Bootstrapping Lunux on the S100/68K...

[mike <mi...@pikeaero.com>]

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G'Day all,

I spent a bit of time last night planning my approach on the
Linux/68K/S-100 bootstrap solution.

I think I would like to break it down into three distinct phases with
the ultimate goal of a full fixed-disk bootable Linux with memory
management.

So starting with a baby step, phase 1 would look something like this:

1) Build a bare-bones XIP -mcpu=68000 -nommu kernel with:
   1.1) No-MMU support.
   1.2) Hack up a device driver for the Interfacer-4 async card.
   1.3) PPP/SLIP kernel module linked in.
   1.4) RAM disk kernel module linked in.
   1.5) Implement some kind of h/w timer + kernel support.

So the only 'experimental' kernel code at this stage is the serial port
driver (hack an existing UART driver), and the clock tick interrupt,
both very straight forward to implement.

With an XIP kernel I don't have to worry about the complications of the
bootstrap loader, never mind even a disk i/o device, device driver,
right off the bat.

In any case, getting that far, I would then have a working kernel in ROM
that I could then proceed to further bootstrap from.

So I'm looking at the N8VEM/S100Computers.com ROM/RAM cards, so I would
love to get some input from someone more senior with respect to
experience with these cards...

Let's say I want to have 16MB total memory, with minimum 2MB ROM
(preferably FLASH), 4M would be bonus, to store the uncompressed XIP
kernel and static data. Let's say I'm looking for the optimum
combinations of cards to accomplish that in terms of bus slots.

I've started puzzling over it a little bit, I just thought if one of you
more senior guys might have some input that is not readily obvious.

Kind Regards,

Mike Sharkey



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