Hello,
I am new to this list so I apologize if this question has already been answered. I didn't see it in the archives.
- Does the Linux BIOS do discovery on PCI slots for the existance of cards?
- Will it use PCI configuration space to locate the Basic Address Register (BAR) to locate bios on a PCI card and load it? Specifically, this is regarding a 3ware RAID card.
Thank you,
Tina
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Hi!
On Wed, Mar 03, 2004 at 06:55:32PM -0800, Tina Declerck wrote:
- Does the Linux BIOS do discovery on PCI slots for the existance
of cards?
Yes, LinuxBIOS enumerates PCI buses behind hosts and bridges.
- Will it use PCI configuration space to locate the Basic Address
Register (BAR) to locate bios on a PCI card and load it?
There is initial work being done with VGA cards and progress indicates that this may actually be possible to do even though LinuxBIOS runs in protected mode and currently doesn't (want to) provide legacy BIOS services. (i.e. int15h et.al.)
Specifically, this is regarding a 3ware RAID card.
Right. Other peripheral cards vary in their behavior/requirements but I personally think that a kernel driver should be able to do all neccessary hardware initialization beyond PCI configuration. Providing a BIOS onboard a storage controller would be useful primarily for booting legacy operating systems off the connected storage. (Bonus: Hardware becomes architecture independent - runs on anything with a PCI bus.)
DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this electronic mail transmission is intended by 3ware for the use of the named individual or entity to which it is directed and may contain information that is confidential or privileged and should not be disseminated without prior approval from 3ware
I like 3ware and your products in general (just ordered a 7506-4), but I'm afraid that this kind of disclaimer is useless at best, counterproductive at worst - especially in open source environments.
Regards,
//Peter
On Wed, 3 Mar 2004, Tina Declerck wrote:
- Does the Linux BIOS do discovery on PCI slots for the existance of cards?
yes
- Will it use PCI configuration space to locate the Basic Address Register
(BAR) to locate bios on a PCI card and load it? Specifically, this is regarding a 3ware RAID card.
This is done now in user mode via emulation, for a number of reasons, and this emulation will move to linuxbios in a month or so.
ron
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Peter Stuge -
ron minnich -
Tina Declerck