Config Linux BIOS: Is it possible (Re: [OLPC-devel] DOS in Windows Flash Disaster Recovery Utility?

[Jim Gettys]

On Mon, 2006-09-04 at 21:05 -0800, supat at supat.eu.org wrote:
> 
> On Mon, 4 Sep 2006, James Cameron wrote:
> 
> > On Mon, Sep 04, 2006 at 02:22:00PM -0800, supat at supat.eu.org wrote:
> >> After I burn OLPC to Linux BIOS, seem it is always has error messages at
> >> the beginning like:
> >>
> >> ACPI ... DSCP not found ??
> >
> > I don't get this message, and besides since ACPI is not planned to be
> > present I wouldn't be concerned if I did see such a message.  Does the
> > system boot anyway?  When during the boot process do you see this
> > message?  What are you booting?
> >
> 
> I am careless. The exact words is what you said "ACPI: Unable to locate 
> RSDP"
> 
> Can this cause problem to slackware to be unable to find the firmware?

Seems unlikely.

> 
> 
> > Booting build 81 shows in dmesg "ACPI: Unable to locate RSDP", and
> > "ACPI: Interpreter disabled."  This is expected.
> >
> >> I press F1 and it has only images.
> >
> > This seems normal.  F1 enters the image menu, then you use left and
> > right arrow keys to select an image.  The last image, on my board, gives
> > a LinuxBIOS shell prompt.
> 
> 
> Even not press the arrows finally it will boot USB after cannot find the 
> NAND memory devices.
> 
> a LinuxBIOS shell prompt?
> 
> I will not call it. Because boot from utotu CD or slak CD can have the 
> same initrd shell.

You must be using fbdev after LinuxBIOS is installed: there is no VESA
support in our LinuxBIOS load.

> 
> IMO: Linux shell prompt should be capable to config some things like 
> change date, change CPU speed, change boot priority, etc.

Changing date should be done from Linux; there is no need for setting it
in the BIOS.

Which device is booted is determined by shell scripts in the Linux that
is the payload of LinuxBIOS.  If you want to implement such
functionality, you are welcome to help.

> 
> >> I am not sure that is feature or bug.
> >
> > It seems to be a feature.
> 
> OK. Thank you to let me know my BIOS linux is normal.
> 
> >
> >> Could you please verify me that :
> >> There is no way under linux BIOS to config the OLPC devices?
> >
> > Perhaps the source code would show what it is capable of, or perhaps we
> > need to wait for documentation on what configuration options are
> > available.  Is there any reason you need to configure devices?  Why
> > shouldn't Linux be able to do this configuration?  We control the BIOS,
> > there seems no justification for device configuration functionality.
> 
> Earlier BIOS control Marvell Wireless by reset or power-off.
> Now. Fedora can control Marvell Wireless completely in good shape w/o need 
> reset/power-off but unfortunately I cannot find out how slackware can do 
> the same :(

It is slackware's responsibility to pick up device drivers for OLPC, at
least until they enter the kernel.org source pool.  I know Marcelo has
been planning some further cleanup of the driver before submission to
kernel.org.

> 
> >> If so, after I power-off, is thare any way to bring back the old BIOS.
> >
> > Perhaps.  I've not tested it, and I'm not willing to.  You should be
> > able to boot from the same filesystem you did the olpcflash commands on.
> > But why would you need to do this at all?  Why do you need ACPI?
> 
> I don't know. Because I only see that error and that error correlated or 
> co-incident with slackware become unable to make usb8xxx to work 
> correctly. :(

I don't know what you mean by usb8xxx.  

As Marcelo notes, 

1) cat /proc/bus/usb/devices

2) dmesg

-- 
Jim Gettys
One Laptop Per Child