[U-Boot-Users] Multiple flash Support

[Ulf Samuelsson <ulfs@dof.se>]

> In message <44ED0F52.4060806@gmail.com> you wrote:
>> 
>> I have a generic question with regards to a  ARM based board: The board
>> in question has capability for 4 or more flashes (mixture of nand,
>> onenand, Nor flashes) all operating at the same time, however, with a
>> dip switch change on the board, the actual flash from which Uboot boots
>> up changes. I do not want to recompile UBoot for each configuration.
>> 
>> Is it possible to have a single UBoot which could boot off each of the
>> flash device? each boot would need to take the environment variable off
>> that specific flash (with configurability to take it off a common
>> location as part of the wishlist).
> 

Maybe this is too late, 
but it may make sense to add an 8 kB serial EEPROM to a board
(which is probably a development board anyway)
and store the environment in this chip.

If you can read the switch, you can make decisions inside your boot.

> Everything is possible. The question is if it makes sense, and if the
> required effort deems acceptable. I tend to answer both of this  with
> no, but YMMV.

I can see a point in the request.
If it is a board that is sold as a development tool, and one of their customers 
wants to download and upgrade the u-boot binary from their website, 
then it is a significant chance that the customer will download the wrong image to the flash memory
This results in a call the support team, which is costly and the customer problem will often reflect on them.


> Best regards,
> 
> Wolfgang Denk
> 
> -- 

Best Regards
Ulf Samuelsson                ulf at atmel.com
Atmel Nordic AB
Mail:  Box 2033, 174 02 Sundbyberg, Sweden
Visit:  Kavalleriv?gen 24, 174 58 Sundbyberg, Sweden
Phone +46 (8) 441 54 22     Fax +46 (8) 441 54 29
GSM    +46 (706) 22 44 57

Technical support when I am not available:
AT89 C51 Applications Group: mailto:micro.hotline at nto.atmel.com
AT90 AVR Applications Group: mailto:avr at atmel.com
AT91 ARM Applications Group: mailto:at91support at atmel.com
FPSLIC Application Group: mailto:fpslic at atmel.com
Best AVR  link: www.avrfreaks.net