Re: HELP: VIA/EPIA Linux BIOS

Hi Andrew and others,

1st thx Andrew for your reply.

However, I have few doubts and questions as bellow.

What I got -

VIA EPIA MoBo with 800 MHz CPU and 2 MB Flash.

What I want -

Replace existing BIOS with LinuxBIOS.
    Put Linux Kernel on Flash.
    Put initrd image on flash.
    Make self contained minimal system on flash.

What I know -

How to compile my own kernel (2.4.x and 2.5.x)
    How to make initrd (uClibc and BusyBox)

What I did in past -

Made a boot floppy (1.44 MB) with BusyBox, ModUtils, IPTables,
    thttpd, ssh, uClibc and udhcp (kernel+initrd)

What I think -

BIOS+PIX+VidBIOS =< 384 KB (Within upper mem? from 640K to 1M Limits?)
    Have 1024 - 384 = 1664KB mem in Flash?

The doubts are -

Can I use that 1664 KB Flash to put Kernel+InitRD to make system
    self content?
    Can I put LinuxBIOS on BIOS and ask it to load my kernel and
    InitRD from Flash?
    Do I have to retain VidBIOS? Some of my apps need X Server? I
    need to retain VidBIOS for VESA 2.0 and VESA FB?

The idea is to make the system self contained and not to depend on
network for booting. Whenever I want the system to boot of the network I
can use in-built PIX.

I can also upgrade my Flash to 4 MB if every thing can not be put on 2 MB.

Also I need to backup my existing BIOS+PIX+VidBIOS and restore if
something goes wrong. I don't have access to DOS oe Win. What are my
options?

I know these are lots of questions. Thx in advance for your time and
answers and pointers.

With warm regards,

On Mon, May 26, 2003 at 02:39:15PM +0800, Andrew Ip wrote:
> Hi Dinesh,
> > While looking @ LinuxBIOS project web site I come across your name in
> > status page.
> > I need whatever help/pointer u can give about VIA/EPIA Flash BIOS. I
> > need some how-to for puting Linux on 2/4 MB Flash which comes with MoBo.
> > Any help/pinters will be greatly appreciated.
>
> There is a README file under freebios/src/mainboard/via/epia for
> describing how-to enable and write flash.  IIRC, the latest
> version of flash_rom (in src/utils/flash_and_burn) supports EPIA.
> You can just use flash_rom to flash rom under Linux.
>
> -Andrew

HELP: VIA/EPIA Linux BIOS

[ron minnich]

On Wed, 28 May 2003, Dinesh Shah wrote:
> Hi Andrew and others,
>
> 1st thx Andrew for your reply.
>
> However, I have few doubts and questions as bellow.
>
> What I got -
>
> VIA EPIA MoBo with 800 MHz CPU and 2 MB Flash.

2 Mbits, not 2 Mbytes.

You can't put a kernel in there.

If you want to do this, you have to get a compact-flash->ide adapter or 
similar and go that route.

ron

HELP: VIA/EPIA Linux BIOS

[SONE Takeshi]

On Wed, May 28, 2003 at 07:56:41PM +0530, Dinesh Shah wrote:
> The doubts are -
>
> Can I use that 1664 KB Flash to put Kernel+InitRD to make system
>    self content?
>    Can I put LinuxBIOS on BIOS and ask it to load my kernel and
>    InitRD from Flash?
>    Do I have to retain VidBIOS? Some of my apps need X Server? I
>    need to retain VidBIOS for VESA 2.0 and VESA FB?

Currently VGA BIOS is needed to enable video of EPIA.
I can boot my EPIA from LinuxBIOS with VGA BIOS into Linux
then use tridentfb or XFree86.

vesafb maybe needs some hack since it has real mode part to
switch video mode and obtain information from BIOS,
and ELF boot of LinuxBIOS doesn't execute real mode part of 
kernel (if I understand it correctly).
Perhaps it works unmodified with ADLO?

Kernel and initrd can be loaded from normal hard disk or
CompactFlash on IDE.
> The idea is to make the system self contained and not to depend on
> network for booting. Whenever I want the system to boot of the network I
> can use in-built PIX.

What is PIX? We use Etherboot with LinuxBIOS to boot from network.
> Also I need to backup my existing BIOS+PIX+VidBIOS and restore if
> something goes wrong. I don't have access to DOS oe Win. What are my
> options?

I and some of us are using BIOS Savior (google for it if doubt)
to backup BIOS.