NS Geode GX1 + CS5530 +PC 97317 superio

Hello,

I am working on doing a Linux BIOS on an optoma thin client "ST320" its got 
PS/2 mouse and PS/2 kbd connectors, two USB , 1 serial ,1 parellel and 1 
VGA.Its got a DoC ...but NO IDE it used to come originally with WinCE.It uses 
the XpressROM insyde BIOS.

the plan is to do some sort of boot over lan(etherboot/netboot?).From 
whatever i dug up on the list archives it seems that the Geode is pretty much 
supported....but is VGA supported properly??i read somewhere that there *are* 
NSC drivers for the VGA..but they are buggy(or so i heard!).Also read that 
there exist framebuffer drivers that work....what i want to know is ...how do 
I get some display on this board?Is there anyother way apart from using ADLO??

i dont care if i dont see the kernel messages all i want is to start X on 
it.Has ANYONE got a geode running from linuxbios and showing some display?

Is it possible to extract the VideoBIOS from the XpressROM and use it somehow 
like in the EPIA ?? If yes has anyone done it?

Thanks in advance,

regards,

Amit Shirodkar
[e-mail]

[ron minnich]

On Fri, 19 Sep 2003 [e-mail] wrote:
> Is it possible to extract the VideoBIOS from the XpressROM and use it
> somehow like in the EPIA ?? If yes has anyone done it?

It ought to work but I don't know if anyone has done it.
ron

[rimy2000]

Hi , 
    Has the util/vgabios bug fixed? Does the CONSOLE_VIDEO have similar bug? Is the CS5530 direct VGA(as epia) working?

Best Regards!

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "ron minnich" 
To: 
Cc: 
Sent: Saturday, September 20, 2003 2:59 AM
Subject: Re: NS Geode GX1 + CS5530 +PC 97317 superio
> On Fri, 19 Sep 2003 [e-mail] wrote:
> > Is it possible to extract the VideoBIOS from the XpressROM and use it
> > somehow like in the EPIA ?? If yes has anyone done it?
>
> It ought to work but I don't know if anyone has done it.
> ron
>
> Linuxbios mailing list
> [e-mail]
> http://www.clustermatic.org/mailman/listinfo/linuxbios

[ron minnich]

On Sat, 20 Sep 2003, rimy2000 wrote:
> Has the util/vgabios bug fixed?

which one?

ron

Hi ,

How do I extract the VGA BIOS from the Insyde ExpressROM??the same way as in 
case of the EPIA will work? ANd in that case ... how can we find out IF it 
uses some calls that are implemented in the underlying XpressROM BIOS ??

rgds,

Amit.

On Sat 20 Sep 03 00:29, you wrote:
> On Fri, 19 Sep 2003 [e-mail] wrote:
> > Is it possible to extract the VideoBIOS from the XpressROM and use it
> > somehow like in the EPIA ?? If yes has anyone done it?
>
> It ought to work but I don't know if anyone has done it.
> ron
>
> Linuxbios mailing list
> [e-mail]
> http://www.clustermatic.org/mailman/listinfo/linuxbios

[Peter Stuge]

On Mon, Sep 22, 2003 at 10:15:40PM +0530, [e-mail] wrote:
> Hi ,
>
> How do I extract the VGA BIOS from the Insyde ExpressROM??the same way as in 
> case of the EPIA will work? ANd in that case ... how can we find out IF it 
> uses some calls that are implemented in the underlying XpressROM BIOS ??

XpressROM is a minimalist BIOS sold by Insyde.

XpressLOADER is another name for the BLDT, available from either Insyde or
NSC. (I believe it's still NSC.)

BLDT is the Boot Loader Development Toolkit and contains some building
blocks for making a BIOS similar to the XpressROM but lacking a few features
that may or may not be critical. ACPI and various legacy BIOS services e.g.

The BLDT is (was) available free of charge and IIRC you're even allowed to
develop open source software after reading it. Don't take my word for this
though.

See if you can get hold of the BLDT, I think it'll make things a lot easier
than dealing with XpressROM, especially when what you really want to do is
run LinuxBIOS. :)

//Peter

[Gregg C Levine]

Hello (again) from Gregg C Levine
Perhaps. But NSC's webpage insists that they have indeed sold the
entire line to AMD, and that presumably included software tools, and
even development support. Meaning anyone who had bought a board the
week before the event took place, would find themselves working with a
different group. As for your claims, I don't know, I'm just commenting
on the webpage. I can tell you, that it was badly laid out, and looked
like something done by someone who was just starting out in that
business, a far cry from all of the other things that they display
online. Also, it did confirm what Brian brought our attention a while
ago.  
-------------------
Gregg C Levine [e-mail]
------------------------------------------------------------
"The Force will be with you...Always." Obi-Wan Kenobi
"Use the Force, Luke."  Obi-Wan Kenobi
(This company dedicates this E-Mail to General Obi-Wan Kenobi )
(This company dedicates this E-Mail to Master Yoda )
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [e-mail] [mailto:linuxbios-
> [e-mail]] On Behalf Of Peter Stuge
> Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2003 9:09 PM
> To: [e-mail]
> Subject: Re: NS Geode GX1 + CS5530 +PC 97317 superio
>
> On Mon, Sep 22, 2003 at 10:15:40PM +0530, [e-mail] wrote:
> > Hi ,
> >
> > How do I extract the VGA BIOS from the Insyde ExpressROM??the same

way as
> in
> > case of the EPIA will work? ANd in that case ... how can we find

out IF it
> > uses some calls that are implemented in the underlying XpressROM

BIOS ??
> XpressROM is a minimalist BIOS sold by Insyde.
>
> XpressLOADER is another name for the BLDT, available from either

Insyde or
> NSC. (I believe it's still NSC.)
>
> BLDT is the Boot Loader Development Toolkit and contains some

building
> blocks for making a BIOS similar to the XpressROM but lacking a few

features
> that may or may not be critical. ACPI and various legacy BIOS

services e.g.
> The BLDT is (was) available free of charge and IIRC you're even

allowed to
> develop open source software after reading it. Don't take my word

for this
> though.
>
> See if you can get hold of the BLDT, I think it'll make things a lot

easier
> than dealing with XpressROM, especially when what you really want to

do is
> run LinuxBIOS. :)
>
> //Peter
> _______________________________________________
> Linuxbios mailing list
> [e-mail]
> http://www.clustermatic.org/mailman/listinfo/linuxbios

[Peter Stuge]

On Tue, Sep 23, 2003 at 09:18:48PM -0400, Gregg C Levine wrote:
> > -----Original Message-----
> >
> > XpressLOADER is another name for the BLDT, available from either
> > Insyde or NSC. (I believe it's still NSC.)
>
> Perhaps. But NSC's webpage insists that they have indeed sold the
> entire line to AMD, and that presumably included software tools, and
> even development support.

Right, I had known this if I hadn't been sending emails after a long day of
powerfail recovery and stress. Thanks for refreshing my memory though! :)

//Peter

[Gregg C Levine]

Hello (again) from Gregg C Levine
Your welcome Peter! I know the feeling. I've had days like that.
Besides. Ron feels I'm making a difference to our group, so I feel I
should contribute stuff like that. 
-------------------
Gregg C Levine [e-mail]
------------------------------------------------------------
"The Force will be with you...Always." Obi-Wan Kenobi
"Use the Force, Luke."  Obi-Wan Kenobi
(This company dedicates this E-Mail to General Obi-Wan Kenobi )
(This company dedicates this E-Mail to Master Yoda )
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [e-mail] [mailto:linuxbios-
> [e-mail]] On Behalf Of Peter Stuge
> Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2003 11:31 PM
> To: [e-mail]
> Subject: Re: NS Geode GX1 + CS5530 +PC 97317 superio
>
> On Tue, Sep 23, 2003 at 09:18:48PM -0400, Gregg C Levine wrote:
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > >
> > > XpressLOADER is another name for the BLDT, available from either
> > > Insyde or NSC. (I believe it's still NSC.)
> >
> > Perhaps. But NSC's webpage insists that they have indeed sold the
> > entire line to AMD, and that presumably included software tools,

and
> > even development support.
>
> Right, I had known this if I hadn't been sending emails after a long

day of
> powerfail recovery and stress. Thanks for refreshing my memory

though! :)
> //Peter
> _______________________________________________
> Linuxbios mailing list
> [e-mail]
> http://www.clustermatic.org/mailman/listinfo/linuxbios

[Brian G. Rhodes]

They have to still support the chips they sold.  They have stopped selling
anything other than d3 gx1 processors as of june this year, but the dealer
market is still flooded with older ones.  what, what am I talking about.
national never had support even when they said they had support.  they're
the sigma designs of cpu makers.

Brian G Rhodes
[e-mail]
[phone]

On Tue, 23 Sep 2003, Gregg C Levine wrote:
> Hello (again) from Gregg C Levine
> Perhaps. But NSC's webpage insists that they have indeed sold the
> entire line to AMD, and that presumably included software tools, and
> even development support. Meaning anyone who had bought a board the
> week before the event took place, would find themselves working with a
> different group. As for your claims, I don't know, I'm just commenting
> on the webpage. I can tell you, that it was badly laid out, and looked
> like something done by someone who was just starting out in that
> business, a far cry from all of the other things that they display
> online. Also, it did confirm what Brian brought our attention a while
> ago.
> Gregg C Levine [e-mail]
>
> "The Force will be with you...Always." Obi-Wan Kenobi
> "Use the Force, Luke."  Obi-Wan Kenobi
> (This company dedicates this E-Mail to General Obi-Wan Kenobi )
> (This company dedicates this E-Mail to Master Yoda )
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: [e-mail] [mailto:linuxbios-
> > [e-mail]] On Behalf Of Peter Stuge
> > Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2003 9:09 PM
> > To: [e-mail]
> > Subject: Re: NS Geode GX1 + CS5530 +PC 97317 superio
> >
> > On Mon, Sep 22, 2003 at 10:15:40PM +0530, [e-mail] wrote:
> > > Hi ,
> > >
> > > How do I extract the VGA BIOS from the Insyde ExpressROM??the same
>
> way as
> > in
> > > case of the EPIA will work? ANd in that case ... how can we find
>
> out IF it
> > > uses some calls that are implemented in the underlying XpressROM
>
> BIOS ??
> > XpressROM is a minimalist BIOS sold by Insyde.
> >
> > XpressLOADER is another name for the BLDT, available from either
>
> Insyde or
> > NSC. (I believe it's still NSC.)
> >
> > BLDT is the Boot Loader Development Toolkit and contains some
>
> building
> > blocks for making a BIOS similar to the XpressROM but lacking a few
>
> features
> > that may or may not be critical. ACPI and various legacy BIOS
>
> services e.g.
> > The BLDT is (was) available free of charge and IIRC you're even
>
> allowed to
> > develop open source software after reading it. Don't take my word
>
> for this
> > though.
> >
> > See if you can get hold of the BLDT, I think it'll make things a lot
>
> easier
> > than dealing with XpressROM, especially when what you really want to
>
> do is
> > run LinuxBIOS. :)
> >
> > //Peter
> > _______________________________________________
> > Linuxbios mailing list
> > [e-mail]
> > http://www.clustermatic.org/mailman/listinfo/linuxbios
>
> Linuxbios mailing list
> [e-mail]
> http://www.clustermatic.org/mailman/listinfo/linuxbios