load Verified current stable Not installed? Programming

Load / Write Firmware To Device

Write Firmware To Device

Load firmware into the target device's memory.

$
Terminal
load <firmware.elf>

When To Use

When updating a device's firmware during a field operation.

Pro Tip

Validate the ELF file before loading to avoid potential boot issues. Use `size <firmware.elf>` to check memory requirements.

Anatomy of Output

Understanding the result

Loading firmware.elf Firmware Load

Indicates the firmware file being processed.

Firmware successfully loaded at address 0x08000000 Load Address

Shows where in memory the firmware is loaded.

Total size: 128 KB Firmware Size

Indicates the size of the firmware image.

Power User Variants

Optimized versions

load -s firmware.elf

Load firmware with debug symbols.

load firmware.elf --verify

Load firmware and verify integrity after writing.

load firmware.elf -a 0x08020000

Load firmware to a specified memory address.

Troubleshooting

Common pitfalls

ERROR: Cannot open 'firmware.elf': No such file or directory

Solution: Ensure the specified firmware path is correct and accessible.

ERROR: Image does not match target architecture

Solution: Check firmware compatibility with the target device.

ERROR: Failed to load firmware: memory write error

Solution: Inspect device memory for issues or power supply.

Command Breakdown

What each part is doing

load
Base Command
The executable that performs this operation. Here it runs Load before the shell applies any redirect operators.
<firmware.elf>
firmware.elf
The value supplied for firmware.elf.

Alternative Approaches

Comparable commands in other tools

Alternative programming tools for the same job.