[U-Boot] u-boot for x86 Core2Duo target

[U-Boot] u-boot for x86 Core2Duo target

[Zvi Vered]

Hello,

I'm using u-boot on PPC405 (ML405) for about 3 years.

It is a great boot loader !

On my next project, the target is Core2Duo (AMPRO's COM840).

Is it a wise decision to use u-boot on this target ?
I prefare u-boot over grub or vxworks bootloader because it has many 
features.

If I understand correctly, sc520 is the only x86 target supported.

Is it a huge project to port it to another x86 target that has a different 
ethernet controller ?

The u-boot image is loader by the BIOS from compact flash via SATA.

What is the procedure for writing u-boot image on this flash ?

Thanks. 

[U-Boot] u-boot for x86 Core2Duo target

[Graeme Russ]

On 19/02/11 11:04, Zvi Vered wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> I'm using u-boot on PPC405 (ML405) for about 3 years.
> 
> It is a great boot loader !
> 
> On my next project, the target is Core2Duo (AMPRO's COM840).
> 
> Is it a wise decision to use u-boot on this target ?

I've had a quick look at the board on the Ampro website and it looks like
the type of design well suited to U-Boot

> I prefare u-boot over grub or vxworks bootloader because it has many 
> features.
> 
> If I understand correctly, sc520 is the only x86 target supported.

At this point in time, yes

> 
> Is it a huge project to port it to another x86 target that has a different 
> ethernet controller ?

Only one way to find out ;)

> 
> The u-boot image is loader by the BIOS from compact flash via SATA.

No, U-Boot replaces the BIOS completely

> 
> What is the procedure for writing u-boot image on this flash ?

You will need to determine if the BIOS chip in the COM 840 can be
reprogrammed and if so, how

Regards,

Graeme

[U-Boot] u-boot for x86 Core2Duo target

[Andy Pont]

Zvi wrote...

> On my next project, the target is Core2Duo (AMPRO's COM840).
> 
> Is it a wise decision to use u-boot on this target ?

Probably not!  

Ampro will already have invested a lot of time and effort in porting the
BIOS to that board and are giving you a device that works out of the box.
If there is a specific issue that you have with their board then talk to
Ampro and they may look into it for you.

> Is it a huge project to port it to another x86 target that has a different
> ethernet controller ?

In the first instance it will rely on you being able to get all of the
information that you need in order to initialise all of the respective
hardware and some of the x86 CPU and chipset vendors limit who they make it
available to.

There are other questions you will need to ask, for instance.  Are you using
the VGA display?  If so, will your operating system device driver work
without the video BIOS having done the initialisation or some of the other
services provided by it?

> The u-boot image is loader by the BIOS from compact flash via SATA.

As Graeme Russ said, U-Boot would replace the BIOS.  I haven't looked at the
board but I would assume the BIOS can be in-situ updated.  In the first
instance you could try the flash update utility that goes along with the
BIOS to see if it will reprogram it with an arbitrary binary.  It may not do
as it may have a write protected boot block that you can't replace.

Andy.