Gentoo Archives: gentoo-embedded

From: KIMURA Masaru / hiyuh <kimura@××××××××××××.jp>
To: gentoo-embedded@l.g.o
Subject: Re: [gentoo-embedded] new ARM920T based computer design (EP9315)
Date: Mon, 30 Jan 2006 16:33:09
Message-Id: 20060130163138.GA22143@fs.se.uec.ac.jp
In Reply to: Re: [gentoo-embedded] new ARM920T based computer design (EP9315) by Heath Holcomb
1 On 08:31 Mon 30 Jan , Heath Holcomb wrote:
2 (SNIP)
3 > Thanks for the links! It looks like the stock 2.6.x kernel does not work
4 > fully with the EP93xx chips, right?
5 IIRC, it is NOT official 2.6.x kernel as its name is.
6 Official linux-2.6.15 tarball shows that, it has NO arch/arm/march-ep93xx or so.
7 So, it means you needs EP93xx patches or so, maybe.
8
9 About Armadillo-9, it has 2.6.x and 2.4.x kernel sources.
10 http://download.atmark-techno.com/armadillo-9/source/
11 And almost it seems work fine for the SBC's specification said.
12
13 And then, some EP93xx chips has Maverick Crunch FPU.
14 I want to this FPU to compute some mathematical operations.
15 But now, it's PITA for me.
16 Because, for support this FPU, it needs official GNU gcc version 4.0.2 or so.
17 Otherwise, some hacks are required.
18 http://yann.poupet.free.fr/ep93xx/
19
20 > Do you know anything about running the kernel out of NOR flash? I ask because
21 > NOR flash can execute out of inself, instead of having to copy the kernel to
22 > RAM and run from RAM. This makes boot times faster, but NOR flash does not
23 > support filing systems the way NAND flash does (think compact flash,
24 > usbsticks, etc..).
25 I'm not familir with the features of difference of between NOR and NAND flash.
26 And then, Armadillo-9 can select which it boots from CF or its flash.
27 Mine boots from MicroDrive via CF interface at the moment.
28 After it boot, it can use USB. But it can not boots from USB stick, I heard.
29
30 IMHO, to make boot time faster depends on boot loader and/or init script
31 rather than kernel.
32 Armadillo-9 has hermit-at as bootloader which is branched from hermit
33 and shoehorn as kernel parameters setting app.
34 sys-apps/baselayout-lite in portage tree would be nice for tweaking init
35 script, maybe.
36 --
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