--- a/packages/devs/flash/synth/current/src/synth.c
+++ b/packages/devs/flash/synth/current/src/synth.c
@@ -5,29 +5,38 @@
 //      Flash programming
 //
 //==========================================================================
-//####COPYRIGHTBEGIN####
-//                                                                          
-// -------------------------------------------                              
-// The contents of this file are subject to the Red Hat eCos Public License 
-// Version 1.1 (the "License"); you may not use this file except in         
-// compliance with the License.  You may obtain a copy of the License at    
-// http://www.redhat.com/                                                   
-//                                                                          
-// Software distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS"      
-// basis, WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.  See the 
-// License for the specific language governing rights and limitations under 
-// the License.                                                             
-//                                                                          
-// The Original Code is eCos - Embedded Configurable Operating System,      
-// released September 30, 1998.                                             
-//                                                                          
-// The Initial Developer of the Original Code is Red Hat.                   
-// Portions created by Red Hat are                                          
+//####ECOSGPLCOPYRIGHTBEGIN####
+// -------------------------------------------
+// This file is part of eCos, the Embedded Configurable Operating System.
 // Copyright (C) 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 Red Hat, Inc.
-// All Rights Reserved.                                                     
-// -------------------------------------------                              
-//                                                                          
-//####COPYRIGHTEND####
+//
+// eCos is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under
+// the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free
+// Software Foundation; either version 2 or (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// eCos is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
+// WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
+// FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
+// for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
+// with eCos; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
+// 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA.
+//
+// As a special exception, if other files instantiate templates or use macros
+// or inline functions from this file, or you compile this file and link it
+// with other works to produce a work based on this file, this file does not
+// by itself cause the resulting work to be covered by the GNU General Public
+// License. However the source code for this file must still be made available
+// in accordance with section (3) of the GNU General Public License.
+//
+// This exception does not invalidate any other reasons why a work based on
+// this file might be covered by the GNU General Public License.
+//
+// Alternative licenses for eCos may be arranged by contacting Red Hat, Inc.
+// at http://sources.redhat.com/ecos/ecos-license
+// -------------------------------------------
+//####ECOSGPLCOPYRIGHTEND####
 //==========================================================================
 //#####DESCRIPTIONBEGIN####
 //
@@ -45,6 +54,8 @@
 
 #include <cyg/hal/hal_io.h>
 #include <cyg/infra/cyg_ass.h>
+#include <errno.h>
+#include <string.h>
 
 #define  _FLASH_PRIVATE_
 #include <cyg/io/flash.h>
@@ -84,18 +95,54 @@ flash_hwr_init(void)
     flash_info.blocks = CYGNUM_FLASH_SYNTH_NUMBLOCKS;
 
     cyg_dev_flash_synth_flashfd = cyg_hal_sys_open(CYGDAT_FLASH_SYNTH_FILENAME, 
+                CYG_HAL_SYS_O_RDWR, 
+                CYG_HAL_SYS_S_IRWXU|CYG_HAL_SYS_S_IRWXG|CYG_HAL_SYS_S_IRWXO);
+    if (cyg_dev_flash_synth_flashfd == -ENOENT) {
+        long w, bytesleft;
+        char buf[128];
+
+        cyg_dev_flash_synth_flashfd = cyg_hal_sys_open(
+                CYGDAT_FLASH_SYNTH_FILENAME, 
                 CYG_HAL_SYS_O_RDWR|CYG_HAL_SYS_O_CREAT, 
                 CYG_HAL_SYS_S_IRWXU|CYG_HAL_SYS_S_IRWXG|CYG_HAL_SYS_S_IRWXO);
+        CYG_ASSERT( cyg_dev_flash_synth_flashfd >= 0, 
+                    "Opening of the file for the synth flash failed!");
+        // fill with 0xff
+        memset( buf, 0xff, sizeof(buf) );
+        bytesleft = CYGNUM_FLASH_SYNTH_BLOCKSIZE * CYGNUM_FLASH_SYNTH_NUMBLOCKS;
+        while (bytesleft > 0)
+        {
+            int bytesneeded;
+            bytesneeded = bytesleft < sizeof(buf) ?  bytesleft : sizeof(buf);
+
+            w = cyg_hal_sys_write( cyg_dev_flash_synth_flashfd, buf,
+                                   bytesneeded );
+            CYG_ASSERT(w == bytesneeded, "initialization of flash file failed");
+            bytesleft -= bytesneeded;
+        } // while
+    }
     CYG_ASSERT( cyg_dev_flash_synth_flashfd >= 0, 
                 "Opening of the file for the synth flash failed!");
     if ( cyg_dev_flash_synth_flashfd <= 0 ) {
         return FLASH_ERR_HWR;
     }
-    cyg_dev_flash_synth_base = cyg_hal_sys_do_mmap( NULL,
+    cyg_dev_flash_synth_base = (flash_t *)cyg_hal_sys_do_mmap( 
+#ifdef CYGMEM_FLASH_SYNTH_BASE
+                CYGMEM_FLASH_SYNTH_BASE,
+#else
+                NULL,
+#endif
                 (CYGNUM_FLASH_SYNTH_BLOCKSIZE * CYGNUM_FLASH_SYNTH_NUMBLOCKS),
-                CYG_HAL_SYS_PROT_READ, CYG_HAL_SYS_MAP_PRIVATE,
-                cyg_dev_flash_synth_flashfd,
-                0 );
+                CYG_HAL_SYS_PROT_READ, 
+#ifdef CYGSEM_FLASH_SYNTH_FILE_WRITEBACK
+                CYG_HAL_SYS_MAP_SHARED
+#else
+                CYG_HAL_SYS_MAP_PRIVATE
+#endif
+#ifdef CYGMEM_FLASH_SYNTH_BASE
+                |CYG_HAL_SYS_MAP_FIXED
+#endif
+                , cyg_dev_flash_synth_flashfd, 0 );
     CYG_ASSERT( cyg_dev_flash_synth_base > 0, "mmap of flash file failed!" );
 
     if (cyg_dev_flash_synth_base <= 0) {