Re: uCLinux on Samsung S3C4510B (ARM7TDMI) based wireless router

From: John Tetreault (blkthorn30_at_nospam@verizon.net)
Date: 07/13/03 

Date: Sun, 13 Jul 2003 11:34:02 GMT

"pojen" <pojen1@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:ber22f$7habn$1@ID-82445.news.uni-berlin.de...
> Hi;
> I hope I won't disappoint you too much. To begin a embed project from
> scratch is hard.
> First, you need a way to put your new stuff into the board(flash ram) but
> how?
> You need a back door to allow you to do so. For eample, a JTAG connect to
> serial port or printer port, or a network download(TFTP). But how to
switch
> the original system mode to download mode? It's the first issue. Maybe you

I'm fairly certain I've got this covered... SpeedStream's knowledge base
advises by pushing the reset button at a particular point during bootup, it
will prompt the router to download a new kernel from a BOOTP server.

> will say, well how about the firmware upgrade? Most of the firmware
upgrade
> only allow you to touch a certain data but not all. For example, I will
cut
> my flash to three part: bootloader, kernel and system. Firmware upgrade
will
> only replace my system but not my kernel or bootloader. Only the original
> developer know how to open the back door. Lucklly, if you know how, then
> next step...

This could be the problem... the bootloader.... Not sure if the BOOTP
process above will take in a new bootloader (so I don't have to boot with
BOOTP every time) probably not is my guess... although then I'm wondering
if once I have the kernel loaded once, that will give me a way to load in a
new ready made (see next comment) bootloader.

> Second, you need a new boot loader to replace the original one to support

I've seen linux bootloaders for this particular chip in my searches on the
web, so I'm hopeful I won't have to write one (I doubt my programming skills
would be up to the task)

> ps. I will suggest you to begin a project on x86 system first(ex. XBOX
> project). Because no BIOS is really a pain.

hehe... Thanks... Unfortunately, this isn't just a "I'm bored, lets start a
new project and learn how to embed linux in whatever I can find" sort of
thing... This is a specific need that has prompted me to even consider this
project. ie the need for the features that only a Linux based wireless
router can provide.