On Sun, 2005-06-26 at 16:33 +1200, G Chinnery wrote: > Richard Tindall wrote: > > G Chinnery wrote: > > > >> Hi list. > >> > >> I consider myself a linux newbie still, so would like pointers to > >> information on a project I am considering trying. > >> My idea is a dedicated audio visual setup on an embedded device with a > >> modified version of linux as its O/S. > >> I have seen versions of what I am thinking but it has a MS O/S as its > >> base and I not interested in going that way. > >> I know that the linux O/S will have to be stripped and modified to > >> work so will need help there but I just looking at feasibility at the > >> moment before even starting. > >> The basic system would be a solid-state device with external devices > >> attached. I.E. Hard drive, cameras and some kind of interface to a > >> sound system. > >> > >> Any help with pointers to sites along these lines would be appreciated. > >> > >> Thanks in advance. > >> > >> Graeme. > >> > > Thanks for the information forwarded to me. I have had a good look at > some of the options available and worked out that what I had in mind is > not really good enough for my prototype. Hence back to the drawing board > and refinements and changes are in order. > > One thing I would like to know and its the main hurdle so far is, can > linux be setup and made to boot instantly from some sort of eprom or > flash disk or some other instant on type method. That's the reason I was > thinking of embedded linux. I may be a bit off with my understanding of > embedded when it comes to the software. > > Thanks.
Just think about it for a moment. the kernel has to load into ram from some form of storage device, then perform startup & initialisation operations. Take a look at your computer as it boots. It loads the kernel into ram and then starts detecting hardware. Once it has done that it loads a pre-determined program (by default init, which is process 1) which starts everything else in userland. you can make the startup time pretty quick by making the kernel small, the devices it probes for minimal, the boot medium fast, the number of terminals and other services started by init small and so forth. But you still must load the kernel to ram and initialise it, same as when you turn your dvd player or ipod on. you can also do nifty things like save a complete running system (ie everything that is in ram) to a storage device (like flash) and instead of initialising a system you load it all back to ram again and kick it off, thats quicker than a complete boot. See suspend2. However there is still a time delay, nothing is instant. so yes, you can probably make system that appears to load very quickly from flash, but whether it is "instant" depends on how long you are prepared to wait :-) I commend you to http://www.linuxdevices.com/ and http://www.openhardware.net/ If you told us what you want to do, some of us may be able to give some pointers to real devices that might meet your needs. This might for example: http://dragonix.openhardware.net/ > Graeme. > > -- Nick Rout <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
