[gentoo-user] Writing to a 256MB Rom

[gentoo-user] Writing to a 256MB Rom

[Ryan Holt]

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Hey,

Little bit of an odd question here. But Say I wanted to write to an imbedded
256MB Rom Drive. Specifically, I'd like to install a minimalistic Linux
install onto a mini-server that contains only a ROM storage space....

How could I go about this?

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Re: [gentoo-user] Writing to a 256MB Rom

[Hans-Werner Hilse]

Hi,

On Wed, 1 Mar 2006 16:16:33 -0500
"Ryan Holt" <carpenike@gmail.com> wrote:

> Is there any difference between ROM and NVRam?

Yes, of course. RAM is random-access-memory and in the case of DRAMs
pretty volatile when not powered :-)

If you have 256MB of NVRam to install an OS on it, the relevant
question is: Is this accessible via some controller or emulation as a
block device? That question can only be answered if you get more
specific regarding that NVRAM...

-hwh
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Re: [gentoo-user] Writing to a 256MB Rom

[Franta]

On Wed, 2006-03-01 at 15:00 -0500, Ryan Holt wrote:
> Hey,
> 
> Little bit of an odd question here. But Say I wanted to write to an
> imbedded 256MB Rom Drive. Specifically, I'd like to install a
> minimalistic Linux install onto a mini-server that contains only a ROM
> storage space.... 
> 
> How could I go about this?

IMHO You can't write to that device. ROM is an abbreviation for Read
Only Memory ;))))))

On The other hand... there is a lot of stuff about minimalistic Linux on
Goooooooogle out there.


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Re: [gentoo-user] Writing to a 256MB Rom

[Ryan Holt]

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Is there any difference between ROM and NVRam?

I think I mis-spoke when I said ROM; because it's actually Non Volatile Ram.

On 3/1/06, Franta <sdoma@karneval.cz> wrote:
>
> On Wed, 2006-03-01 at 15:00 -0500, Ryan Holt wrote:
> > Hey,
> >
> > Little bit of an odd question here. But Say I wanted to write to an
> > imbedded 256MB Rom Drive. Specifically, I'd like to install a
> > minimalistic Linux install onto a mini-server that contains only a ROM
> > storage space....
> >
> > How could I go about this?
>
> IMHO You can't write to that device. ROM is an abbreviation for Read
> Only Memory ;))))))
>
> On The other hand... there is a lot of stuff about minimalistic Linux on
> Goooooooogle out there.
>
>
> --
> gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list
>
>

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Re: [gentoo-user] Writing to a 256MB Rom

[Toby 'qubit' Cubitt]

On Wed, Mar 01, 2006 at 04:16:33PM -0500, Ryan Holt wrote:
> Is there any difference between ROM and NVRam?

Yes. ROM is a WORM medium (write once, ready many times). The data
stored in a PROM (programmable read only memory) is literally burned
in by applying high-voltage pulses to the chip.

There's also EPROM (eraseable PROM) which can be erased by exposing
the chip to ultraviolet light, and EEPROM (electrically eraseable
PROM). If we're being pedantic, ROM is a misnomer for these, since
they're not really "write once".

NVRAM (non-volatile random access memory) is similar to EEPROM in some
ways: it can be written and erased many times, and maintains its data
even when power is disconnected. MRAM, FRAM, etc. are forms of
NVRAM. Flash memory is I believe a more modern form of EEPROM. They
all differ in the physical technology used on the chip, and have
different properties, such as how many times the memory can be erased
and rewritten, how fast writing and reading is, etc.

Also, Wikipedia says:

"...there is a convention to reserve the term EEPROM [for] byte-wise
writable memories compared to block-wise writable flash memories."

> I think I mis-spoke when I said ROM; because it's actually Non Volatile Ram.

You *could* have meant PROM, but NVRAM sounds much more likely ;-)

Toby
-- 
PhD Student
Quantum Information Theory group
Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics
Garching, Germany

email: toby@dr-qubit.org
web: www.dr-qubit.org
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Re: [gentoo-user] Writing to a 256MB Rom

[Ryan Holt]

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Okays. So assuming it's NVRAM, is that something that I'm likely going to be
able to write to without some type of equipment?

On 3/1/06, Toby 'qubit' Cubitt <tsc25@cantab.net> wrote:
>
> On Wed, Mar 01, 2006 at 04:16:33PM -0500, Ryan Holt wrote:
> > Is there any difference between ROM and NVRam?
>
> Yes. ROM is a WORM medium (write once, ready many times). The data
> stored in a PROM (programmable read only memory) is literally burned
> in by applying high-voltage pulses to the chip.
>
> There's also EPROM (eraseable PROM) which can be erased by exposing
> the chip to ultraviolet light, and EEPROM (electrically eraseable
> PROM). If we're being pedantic, ROM is a misnomer for these, since
> they're not really "write once".
>
> NVRAM (non-volatile random access memory) is similar to EEPROM in some
> ways: it can be written and erased many times, and maintains its data
> even when power is disconnected. MRAM, FRAM, etc. are forms of
> NVRAM. Flash memory is I believe a more modern form of EEPROM. They
> all differ in the physical technology used on the chip, and have
> different properties, such as how many times the memory can be erased
> and rewritten, how fast writing and reading is, etc.
>
> Also, Wikipedia says:
>
> "...there is a convention to reserve the term EEPROM [for] byte-wise
> writable memories compared to block-wise writable flash memories."
>
> > I think I mis-spoke when I said ROM; because it's actually Non Volatile
> Ram.
>
> You *could* have meant PROM, but NVRAM sounds much more likely ;-)
>
> Toby
> --
> PhD Student
> Quantum Information Theory group
> Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics
> Garching, Germany
>
> email: toby@dr-qubit.org
> web: www.dr-qubit.org
> --
> gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list
>
>

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