OpenBIOS

openbios@openbios.org

4297 discussions

RE: [OpenBIOS] linuxbios web page is there.
by Wallace I. Kroeker 01 Feb '00

01 Feb '00

Hello Ron, I'm not sure if you have looked into this but I took a look at the NVRAM (read FLASH ) from the perspective of building the board. If you look at the Design Specifications (I downloaded both the 440gx and 440bx and they are identical on this topic) and look at how they recommend implementing the memory they describe how you should implement BIOS memory. For the Flash BIOS it all eventually comes down to hardware control of the memory chips so you can actually write to them. The recommended schematic shows the PIIX4E BIOSCS# signal going out the Flash CE#. So what the heck is the BIOSCS# and how do I deal with it? I followed this in the 440BX to "PCI to ISA/EIO Bridge Register Description document" http://developer.intel.com/design/intarch/techinfo/440bx/bridgreg.htm The "XBCS-X-Bus Chip Select Register (Function 0)" seems to be the thing you are looking for. I couldn't find similar documentation for the 440gx There are a couple other flags in this register that may pertain to this. If you can get hold of the manufacturers schematics you should be able to tell if they have some special hardware config. (as mentioned by someone earlier). Wallace > -----Original Message----- > From: Ronald G. Minnich [SMTP:rminnich@lanl.gov] > Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2000 8:55 AM > To: openbios(a)elvis.informatik.uni-freiburg.de > Subject: Re: [OpenBIOS] linuxbios web page is there. > > On Tue, 1 Feb 2000, Daniele Frijia wrote: > > > > I figure that we're taking a slightly different direction than > openbios so > > > I've set up the linuxbios web page, www.acl.lanl.gov/linuxbios. We'll > use > > > openbios and help out where we can. I'll be posting the 'linux boots > > > linux' code there this week as well as anything we've done to openbios > to > > > make it go. > > > > We shoudl we work against each other? > > No, I have no intention of working against anyone. It seems that the focus > of this list is replacing the BIOS with a plug-compatible equivalent, or > doing Open Firmware instead. My focus is much simpler: I want to get just > enough OpenBIOS working to boot linux, and we're almost there. Supporting > FreeDOS and other 16-bit OSes is quite neat, but is not a concern of mine. > I have no need for INT 12 support, for example. > > So we'll help all we can with OpenBIOS, but past a point our needs and > interests will diverge. I certainly will let you all know if I ever figure > out how to write NVRAM -- if I can't do that, then I'm dead in the water. > > Thanks > > ron > > > > - > To unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo(a)freiburg.linux.de > with 'unsubscribe openbios' in the body of the message - To unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo(a)freiburg.linux.de with 'unsubscribe openbios' in the body of the message

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Boot loader program
by Ross 01 Feb '00

01 Feb '00

Does anyone on this list have a program that can write a file to a floppy disk that does not have a DOS OS on it. Just a plain formatted floppy disk.The program must be able to write a file that is bigger than 64K to the PC floppydisk then load the program into the PC main memory for example; at 0000:0000 to 0000:7fff. This will allow the program I have designed to allow faster development with chipset based motherboards without the use of any os's or the need of a rom emulator. I have developed a program that will only do smaller programs but need help on getting a 256k program from a plain formatted non-dos floppy into the pc memory. Help!!!!! //Ross

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linuxbios web page is there.
by Ronald G. Minnich 01 Feb '00

01 Feb '00

I figure that we're taking a slightly different direction than openbios so I've set up the linuxbios web page, www.acl.lanl.gov/linuxbios. We'll use openbios and help out where we can. I'll be posting the 'linux boots linux' code there this week as well as anything we've done to openbios to make it go. It would be great if anyone out there can unlock the secret of the flash ram. This is driving me nutz. If I get there I'll let you know. Thanks ron - To unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo(a)freiburg.linux.de with 'unsubscribe openbios' in the body of the message

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ROM-Emulators
by Winter Jörg 31 Jan '00

31 Jan '00

> ---------- > Von: Edwin Rhodes[SMTP:edwin_rhodes@hotmail.com] > Antwort an: openbios(a)freiburg.linux.de > Gesendet: Montag, 31. Januar 2000 02:26 > An: openbios(a)elvis.informatik.uni-freiburg.de > Betreff: Re: [OpenBIOS] Fine. > > can i have a copy of this rom-emulator? > thanks edwin > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Winter Jörg <joerg.winter(a)disch-gmbh.de> > To: <openbios(a)elvis.informatik.uni-freiburg.de> > Sent: Friday, January 28, 2000 10:50 AM > Subject: [OpenBIOS] Fine. > I´m sorry, but a copy of my ROM-Emulator would not be what you expext ... I was not talking about Software. The Emulator is a little piece of Hardware that I bought. It is intended to be inserted into a standard 32 Pin Jedec-Memory Socket. Then you download a 64k image via the parallel port of any PC into this Hardware. You press reset at the board and it boots ... well sometimes ... If you are interested in such an Hardware try th e following urls as a start: www.hed.de (they make tools for embedded and microcontrol. I once talked to their Boss and got the impression that they are really good!) www.embedded-tools.de (they have a modular Emulator called PromJet. Its able to act like rom/ram/flash up to 16Mbit and 32Bit Words. Furthermore it can handle operating voltages from 2 to 5V. It also has an ethernet plug ...) Well this is not an advertisement ... I did not test these devices but they seem interesting to me ... > eMail: mailto:Joerg.Winter@Disch-GmbH.de > > - To unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo(a)freiburg.linux.de with 'unsubscribe openbios' in the body of the message

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IDE and IRQ's
by Jaime Dias 31 Jan '00

31 Jan '00

I have read openBios mail for a while, and i want to know if there is any kind of code to the ide chips and to irq handlers, cause it could be useful for the AROS team (www.aros.org) , if anyone can help i would apreciate. best regards, Jaime Dias

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RE: [OpenBIOS] Starting Linux from the C environment
by Stawnyczy, Evan 31 Jan '00

31 Jan '00

then is OpenBIOS going to include a bootloader? -----Original Message----- From: Matthew Sullivan [mailto:matthew@netscape.com] Sent: January 31, 2000 1:20 Pm To: openbios(a)elvis.informatik.uni-freiburg.de Subject: Re: [OpenBIOS] Starting Linux from the C environment Hi, "Stawnyczy, Evan" wrote: > well this was my argument in the begining, we should allow this BIOS to > support "REAL" bios calls like int 13 and int 10... if you include basic > BIOS functionality, you can allow any "decent" operating system to > startup... including LILO Ahh but if I remember back at the beginning of the list the point of openBIOS was to get rid of the BIOS calls and boot 32bit OS's in 32bit mode, the though being that most OS's don't use the BIOS calls, except when first booting..... Of course that concept can deliver a whole new selection of problems... I'll leave the rest to you .. ;-) -- Yours Matthew -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- More Computer Terminology -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Booting (as in: the computer): applying a size 16 Doc Martins to the system unit after it keeps telling you there is not enough memory to open the application. - To unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo(a)freiburg.linux.de with 'unsubscribe openbios' in the body of the message

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RE: [OpenBIOS] where I'm at with the 440gx and reading nvram
by Wallace I. Kroeker 31 Jan '00

31 Jan '00

Ron, No I am just running it in RAM (Shadow ROM) right now. This uses the Loadbios (actually a modified version that checks the size and automatically adapts to the various possible image sizes... I hope to post that here next week after a little cleanup ). I was going to look into just using one of the flash programs for our chipset but someone had mentioned they had source for doing this. I will be looking into that in the next week or so and will keep you posted. Wallace > -----Original Message----- > From: Ronald G. Minnich [SMTP:rminnich@lanl.gov] > Sent: Monday, January 31, 2000 8:10 AM > To: 'openbios(a)freiburg.linux.de' > Subject: RE: [OpenBIOS] where I'm at with the 440gx and reading nvram > > On Fri, 28 Jan 2000, Wallace I. Kroeker wrote: > > I am working with the 440BX chipset and have it hobbling along. > > I am having problems with the MDA getting any screen output. > > I am able to get beeps out for different keys on the keyboard > > but no character display. (Of course, this could be just the situation > to > > use Morse code :-). > > are you actually getting it to write the BIOS FLASH? what code are you > using to do that? > > thanks > ron > > - > To unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo(a)freiburg.linux.de > with 'unsubscribe openbios' in the body of the message - To unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo(a)freiburg.linux.de with 'unsubscribe openbios' in the body of the message

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RE: [OpenBIOS] Starting Linux from the C environment
by Stawnyczy, Evan 31 Jan '00

31 Jan '00

well this was my argument in the begining, we should allow this BIOS to support "REAL" bios calls like int 13 and int 10... if you include basic BIOS functionality, you can allow any "decent" operating system to startup... including LILO -----Original Message----- From: Winter Jörg [mailto:joerg.winter@disch-gmbh.de] Sent: January 31, 2000 10:54 Am To: openbios(a)elvis.informatik.uni-freiburg.de Subject: [OpenBIOS] Starting Linux from the C environment > ---------- > Von: Stawnyczy, Evan[SMTP:EStawnyczy@geo-logistics.com] > Antwort an: openbios(a)freiburg.linux.de > Gesendet: Montag, 31. Januar 2000 15:48 > An: openbios(a)elvis.informatik.uni-freiburg.de > Betreff: RE: [OpenBIOS] Fine. > > my understanding of lilo is that if you place it on the boot sector, you > can > load the boot sector to a point in memory (I cannot recall exactly where > right now, you can email me farther if you need to) and simply jmp to it. > Actually all boot sectors work the same way... > Basicly you are right. But lilo makes extensive use of *real* BIOS functions like int13, int10, int16, and some strange int15-shift-this-memory-to-ems function that I forgot the functioncode of. I´d rather do this in C and burn a barebone Kernel onto my Disk ... But I´m not sure if I kill my own running environment by copying a Kernel to mem at 0x10000. Furthermore I have no idea if the segment-deskriptor-setup is suitable for an immediate start of a kernel image ... I´ll try this tomorrow and keep you up to date if I succeed on this ... > eMail: mailto:Joerg.Winter@Disch-GmbH.de > > - To unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo(a)freiburg.linux.de with 'unsubscribe openbios' in the body of the message - To unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo(a)freiburg.linux.de with 'unsubscribe openbios' in the body of the message

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RE: [OpenBIOS] ROM-Emulators
by Stawnyczy, Evan 31 Jan '00

31 Jan '00

the 64K limit... i'm not exactly sure what you mean, but I think you may mean real mode... not protected mode. you can look up the source code for p-mode on ftp://ftp.cdrom.com/pub/programming/pmode <ftp://ftp.cdrom.com/pub/programming/pmode> and look through the "jump to protected mode" portion. -----Original Message----- From: Ross [mailto:rossio@hoeftd.reno.nv.us] Sent: January 31, 2000 10:55 Am To: openbios(a)elvis.informatik.uni-freiburg.de Subject: Re: [OpenBIOS] ROM-Emulators Do anyone out there know how I can get around the 64k limit of a self booting floopy disk? I know up to 40k of data on the floppy. ---------- > From: Winter Jörg <joerg.winter(a)disch-gmbh.de> > To: openbios(a)elvis.informatik.uni-freiburg.de > Subject: [OpenBIOS] ROM-Emulators > Date: Monday, January 31, 2000 1:05 AM > > > > > ---------- > > Von: Edwin Rhodes[SMTP:edwin_rhodes@hotmail.com] > > Antwort an: openbios(a)freiburg.linux.de > > Gesendet: Montag, 31. Januar 2000 02:26 > > An: openbios(a)elvis.informatik.uni-freiburg.de > > Betreff: Re: [OpenBIOS] Fine. > > > > can i have a copy of this rom-emulator? > > thanks edwin > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: Winter Jörg <joerg.winter(a)disch-gmbh.de> > > To: <openbios(a)elvis.informatik.uni-freiburg.de> > > Sent: Friday, January 28, 2000 10:50 AM > > Subject: [OpenBIOS] Fine. > > > I´m sorry, but a copy of my ROM-Emulator would not be what you expext ... > > I was not talking about Software. The Emulator is a little piece of Hardware > that I bought. It is intended to be inserted into a standard 32 Pin > Jedec-Memory Socket. Then you download a 64k image via the parallel port of > any PC into this Hardware. You press reset at the board and it boots ... > well sometimes ... > > If you are interested in such an Hardware try th e following urls as a > start: > > www.hed.de (they make tools for embedded and microcontrol. I once talked to > their Boss and got the impression that they are really good!) > > www.embedded-tools.de (they have a modular Emulator called PromJet. Its able > to act like rom/ram/flash up to 16Mbit and 32Bit Words. Furthermore it can > handle operating voltages from 2 to 5V. It also has an ethernet plug ...) > > Well this is not an advertisement ... I did not test these devices but they > seem interesting to me ... > > > eMail: mailto:Joerg.Winter@Disch-GmbH.de > > > > > - > To unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo(a)freiburg.linux.de > with 'unsubscribe openbios' in the body of the message

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my sources ?
by Johan Rydberg 31 Jan '00

31 Jan '00

Hi! Did my sources arive to the list ? -- Johan Rydberg johan.rydberg(a)netinsight.net Net Insight AB, Sweden direct: +46-8-685 04 17 http://www.netinsight.net phone: +46-8-685 04 00 fax: +46-8-685 04 20 - To unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo(a)freiburg.linux.de with 'unsubscribe openbios' in the body of the message

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