Re: [LinuxBIOS] I have a push pin flash (Huzzah!) Now to get some more...

[Richard Wilson]

Chris Lingard wrote:
> Richard Wilson wrote:
> > Having consulted the list and concluded I was unlikely to find a Bios
> > Saviour, I went at my chip with a push pin and some superglue. Success!
> > Thanks to all who made suggestions. I have two important questions:
> >
> > I've found a UK ebay item of 6 SST 39SF020A chips, which appear to be
> > the ones I want for my EPIA-MII 12000. Am I right, and could I go for a
> > 4Meg chip if I wanted?
> >
> > Additionally, I have next to no coding ability, so I feel it falls to me
> > to contribute in some other way. There are 6 currently available in the
> > auction, and I feel I need at most 3. Are there any active developers
> > who'd like a free 39F020A? I'd quite happily buy the lot and send the
> > unneeded ones anywhere in Europe, if it'll do some good to the project.
> > Heck I could probably stretch to the US if the postage isn't too hideous.
> >
> > Any takers? The auction ends in 5 days, but its a buy it now, so if I
> > want them all I should probably get them sooner rather than later...
>
> Saw your post on LinuxBios, I am about to start work on it too.
>
> I have already a Gigabyte M57SLI mother board, and have built the
> machine and installed Linux. I am using it right now.
>
> I am a system programmer but have no knowledge of engineering at all
>
> I need to buy whatever you solder onto the motherboard, a guy at the
> local computer shop can do the actual work.
>
> I can get the 120K resister, the three pieces of wire and a switch;
> after that you may as well speak Ancient Greek to me.
>
> Can you fix me up with what I need to buy, I can pay, I do not need a
> handout.  Thanks
>
> Chris Lingard

I think there might be a bit of confusion here - I'm planning on buying
some bios chips and putting push pin knobs on them to make them easier
to swap around - I'm not making any custom hardware or the home-brew
switcher others have mentioned. The ebay auction I'm looking at is at
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=2801430091...
if you want to get some chips yourself. I wasn't suggesting anyone
needed handouts, but I do know that there's a few developers on the list
who are currently students, and I remember being a bit short of pennies
when I was at university myself, not so long ago...

Richard W

[LinuxBIOS] I have a push pin flash (Huzzah!) Now to get some more...

[Peter Stuge]

On Wed, Aug 15, 2007 at 03:45:15PM +0100, Richard Wilson wrote:
> > > I've found a UK ebay item of 6 SST 39SF020A chips, which appear
> > > to be the ones I want for my EPIA-MII 12000. Am I right,

As long as it's in PLCC packaging they should work perfectly.
> > > and could I go for a 4Meg chip if I wanted?

Yes, the MII can do 4Mbit (512kb) flash too, that would be
SST39SF040-70-4C-NHE.
> > > Additionally, I have next to no coding ability, so I feel it
> > > falls to me to contribute in some other way.
> > > I'd quite happily buy the lot and send the unneeded ones
> > > anywhere in Europe, if it'll do some good to the project.

That's an awesome offer! :) Thanks a lot. I hope you get a taker!

//Peter

[LinuxBIOS] I have a push pin flash (Huzzah!) Now to get some more...

[Peter Stuge]

Hey Chris,

On Wed, Aug 15, 2007 at 03:45:15PM +0100, Richard Wilson wrote:
> Chris Lingard wrote:
> > Saw your post on LinuxBios, I am about to start work on it too.

That's great! :)
> > I have already a Gigabyte M57SLI mother board, and have built the
> > machine and installed Linux. I am using it right now.
> >
> > I am a system programmer but have no knowledge of engineering at
> > all
> >
> > I need to buy whatever you solder onto the motherboard, a guy at
> > the local computer shop can do the actual work.

Perfect!
> > I can get the 120K resister, the three pieces of wire and a
> > switch; after that you may as well speak Ancient Greek to me.
> >
> > Can you fix me up with what I need to buy,

Maybe we can help you find the components that you need. We should
have thought about putting up article numbers for a few suppliers
on the wiki page already.

I don't know much about shopping for electronics in the UK - can
anyone suggest good retail or mail order stores with online
catalogues? I'll have a look at it and suggest some parts.
> The ebay auction I'm looking at is at
> http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=2801430091...
> if you want to get some chips yourself.

Note that these flash chips do NOT work for the M57SLI board. Chris,
I'll get you a few part numbers for flash as well, eBay may be the
best bet to find those since not all electronics stores have stock of
flash memory. (Prices usually change too quickly.)
> I do know that there's a few developers on the list who are
> currently students, and I remember being a bit short of pennies
> when I was at university myself, not so long ago...

And it's a great help for development. We do need to think of some
practical way to handle hardware donations, there has been a few
offers recently, which is very nice.

//Peter

[LinuxBIOS] Getting the parts

[Chris Lingard]

Peter Stuge wrote:
> Hey Chris,
>
> On Wed, Aug 15, 2007 at 03:45:15PM +0100, Richard Wilson wrote:
> > > I need to buy whatever you solder onto the motherboard, a guy at
> > > the local computer shop can do the actual work.
>
> Perfect!
> Maybe we can help you find the components that you need. We should
> have thought about putting up article numbers for a few suppliers
> on the wiki page already.
>
> I don't know much about shopping for electronics in the UK - can
> anyone suggest good retail or mail order stores with online
> catalogues? I'll have a look at it and suggest some parts.
> Note that these flash chips do NOT work for the M57SLI board. Chris,
> I'll get you a few part numbers for flash as well, eBay may be the
> best bet to find those since not all electronics stores have stock of
> flash memory. (Prices usually change too quickly.)
> And it's a great help for development. We do need to think of some
> practical way to handle hardware donations, there has been a few
> offers recently, which is very nice.

Thank you for the reply, I believe I need some SST 49LF040 or PM 49FL004 
flash memory, and some sockets it will plug into.  Will continue to 
search in the UK,  But, if anyone has the above, or can buy some; please 
let me know and I will buy some too.

I have got a RD1-PMC4 on the way.

I have printed most of the descriptions out, so I can be ready

Chris Lingard

[LinuxBIOS] Getting the parts

[Rudolf Marek]

> Thank you for the reply, I believe I need some SST 49LF040 or PM 49FL004

I bought some at http://bios-repair.co.uk/bios/eeprom.htm (shipped to Czech Rep 
for like 60p  iirc;)

Rudolf

[LinuxBIOS] Getting the parts

[Joseph Smith]

Quoting Rudolf Marek :
> > Thank you for the reply, I believe I need some SST 49LF040 or PM 49FL004
>
> I bought some at http://bios-repair.co.uk/bios/eeprom.htm (shipped   
> to Czech Rep
> for like 60p  iirc;)
>
> Rudolf

Have you tried Newark (http://www.newark.com). They have a huge  
inventory and will ship world wide. They sell alot of PC componants.  
This is where I get all of my stuff from including PLCC32 sockets when  
I need to socket a motherboard.

Thanks - Joe

[LinuxBIOS] Getting the parts

[Chris Lingard]

Rudolf Marek wrote:
> > Thank you for the reply, I believe I need some SST 49LF040 or PM 49FL004
>
> I bought some at http://bios-repair.co.uk/bios/eeprom.htm (shipped to Czech Rep 
> for like 60p  iirc;)
>
> Rudolf

Thank you everybody, all parts have been ordered, and are on the way; 
and the software built.

So I might get the soldering done next week.

Chris Lingard