appending VGA ROM with VSA

[Phani Babu Giddi]

Hello All,

I am trying to append VGA ROM that is extracted using dd and trying to
include it as part of the final flash image. Now I reduce the ROM_SIZE by
36K for VSM and 32K for VGA ROM. As per the procedure I also edit
src/mainboard/amd/db800/Options.lb and Config.lb.

Now there seems to be some problem in finding VSA and thereafter the VGA
also. Take a look at the log messages. I am using SST49LF008A which is a 1MB
flash part.

Before VSA:
do_vsmbios
buf ilen 828 olen2606
buf 00060000 *buf 254 buf[256k] 0
buf[0x20] signature is 82:6a:ff:ff
do_vsmbios: no vsainit.bin signature, skipping!
After VSA:
Graphics init...
VRC_VG value: 0xffff
Finding PCI configuration type.
PCI: Sanity check failed
pci_check_direct failed

Regards,
Phani

[Peter Stuge]

On Mon, Mar 17, 2008 at 12:15:55PM -0700, Phani Babu Giddi wrote:
> I am trying to append VGA ROM that is extracted using dd and trying
> to include it as part of the final flash image. Now I reduce the
> ROM_SIZE by 36K for VSM and 32K for VGA ROM.

The VSA blob location is hardcoded.

If you are going to run Linux and X you don't need the VGA ROM, there
are framebuffer and Xorg drivers for geode that work without it.

//Peter

[Phani Babu Giddi]

Yes I am trying to build a kernel image with geode lx frame buffer driver
and otherstuff. Even this has been easy because of the rejects at the time
of patching the driver with 2.6.-16-54.

But I wanted to see some of the debug messages that are given out at the
time of initializing core boot.

Just one question I was using a 512k part and then I switched over to a 1MB
flash part and the VSA initialization went through without trouble, so where
do you think is the blob location hardcoded.

-Phani

On Mon, Mar 17, 2008 at 12:35 PM, Peter Stuge  wrote:
> On Mon, Mar 17, 2008 at 12:15:55PM -0700, Phani Babu Giddi wrote:
> > I am trying to append VGA ROM that is extracted using dd and trying
> > to include it as part of the final flash image. Now I reduce the
> > ROM_SIZE by 36K for VSM and 32K for VGA ROM.
>
> The VSA blob location is hardcoded.
>
> If you are going to run Linux and X you don't need the VGA ROM, there
> are framebuffer and Xorg drivers for geode that work without it.
>
> //Peter

[Peter Stuge]

On Mon, Mar 17, 2008 at 01:48:42PM -0800, Phani Babu Giddi wrote:
> But I wanted to see some of the debug messages that are given out
> at the time of initializing core boot.

I would recommend using the serial port for this.
> Just one question I was using a 512k part and then I switched over
> to a 1MB flash part and the VSA initialization went through without
> trouble, so where do you think is the blob location hardcoded.

--8<-- src/cpu/amd/model_lx/vsmsetup.c, do_vsmbios()
    rom = ((unsigned long)0) - (ROM_SIZE + 36 * 1024);
-->8--

As Marc confirmed it's hardcoded to the beginning of the defined rom
size, but not hardcoded to an address. Sorry for the confusion.

//Peter

[Phani Babu Giddi]

Yes currently I am using the serial port and it works well.

Thanks for the clarification on the blob address. I am still wondering why I
am coreboot is not able to see the VSA. The only other suspicsion I have is
with the VGA ROM thats because the size was 32K and atleast for some other
boards I read that it should be 36K and the last 4K of the VGA ROM cannot be
retrived using "dd".

I tried searching for tools to decompress and extract the VGA ROM but the
links seem to be broken...

-Phani

On Mon, Mar 17, 2008 at 5:31 PM, Peter Stuge  wrote:
> On Mon, Mar 17, 2008 at 01:48:42PM -0800, Phani Babu Giddi wrote:
> > But I wanted to see some of the debug messages that are given out
> > at the time of initializing core boot.
>
> I would recommend using the serial port for this.
> > Just one question I was using a 512k part and then I switched over
> > to a 1MB flash part and the VSA initialization went through without
> > trouble, so where do you think is the blob location hardcoded.
>
> --8<-- src/cpu/amd/model_lx/vsmsetup.c, do_vsmbios()
>        rom = ((unsigned long)0) - (ROM_SIZE + 36 * 1024);
> -->8--
>
> As Marc confirmed it's hardcoded to the beginning of the defined rom
> size, but not hardcoded to an address. Sorry for the confusion.
>
> //Peter

[Phani Babu Giddi]

I have given up on appending VGA ROM with coreboot image. Instead I use the
serial port for all the debug messages and then Geode LX frame buffer driver
takes over immediately after loading the kernel.

-Phani

On Mon, Mar 17, 2008 at 7:34 PM, Phani Babu Giddi  wrote:
> Yes currently I am using the serial port and it works well.
>
> Thanks for the clarification on the blob address. I am still wondering why
> I am coreboot is not able to see the VSA. The only other suspicsion I have
> is with the VGA ROM thats because the size was 32K and atleast for some
> other boards I read that it should be 36K and the last 4K of the VGA ROM
> cannot be retrived using "dd".
>
> I tried searching for tools to decompress and extract the VGA ROM but the
> links seem to be broken...
>
> -Phani
>
> On Mon, Mar 17, 2008 at 5:31 PM, Peter Stuge  wrote:
> > On Mon, Mar 17, 2008 at 01:48:42PM -0800, Phani Babu Giddi wrote:
> > > But I wanted to see some of the debug messages that are given out
> > > at the time of initializing core boot.
> >
> > I would recommend using the serial port for this.
> > > Just one question I was using a 512k part and then I switched over
> > > to a 1MB flash part and the VSA initialization went through without
> > > trouble, so where do you think is the blob location hardcoded.
> >
> > --8<-- src/cpu/amd/model_lx/vsmsetup.c, do_vsmbios()
> >        rom = ((unsigned long)0) - (ROM_SIZE + 36 * 1024);
> > -->8--
> >
> > As Marc confirmed it's hardcoded to the beginning of the defined rom
> > size, but not hardcoded to an address. Sorry for the confusion.
> >
> > //Peter

[Marc Jones]

Phani,

Phani Babu Giddi wrote:
> Hello All,
>
> I am trying to append VGA ROM that is extracted using dd and trying to 
> include it as part of the final flash image. Now I reduce the ROM_SIZE 
> by 36K for VSM and 32K for VGA ROM. As per the procedure I also edit 
> src/mainboard/amd/db800/Options.lb and Config.lb http://Config.lb.
>
> Now there seems to be some problem in finding VSA and thereafter the VGA 
> also. Take a look at the log messages. I am using SST49LF008A which is a 
> 1MB flash part.
>
> Before VSA:
> do_vsmbios
> buf ilen 828 olen2606
> buf 00060000 *buf 254 buf[256k] 0
> buf[0x20] signature is 82:6a:ff:ff
> do_vsmbios: no vsainit.bin signature, skipping!
> After VSA:
> Graphics init...
> VRC_VG value: 0xffff
> Finding PCI configuration type.
> PCI: Sanity check failed
> pci_check_direct failed
>
> Regards,
> Phani

You don't normally include the VGA ROM since there is a framebuffer 
driver.  I think Artec dbe61 has some code that does it it you want to 
put that in your platform. It is not part of the normal db800 setup. If 
VSA doesn't work no Geode LX or 5536 PCI devices will work. That is why 
Graphics init fails. VSA has to be on the end. So, "cat vsa vga coreboot
> romfile".

Marc

[Phani Babu Giddi]

Hi Marc,

Yes VSA is at the end and i verified it there is not problem with appending.
But it doesnt work for me.

-Phani

On Mon, Mar 17, 2008 at 1:21 PM, Marc Jones  wrote:
> Phani,
>
> Phani Babu Giddi wrote:
> > Hello All,
> >
> > I am trying to append VGA ROM that is extracted using dd and trying to
> > include it as part of the final flash image. Now I reduce the ROM_SIZE
> > by 36K for VSM and 32K for VGA ROM. As per the procedure I also edit
> > src/mainboard/amd/db800/Options.lb and Config.lb http://Config.lb.
> >
> > Now there seems to be some problem in finding VSA and thereafter the VGA
> > also. Take a look at the log messages. I am using SST49LF008A which is a
> > 1MB flash part.
> >
> > Before VSA:
> > do_vsmbios
> > buf ilen 828 olen2606
> > buf 00060000 *buf 254 buf[256k] 0
> > buf[0x20] signature is 82:6a:ff:ff
> > do_vsmbios: no vsainit.bin signature, skipping!
> > After VSA:
> > Graphics init...
> > VRC_VG value: 0xffff
> > Finding PCI configuration type.
> > PCI: Sanity check failed
> > pci_check_direct failed
> >
> > Regards,
> > Phani
>
> You don't normally include the VGA ROM since there is a framebuffer
> driver.  I think Artec dbe61 has some code that does it it you want to
> put that in your platform. It is not part of the normal db800 setup. If
> VSA doesn't work no Geode LX or 5536 PCI devices will work. That is why
> Graphics init fails. VSA has to be on the end. So, "cat vsa vga coreboot
> > romfile".
>
> Marc