ATMega128 -- Difference between flash/eeprom

Im trying to learn microprocessors, and Im a bit confused about 
flash vs eeprom.

1. Does my program that I download (via ISP ribbon cable) go into the EEPROM
or the FLASH?

2. Can my user program use the EEPROM at run-time or must it be programmed
ahead of time?

3. How does a bootloader work?  (If I store a bootloader in flash, will
I need the ISP connector to program the chip anymore?  How is it then 
programmed?)

Thanks!
Ben

Ben Nguyen wrote:
> Im trying to learn microprocessors, and Im a bit confused about 
> flash vs eeprom.
> 
> 1. Does my program that I download (via ISP ribbon cable) go into the EEPROM
> or the FLASH?

All executable code in the AVR's is in Flash, so your program goes into 
it. You can have constant data there also, but accessing it is different 
from accessing data in the data memories.

The EEPROM is a program-writable memory capable of keeping the data 
intact when power is off. It is accessed as a peripheral device through 
a couple of I/O ports, not as an usual memory directly.

> 2. Can my user program use the EEPROM at run-time or must it be programmed
> ahead of time?

The EEPROM is program-writable. Most ISP programmers for AVR can also 
write it.

Get the Atmel documentation of the chips, your questions have the 
answers there (http://www.atmel.com/).

HTH

Tauno Voipio
tauno voipio @ iki fi

Ben Nguyen wrote:

> Im trying to learn microprocessors, and Im a bit confused about
> flash vs eeprom.
> 
> 1. Does my program that I download (via ISP ribbon cable) go into the
> EEPROM or the FLASH?
I use the gnu tools, but it certainly will be FLash 

> 2. Can my user program use the EEPROM at run-time or must it be programmed
> ahead of time?
user can program it at runtime - and it can be pre-programmed, too.

> 3. How does a bootloader work?  (If I store a bootloader in flash, will
> I need the ISP connector to program the chip anymore?  How is it then
> programmed?)
After reset, the chips looks for a programm in the flash. 

Michael 
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