Generic Nios II Booting Methods User Guide

ID 683820
Date 5/24/2016
Public

1.5.2. Summary of Nios II Processor Vector Configurations and BSP Settings

Table 1.  Summary of Nios II Processor Vector Configurations
Boot Option Reset Vector Configuration Exception Vector Configuration
Nios II processor application execute-in-place from CFI flash CFI flash Choose between:
  • OCRAM/ External RAM
  • CFI Flash
Nios II processor application copied from CFI flash to RAM using boot copier CFI flash OCRAM/ External RAM
Nios II processor application copied from EPCS flash to RAM using boot copier EPCS controller OCRAM/ External RAM
Nios II processor application executes in-place from Altera On-chip Flash (UFM) UFM Choose between:
  • OCRAM/ External RAM2
  • UFM
Nios II processor application copied from UFM to RAM using boot copier UFM OCRAM/ External RAM
Nios II processor application execute-in-place from Altera On-chip Memory (OCRAM) OCRAM OCRAM
Table 2.  Summary of Nios II Processor BSP Settings
Boot Option BSP Settings: Settings.Advanced.hal.linker BSP Editor Setting: Linker Script
Nios II processor application execute-in-place from CFI flash
If the exception vector memory is set to OCRAM/ External RAM, enable the following settings in Settings.Advanced.hal.linker:
  • allow_code_at_reset
  • enable_alt_load
  • enable_alt_load_copy_rodata
  • enable_alt_load_copy_rwdata
  • enable_alt_load_copy_exceptions
If the exception vector memory is set to CFI Flash, enable the following settings in Settings.Advanced.hal.linker:
  • allow_code_at_reset
  • enable_alt_load
  • enable_alt_load_copy_rodata
  • enable_alt_load_copy_rwdata
  • Set .text Linker Section to Altera On-chip Flash
  • Set other Linker Sections (.heap, .rwdata, .rodata, .bss, .stack) to OCRAM/ External RAM
Nios II processor application copied from CFI flash to RAM using boot copier

All settings in Settings.Advanced.hal.linker are left unchecked.

All Linker Sections are set to OCRAM/ External RAM
Nios II processor application copied from EPCS flash to RAM using boot copier

All settings in Settings.Advanced.hal.linker are left unchecked.

All Linker Sections are set to OCRAM/ External RAM
Nios II processor application executes in-place from Altera On-chip Flash (UFM)
If the exception vector memory is set to OCRAM/ External RAM, enable the following settings in Settings.Advanced.hal.linker:
  • allow_code_at_reset
  • enable_alt_load
  • enable_alt_load_copy_rodata
  • enable_alt_load_copy_rwdata
  • enable_alt_load_copy_exceptions
If the exception vector memory is set to UFM, enable the following settings in Settings.Advanced.hal.linker:
  • allow_code_at_reset
  • enable_alt_load
  • enable_alt_load_copy_rodata
  • enable_alt_load_copy_rwdata
  • Set .text Linker Section to Altera On-chip Flash
  • Set other Linker Sections (.heap, .rwdata, .rodata, .bss, .stack) to OCRAM/ External RAM
Nios II processor application copied from UFM to RAM using boot copier All settings in Settings.Advanced.hal.linker are left unchecked. All Linker Sections are set to OCRAM/ External RAM
Nios II processor application execute-in-place from Altera On-chip Memory (OCRAM) Enable allow_code_at_reset in Settings.Advanced.hal.linker and leave the other settings unchecked. All Linker Sections are set to OCRAM
2 Setting exception vector memory to OCRAM/ External RAM is recommended to make the interrupt processing faster.