[coreboot] [Fwd: Re: [flashrom] flashrom problem: will not flash on compaq/deskpro Deskpro EN SFF P600. "E]

Mon Jun 2 13:41:19 CEST 2008

a a schrieb:
> ps.
>
> also note that the board will not take> 256KByte chips because pin 1
> (#reset on the 29F002BT A18 for>256KByte parts) of the plcc it wired
> to P34 (other end of P34 is wired to 12V) and it might even destroy
> other chips if P34 is placed !!
Uh! Thats evil.

>
> hotflashing on this board is very hard because the powersupply is over
> the rom socket i made myself a extension cable from some compatible
> 14Pin molex minifit-jr connectors to allow access to the chip while the
> powersupply is nect to the box
where do I get the connectors? Do you have a Digi-key / other distri 
order#?
>
> i think we should give flashrom a couple of special commands ..
> LOCK and UNLOCK (i used some letters but forgot them)
> to unlock this kind of chip locks
flashrom:
Yes, It would be nice to rewrite flashrom accordingly because others 
(openbios.org) also
like to use it. Lets make it a pretty cool tool also for upgrading 
normal pc-bios from remote with linux.
I like the function-pointer arcutecture very much. So we could enhance 
it by adding a function-pointer
for unprotect(*bios) and protect(*bios).
Then an *universal* algorithm will call according to the commandline-params
read(*bios) for backup, unprotect(), is_unprotected(), erase(), 
is_empty() [if not, try to write backup. verify()], write(), verify().

The function-pointers for write() read() and the like point to the 
implementation dependend on the detected flash.
Also function calls within the write or erase have to use the 
function-fointers, so that by servicing the function-pointer table and the
specialized routines, fine granular support for any flash can be writen.
So the ST-Way of unprotecting can be used for all st devices of the 
family. So we save code and become very flexible.
The Problem with the actual code is that some routines simply write some 
data out to issue jedec-erase instaed of calling the erase-method pointed
to by the function-pointer erase().

So flashrom has to be rewritten accordingly (not so much effort) and 
tested by people having the flash-roms in their machines.

>
> the original bios has a recovery option btw ... keek esc pressed
> powering up it will 'talk' to you over the keyboard leds / pc speaker
> ahd should be able to restore the bios from a diskette iirc

Thanks for the tip.

Have you ever thought of reverse-engineering the bios-flaser of compaq 
using a debugger (does the effort make sense?)

Do you have a service-manual? there are some more not assembled 
connectors. E.G.  P115 between Super-IO and ATI-Graphics
whicht seems to be interessting (maybe gpios of super io or I2C/SMBUS)...

Thanks for your tips.

LuJa
>
>
> a a wrote:
> > Hi all,
> >
> > Ludwig Jaffe wrote:
> > > Hi all,
> > >
> > > i fiddled around with the flashrom util, and I managed to rewrite the
> > > original compaq-bios, which I saved before.
> > > I modified the flashrom-utily to enable writing the flashrom. The
> > > 29F002BT works with 29f002-funktions and *not* with jedec....
> > > The only problem that remains, is that it is not possible to 
> unprotect
> > > the 20f002bt (ST). with the flashrom utily. So I can not upgrade the
> > flash!
> > > I will go and code some improvement to that.
> > >
> >
> > i worked with Uwe to create the support for the Compaq deskpro EN SFF
> > 600N i have here
> >
> > i needed 3 hardware mods:
> > - socket for the flash chip (with loads of luck you can skip this but
> > please let me test the current tree before you flash coreboot into your
> > unit)
> > - set SW1 to ON to disable the write protection on the'normal' (non
> > bootblock ) part of the bios (if you dont do this the ASIC will disable
> > ANY writes even probes to the flash iirc
> > -if you have the original chip onboard: short (not installed) jumper 
> P34
> > that is next to the flashpart (shorting this will temp. unlock the
> > bootblock and allow (un)programming of the lockbits note that you 
> should
> > first protected the whole chip before unproetcting.
> >
> > i also needed a couple of software hacks that are not yet in the tree:
> > -disable some parts of the southbrigde (KBC ectect) so the superio can
> > handle them
> > -stuff some values to the ASIC so networking works (otherwise eth0 will
> > not show on the pci bus)
> > -i had some trouble with onboard audio but i dont remember the 
> details now
> > -i dont have onboard vga working yet and was planning on maybe using /
> > writing free support for it so i dont need a vga bios
> >
> >
> > i dont have time today/tomorrow to look at it in more detail .. will do
> > that later this week ...
> >
> > greetings,
> > todthgie
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > > A suggestion regarding architecture:
> > >
> >
> > > We should add a function-pointer for protect and unprotect, 
> because this
> > > is sometimes special. e.g. 29f002bt (st).
> > > We should provide an extra funktion to protect/unprotect the bios 
> to the
> > > user, so that reweiting the eeprom will be
> > > read() -> save old
> > > unprotect()
> > > test_if_unprotected()
> > > if not die
> > > erase()
> > > test_if_empty()
> > > if not, try to rewrite saved_old!
> > > else die.
> > > write
> > > verify
> > >
> > >
> > > So the methods protect/unprotect have to be seperate and not be 
> hidden
> > > in erase or write functions.
> > > And they should be accessible via the punction-pointer-table.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > My patch contains my little modifications and da doxygen file to ease
> > > understanding the code.
> > >
> > > Please help me to improve the architecture of flashrom.
> > >
> > > Greetings
> > >
> > >
> > > LuJa
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> > 
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> >
> >
>
>
>
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Subject: Re: [coreboot] [flashrom] flashrom problem: will not flash on compaq/deskpro Deskpro EN SFF P600. "E
Date: Mon, 02 Jun 2008 13:40:19 +0200
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