[U-Boot-Users] OS dependencies on the bootloader

[Wolfgang Denk]

In message <43BC4A51.9050203 at mc.com> you wrote:
> 
> A general bootloader question: How much hardware initialization should a 
> bootloader perform for the target OS?

As little as possible, as much as necessary.

> I see a minimal memory controller setup to allow subsequent loading of 
> an OS image. ECC might also be setup but all remaining resources would 
> typically be setup by the OS.

Right.

> Although I haven't tried booting Linux (we boot the vxworks bootrom), 
> does an embedded Linux make any assumptions about what the bootloader 
> initializes?

Yes. Depending on architecture and kernel versions certain parameters
(ATAGs, bd_info structure, OF tree, whatever) have to be  initialized
and passed to the kernel.

Best regards,

Wolfgang Denk

-- 
Software Engineering:  Embedded and Realtime Systems,  Embedded Linux
Phone: (+49)-8142-66989-10 Fax: (+49)-8142-66989-80 Email: wd at denx.de
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