[LinuxBIOS] Fitting larger flash chips to accomodate a kernel

[Phil Endecott]

Thanks Bari.

Bari Ari wrote:
> Phil Endecott wrote:
>> So my first question is, will higher-capacity flash chips "just work", or does the motherboard design limit them to the flash size that they are supplied with?
> Motherboard designs that use a serial LPC or FWH interface have all the 
> control and address lines required routed from the chipset to the BIOS 
> flash socket, but may still not be able to access memory windows of 
> larger than 256KB, unless the chipset pin straps are set for 512KB, 1MB 
> or larger. There may be other chipset dependent issues with accessing 
> flash control register space (e.g., block locking) that require hardware 
> and/or firmware workarounds.

So the answer looks like "maybe".  Perhaps someone can suggest a 
motherboard where this is known to work?  I have recently done some 
things using VIA mini- and nano-itx boards (I've just finished a 
digital picture frame based on a 500 MHz nano-itx) and they would be 
ideal for what I have in mind now, but if they are known to not work 
then I would consider something else.  The nano-itx has a 512 Mbyte LPC 
flash chip; presumably there is no freely-available documentation about 
how it is connected up.  Is there a way to know what will work apart 
from trying it?

Thanks,

Phil.