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Yes, You need a bootloader, which would fit into on-chip memory. This bootloader will have to copy Nios program from flash to SDRAM and start it.
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I am having a hard time getting this to work. I've tried quite a few approaches and the closest I've gotten is using the advanced boot loader in AN 458. I've reached a point where I can program the FPGA with the .pof file with just the hardware system, then download the bootloader app through nios EDS and that works almost. If I put the bootloader app's hex file into the on-chip RAM initialization, then it freezes within the first couple of seconds on power-up, never changing LEDs to indicate it's loading code, but an LED does come on indicating that the program started, rather than when I download the code and executes all the way through. With JTAG output enabled, it prints out 1 1/2 lines of stars then crashes. Disabling the JTAG in the code and in the BSP editor didn't seem to make a difference.
Even when I download the working bootloader, it can't find my design which I programmed in with the AN 458 instructions at the first design offset. I've tried both loading it right in from the CFI flash and loading it in via on-chip memory.
I appreciate your help.
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