Programming ROMS

[Edwin Rhodes]

Hi, I've managed to obtain some 486 and 386 ROM's that I would like to program. I would like to replace the current ROM code with that of the linux bios code. unfortunately I don't think that the boards support flash update?? how do I go about re-programming them??? what hardware and software is required to re-write the bios?? would I be able to get away with a hot-swap??? or do i need a proper rom programmer, if so which one would you recommend.

thanks,

Edwin

ps. well done for getting so far with linux bios. if there is anything I can do to help let me know. :)

[Thomas J. Merritt]

|<><><><><> Original message from "Edwin Rhodes"  <><><><><>
|Hi, I've managed to obtain some 486 and 386 ROM's that I would like to =
|program. I would like to replace the current ROM code with that of the =
|linux bios code. unfortunately I don't think that the boards support =
|flash update?? how do I go about re-programming them??? what hardware =
|and software is required to re-write the bios?? would I be able to get =
|away with a hot-swap??? or do i need a proper rom programmer, if so =
|which one would you recommend.

For 486 and 386 motherboards the BIOS is almost exclusively in 1 or 2 Mbit
EPROM's in 28-pin DIP packaging.  This means that you have 128Kbytes or
256Kbytes to work with.  You will also need to add some chipset support for
the chipsets that are on your motherboards.  To program a new BIOS for these
motherboards a PROM programmer will be required.  The Needhams EMP-10 is
probably sufficient for this task and its programming software is written for 
DOS and can run under dosemu on Linux or FreeBSD.  Getting LinuxBios to run on
one of these older motherboards is probably easier than one of the newer
motherboards until you bang your head into the 128K or 256K limit, at that
point it will be a total bitch to figure what to toss out.

|thanks,
|
|Edwin
|
|ps. well done for getting so far with linux bios. if there is anything I =
|can do to help let me know. :)

Thomas J. Merritt
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