[U-Boot-Users] Univesal bootloader in 2 stages

[VanBaren, Gerald (AGRE)]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: u-boot-users-admin at lists.sourceforge.net
> [mailto:u-boot-users-admin at lists.sourceforge.net] On Behalf
> Of Srivatsan
> Sent: Friday, November 05, 2004 2:38 AM
> To: u-boot-users at lists.sourceforge.net
> Subject: [U-Boot-Users] Univesal bootloader in 2 stages
> Importance: High
>
> Hi all,
>
>      I understand that uboot works in 2 stages, one before
> RAM is initialized and the other after RAM is initialized.
>
>      But my requirement is, I would like to load the First
> stage of uboot into Flash, then get the second stage of the
> boot loader thro' a fast Ethernet(This means that I require a
> Ethernet driver to run from Flash). In addition I would also
> like to start a Flash File system in first stage itself.
> Here's a summary
>
> Uboot -- I stage [Running from Flash]
> CPU setup.
> Ethernet driver, support for TFTP.
> Flash driver.
> Flash file system.
>
> Uboot - IIstage [Running from RAM]
> Other board initializations
> Device initializations
> CLI and booting the kernel image.
>
> Would like to know whether the above split up of Uboot is feasible?
> Thanks for all your time. CPU will be mostly powerquicc II
> processor and the board is a customized board.
>
> Regards,
> C.R.Srivatsan

Others have replied with more authority than I have, but I would like to
point out that your "I stage++" exactly describes u-boot (the "++" being
the running from RAM part) and your "II stage" exactly describes booting
linux.  You already have exactly what you asked for.  Pour the bits into
the board and It Just Works[tm] (after a little porting and debugging if
you have new hardware ;-).

The current boot organization is going to be hard or impossible to
improve.  If you wish to do so, feel free -- that is the beauty of Open
Source -- but you aren't likely to get a lot of help since you are
solving a problem that others have already solved and are happy with the
existing solution.

gvb

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