Using PLoP on expansion ROM

[Dan]

I'm using PLoP with jakent's code (thanks!): http://kthx.ath.cx/~jkent/code/optrom.asm

This works perfectly on a PC with plug and play BIOS (PLOP shows up in BIOS boot priority, and works).

On an old PC with AMI BIOS (Tyan S1836 motherboard), it doesn't work. INT 19h is hooked (message appears on screen: "D000 PCI2.10 PnP INT19 D000") but apparently the BIOS never calls int 19h since PLOP menu doesn't appear. How do I get the BIOS to call int 19h?

Thanks!

[Dan]

Found the answer...need to select "network" as boot device in BIOS. That invokes int 19h.

Works now!

Since jakent's version works (and the distributed version doesn't), I suggest this be included in future PLoP releases.

[Dan]

I have now tried it two ways: (1) on an Intel ethernet card with 64K flash, and (2) directly in system BIOS. Both work.

By the way, the reason why the distributed version doesn't work is that it tries to boot directly from ROM init, and the BIOS hasn't finished initialization at that point. It might work in an emulator, but not on real hardware (unless by luck).

[Elmar]

i flashed now my bios with my option rom and it was hanging too. ok, i update my code and add the option to hook either int 18h or int 19h
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Option_ROM

EDIT:
currently i am reading the BBS document that has detailed infos about the option roms. now all is clear and i see whats going wrong. maybe it was luck that it worked with qemu and some bios versions. as i wrote the option rom stuff, i had no real guide, but now i can program it as it should be.

[Elmar]

Option ROM updated and some options added to plpbtrom. Please test it.
http://www.plop.at/en/bootmanagerdl.html

elmar

[Dan]

Tested the new version with a PnP BIOS - it works, except that it pops up even if D is pressed.

Noticed that there's a new boot option, "network". What does this do?

[Elmar]

Tested the new version with a PnP BIOS - it works, except that it pops up even if D is pressed.

thanks, its fixed now. a new test version is available

Noticed that there's a new boot option, "network". What does this do?

you can start the network option rom with this option. when you use the boot manager as option rom, then its not useful (except to restart the boot manager), but when you start the boot manager from the hard disk, cd, another boot manager or something else, then you can start the network rom.

regards
elmar

[Dan]

you can start the network option rom with this option. when you use the boot manager as option rom, then its not useful (except to restart the boot manager), but when you start the boot manager from the hard disk, cd, another boot manager or something else, then you can start the network rom.

How does it call a network ROM? int 19h?

[Elmar]

How does it call a network ROM? int 19h?

no, it runs the program of the option rom