Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange
Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [bootloader]

A bootloader is a utility program used to load an application program into memory.

A bootloader may include additional functionality, such as self-tests and upgrade mechanisms.

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What is a boot loader, and how would I develop one?

I've met many projects in which an AVR microcontroller uses with a bootloader (such as the Arduino), but I don't understand the concept very well. How can I make a bootloader (for any microcontroller)? After writing my bootloader, how it is…
mina_g
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Why do we need a bootloader separate from our application program in microcontrollers?

Why do we need a separate program in the same flash program memory of a microcontroller, specifically STM32F103, which is called a bootloader? What is special about it to keep it separate from the main application program? Generally speaking, does…
alt-rose
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Cell Phone as Microcontroller

I have a couple of cell phones laying around, one of them being this one: http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_ericsson_elm-3057.php Is possible to clear the flash memory and replace it with a bootloader and then upload arduino sketches or pic32…
Harry Svensson
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How does factory reset work?

All embedded devices includes a "Factory reset" option that allows the user to reset his device if something is wrong. I am developing a Firmware on an STM32 board. The firmware includes a boot loader that allows to upgrade the application via…
Pryda
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How can I use my SMD Arduino to program a separate DIP ATmega328?

I have an arduino with a surface mounted (SMD) microcontroller: I know how to use a DIP arduino as a programmer for a DIP ATmega328. It's easy --you just pop your microcontroller in the holder. However, with a surface-mount Arduino, there's no…
Manishearth
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What is the purpose of a microcontroller bootloader?

From my understanding, for a common microcontroller (e.g. AVR, PIC), there are generally two methods of programming its flash memory. Using a programmer: In-Circuit Serial Programming (or some variant?) Some form of a bootloader, to which an…
midnightBlue
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Unable to get bootloader working on custom PCB with AT32UC3L

I have designed a PCB for a client recently, everything is fine with the hardware and software (application is working as it is supposed to). Now we are facing the need to update the program inside the microcontroller, but since these PCBs are…
Alexandre Lavoie
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Arduino Bootloader Details

Can someone please explain how the Arduino bootloader works? I'm not looking for a high level answer here, I've read the code and I get the gist of it. I've also read through this other post (I had even been one of the responders to it). There's a…
vicatcu
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Good tools or methods for understanding structure of bootloader?

I recently figured out the cause of a nasty bug I've been working on with an Atmel AT91SAM9G20 SBC running U-boot, an open source bootloader. The core of the problem was that U-boot expected the hardware to be configured differently than I had built…
pingswept
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Reduce the size of the Arduino bootloader?

Is there any way of reducing the size of the preloaded Arduino bootloader, to save some bytes for the program?
powtac
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What's the difference between a generated hex file and a binary file in embedded systems?

I have an STM32 project (let's call it blinky). This project is developed using Keil IDE. It blinks an LED every 1 second. When I build it, a HEX file is generated. Let's say I want to upgrade the board using OAD (Over the Air Download). The new…
Pryda
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I don't get the Arduino concept

I have been struggling with making an Arduino for a while (was successful in making a breadboard version using an ISP programmer cable). They say that the Arduino bootloader is made so that no external circuitry is required to program the ATmega8.…
Rick_2047
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PIC programming through FPGA

I would like to know if there is a way to program a PIC for the first time (write in Flash) through an FPGA card. The PIC is already soldered to the FPGA and I can't remove it. No bootloader exists on the PIC. Thus I need to program it in USART /…
Myst
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ATTiny85 not working after burning bootloader

I am having a problem with my ATTiny85. I should mention I use Arduino as an ISP to program it. My ATTiny worked fine until I decided that I need to step up the clock speed from 1MHz to 20MHz so I selected ATTiny85 at 20MHz from the Boards menu and…
Calin
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"Faster" Arduino bootloader

The Arduino bootloader has a wait-time to facilitate "sketch" (code) uploading; this causes a delay of a couple of seconds before the start of the main code. I would like to modify the bootloader file (specifically for the Arduino Mega) so as to…
boardbite
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