[x86] Support for SIS 651 (Northbridge) + SIS 962 (Southbridge) ?

[Frederic Dumas]

Hi !

Thanks to a face to face talk at FOSDEM 2019 in Brussels, with Philippe, 
a German Coreboot speaker (and developer ? He knows better than me), I 
was said that dropping a mail to the list and asking for possible 
support of my desktop motherboard would not break your rules. So I do now.

We are dealing here with legacy Pentium IV hardware (circa 2004, ugh!)

Northbridge: SIS 651
http://www.cpu-upgrade.com/mb-SiS_(chipsets)/651.html

iGPU: SIS 315 (w/ SIS 301B) (unused, PCI GPU GT430 in use)

Southbridge: SIS 962

Processor: Pentium IV Northwood 3.06Ghz HT 512K L2 533MT/s FSB
http://www.cpu-upgrade.com/CPUs/Intel/Pentium_4/RK80532PE083512.html

I may provide more details, but I guess this is enough to check if I am 
facing a wall, or if most of the work has been already done at tuning 
Coreboot for firing up this kind of hardware.

Thank you !

Frederic

PS: I attached here below a lspci -v output.

00:00.0 Host bridge: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] 651 Host (rev 02)
    Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device 8081
    Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 32
    Memory at e5000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4M]
    Capabilities: [c0] AGP version 2.0
    Kernel driver in use: agpgart-sis
    Kernel modules: sis_agp

00:01.0 PCI bridge: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] AGP Port (virtual 
PCI-to-PCI bridge) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
    Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0
    Bus: primary=00, secondary=01, subordinate=01, sec-latency=0
    Kernel modules: shpchp

00:02.0 ISA bridge: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] SiS962 [MuTIOL 
Media IO] LPC Controller (rev 14)
    Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0

00:02.1 SMBus: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] SiS961/2/3 SMBus controller
    Flags: medium devsel
    I/O ports at e600 [size=32]
    Kernel driver in use: sis96x_smbus
    Kernel modules: i2c_sis96x

00:02.5 IDE interface: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] 5513 IDE 
Controller (prog-if 80 [ISA Compatibility mode-only controller, supports 
bus mastering])
    Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device 807a
    Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 128, IRQ 16
    [virtual] Memory at 000001f0 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=8]
    [virtual] Memory at 000003f0 (type 3, non-prefetchable)
    [virtual] Memory at 00000170 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=8]
    [virtual] Memory at 00000370 (type 3, non-prefetchable)
    I/O ports at b400 [size=16]
    Kernel driver in use: pata_sis
    Kernel modules: pata_acpi

00:02.7 Multimedia audio controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] 
SiS7012 AC'97 Sound Controller (rev a0)
    Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device 8095
    Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 18
    I/O ports at a400 [size=256]
    I/O ports at a000 [size=128]
    Capabilities: [48] Power Management version 2
    Kernel driver in use: snd_intel8x0
    Kernel modules: snd_intel8x0

00:03.0 USB controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] USB 1.1 
Controller (rev 0f) (prog-if 10 [OHCI])
    Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device 807a
    Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 9
    Memory at e4000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
    Kernel driver in use: ohci-pci

00:03.1 USB controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] USB 1.1 
Controller (rev 0f) (prog-if 10 [OHCI])
    Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device 807a
    Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 21
    Memory at e3800000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
    Kernel driver in use: ohci-pci

00:03.2 USB controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] USB 1.1 
Controller (rev 0f) (prog-if 10 [OHCI])
    Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device 807a
    Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 22
    Memory at e3000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
    Kernel driver in use: ohci-pci

00:03.3 USB controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] USB 2.0 
Controller (prog-if 20 [EHCI])
    Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device 807a
    Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 23
    Memory at e2800000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
    Capabilities: [50] Power Management version 2
    Kernel driver in use: ehci-pci

00:0e.0 PCI bridge: PLX Technology, Inc. PEX8112 x1 Lane PCI 
Express-to-PCI Bridge (rev aa) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
    Flags: bus master, 66MHz, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 17
    Bus: primary=00, secondary=02, subordinate=02, sec-latency=32
    I/O behind bridge: 00009000-00009fff
    Memory behind bridge: e0800000-e27fffff
    Prefetchable memory behind bridge: e5f00000-f3efffff
    Capabilities: [40] Power Management version 2
    Capabilities: [50] MSI: Enable- Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+
    Capabilities: [60] Express PCI/PCI-X to PCI-Express Bridge, MSI 00
    Kernel modules: shpchp

00:0f.0 Ethernet controller: Broadcom Inc. and subsidiaries BCM4401 
100Base-T (rev 01)
    Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. A7V8X motherboard
    Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 32, IRQ 18
    Memory at e0000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=8K]
    Capabilities: [40] Power Management version 2
    Kernel driver in use: b44
    Kernel modules: b44

00:10.0 CardBus bridge: ENE Technology Inc CB-710/2/4 Cardbus Controller 
(rev 01)
    Subsystem: ENE Technology Inc CB-710/2/4 Cardbus Controller
    Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 168, IRQ 16
    Memory at fe800000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
    Bus: primary=00, secondary=03, subordinate=06, sec-latency=176
    Memory window 0: 80000000-83ffffff (prefetchable)
    Memory window 1: 84000000-87ffffff
    I/O window 0: 00001000-000010ff
    I/O window 1: 00001400-000014ff
    16-bit legacy interface ports at 0001
    Capabilities: [a0] Power Management version 1
    Kernel driver in use: yenta_cardbus
    Kernel modules: yenta_socket

00:10.1 FLASH memory: ENE Technology Inc CB710 Memory Card Reader Controller
    Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device 1724
    Flags: medium devsel, IRQ 19
    I/O ports at 8800 [size=128]
    Capabilities: [a0] Power Management version 2
    Kernel driver in use: cb710
    Kernel modules: cb710

00:13.0 Multimedia video controller: Conexant Systems, Inc. 
CX23880/1/2/3 PCI Video and Audio Decoder (rev 05)
    Subsystem: Hauppauge computer works Inc. WinTV HVR-4000-HD
    Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 18
    Memory at df000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16M]
    Capabilities: [44] Vital Product Data
    Capabilities: [4c] Power Management version 2
    Kernel driver in use: cx8800
    Kernel modules: cx8800

00:13.1 Multimedia controller: Conexant Systems, Inc. CX23880/1/2/3 PCI 
Video and Audio Decoder [Audio Port] (rev 05)
    Subsystem: Hauppauge computer works Inc. WinTV HVR-4000-HD
    Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 18
    Memory at de000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16M]
    Capabilities: [4c] Power Management version 2
    Kernel driver in use: cx88_audio
    Kernel modules: cx88_alsa

00:13.2 Multimedia controller: Conexant Systems, Inc. CX23880/1/2/3 PCI 
Video and Audio Decoder [MPEG Port] (rev 05)
    Subsystem: Hauppauge computer works Inc. WinTV HVR-4000-HD
    Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 18
    Memory at dd000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16M]
    Capabilities: [4c] Power Management version 2
    Kernel driver in use: cx88-mpeg driver manager
    Kernel modules: cx8802

00:13.4 Multimedia controller: Conexant Systems, Inc. CX23880/1/2/3 PCI 
Video and Audio Decoder [IR Port] (rev 05)
    Subsystem: Hauppauge computer works Inc. WinTV HVR-4000-HD
    Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 255
    Memory at dc000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [disabled] [size=16M]
    Capabilities: [4c] Power Management version 2

02:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation GF108 [GeForce GT 
430] (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
    Subsystem: ZOTAC International (MCO) Ltd. Device 2200
    Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 24
    Memory at e1000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16M]
    Memory at e8000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=128M]
    Memory at e6000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=32M]
    I/O ports at 9800 [size=128]
    Expansion ROM at 000c0000 [disabled] [size=128K]
    Capabilities: [60] Power Management version 3
    Capabilities: [68] MSI: Enable+ Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+
    Capabilities: [78] Express Endpoint, MSI 00
    Capabilities: [b4] Vendor Specific Information: Len=14 <?>
    Kernel driver in use: nouveau
    Kernel modules: nvidiafb, nouveau

02:00.1 Audio device: NVIDIA Corporation GF108 High Definition Audio 
Controller (rev a1)
    Subsystem: ZOTAC International (MCO) Ltd. Device 2200
    Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 18
    Memory at e0800000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]
    Capabilities: [60] Power Management version 3
    Capabilities: [68] MSI: Enable- Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+
    Capabilities: [78] Express Endpoint, MSI 00
    Kernel driver in use: snd_hda_intel
    Kernel modules: snd_hda_intel

[awokd]

Frederic Dumas wrote on 2/13/19 4:55 PM:
> Hi !
>
> Thanks to a face to face talk at FOSDEM 2019 in Brussels, with Philippe, 
> a German Coreboot speaker (and developer ? He knows better than me), I 
> was said that dropping a mail to the list and asking for possible 
> support of my desktop motherboard would not break your rules. So I do now.
>
> We are dealing here with legacy Pentium IV hardware (circa 2004, ugh!)
>
> Northbridge: SIS 651
> http://www.cpu-upgrade.com/mb-SiS_(chipsets)/651.html
>
> iGPU: SIS 315 (w/ SIS 301B) (unused, PCI GPU GT430 in use)
>
> Southbridge: SIS 962
>
> Processor: Pentium IV Northwood 3.06Ghz HT 512K L2 533MT/s FSB
> http://www.cpu-upgrade.com/CPUs/Intel/Pentium_4/RK80532PE083512.html
>
> I may provide more details, but I guess this is enough to check if I am 
> facing a wall, or if most of the work has been already done at tuning 
> Coreboot for firing up this kind of hardware.

Not seeing any SiS chipsets on 
https://coreboot.org/status/board-status.html or in src/northbrige or 
src/southbridge, so unless those are 100% compatible with one of the 
others listed I expect you'd be in for a difficult time.

[Frederic Dumas]

Thank you, your answer makes the case to be simply closed.
> Not seeing any SiS chipsets on 
> https://coreboot.org/status/board-status.html or in src/northbrige
> or src/southbridge, so unless those are 100% compatible with one of
> the others listed I expect you'd be in for a difficult time.

I will play around with Modbin and CBRom, in order to insert Plop boot 
manager into the existing Award BIOS of this machine. This is the best 
which I may try to do for making that BIOS slightly better, I guess.

BTW, the BIOS EPROM of the motherboard is of PLCC32 type. When buying a 
few compatible spare parts for testing purposes, is it worthwhile to 
choose ones with a larger memory capacity than the original? Will this 
give me additional space for flashing a bigger than original modded BIOS 
? Does the question make sense at all?

I wish all of you the best results with your coming work on CoreBoot in 
the next years, and hope to see it on a next PC of mine.

Regards.

Le 14/02/2019 à 00:59, awokd via coreboot a écrit :
> Frederic Dumas wrote on 2/13/19 4:55 PM:
> > Northbridge: SIS 651
> > http://www.cpu-upgrade.com/mb-SiS_(chipsets)/651.html
> >
> > Southbridge: SIS 962

[David Hendricks]

On Fri, Feb 15, 2019 at 10:19 AM Frederic Dumas 
wrote:
> Thank you, your answer makes the case to be simply closed.

Don't give up that quickly :-) It's an old chipset and I you may just need
to checkout coreboot-v1 (aka LinuxBIOS). SiS 635/735/950 were some of the
first chipsets with coreboot support, thanks to a SiS engineer named Li-Ta
"Ollie" Lo who eventually came to work for Ron at LANL.

Here's a good starting point:
https://review.coreboot.org/cgit/coreboot.git/log/?h=coreboot-v1&qt=auth...