FreeBSD on Dockstar: U-Boot / ubldr?

[Ian Lepore]

On Sat, 2014-05-03 at 20:45 +0200, Torfinn Ingolfsen wrote:
> On Sat, 03 May 2014 12:35:39 -0600
> Ian Lepore <ian at FreeBSD.org> wrote:
> 
> > 
> > Using ubldr requires a u-boot that has the 'API' feature enabled.
> > Virtually no u-boot comes that way from a vendor.  I don't think the
> > feature even existed when the kirkwood systems were current.
> 
> Ok, changing my question: is there a "generic" U-boot that I can build for my Dockstar?
> And would it be ok to have U-boot om the Dockstar load the new U-Boot?
> 

Nope, no generic u-boot, it's got to be customized for the hardware.
But the dockstar should have a canned config that you can choose in the
port Makefile.  Look at the port for sysutils/u-boot-beaglebone-eabi.

Using the existing u-boot to chain-load another u-boot with API and
other features can at least potentially work.  Thomas Skibo has it
working for a Parallela board.  Because u-boot does strange and
mysterious low-level init stuff to the hardware on some platforms,
there's a chance that chain-loading it won't work, because tyring to
re-init already running hardware could fail.

I think it's a good idea in general, it could give us a way for people
to "try freebsd" quickly and easily without having to reflash their
boards/boxes with a new u-boot if there's flash memory involved.

-- Ian