how does the cyclone dev board boot from flash?

Altera_Forum · ‎08-24-2005

I'm look at board level implementation of a Cyclone design right now and want to load my .sof and program from a CFI flash. According to the handbook it looks like i need a micro of sorts (the max7000 i guess on the dev board) to actually boot from flash. Is that correct?

Thanks,

-Jon

Altera_Forum · ‎08-25-2005

Yes, you are right.

Please refe to <nios2>/documents/AN346.pdf.

Altera_Forum · ‎08-25-2005

thank you for the quick reply mountain8848!

-Jon

Altera_Forum · ‎08-26-2005

This is the case wid CFI Flash. However what about if I want to execute my code directly from AMD Flash (the one used on NIOS dev board). Do I need any controller for that.

Altera_Forum · ‎09-06-2005

Not neccessry if you only execute my code directly from AMD Flash .

Altera_Forum · ‎09-10-2005

But for even booting from the flash, I may not need the MAX controller. As I read, the docs say the MAX controller only loads the factory settings in the flash lest it should not get corrupted.

Altera_Forum · ‎09-14-2005

The MAX controller is used to clock FPGA configuration data into the cyclone device from CFI (AMD) flash on the board; Cyclone cannot configure itself from CFI flash alone.

The EPCS (serial) flash devices can be used with the FPGA, and in that case, no MAX chip is necessary, as the Cyclone device has dedicated configuration logic to configure itself from EPCS chips.

Note that FPGA configuration is separate from Nios II software -- I am refering to the operation that loads the design into the FPGA at power-up.

Altera_Forum · ‎09-15-2005

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

--- Quote Start ---

The MAX controller is used to clock FPGA configuration data into the cyclone device from CFI (AMD) flash on the board; Cyclone cannot configure itself from CFI flash alone.[/b]

--- Quote End ---

Thanx Jesse. So, should I conclude following from ur observations?

(1) MAX controller not required if EPCS device is used for configuring the FPGA. If EPCS is not used MAX controller is required to load FPGA with the configuration data. This data is stored in Flash Memory in this case.

(2) In either of the cases, NIOS II software doesn't require MAX controller per se for either booting or executing from flash.

Altera_Forum · ‎09-24-2005

if some how or other i erase the MAX controller... is there anyway i can hav the HDL to program it again?,,,

is the HDL proprietary? can i request from altera for the code on the max controller?

i am having nios apex board....

thank you...

regards,

aretla