Scott - I agree, I also feel uncomfortable with it. I am not aware of a tool to make it easier, but it may exist. One tool that is highly recommended is a suction cup device to handle the flash parts. I do not recommend this process unless required. I was thinking that your desire to port your own RTOS to the IXP1200EB might be most cost effectively attained if you were to use the Cygnus SA1 tool chain which has recently completed a revamp to put cygmon onto the IXP1200 and use that with GDB as a monitor from which you can port your RTOS. Attainment of this goal would require you to go through the pain of removing and programming the flash parts. Also, as I already recommended, keep the original flash in reserve as a fall back. Best Regards - Dale -----Original Message----- From: Scott C. Karlin [mailto:scott@CS.Princeton.EDU] Sent: Thursday, April 20, 2000 10:28 AM To: dale.w.paige@intel.com Cc: ixp1200@CS.Princeton.EDU Subject: Re: Meta Boot Loader Thanks, Dale. I was able to "open" the socket. Since it required considerable force, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone unless they really want to get the chip out. Is there a trick or a tool to close the lid when the time comes? It seems like it will require more force than I am comfortable exerting on the board. -Scott Paige, Dale W writes:
Scott -
For a low cost solution I think that you should consider 2. If you can
load
your own bootloader, or maybe the cygmon monitor for the SA1 then you should only have to deal with reprogramming the flash a few times. Once you have some way to boot code you can then use the BSP code as an example of how to program the flash form your program. When that is successfully integrated into a bootable option you should not have to open the flash packages.
To open them you need to be careful. There are some arrows on the top pointing in the direct that it must be slid (away from the "front" of the board). Once the tabs protruding from the front have cleared you can gently lift the lid, it kind or hinges on the protrusions on the "back" side of the socket. Note the orientation of the flash in the socket. Save the originals, you can do some stuff just with the vxWorks bootup interface, and the Angel and diagnostics are totally functional.
Happy coding - Dale
-----Original Message----- From: Scott C. Karlin [mailto:scott@CS.Princeton.EDU] Sent: Wednesday, April 19, 2000 5:27 PM To: ixp1200@CS.Princeton.EDU Subject: Meta Boot Loader
We'd like to begin porting our own operating system (Scout) to the StrongARM core of the IXP1200. To do this we'll need a way to get code into the device. We have a couple of thoughts on this and would like to get some feedback (especially from the Intel folks who are on the list). We basically need a way to load a raw image into the core and start running it. We are not using VxWorks or eCOS.
Approaches:
1. Purchase or lease a NetROM device. 2. Use a device programmer to program the flash EEPROM. Is the flash in a socket? The chip packaging looks unfamiliar. 3. Use a Meta Boot Loader. This is code that runs under VxWorks. The preprogrammed boot loader in ROM can load the meta boot loader which will, in turn, load our OS code.
Number 3 has the advantage that it is an all software solution. The problem is that it appears to need a VxWorks executable (the meta boot loader) but we aren't interested in purchasing a license for this one little program. Is this something that someone else has done (or could do)?
-Scott