If a standard PC is switched on, first the hardware specific BIOS takes over the function to initialize the processor, memory and the chipset. Since the found constellation is checked in each case, this process usually lasts a certain time. Then the BIOS looks for a bootable medium and begins starting the OS by loading the boot block.

The operating system checks the available hardware usually again and needs therefore further time to be ready. Up to this point in time the system has still not executed anything application specific. Only at the end of the chain of the initializations the application takes over the control and the total system operates as expected.

One expects nothing other than an initial one minute pause after switching on. The intended task should be speedly perceived. However the boot procedure sketched above faces this expectation.

We equip therefore our cards with the Hyper Boot Loader. With this the system comes up in 30ms, loads the kernel image into the main memory and starts this. Up to this point in time for instance 500ms passed (this time depends on boot media, it is a minimum time and refers to a compressed kernel image in the Flash ROM).

The kernel unzipper is already now running, thereafter the kernel itself which only needs the time up to its complete initialization.

To further reduce the necessary time select only the components you need in your kernel. Very time-critical applications can be done also without the use of a packed kernel image. The 1:1 kernel image would begin then about 1 second earlier with the initialization.

During the development or with maintenance work the Hyper Boot Loader can be braked. After the start it waits for keyboard entries.
In this operating mode it is possible, to load different kernel images

from different media (floppy, fixed disk and ROM/Flash). Please feel free to contact us, to find out what the Hyper Boot Loader can offer you.