Re: Flashboard questions...

On Thu, 9 Nov 2006, [email protected] wrote:

> Mark Gollahon <[email protected]> wrote: 
>> Actually, a CF card would be the perfect way to do this, since it has
>> three modes of operation (ATA/IDE, PCMCIA, and straight memory access).
>> The other storage mediums (MMC/SD/XD/SM/etc.) are serial-based and
>> the additional circuitry would more than offset the media's size. But
>> only if there was enough room. But I've already shown you that there
>> isn't enough room.
>
> I just teared a cf shielding off, and noticed that after
> soldering off the connector, it would well fit in the place of
> the rom board. I'm not quite sure about the amount of wires we'd
> have to draw, but the connectors would be near each other and
> there's even some place to fit the wires. If not, then I'd go
> for dremeling the smartcard-slot :)

You are right that stripped CF may fit in that place, but you can not use 
it as RAM. And you removed also RAM with the "ROM board".

Just in case, here is a picture of original flash board:
http://www.lowlevel.cz/log/files/j720_flashboard_top.jpg

As ROM board, it is fairly thin and PCB has more layers, I would rather 
not solder anything on it.:)

> Cheers.
> Otto Waltari


Still the best option I see is possibility to create board replacement 
with small flash, just for boot loader that starts OS from CF, and plenty 
of RAM.

Regarding boot loader it is another chapter, where we have almost nothing. 
I am not sure how far the bootldr is usable for this. In its newer 
version it should be able to boot from CF, but nobody ever tried.

Adam Pribyl