Simple JTAG flash programmer for an i386EX?

Q: I want a simple cost effective JTAG solution for programming a image
to flash connected to a i386EX.

I have checked the web and it seemes that most flash programmers do not
support the x86. Is that right?

We have an old solution based on an old APP note from Intel :
http://www.intel.com/design/intarch/applnots/272753.htm

Our main problem is speed! It seemes that writing to the parallell port
takes a lot of time in e.g XP OS.

Br.
Hakon

haklis@hotmail.com wrote:
> 
> Q: I want a simple cost effective JTAG solution for programming a
> image to flash connected to a i386EX.
> 
> I have checked the web and it seemes that most flash programmers
> do not support the x86. Is that right?
> 
> We have an old solution based on an old APP note from Intel :
> http://www.intel.com/design/intarch/applnots/272753.htm
> 
> Our main problem is speed! It seemes that writing to the parallell
> port takes a lot of time in e.g XP OS.

Simple - get rid of XP.  You can run DOS, FreeDos, W95, W98, or
Linux and get proper access to the parallel port.  WinME might also
work.  W2000 will not, nor any flavor of NT.

-- 
 "Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. 
  They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country
  and our people, and neither do we."          -- G. W. Bush.
 "The people can always be brought to the bidding of the
  leaders.  All you have to do is tell them they are being
  attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism
  and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way
  in any country."                         --Hermann Goering.

haklis@hotmail.com wrote:
> Q: I want a simple cost effective JTAG solution for programming a image
> to flash connected to a i386EX.
>
> I have checked the web and it seemes that most flash programmers do not
> support the x86. Is that right?
>
> We have an old solution based on an old APP note from Intel :
> http://www.intel.com/design/intarch/applnots/272753.htm
>
> Our main problem is speed! It seemes that writing to the parallell port
> takes a lot of time in e.g XP OS.

Did you see the section of that applications note where they mention
the existence of hardware based JTAG controllers that are up to 16
times faster than twiddiling the parallel port bits with software?  You
could buy one of those.  They were ISA cards when the note was written,
but they are mostly USB today - some are parallel port, but using it to
transfer data in parallel to an external hardware serializer.

Another option might be to dispense with JTAG (or use it only to
program a small bootstrap routine) and then download the bulk of what
you want to program through a faster interface to a program running on
the 386EX, and have that program the flash (if you can control the
necessary signals while the 386EX is awake and executing code, instead
of being a slave to the JTAG TAP interface)

haklis@hotmail.com wrote:
> Q: I want a simple cost effective JTAG solution for programming a image
> to flash connected to a i386EX.

Any point in investing time in this issue given the death of the
i386EX?