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Hi,
We would like to know why there is only 4MBytes of memory in the WARP, is it possible to extend the memory size to any higher value. Is this memory size enough to port Linux into WARP, what are the known issues in porting of OS into WARP apart from the memory crunch.
Please reply!
-HT
-Ragha
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When we originally designed the current FPGA board, we didn't envision running a full OS inside the FPGA. The off-chip SRAM was selected primarily for its speed and easy interface. It may be possible to get Linux running by limiting the size of its memory footprint, but this is something we have no experience with. We briefly used xilkernel, a much simpler OS included with the EDK. It provides some useful abstractions (threads, simple dynamic memory allocation, etc.). But we found the performance of our MAC implementations improved a lot by removing the OS and running things at the lowest level.
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Hi Murpho,
This is a very good information, thank you.
Is it possible to extend/upgrade/add the memory some how?
waiting for your precious input
-HT
-Ragha
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Hi Murpho,
In the Xilinx platform studio - Software platform settings, we have an option to choose the OS - linux_2_6 version 1.01.b. Has any body tried out this, Does it mean that by just drag and drop in the software platform settings we can make the WARP work on Linux OS. If any body has tried this out please give your feed back.
thanks,
-HT
-Ragha
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We haven't tried that OS setting in XPS, but I'm pretty sure it's more involved than just selecting it. I believe XPS does not include a Linux kernel or the tools to generate one. I've heard of the ELDK being required. There's also some information at http://xilinx.wikidot.com/ for using a Linux kernel port maintained "unofficially" by Xilinx. Again, we've never tried to make this work; the EDK documentation and other resources at these sites are your best bet. But please keep us posted with any progress.
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Hi Murpho,
Our team expert HT found out in one of your warp repository i.e http://warp.rice.edu/trac/attachment/wi … format=raw and this suggests that we can extend the memory,
Does this solve the problem of memory crunch for Linux ?
If so then, when are they available to us?
-HT
-Ragha
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That board was an undergrad project a few years ago that never made it past the prototyping stage. We don't currently have any plans (or resources) to revive the design and manufacture them in bulk. Your best bet is to explore exactly how much memory a minimal Linux kernel would require to run in the V2Pro's PPC405 (hopefully less than 4MB).
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Hi Murpho,
Straight to the point eh! :) . I really thank you very much for thinking on behalf of our problem. Now its clear that we have only 4MB of memory and we will start working on it. (The problem is always choice, Now we don't have much of a choice so we don't have a problem).
We are now going ahead with this Mission impossible and we will keep you updated with the proceedings if you are interested.
Please share any other information which you think would help us in porting of Linux into WARP.
thanks,
-HT
-Ragha
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Any updates on this ?
thanks
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