Have Canon committed a cardinal sin with the 20D?

[Cadwell]

On systems which have updateable firmware it is normal to have a separate “read only” “loader program” the sole purpose of which is to allow loading of new firmware. The "loader program" is the first piece of software to run on the device after power up and if new firmware loading is not required, the “loader program” simply passes control to the main firmware. The "loader program" is normally implemented in ROM and cannot be modified.

The rationale behind this simple design is to allow a device to be reprogrammed in the event that the main firmware becomes corrupt or a firmware update fails.

The recent problem with 20D where loading firmware update 1.0.4 with a lens attached could render the camera completely inoperable would seem to indicate that Canon has not taken this approach but have gone with the risky single binary design. One wonders why?

[roanjohn]

:?

............I'm lost.............

Ro1

[tommykjensen]

Maybe to save cost. Otherwise the camera need both a rom and an eprom.

[Cadwell]

Maybe to save cost. Otherwise the camera need both a rom and an eprom.

Possibly although the ROMs are going to cost pennies (translate into small units of currency for where ever you live ;) ) in the quantities Canon would be buying them in.

[tommykjensen]

Maybe to save cost. Otherwise the camera need both a rom and an eprom.

Possibly although the ROMs are going to cost pennies (translate into small units of currency for where ever you live ;) ) in the quantities Canon would be buying them in.

True but then there are the cost of incorporating this into the circuit and so on. I don't know, maybe they just wanted to keep it as simple as possible.

[DReb-MO]

On systems which have updateable firmware it is normal to have a separate “read only” “loader program” the sole purpose of which is to allow loading of new firmware. The "loader program" is the first piece of software to run on the device after power up and if new firmware loading is not required, the “loader program” simply passes control to the main firmware. The "loader program" is normally implemented in ROM and cannot be modified.

The rationale behind this simple design is to allow a device to be reprogrammed in the event that the main firmware becomes corrupt or a firmware update fails.

The recent problem with 20D where loading firmware update 1.0.4 with a lens attached could render the camera completely inoperable would seem to indicate that Canon has not taken this approach but have gone with the risky single binary design. One wonders why?

Frankly, I got enough to worry about when it comes to photography then to ponder this one... :roll:

[Persian-Rice]

I totally agree, wait, I don't even know what I am agreeing with, can somebody translate this into English? hahah

[robertdrake]

On systems which have updateable firmware it is normal to have a separate “read only” “loader program” the sole purpose of which is to allow loading of new firmware. The "loader program" is the first piece of software to run on the device after power up and if new firmware loading is not required, the “loader program” simply passes control to the main firmware. The "loader program" is normally implemented in ROM and cannot be modified.

The rationale behind this simple design is to allow a device to be reprogrammed in the event that the main firmware becomes corrupt or a firmware update fails.

The recent problem with 20D where loading firmware update 1.0.4 with a lens attached could render the camera completely inoperable would seem to indicate that Canon has not taken this approach but have gone with the risky single binary design. One wonders why?

It would certainly appear that Canon left out the "boot block" on the bios in the 20D. That would have allowed a second chance if anything went wrong.

[DReb-MO]

It would certainly appear that Canon left out the "boot block" on the bios in the 20D. That would have allowed a second chance if anything went wrong.

Ah, the ole "boot block". It's all coming together for me now.
:lol:

[Olegis]

Maybe to save cost. Otherwise the camera need both a rom and an eprom.

Possibly although the ROMs are going to cost pennies (translate into small units of currency for where ever you live ;) ) in the quantities Canon would be buying them in.

The ROM does not have to be an additional component, I bet there is some amount of it built in inside the main processor. Why the firmware messed the camera - that's another question ...