[U-Boot] procedure to down load u-boot to RAM

[apple pie]

Hi Wolfgang,

I have a number of u-boot development questions that I would like to raise to you for answers:

(1) Is it possible to install u-boot in a Windows XP environment? If it is, please tell me
the steps to follow. Are they the same as those cut out for Linux?
(2) Is it possible to use 'cgywin' to build u-boot, since 'cgywin' mimicks Linux's environment?
(3) Is it possible to directly download an u-boot image onto the RAM space of a customerized 
development board to debug u-boot? If it is, please list out the steps to follow.
(4) What type of u-boot image should be used, if downloading of the u-boot image to the RAM
space of the board is via a Lauterbach ICE (a debugger with a JTAG interface)? Normally, a
Lauterbach ICE expects a .axf file to be downloaded (axf = archived, executable file), but
in the u-boot case, should it be the ELF image u-boot build generates?
(5) The intention of the endeavor is to develope some "standalone applications" that allow
frequencies/operating-voltages of the CPU & peripherals to be changed, during the time
when u-boot is run, such as to measure the performances of the CPU & other peripherals.
The existing development board has an ARM Cortex-A9 and a Cortex-R4 running on it.
(6) Is it possible to make "minor changes" to the u-boot codes, such that controls could
be passed back to u-boot at will from an application, which gets executed using the u-boot command:
                 go <address>  ?
Please elaborate in as much details as possible, if it can. The motivation is that after a change
of operating frequencies & voltages of the CPU & peripherals, u-boot command: go <address>
would be called to measure performances of the board. Thereafter, control would be returned
to u-boot again, such that another set of operating frequencies & voltages could be selected. 
(7) Is it possible for a file to be read in, say, from a SD card via u-boot command, since
u-boot comes with a SD driver?
 

Also, is there any write-up that describes how to search past questions raised by u-boot users?
As it stand, I google search seems to be the only way that I could be used to come up with
relevant questions associated with a keyword.
 
Thank you in advance for your help, and looking forward to your reply.
 
 
Thanks,
 
 
Ivan