Using Windows HyperTerminal to Connect to a Board

On Windows hosts, use HyperTerminal to make a serial connection to a target board and to set up the board’s initialization procedures. Make sure your target board is connected physically before starting the communication session.

To start HyperTerminal, choose Programs (or All Programs) > Accessories > Communications > HyperTerminal from the Windows Start menu. You might be prompted to make HyperTerminal your default Telnet program, and to enter location information. You can select HyperTerminal as the default Telnet program or not, whichever you prefer. You can cancel out of any requested location information, since you will not be using a modem to connect to the target board.

The following figure shows the HyperTerminal connection interface:

1. Enter a name for your target connection, select an icon, and choose OK. HyperTerminal will then ask you to select a port for the connection. Typically, COM1 is the serial interface from your host system.
2. Select the serial port you have connected to the target board and click OK.
3. HyperTerminal asks you to configure communication settings for the port (if it does not, click Configure. The following figure shows the Port Settings panel:
   

   

4. Make sure the baud rate displayed in the Bits per second field is correct for your board. If it is not, select the correct rate for your board from the drop-down menu.
5. Next, check that the values for the following fields match:
   
   

   Data bits	8
   Parity	None
   Stop bits	1
   Flow control	None

   
   
6. Choose OK to accept the connection settings. HyperTerminal opens a session to the target system.

At this point, press Enter several times. If you see a bootloader prompt each time, you are successfully connected to the target board, and can download and boot the kernel. If you are still unable to connect to the board, contact the vendor or distributor from whom you purchased the embedded target board.