[LinuxBIOS] SAS boot

[Thomas Ekstrand]

Hi!

I'm wondering what payloads can be used to boot from a sas-controller?

I want to be able to try network boot first and if it fails go to sas
or ide, can this be done?

what network boot possibilities are there with a kernel in flash?

Thanks!
/Thomas

[Peter Stuge]

On Mon, Apr 23, 2007 at 11:06:07AM +0200, Thomas Ekstrand wrote:
> I'm wondering what payloads can be used to boot from a
> sas-controller?

* Linux, as long as it has a driver for the controller.

* ADLO+Bochs+hacking+SAS BIOS calls (boot DOS and run loadlin maybe?)

* Hacking+SAS BIOS (set up the SAS BIOS using vm86 and use it in FILO)
> I want to be able to try network boot first and if it fails go to
> sas or ide, can this be done?

With Linux then you'd want a small initramfs to try the different
methods.
> what network boot possibilities are there with a kernel in flash?

With only a kernel and no initramfs you can BOOTP/DHCP/RARP to get an
IP address and then mount an NFS root.

With an initramfs however you can do anything you want, but the
challenge is making all the utilities fit in flash. Minimum 8Mbit
will be needed, but with larger flash you would not have to squeeze
as hard to make everything fit.

//Peter