[coreboot] Coreboot on Axiomtek PICO821

[Idwer Vollering]

2011/10/7 Alp Eren Köse <alperenkose at buyutech.com.tr>:
>
>> 1. Make sure you can recover from a bad image (extra flash chip with
>> the original BIOS)
>
> Ok, I have got a spare rom which is a "SST SST49LF008A" (1024 KB, FWH) with
> the original bios, but i don't have an external programmer to flash if the
> first one is bricked..

If you store that spare rom in a safe place and only use it to boot
from, you don't need an external programmer. A often used trick to
ease removal is to glue a handle to the chip:
http://www.settoplinux.org/images/thumb/5/56/Push_pin2.jpg/500px-Push_pin2.jpg

>
>> 2. Make sure you can get serial output
>
> I believe I can do it, the board has an RS232 port, so I guess i need a null
> modem cable to connect it to the computer..
>
>> 3. Choose the most similar supported motherboard
>
> I guess it is the iWave iW-RainboW-G6 as Idwer Vollering suggested..
>
>> 4. Change the code to support your board
>
> Well this is a little problem, I don't know exactly where and what to change
> in the code,
> I believe i need to make a copy of src/mainboard/iwave/iWRainbowG6 and
> modify files to fit it my mainboard..

0) Compile crossgcc: run "make crossgcc" in the top source directory
1) Edit src/mainboard/Kconfig
2) Make a directory named axiomtek/pico821 in src/mainboard/ (run this
in the top source code directory: mkdir -p src/mainboard
/axiomtek/pico821 )
3) Add the file src/mainboard/axiomtek/Kconfig and edit that file,
you'll want to take src/mainboard/iwave/iWRainbowG6/Kconfig as an
example.
4) Copy the files from the iwave board (cd
src/mainboard/iwave/iWRainbowG6/ ; cp -r * ../../axiomtek/pico821/ ),
edit at least devicetree.cb, Kconfig and mainboard.c. Then replace the
names but keep the (C) copyright headers.
5) "cd" back into the top source dir and run "make menuconfig ; make"
(or make xconfig/gconfig) where you select the axiomtek mainboard.
Exit the menu, save the configuration and run "make"; after a minute
or so you should have the file build/coreboot.rom which you'll have to
program into the first chip.
6) Make sure that you have stored the spare rom in a safe place, then
download, compile and install flashrom:
http://www.flashrom.org/Downloads#Installation_from_source

http://www.coreboot.org/Developer_Manual#How_to_support_a_new_board

> I have some C knowledge, but I would really need help, and some people to
> show me the way what and where to change in the code at least to make it
> work?
>
>> 5. Try it
>> 6. Iterate on 4&5 until you're happy with it
>> 7. Send a patch
>
> I would for sure send a patch if I can make it work :)
> Btw the CPU and the southbridge/northbridge matches with the Rainbow-G6, but
> I don't know about the SuperIO of it, there is just a "-" in the list of
> supported motherboards for superIO of Rainbow-G6..

Compile and run superiotool, it's in util/superiotool/

>
> Thanks in advance,
> Alp
>
> 2011/10/5 Myles Watson <mylesgw at gmail.com>
>>
>> 2011/10/5 Alp Eren Köse <alperenkose at buyutech.com.tr>:
>> > Anyone has an idea?
>> >
>> > Another question is I can't find my mainboard vendor "Axiomtek" in
>> > Mainboard
>> > Vendor selection list in menuconfig as expectedly, but all the chips and
>> > chipset of it seem to be supported as I see them in coreboot website. Is
>> > it
>> > still possible to install coreboot, if so how can I do it?
>> > It would be really nice if someone could point a way..
>>
>> Generally the steps are:
>> 1. Make sure you can recover from a bad image (extra flash chip with
>> the original BIOS)
>> 2. Make sure you can get serial output
>> 3. Choose the most similar supported motherboard
>> 4. Change the code to support your board
>> 5. Try it
>> 6. Iterate on 4&5 until you're happy with it
>> 7. Send a patch
>>
>> If you don't have 1 & 2 you shouldn't try at all.
>>
>> Good luck!
>> Myles
>
>
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