From: "Dwight K. Elvey" <dwight.elvey at amd.com>
Sent: Tuesday, June 28, 2005 5:26 PM
From:
"Randy McLaughlin" <cctalk at randy482.com>
---snip---
>Intel changed the specifications of the 2708 a couple of times, later
docs
>state it does not require programming from address
0.
>
>I have changed individual bits (only from a high to low, to go from low
to
>high the entire chip must be erased).
>
>The later docs still state sequential writing but no longer require
starting
>at 0 but I have written non sequentially and can
swear by that. I wrote
a
>program that verified before writing to speed up
programming, this
skipped
>many bytes and I used it to modify previously
written EPROM's. The
buffer
in RAM was
sequentially read but the writing was NOT sequential it would
skip bytes when a write was not needed.
Any byte can have high bits changed to low even if they were previously
programmed.
Hi Randy
I recall the primary reason they wanted one to go through
the entire cycle was that it gave the particular spot
that was programmed a chance to cool down. I'm not sure if this
was actually a real problem or just a suspected problem.
I may have been an electrical issue with space charge as well.
Technically, you could skip locations that didn't need
programming but you should insert a delay equal to the
normal total time before programming the same location
again.
Anyway, that is what I remember.
Dwight
Unless you are writing just a few bytes skipping sections doesn't matter.
If for instance you are modifying all 8 bits of one byte and cycle over it
too much it will destroy the chip. Writing 50 or more bytes where you are
modifying an average of 4 bits per byte would not give a problem. Please
note writing a 1 to a bit does nothing and on average only 1/2 of the bits
are changed from a 1 to a 0.
I've programmed hundreds of 2708's and have had few problems. The few
problems I've had have usually been that the EPROM would not erase to all
1's (bad chips).
I have destroyed a couple of 2708's by trying to modify a single byte too
rapidly but I saw it as a learning experience. Since then I learned it is
possible to program a chip rapidly, safely, and reliably.
Randy
www.s100-manuals.com