Bootloader: what exactly is it?

[Nemus]

Ok guys,

I know this may be a stupid question, but you know, I'm a web designer, not a board programmer I studied elettronic at high school, but I don't remember so much...

So I read here and there that there are two kinds of boards, those with bootloader and those without.

I'm trying to understand what phisically a bootloader is: a hardware device or a code pre-installed in the chip?
If I want to build a key by my own (based on Groopic/pic18f2550 for example), and I don't want to use a programmer (like Art2003), what should I do?

Thanks for your patience

[lew000]

There are two ways of the programing: simple from outside and with bootloader.
In the firtst case you can say byte from byte what would you like in the IC chip. The second case when a program running in the IC (this is the bootloader) which is some kind of way (RS232, I2C , or simple just on a leg) read datas and write into the memory. But first of all we have to take in the bootloader into the PIC (or IC).
after when this is done we have much easier and faster way to program the IC and not needed to take out the IC from the circuit.

So the bootloader works like a firmware in the chip and help us to program the chip without taking out the IC from the circuit.

When you buy a new chip (ex: PIC18F2550) there is no bootloader in it , you have to burn into it with
this (or somethig like this):
http://www.microchip.com/stellent/id...cName=en023805

or you can build your own from tutorials....

[Nemus]

Great,

a little bit lighter now.
Due to this, when I buy a pic (like 18f2550), how can I understand if it has a pre-installed bootloader or not?
I always need a programmer in order to install a bootloader?

[aeonoak]

You always need a programmer to burn the bootloader or maybe you can ask the vendor to burn the bootloader and send the PIC to you with that.

[Nemus]

All clear now. Thank you guys. One last question: where can I find these bootloaders?

[aeonoak]

All clear now. Thank you guys. One last question: where can I find these bootloaders?

Here http://psx-scene.com/forums/showthread.php?t=65391 (PSGroove finally ported to a new chipset: PIC18F2550) and here http://psx-scene.com/forums/showthread.php?t=65863 (PIC PSGrooPIC flashing/DIY guide, FAQ and hex files collections)