Hello all,
I'm planning on building an adsl2+ server with a Traverse Solos PCI ADSL2+ card[1] on a Supermicro X7SLA-H motherboard[2].
The chipsets of the X7SLA-H are Intel 945GC + ICH7R which are listed as WIP on "Devices supported in coreboot v3"[3]
What are the changes of getting Coreboot v3 to work on this motherboard?
What makes v3 'alpha'? I can't seem to figure it out from reading the wiki.
I consider myself an experienced Linux user but I have no hardware tools for flash or debug. Would I be able to play with Coreboot and be of any use to the community?
Btw, I am open for any suggestions regarding a better motherboard with possible (future) Coreboot support. I'm looking for a small size, relative low power, two core, 64bit system with a pci slot for the Solos card. I've read the 'Supported Motherboard' section but it was last modified at 6 July 2009 so that might be outdated.
Sander
[1] http://www.traverse.com.au/productview.php?product_id=116 [2] http://www.supermicro.com/products/motherboard/ATOM/945/X7SLA.cfm [3] http://www.coreboot.org/Supported_Chipsets_and_Devices
Hi Sander,
On 16.09.2009 13:34, Sander wrote:
Supermicro X7SLA-H motherboard[2].
The chipsets of the X7SLA-H are Intel 945GC + ICH7R which are listed as WIP on "Devices supported in coreboot v3"[3]
What are the changes of getting Coreboot v3 to work on this motherboard?
Pretty slim. We are currently working on integrating all important v3 features in v2 because v2 gets more developer attention. If your chipset is supported in v2, you have a good chance to get your board working.
What makes v3 'alpha'? I can't seem to figure it out from reading the wiki.
Short answer: v3 has a pretty new design and we're still evaluating aspects of that design. Those parts of the design which are already proven will be integrated in v2, other parts may come later.
I consider myself an experienced Linux user but I have no hardware tools for flash or debug. Would I be able to play with Coreboot and be of any use to the community?
It is very useful to have a serial nullmodem cable and a POST card. Test both of them. It is also a requirement to be able to recover if flashing went wrong. That means you either need a second board with the same flash type (the board can be totally different as long as the flash type (FWH/LPC/SPI) is identical) or an external programmer. Of course, to recover the flash chip on your board, that flash chip should be in a socket (or have a SPI recovery header).
Btw, I am open for any suggestions regarding a better motherboard with possible (future) Coreboot support. I'm looking for a small size, relative low power, two core, 64bit system with a pci slot for the Solos card. I've read the 'Supported Motherboard' section but it was last modified at 6 July 2009 so that might be outdated.
We have too many boards on our TODO list and only limited funding and developer time. We welcome every contribution and every new developer or user.
Regards, Carl-Daniel
Hi Carl-Daniel,
Thanks a lot for your reply. Much appreciated.
Carl-Daniel Hailfinger wrote (ao):
On 16.09.2009 13:34, Sander wrote:
Supermicro X7SLA-H motherboard[2].
The chipsets of the X7SLA-H are Intel 945GC + ICH7R which are listed as WIP on "Devices supported in coreboot v3"[3]
What are the changes of getting Coreboot v3 to work on this motherboard?
Pretty slim. We are currently working on integrating all important v3 features in v2 because v2 gets more developer attention. If your chipset is supported in v2, you have a good chance to get your board working.
What makes v3 'alpha'? I can't seem to figure it out from reading the wiki.
Short answer: v3 has a pretty new design and we're still evaluating aspects of that design. Those parts of the design which are already proven will be integrated in v2, other parts may come later.
Makes sense, tnx :-)
I consider myself an experienced Linux user but I have no hardware tools for flash or debug. Would I be able to play with Coreboot and be of any use to the community?
It is very useful to have a serial nullmodem cable and a POST card. Test both of them. It is also a requirement to be able to recover if flashing went wrong. That means you either need a second board with the same flash type (the board can be totally different as long as the flash type (FWH/LPC/SPI) is identical) or an external programmer. Of course, to recover the flash chip on your board, that flash chip should be in a socket (or have a SPI recovery header).
I've just received the motherboard and it has a SPI BIOS with no header whatsoever. So, sadly, no coreboot on this one.
Thanks again for your reply.
Sander
Hi Sander,
On 28.09.2009 15:53, Sander wrote:
Carl-Daniel Hailfinger wrote (ao):
On 16.09.2009 13:34, Sander wrote:
Supermicro X7SLA-H motherboard[2].
[...] Of course, to recover the flash chip on your board, that flash chip should be in a socket (or have a SPI recovery header).
I've just received the motherboard and it has a SPI BIOS with no header whatsoever. So, sadly, no coreboot on this one.
Look for the flash chip(s). Probably near the ATX power connector, 8-pin chips, usually with a small colored dot and/or a sticker on top of them. If you peel off the sticker (if any), you should see the manufacturer and model number (probably 25...). Maybe you can find someone to solder a socket in place.
Regards, Carl-Daniel
Hello Carl-Daniel,
Carl-Daniel Hailfinger wrote (ao):
On 28.09.2009 15:53, Sander wrote:
Carl-Daniel Hailfinger wrote (ao):
On 16.09.2009 13:34, Sander wrote:
Supermicro X7SLA-H motherboard[2].
[...] Of course, to recover the flash chip on your board, that flash chip should be in a socket (or have a SPI recovery header).
I've just received the motherboard and it has a SPI BIOS with no header whatsoever. So, sadly, no coreboot on this one.
Look for the flash chip(s). Probably near the ATX power connector, 8-pin chips, usually with a small colored dot and/or a sticker on top of them. If you peel off the sticker (if any), you should see the manufacturer and model number (probably 25...). Maybe you can find someone to solder a socket in place.
Hehe, I like that, but that is a bit too much for me I'm affraid ;-)
Thanks for the tip though.
Sander
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Carl-Daniel Hailfinger -
Sander -
Sander