bennett@triadsyseng.com
office: 970-493-7586
cell:   970-402-9269

"I think there's a world market for about five computers."
        -- attr. Thomas J. Watson (Chairman of the Board, IBM), 1943
--------------070108020504090709010501--