[U-Boot-Users] using a flat device tree to drive u-boot config

Scott Wood
2008-07-28T19:07:47Z

Kumar Gala wrote:
> On Jul 28, 2008, at 12:40 PM, Grant Likely wrote:
>> In principle I like the idea of having configuration retrieved from
>> the device tree blob, but the idea of reflashing the blob in the
>> context of u-boot scares me. In particular, if u-boot depends too
>> much on the presence of the blob, then it becomes a method of
>> bricking a board if users are able/expected to reflash the blob.
>
> I dont see reflashing the blob as any different than reflashing
> u-boot itself w/respect to bricking a board.

But currently it *is* different, so user expectations might need adjusting.

> But I agree, in general I would hope u-boot would be able to still
> boot w/o the device tree information (might be crippled, but you
> could recover).

That'd mean that we'd still have to have serial, memory controller (at
least to a functional level, not necessarily with performance settings),
i2c (if used for memory init), ethernet (unless you accept needing to
use serial to load a new image), etc. described in config.h. It's not
too unreasonable, especially during an interim period where people get
used to the device tree being an integral part of u-boot, but it does
limit the scope of what we use the tree for.

-Scott