3.1.2 Bootstrap Loading

The details of bootstrap loading (bootloading) vary a great deal between devices. Not every device supports every bootloading mode, and using the bootloader is optional. This section discusses various bootloading schemes to help you understand how they work. Refer to your device's data sheet to see which bootloading schemes are available and how to use them.

A typical embedded system uses bootloading to initialize the device. The program code and data may be stored in ROM or FLASH memory. At power-on, an on-chip bootloader (the primary bootloader) built into the device hardware starts automatically.

Figure 3-1 Bootloading Sequence (Simplified)

The primary bootloader is typically very small and copies a limited amount of memory from a dedicated location in ROM to a dedicated location in RAM. (Some bootloaders support copying the program from an I/O peripheral.) After the copy is completed, it transfers control to the program.

For many programs, the primary bootloader is not capable of loading the entire program, so these programs supply a more capable secondary bootloader. The primary bootloader loads the secondary bootloader and transfers control to it. Then, the secondary bootloader loads the rest of the program and transfers control to it. There can be any number of layers of bootloaders, each loading a more capable bootloader to which it transfers control.

Figure 3-2 Bootloading Sequence with Secondary Bootloader