Re: kernel newbie -- Compact Flash booting

[Matti Aarnio]

On Thu, Jan 24, 2002 at 10:52:37PM -0800, Ramya Ravichandran wrote:
> Hi,
> 
>    I am a newbie to Linux.I have to develop an
> embedded linux controller that boots from the Compact
> flash card instead of the HD and work from RAM. I have
> to have a bare minimum implementation of Linux kernel
> to do this.
>   I don't know where to start. Shud I start by writing
> the driver for the CF card? What background knowledge
> shud I have for implementing the kernel?

  The compact flashes appear to PCMCIA as removable IDE drives.
  Unless the PCMCIA-CF adapter is more than just two connectors
  plus a set of wires in between, you should have no problems
  at all.   Either IDE, or IDE_CS driver should do it.
  (The IDE_CS will, of course, need the PCMCIA suite too to
   support removable media.  IDE doesn't support removability.)

  To boot from CF you need support in your boot-rom/flash
  code.  Something which might not be true, unless you write
  it yourself..

> Please Help.Thanks

/Matti Aarnio