Keywords: Intellon, Atheros, Qualcomm, HomePlug, powerline, communications, INT6000, INT6300, INT6400, AR7400, AR7420

Starting a Device
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## Starting a Device

Some device configurations have no flash memory to store runtime parameters and firmware so the local host must store them until needed then write them into device SDRAM and start execution. This is also needed when the flash memory is blank or corrupted because the runtime firmware is the only way to write flash memory. Programs int6kf, int6kboot, ampboot and plcboot are used to configure a blank device then download runtime parameters and firmware and start execution. They all perform the same basic function but in different ways.

Example 5.18. Start Firmware on INT6000™

    # int6kf -C abc.cfg -N abc.nvm -P abc.pib

Program int6kf can be used to download runtime firmware and parameters and start execution on and INT6000™ chipset. The process involves downloading a `.cfg` file using `VS_SET_SDRAM`, downloading a `.nvm` file using `VS_WR_MEM`, downloading a `.pib` file using `VS_WR_MEM` then starting firmware execution using `VS_ST_MAC`. See the int6kf man page for an explanation of the command line options and arguments used here.

Example 5.19. Start Firmware on INT6300™ and INT6400™

    # int6kboot -N abc.nvm -P abc.pib

Program int6kboot can be used to download runtime firmware and parameters and start execution on an INT6300™ or INT6400™ chipset. The process involves downloading a `.nvm` file using `VS_WR_MEM`, downloading a `.pib` file using `VS_WR_MEM` then starting firmware execution using `VS_ST_MAC`. No `.cfg` file is needed or permitted with this application.

Example 5.20. Start Firmware on AR7400™

    # ampboot -N abc.nvm -P abc.pib

Program ampboot can be used to download runtime firmware and parameters and start execution of runtime firmware on an INT6300™, INT6400™ or AR7400™ chipset. The process involves downloading a `.pib` file using `VS_WR_MEM`, downloading a `.nvm` file using `VS_WR_MEM` then starting firmware execution using `VS_ST_MAC`. A general purpose applet, stored in the `.nvm` file, configures SDRAM. No `.cfg` file is needed or permitted with this application.

Example 5.21. Start Firmware on AR7420™

    # plcboot -N abc.nvm -P abc.pib

Program plcboot can be used to download runtime firmware and parameters and start execution an INT6300™, INT6400™, AR7400™ or AR7420™ chipset. This program detects the type of chipset and the image file format. The boot process varies depending on the chipset that is detected and the image file format. For the AR7420™ chipset, this process involves downloading a `.pib` and `.nvm` file using only `VS_WRITE_EXECUTE` messages. For earlier chipsets, the process is as described above.

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