bootloader compatible with linux & mac?

[Admin]

Has anyone tried or can verify that this bootloader:
http://www.societyofrobots.com/bootloader_50_robot.shtml

works with either linux and/or mac?

[pomprocker]

It's an exe file....

I can't run fboot.exe on my mac.

[kf6snj]

To run it under Linux or Mac, you'd need to use an emulator like wine or dosbox. It can be done, but it does use more ram.

[dunk]

the "fast tiny & mega UART bootloader" includes source code for the PC side of the bootloader.
it could probably be built for Mac/Linux without too much work.

dunk.

[sprince09]

I hate to dig up an old topic... but has anyone had any luck getting the PC side of the bootloader (FBOOT.exe) to run under linux? I've tried wine-ing and dosemu-ing it, but that hasn't seemed to work. I could be doing it wrong though  I was considering trying to re-write some of the code using linux serial io instead of windows, but after looking at the source, I think that might be beyond my ability level. Anyway, anyone have any luck with it?

[ib1yysguy]

Admin,

Is your command prompt-based programming app for the Axon written in C++? If so, I bet I could make an OSX compatible version of it with XCode without much more work than building a GUI and pasting the code in. Of course I'd need the code from you to get it to interface with the Axon. Think I can give it a shot?

[Admin]

Here is all the bootloader code attached. I didn't write 99% of it though, credits are in the code.

[sprince09]

I ended up installing a WinXP virtual machine on my comp for various reasons. I've noticed that the usb bootloader takes a very, very long time to download code onto my axon from the VM.

For example, under a straight WinXP system, the bootloader takes ~30 seconds to download new programs... on the WinXP VM it takes ~600 seconds (yes 600s, that's not a typo). Any clue as to why this might be?

Host machine is Ubuntu 8.10.

[Admin]

For example, under a straight WinXP system, the bootloader takes ~30 seconds to download new programs... on the WinXP VM it takes ~600 seconds (yes 600s, that's not a typo). Any clue as to why this might be?

To be honest not a clue. On my PC code never takes more than 10 seconds, yet several people report it taking up to 45 seconds on their PCs. For some people it worked fine for weeks, then started taking a long time. We haven't been able to pin point the problem

http://www.societyofrobots.com/axon/axon_FAQ.shtml#boot_slow

[sprince09]

Google found one possible explanation:

http://www.virtualbox.org/report/21

Apparently, virtualbox has some problems with usb2.0 (uses up 100% of one of my core's when running a usb device). When I get a chance tomorrow I will see if running usb 1.x instead fixes the problem...

[dunk]

it ran fine for me in an XP virtual machine when i was testing the bootloader.
i have not used it since though as i don't really need a bootloader.

dunk.

[sprince09]

Also just read this post:

http://www.societyofrobots.com/robotforum/index.php?topic=5911.0

I'll check out rolling back to SP2 if USB2 isn't the issue... more tomorrow.

[sprince09]

I can confirm the SP3 was the problem. Running my WinXP virtual machine with USB2 disable had no effect on the boatloader speed. "Updating" back to SP2 reduced my load times from ~10 minutes down to ~20 seconds.

Thanks a lot guys