@Geri

Quote:

What about creating an open A1 firmware project, where interested users can submit bugfixes, etc..?I think there are some users that would like to work on a updated U-boot version.

That sounds good. If it could be passed.

@Geri

Just so you know, UBoot development can theoretically be done by booting UBoot from within UBoot

_________________
This weeks pet peeve:
Using "voltage" instead of "potential", which leads to inventing new words like "amperage" instead of "current" (I, measured in A) or possible "charge" (amperehours, Ah or Coulomb, C). Sometimes I don't even know what people mean.

@olegil

Quote:

olegil wrote: @Geri Just so you know, UBoot development can theoretically be done by booting UBoot from within UBoot

I think Wolfgang Denk said that this will not work. But maybe that has changed in the meantime.

edit:
Another problem: It's not really possible to fully test a new U-boot version that is loaded and started by another U-boot firmware. The system is not "virgin" anymore and that makes it hard to tell, whether the new firmware initialized the system correctly or not (because the original firmware already initialized the system).

Last edited by Geri on 12-Aug-2008 at 11:23 AM.

_________________
A1SE: G3@600MHz, 2GB, 1GBit network card
A1XE: G4@933MHz, 2GB, refitted AC'97 codec
microA1: G3@800MHz, 1GB

- A1 Linux support -

@Rogue

Quote:

To be honest, the last time I touched Linux on the AmigaOne is well over three years ago. I couldn't help you there. I think diskboot should work in any case, but my interest in Linux was never very big.

That track record is like mine after OS4 was released. You are doing well!

The diskboot command does boot. But I was hoping for an automatic cd boot when I had enabled CD booting in the UBoot menu.

Quote:

I really don't know what you mean... What latest source code? What changes to FLB/SLB?

The latest source code to UBoot. Such as the one on Sam, which IIRC has 1.4. The changes I mean are merging/patching the UBoot source with the OS4 dongle/FLB Amiga code. Since as I understood it you used UBoot as the bootloader, fixed it up a bit and applied the FLB for the A1 firmware.

Quote:

It was used, in the past, but you are barking up the wrong tree. I never was a fan of doing flash rom updates on a fully booted system; I thought that a floppy or CD-ROM updater was enough, and I didn't write the bios updater.

I can understand. So us mere mortals may never see it in action but it has been used by developers such as yourself?

Quote:

know how hip the AmigaOne/Articia bashing seems to be, but I won't help you much. Contrary to what man people say, the AmigaOne is a pretty nice machine; it has its flaws, and those should have been ironed out by a second/third version of it, but sadly the whole project got stuck.

It would be nice compared to running OS4 on a real Amiga.

I thought the Micro had most things fixed and working well, but it never became another XE, so it's like we have a modern A1-A600 that never made it into an A1-A1200 or A1-A4000.

Quote:

Calling it an "abomination" is nonsense. A lot of people use it daily, and apart from one or the other quirk, they work.

Okay that was a bit harsh. I do use it daily and it does work. When I was writing that I was thinking of the Commodore engineers attitude towards the C16. I had a C16 and absolutely loved it! I didn't see why everyone bashed it because it wasn't compatible with the C64, I knew it was different and wasn't meant to be a C64, but others just didn't get it.

But, with the A1 I hate trying to explain why I need an extra card to use DMA, why the USB is stuck at 1.1 and why watching a TV show on Workbench isn't as well supported as it is in a Classic machine. Even the Classics now how have USB2 on a Zorro card! Doh!

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My history teacher used to say "Getretener Quark wird breit nicht stark" (which is impossible to translate, but it means something like repeating something over and over does not make it any better or more probable).

I am only thinking of others here, since I have an A1.

Quote:

Yes, I know new hardware would be nice. So would be a date with Jessica Alba. Or peace for the world. Two Christmas a year. Do I get any of those? Nope. Can I change anything about it? Probably not (I haven't tried to ask Jessica Alba for a date yet, though).

I'm not sure Jessica is my type. But I have seen Christmas in July here. So perhaps those dreams are happening in other parts of the world.

I just wished we weren't teased from the Amiga site with great hardware ads. But the duall core 2.5Ghz PowerPC Terrasoft machines does look like a good replacement for the Teron. Since Terrasoft were going to sell the MAI board.

@Geri

Quote:

What about creating an open A1 firmware project, where interested users can submit bugfixes, etc..?I think there are some users that would like to work on a updated U-boot version.

This is the sort of thing I was thinking of, yes good idea.

Quote:

The dongle code is a problem. On the other side basic testing could be done with Linux. OS4 developers could check out a working revision (working under Linux), add the dongle code and test it with OS4. However non-OS4 developers would have to equip the A1 with a DualBIOS functionality (could be done with a simple hardware addon). Otherwise it would be hard to recover a A1 with a broken U-boot revision. ROM emulators may be too costly for normal users, too. Naturally hardware debugging is a big problem due to the lack of a BDI2000 (or a similar device).e

Can the JTAG on the CPU module be connected up as one of those parallel port adaptors that hacker use to test firmware on routers?

I agree about a dual BIOS. It would be good to test the firmware without the risk of creating a brick.

Personally I think a split firmware should be made. Since there is code that sets up the hardware and is not likely to change that could solid. Then the code would enter into another section. This could be configured by env variables. Mess up a new config and just pull the battery out.

IIRC the UBootROM is 4MBit which is 512KB, am I right? Exactly the same as OS3.1 Yer, there is no Exec, infact no Kickstart! Looks like PowerPC really does expand the code. Modern routers use a 4MB flash, so there's no reason UBoot couldn't use a bigger one. I mean, where else do you fit the splash screen graphics and the Amiga screen and pointer emulation for start up?

@Hypex

Quote:

Hypex wrote: @Geri Quote: What about creating an open A1 firmware project, where interested users can submit bugfixes, etc..?I think there are some users that would like to work on a updated U-boot version. This is the sort of thing I was thinking of, yes good idea.

So we already have a volunteer?

Quote:

Can the JTAG on the CPU module be connected up as one of those parallel port adaptors that hacker use to test firmware on routers?

I think so, but the debugging interface documentation for the G3/G4 CPUs is not freely available. Otherwise OpenOCD would already support these processors.

Quote:

I agree about a dual BIOS. It would be good to test the firmware without the risk of creating a brick.

Yeah, replacing the ROM during operation to reprogram a faulty FLASH ROM isn't a good idea. I was already working on such a simple hardware, but didn't get it finished (due to PCB area contraints).

Quote:

Personally I think a split firmware should be made. Since there is code that sets up the hardware and is not likely to change that could solid. Then the code would enter into another section. This could be configured by env variables. Mess up a new config and just pull the battery out.

I think it would also be a good idea to build different U-boot versions for the SE, XE and the uA1 (that would allow to optimize the settings for the different board variants).

Quote:

IIRC the UBootROM is 4MBit which is 512KB, am I right? Exactly the same as OS3.1 Yer, there is no Exec, infact no Kickstart! Looks like PowerPC really does expand the code. Modern routers use a 4MB flash, so there's no reason UBoot couldn't use a bigger one. I mean, where else do you fit the splash screen graphics and the Amiga screen and pointer emulation for start up?

Yes, there should be some space left for extra code and other gimmicks. All we need is the U-boot code, a little bit help from the OS4 developers to release official versions for use with OS4 (with the dongle code) and the DualBIOS hardware. I would start working on the hardware again, if this project comes to life.

_________________
A1SE: G3@600MHz, 2GB, 1GBit network card
A1XE: G4@933MHz, 2GB, refitted AC'97 codec
microA1: G3@800MHz, 1GB

- A1 Linux support -

@Geri

Quote:

So we already have a volunteer?

I think I was interested in this a while ago. I even thought of running a script at startup that would unpack an image and display it. Don't know what our UBoot supports.

Quote:

I think so, but the debugging interface documentation for the G3/G4 CPUs is not freely available. Otherwise OpenOCD would already support these processors.

Okay, so they use the JTAG standard, but we don't know what the CPU specific commands are? So, what about just for the boot ROM? As I understand it JTAG can support multiple devices that are "daisy chained" in a way.

Quote:

Yeah, replacing the ROM during operation to reprogram a faulty FLASH ROM isn't a good idea. I was already working on such a simple hardware, but didn't get it finished (due to PCB area contraints).

Not good unless a relacement ROM can be found, then it has to be flashed. So, with your idea, no way to extend above the board and somehow plug something like an adaptor into the socket?

Quote:

I think it would also be a good idea to build different U-boot versions for the SE, XE and the uA1 (that would allow to optimize the settings for the different board variants).

Yes, good idea.

Quote:

Yes, there should be some space left for extra code and other gimmicks. All we need is the U-boot code, a little bit help from the OS4 developers to release official versions for use with OS4 (with the dongle code) and the DualBIOS hardware. I would start working on the hardware again, if this project comes to life.

Sounds like an exciting prospect.

@Hypex

Quote:

Hypex wrote: @Geri Okay, so they use the JTAG standard, but we don't know what the CPU specific commands are? So, what about just for the boot ROM? As I understand it JTAG can support multiple devices that are "daisy chained" in a way.

Right, the CPU specific commands are top secret! I'm sure the JTAG header on the CPU module is not connected to the boot ROM. Either we would have to use the U-boot double hardware or a hardware programmer to write image to the FLASH ROM.

Quote:

Not good unless a relacement ROM can be found, then it has to be flashed. So, with your idea, no way to extend above the board and somehow plug something like an adaptor into the socket?

The problem is that the FLASH ROM sits directly under the PCI cards. I don't know where it is located on the uA1. I just didn't found a solution yet that suits me.

Last edited by Geri on 28-Nov-2009 at 11:35 AM.

_________________
A1SE: G3@600MHz, 2GB, 1GBit network card
A1XE: G4@933MHz, 2GB, refitted AC'97 codec
microA1: G3@800MHz, 1GB

- A1 Linux support -

@Geri

Normally (as in "always"), you use JTAG to bit-bang the CPU flash rom interface so that bits flow from your PC to the flash rom.

You don't need one debug and one programming interface

_________________
This weeks pet peeve:
Using "voltage" instead of "potential", which leads to inventing new words like "amperage" instead of "current" (I, measured in A) or possible "charge" (amperehours, Ah or Coulomb, C). Sometimes I don't even know what people mean.

@Geri

Quote:

Right, the CPU specific commands are top secret! I'm sure the JTAG header on the CPU module is not connected to the boot ROM. Either we would have to use the U-boot double hardware or a hardware programmer to write image to the FLASH ROM.

What about things like this?
http://www.etoolsmiths.com/IBM-powerpc-development.html

Quote:

The problem is that the FLASH ROM sits directly under the PCI cards. I don't no where it is located on the uA1. I just didn't found a solution yet that suits me.

I think I know where it is. Good point.

@Hypex

Quote:

Hypex wrote: @Geri What about things like this? http://www.etoolsmiths.com/IBM-powerpc-development.html

I guess this would work on a G3, but not with a G4.

Last edited by Geri on 27-Sep-2008 at 10:07 PM.

_________________
A1SE: G3@600MHz, 2GB, 1GBit network card
A1XE: G4@933MHz, 2GB, refitted AC'97 codec
microA1: G3@800MHz, 1GB

- A1 Linux support -

@Stephen_Robinson

Quote:

Shame it's not like your standard I386 board, where you just change the boot order in that psuedo-GUI thingy.. wonder if you'd be able to stick Debian Etch install on a USB stick.

I installed Lenny from a USB-stick just a few weeks ago, that was for my Eee.

Last edited by tomazkid on 05-Oct-2008 at 04:26 AM.

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@Geri

Quote:

I guess this would work on a G3, but not with a G4.

Well I have a G3 now with a very JTAG looking header onboard. Time to make up a custom JTAG cable for my CPU.

Last edited by Hypex on 08-Oct-2008 at 01:26 PM.
Last edited by Hypex on 06-Oct-2008 at 01:31 PM.

So, is there anyone outside Hyperion Entertainment capable and willing to work with the U-boot source code from Acube to fix all the "non important bugs" in the A1-version?

Last edited by tomazkid on 28-Nov-2009 at 02:53 AM.

_________________
Site admins are people too..pooff!

@tomazkid

Yeah, we want someone to come up with "V-Boot" !

_________________
cheers
tony

Hyperion Support Forum: http://forum.hyperion-entertainment.biz/index.php

@tomazkid

Quote:

tomazkid wrote: So, is there anyone outside Hyperion Entertainment capable and willing to work with the U-boot source code from Acube to fix all the "non important bugs" in the A1-version?

I can't do it alone, but would certainly like to help!

BTW: here's a picture of the DualUboot PCB layout I finished sometime ago (for A1XE/SE only):

Last edited by Geri on 28-Dec-2010 at 01:15 PM.
Last edited by Geri on 28-Nov-2009 at 11:36 AM.

_________________
A1SE: G3@600MHz, 2GB, 1GBit network card
A1XE: G4@933MHz, 2GB, refitted AC'97 codec
microA1: G3@800MHz, 1GB

- A1 Linux support -

@tomazkid

The USB support in UBOOT is not where good, and if you unplug the USB keyboard uboot keeps on looking for it, that does not same where smart to me.

The source code is available, it does require a Linux build environment, thats way I don't wont to experiment whit it, I if do some wrong in source code my AmigaOne might never boot again, but I believe its possible to backup the uboot rom some how.

Last edited by NutsAboutAmiga on 28-Nov-2009 at 01:43 PM.

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@tomazkid

If I remember things correctly the A1 UBoot contains something more than just uboot, and that part is not GPL. I very much doubt we will ever have updates to A1 UBoot.

_________________
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@zerohero

Yes maybe, but lets say you fix uboot, then Hyperion to add alien binary after words, you don't need the identification code, to fix unrelated bugs.

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@NutsAboutAmiga
Quote:

you don't need the identification code, to fix unrelated bugs.

But you need it to test your work under OS4.x...