Loading Linux using redboot or u-boot?

Hi,

I'm fairly new to embedded Linux so please take it easy on me ;)

I am using an ARM9 in an embedded system, and preferably want to boot Linux on it from an SD Card. Is this possible?

The ARM9 has 16 kB internal ROM. I can put a boot loader in there, which jumps to NAND flash . In the NAND flash I would like to put reboot or u-boot. When these are executed, I would like them to take a kernel image from an SD card.

Is this feasible? How much work would have to be done to redboot/u-boot for this architecture to work? If it's too much, I'll explore other avenues.

Right now I plan to have lots of SD Card space (maybe 1 GB), but not much NAND (is 1 MB enough for eCos+loader?)

Also, what advantages to redboot and u-boot have over each other?

I'm sorry if I'm asking very broad questions, but any help is greatly appreciated.

TIA, Pete

Reply to
psommerfeld
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I tool a look at several ARM9 systems that come with Linux. All of them use U-Boot. U-Boot can display boot menu on the serial port and after that boot from a lot of different media, AFAIK, including internal flash, network, FC and SD card.

-Michael

Reply to
Michael Schnell

Check out the TS7300 from embeddedarm.com . They boot of an SD card with a minimal loader in flash.

Reply to
Captain Dondo

Do you really want to create a _chip_ using an ARM9 or order such a quantity that someone makes a special version for you ?

If no you will buy an ARM based chip from some factory (e.g. Atmel AT91RM9200). Here they already did the code within the chip-internal ROM. E.g. the AT91RM9200 ROM has multiple (not Linux aware) boot strategies. The OEM boards based on the AT91RM9200 have a FLASH that is booted by the chip-internal ROM.in that Flash there is U-Boot, which provides multiple Linux aware boot strategies.

-Michael

Reply to
Michael Schnell

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