[U-Boot-Users] U-boot 1.2.0 JFFS2, and NAND flash

[Dan Batryn]

	I am experiencing similar delays using an AMCC 440EP PowerPC and
trying to boot Linux from the NAND flash via JFFS2.  I initially had 16
MB partition devoted to booting the Linux kernel and found that he JFFS2
scan time took several minutes.  Turning ON CFG_JFFS2_SORT_FRAGMENTS
made matters even worse.  I finally reduced the partition size dedicated
to the Linux kernel down to 5 MB and the JFFS2 scan time is now ONLY 30
sec.  Does anyone have any experience using YAFFS in a UBOOT
environment?  I have heard that the YAFFS file system does not suffer
the long scan times of JFFS2.  Can anyone confirm this rumor?
 

Daniel Batryn
Shoretel Inc.
960 Stewart
Sunnyvale, CA  94085
(408) 331-3575 Phone
(408) 331-3333 Fax
 

|-----Original Message-----
|From: u-boot-users-bounces at lists.sourceforge.net [mailto:u-boot-users-
|bounces at lists.sourceforge.net] On Behalf Of Matt Gessner
|Sent: Monday, October 15, 2007 8:50 AM
|To: u-boot-users at lists.sourceforge.net
|Subject: Re: [U-Boot-Users] U-boot 1.2.0 JFFS2, and NAND flash
|
|OK, more on this.
|
|I don't have CFG_JFFS2_SORT_FRAGMENTS set, so I don't think this is the
|issue.
|
|Linux *can* mount this partition, but it only does so when the software
|is being updated.  The rest of the time, the system ignores this
|partition.
|
|So, I'm wondering if the sorting is even an issue.
|
|Any ideas?
|
|Thanks,
|
|Matt
|
|> -----Original Message-----
|> From: u-boot-users-bounces at lists.sourceforge.net
[mailto:u-boot-users-
|> bounces at lists.sourceforge.net] On Behalf Of Joakim Tjernlund
|> Sent: Monday, October 15, 2007 8:44 AM
|> To: Detlev Zundel
|> Cc: u-boot-users at lists.sourceforge.net; Matt Gessner
|> Subject: Re: [U-Boot-Users] U-boot 1.2.0 JFFS2, and NAND flash
|>
|> On Mon, 2007-10-15 at 12:32 +0200, Detlev Zundel wrote:
|> > Hi Matt,
|> >
|> > > I'm got an AT91RM9200 and an 16 MB ST Micro NAND flash,
|partitioned
|> into
|> > > 3 blocks of 8, 4 and 4 MB.  U-boot boots linux from the first 8MB
|> > > partition, and doesn't go searching in the others unless it's
|> necessary.
|> > >
|> > > The JFFS2 scan for this takes 1:45.  I believe I followed all the
|> > > instructions in the docs for setting up the NAND flash, and other
|than
|> > > seeming to be really slow, it seems to operate just fine.
|> > >
|> > > When I use nand write.jffs2 to write the image, it doesn't take
|nearly
|> > > this long.
|> > >
|> > > Has anyone else had a similar experience?  Is there some
|configuration
|> > > or other tip someone might be able to give me as to why this is
so
|> slow?
|> >
|> > As mentioned several times on this mailing list, this is a
"feature"
|> > of the data structures used by JFFS2.  So as not to repeat myself
|too
|> > much, JFFS2 has to find the "current" data blocks for the files
|urging
|> > it to scan the whole partition.
|>
|> This is not entierly true. The scaning can be made much faster.
|> There was/is a patch on the ML that improves the scaning speed
|> significantly. Search for subject "jffs2 fsload - SOLVED"
|> Not sure if that patch impl. reduced scanning of empty EBs, scanning
|> all empty space is very time consuming.
|>
|>  Jocke
|>
|> >
|> > A simple workaround - also mentioned a few times already - is to
use
|a
|> > small partition for what is needed during booting.
|> >
|> > Cheers
|> >   Detlev
|> >
|>
|>
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