HELP: VIA/EPIA Linux BIOS

[Dinesh Shah]

Hi Andrew and others,

1st thx Andrew for your reply.

However, I have few doubts and questions as bellow.

What I got - 

	VIA EPIA MoBo with 800 MHz CPU and 2 MB Flash.

What I want -

	Replace existing BIOS with LinuxBIOS.
	Put Linux Kernel on Flash.
	Put initrd image on flash.
	Make self contained minimal system on flash.

What I know -

	How to compile my own kernel (2.4.x and 2.5.x)
	How to make initrd (uClibc and BusyBox)

What I did in past -

	Made a boot floppy (1.44 MB) with BusyBox, ModUtils, IPTables,
	thttpd, ssh, uClibc and udhcp (kernel+initrd)

What I think -

	BIOS+PIX+VidBIOS =< 384 KB (Within upper mem? from 640K to 1M Limits?)
	Have 1024 - 384 = 1664KB mem in Flash?

The doubts are -

	Can I use that 1664 KB Flash to put Kernel+InitRD to make system
	self content?
	Can I put LinuxBIOS on BIOS and ask it to load my kernel and
	InitRD from Flash?
	Do I have to retain VidBIOS? Some of my apps need X Server? I
	need to retain VidBIOS for VESA 2.0 and VESA FB?

The idea is to make the system self contained and not to depend on
network for booting. Whenever I want the system to boot of the network I
can use in-built PIX.

I can also upgrade my Flash to 4 MB if every thing can not be put on 2 MB.

Also I need to backup my existing BIOS+PIX+VidBIOS and restore if
something goes wrong. I don't have access to DOS oe Win. What are my
options?

I know these are lots of questions. Thx in advance for your time and
answers and pointers.

With warm regards,

On Mon, May 26, 2003 at 02:39:15PM +0800, Andrew Ip wrote:
> Hi Dinesh,
> 
> > While looking @ LinuxBIOS project web site I come across your name in
> > status page.
> > I need whatever help/pointer u can give about VIA/EPIA Flash BIOS. I
> > need some how-to for puting Linux on 2/4 MB Flash which comes with MoBo.
> > Any help/pinters will be greatly appreciated.
> There is a README file under freebios/src/mainboard/via/epia for
> describing how-to enable and write flash.  IIRC, the latest
> version of flash_rom (in src/utils/flash_and_burn) supports EPIA.
> You can just use flash_rom to flash rom under Linux.
> 
> -Andrew

-- 
--Dinesh Shah :-)
Dinesh at ShahMicro.com
+91-98213-11906
+91-22-56919423