RE: [OpenBIOS] linuxbios web page is there.

[Wallace I. Kroeker]

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:[e-mail]]
> Sent:	Tuesday, February 01, 2000 8:55 AM
> To:	[e-mail]
> 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
>
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