OpenBIOS August 2001

openbios@openbios.org

46 participants
53 discussions

award bios source code - please send requests
by Per Jessen 26 Aug '01

26 Aug '01

All, having just returned from a weeks sailing in the Ionian Sea, I remembered I had a number of requests for a copy of the Award BIOS source code I mentioned in a previous posting to the list. If you're interested, simply reply to this email. Note: the gzipped tar-ball is about 5Mb. regards, Per regards, Per Jessen, Zurich http://www.enidan.com - home of the J1 serial console. Windows 2001: "I'm sorry Dave ... I'm afraid I can't do that." - To unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo(a)freiburg.linux.de with 'unsubscribe openbios' in the body of the message

1 0

Platform for the OPENBIOS question
by Lloyd Thomson 23 Aug '01

23 Aug '01

Hi all Maybe I missed it, but for the Open BIOS that is being discussed, is there a specific single board computer (SBC), motherboard, chipset (or ?) that the BIOS will be targeted on. My understanding is that this will be an x86 board, and it sounds like it will be at least partly targeted toward the game industry. However, since my favorite language is actually solder, I am mostly curious. There are a lot of chipset options out there, and each one of these may have a different effect on the workings and architecture of the BIOS. If this has not been discussed, you all may want to do so. Incidentally, I would also recommend that you start with a monitor level input / output / short command structure. It really makes it easier to test code and eliminate problems when you have a basic (NOT BASIC) set of commands that you can use to look at or change control registers and memory locations. On new hardware projects, I also like to either get a serial port working first thing, or will hook up a small ASCII LCD panel to the system. That way I can see what is going on inside by using simple print statements, and can check to see that variables are what I expect, and that certain stages of the software are being executed. Later Lloyd Thomson Sr. Design Engineer One Stop Satellite Solutions 1805 University Cir Ogden, UT 84408-1805 801 626 7272 lloyd.thomson(a)osss.com www.osss.com "If we knew what we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it" Albert Einstein

7 24

Re: [OpenBIOS] Platform for the OPENBIOS question
by Nicholas Charles Leippe 22 Aug '01

22 Aug '01

> BTW, does the DS10 you used for your tests have a socketed flash? We have two > here, but both have soldered SMD flash roms. Unfortunately, I did a mistake > when I was flashing LinuxBIOS the last time. As they only do in rom FSB, > there's no way out except calling compaq service. > For about $30 in parts and 20-30 minutes of soldering work you can build your own flash-rom ISA card. Search for "c't flasher". If ppl are interested, I can dig up more links, or perhaps, if ppl are scared off by soldering I could assemble some more myself. I built one for myself already last time I hosed a bios (flashed in the stupid zip file instead of the rom image--doh!) and it's far more cost effective to just build the burner than to buy a single replacement rom--especially since the very next rom image I tried on that board was also a no-go. Nick - To unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo(a)freiburg.linux.de with 'unsubscribe openbios' in the body of the message

1 0

RE: [OpenBIOS] New power-up graphics BIOS.
by Gavin R. Brewer 20 Aug '01

20 Aug '01

Guys & Gals, I have just printed the USENIX conference notes on LinuxBIOS, and skimming through it, I am impressed with what I see. It would be a really good idea if a group of us were to write a new BIOS, (Mac-style), which was very similar to LinuxBIOS, but links in with Darwin (the MacOS-X Kernel). If we can pull this one off, it will be a serious blow to Micro$oft. Some of the guys in Apple will love us, since we will have finally put the last stake into the heart of closed proprietory systems... Let's do it folks. All the best, Gavin. - To unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo(a)freiburg.linux.de with 'unsubscribe openbios' in the body of the message

5 7

Re: [OpenBIOS] New power-up graphics BIOS.
by zechmer 20 Aug '01

20 Aug '01

Hello Per, I would be very glad, if you could send me the A*I BIOS source too. Perhaps I could overcome my keyboard problems then. Thanks Bernhard - To unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo(a)freiburg.linux.de with 'unsubscribe openbios' in the body of the message

2 1

New power-up graphics BIOS.
by Gavin R. Brewer 19 Aug '01

19 Aug '01

Hi there, I would like to write my own simple BIOS functions for controlling the SVGA CRT directly. With a bit of luck, this should form part of a computer system, (Intel compatible), that boots straight into a GUI. Does anyone wish to help me with this project? All the best, Gavin. - To unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo(a)freiburg.linux.de with 'unsubscribe openbios' in the body of the message

3 5

Re: [OpenBIOS] Graphics mode bios
by Arp Kruithof 19 Aug '01

19 Aug '01

From: Arp Kruithof <arpy(a)wish.net> To: "zechmer" <cu0815(a)compuserve.de> Subject: Re: [OpenBIOS] Graphics mode bios Send reply to: arpy(a)wish.net Date sent: Thu, 16 Aug 2001 16:26:05 +0200 Hello Gavin/Bernhard > Hello Gavin, I certainly like the project - have been looking / thinking / dreaming about an open source BIOS for x86 for some years (not openBIOS) and some projects seem to be underway - I just have very little time myself at the moment so for now I'll happily read along ... > I once started writing my own BIOS which started already in > graphics (hercules monochrome graphics) mode back in the 1980's [pure > assembler]. > I gave it up, because I couldn't init the keyboard correctly. > Each time I requested port 60h it didn't leave anything there. > Later I implemented the keyboard code from linux but this > didn't help me and the 286 board at all. > This was so frustrating, that I gave it up. > Perhaps some suggestions? Couldn'r resist reacting to the keyboard issue Bernhard mentioned. That shoudn't be too hard to do I think. A couple of sources might be: - IBM AT Technical Reference which has a complete BIOS source listing - just to pick up on some tech details or ideas (not sugesting you copy the code just that reading it may give you a hint). - 8042 datasheets for timing details etc. on original chip used - Datasheets for popular chipsets that emulate the gate A20 & keyboard interface - they may even come with sample code supplied I should have most of that sitting on the bookshelf here so if you need to 'borough' the books let me know. Good luck Arp ------- End of forwarded message ------- arpy(a)wish.net - To unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo(a)freiburg.linux.de with 'unsubscribe openbios' in the body of the message

6 6

Archive ;)
by Daniele Frijia 18 Aug '01

18 Aug '01

Hi, the archive of the mailinglist is repaired again. Has someone a complete mailbox of all mails? I have lost a lot. Regards, Daniele - To unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo(a)freiburg.linux.de with 'unsubscribe openbios' in the body of the message

3 2

Recommended Reading List..
by Gavin Robert Brewer 17 Aug '01

17 Aug '01

Guys, Just a quick sneak preview of some new entries to my bookshelf: Anderson, Peter B: A Theory of Computer Semiotics, Cambridge. Wilton, Richard: Programmer's Guide to PC & PS/2 Video Systems, Micro$oft Press. Levine, John: Programming for Graphics Files in C and C++. Wiley Press. All the best, Gavin. - To unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo(a)freiburg.linux.de with 'unsubscribe openbios' in the body of the message

1 0

RE: [OpenBIOS] New power-up graphics BIOS.
by Per Jessen 17 Aug '01

17 Aug '01

On Fri, 17 Aug 2001 08:35:38 +0100, Gavin R. Brewer wrote: > >>At startup the conventional PC-BIOS searches (scans) for additional >>ROMs, such as VGA-ROM. > >Kewl. Actually I have noticed that my Savage4 card displays stuff on the >screen before the main BIOS is activated. Interesting.. Not at all. Until you have video, your PC is deaf and blind. Hence, the first thing the main BIOS does it look at address 0xC000 to see if it has a BIOS image. If found, it call the init vector defined in it, which will typically carry on initialising the VGA card. Part of the init is displaying that "hello" message. The BIOS start-up sequence is well-documented. >>It is then initialized. So a text startup copyright message of the >>VGA-card would appear on the screen (so does my old SPEA VEGA V7 >>card). > >>How would you overcome this "problem"? I didn't have any ideas, >>because the BIOS needs int 10h for output functions. > >Hmm.. I propose someone port something like MacOS or Linux onto ROM first, >mainly as an improved form of BIOS. I think this has been done. There were discussions on this list (I think) a while ago. The idea was to cut the BIOS down as much as possible, and leave all the setup to Linux. I think the project might been called LinuxBIOS ? > >There is only one way to get around this problem. Consider merging, >integrating and simplifying the VGA-BIOS with the system ROM so that we get >an integrated bootup sequence, with no textual spam. > >Anyone know how to reverse engineer AMI-BIOS for example? I think I have source for an Award BIOS somewhere - you can have that. regards, Per Jessen (will be away for 9 days, so don't expect any quick replies to emails :-) regards, Per Jessen, Zurich http://www.enidan.com - home of the J1 serial console. Windows 2001: "I'm sorry Dave ... I'm afraid I can't do that." - To unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo(a)freiburg.linux.de with 'unsubscribe openbios' in the body of the message

1 0