Hi,
Do you have any plans or know if it is possible to convert PLoP Boot Manager to a BIOS ROM module just like they do with the Etherboot/GPXE project? The idea is to have PLoP Boot Manager code placed permanentely into the BIOS - replacing the network boot code would be a good candidate. The question is: is it small enough to fit there? I would guess it would have to be under 64K in size for that to work.
qiet72
the boot manager is available as option rom
Hi,
Thanks for the info. I also noticed the info in the boot manager status section - I should have checked the webpage first.
The version I have plpbt-testqiet72-3.zip does not seem to have the rom module - only the floppy/iso/kernel binary files.
Do you have a link to the latest test version (September?) with the option rom module?
One more question: can you configure the rom version like you can with plpbt.bin?
qiet72
at the moment i did not create a new rom with the latest test version. i hope i can do it during the weekend. the next version of plpcfgbt will configure the option rom too.
regards
elmar
Great! I should have some time in the weekend for testing if you need me. I'll keep an eye on the forums.
qiet72
i quickly created the rom now
http://download.plop.at/files/tmp/plpbt-testqiet72-rom.zip
Hi,
Unfortunately, most of my test laptops are Phoenix bios'es and I don't have the tools to insert your rom module. I guess I will just have to settle for floppy/iso methods.
qiet72
Good news,
I have finally found a flash rom I can play with: a 3Com network rom chip that I can flash via the linux flashrom utility. So I should be able to play around with the rom version of your boot manager.
Any news regarding making the configuration program work with configuring the rom files?
qiet72
cool
Quote from: qiet72 on September 30, 2009, 22:41:48 PM
Any news regarding making the configuration program work with configuring the rom files?
the config program is the last program that i update.
regards
elmar
Hi,
I successfully replaced the pxe rom code in the 3com network adapter with your rom module. I verified that the code was the same "./flashrom -p nic3com -v plpbt.rom" but apparently the code does not work. I can execute plpbt.rom by enabling the bios option "Boot From LAN First" but when the code executes, it just shows a blinking cursor and hangs. Luckily I can recover by disabling the bios option and re-flash with the original network pxe rom code.
qiet72
I was thinking, when I had to flash the rom, the rom file had to be exactly 65536 bytes in size. The rom file I got from you is only 43155 bytes, so i padded it with "dd if=/dev/zero bs=1 count=22381 >>plpbt.rom". Does the rom module need to have a signature like 55AA in the end?
qiet72
please post the original rom
Here you go. The rom is 3Com's mba software which provides a pxe/tcp/ip/rpl/novell stack. It's works fine if the romchip is flashed with this software.
qiet72
i think the problem is that my rom is an isa rom and you need a pci rom. i will update the boot manager rom to a pci rom
Is there any NIC with pci can use your rom? or it's only for BIOS?
gzk101
hi,
now its possible to create an ISA and PCI option ROM
see http://www.plop.at/en/bootmanager.html#plprom
regards
elmar
Look at this ,plz.
C:\a>plpbtrom -vendorid=0x1022 -deviceid=0x2000 plpbtrom.bin a.bin
a.bin created
C:\a>bromcfg a.bin
PMODE/W DOS Extender v1.33
Copyright (C) 1994-1997, Charles Scheffold and Thomas Pytel
BROMCFG 1.02 - BootRom Configuration
Load a.bin (43008 bytes) ...
Check ROM:
ROM-Signature: Ok!
ROM-Size: 43008 Bytes
ROM-Checksum: Ok!
Pointer to PCIR: not found! - Pointer to $PnP not found!
No PCIR header (ISA-ROM)
No $PnP header (ISA-ROM)
Change configuration (Y/N)?n
No pcir header ? Why?
Sorry for my poor English.
ups, thanks for the info
i fixed it, you can download the new plpbtrom version
http://www.plop.at/en/bootmanagerdl.html
regards
elmar
Now OK.Thank you.
btw,Would you mind to add a switch such as "press HOTKEY to enter plop boot manager " to this rom?
Quote from: lxecxw on December 17, 2009, 10:39:44 AM
btw,Would you mind to add a switch so as "press HOTKEY to enter plop boot manager " to this rom?
yes, good idea. i will add this
i added this feature now. you can configure it with the new boot manager version and plpbtcfg
regards
elmar
hi
i have flashed bios , i think i've bit gone wrong , it is still working and have no effect :( (plop screen is not showing)
fore some odd reason ive putt it as ISA ???
cbrom 1005ave.004 /isa a7veplop.rom
>cbrom 1005ave.005 /d
CBROM V2.20 (C)Phoenix Technologies, Ltd 2001 All Rights Reserved.
******** 1005ave.005 BIOS component ********
No. Item-Name Original-Size Compressed-Size Original-File-Name
================================================================================
0. System BIOS 20000h(128.00K) 135B1h(77.42K) stn.bin
1. CPU micro code 010AEh(4.17K) 00049h(0.07K) cpucode.exe
2. Other(6000:0000) 0751Dh(29.28K) 03E5Eh(15.59K) AWARDEXT.ROM
3. EPA LOGO 00642h(1.56K) 002A1h(0.66K) awardepa.epa
4. ACPI table 029C8h(10.45K) 01048h(4.07K) ACPITBL.BIN
5. VRS ROM 01F65h(7.85K) 012BBh(4.68K) cav_shdw.bin
6. Other(0800:0000) 08000h(32.00K) 04FCAh(19.95K) pci32.rom
7. ISA ROM[1] 0AA00h(42.50K) 0646Bh(25.10K) a7veplop.rom
Total compress code space = 335B1h(205.42K)
Total compressed code size = 24E31h(147.55K)
Remain compress code space = 0E780h(57.88K)
** Micro Code Information **
Update ID CPUID | Update ID CPUID | Update ID CPUID | Update ID CPUID
------------------+--------------------+--------------------+-------------------
00000000 00000000 | 0000 0000
i'm not sure should i continue testings im affraid of lockups ?
please advise , if i fix it to some pci id of Pci adapter wwhich is removable (in a pci slot)
as i understand if i got frosen ,i should be able to recover just by pulling out the adapter ?
attaching original and modified bios 1005ave.004 is orig.
motherboard asus a7v-e
plop version 5.07
internet resources suggests asus customise its bioses in such way that is unlikely to flash it
directly inside bios?
http://goe.net/anleitungen/award_board.html
plpo bin was modified using these,before inserted :
>plpcfgbt plpbtrom.bin
Video mode : 640x480
Start mode : menu
Countdown : on
Countdown value: 15 seconds
Default boot : usb
Profile : 1
Starfield : on
Zoom animation : on
Font : bootmanager
Force USB 1.1 : off
Use USB MassDev: 1
Use INT19h : off
Startup hotkey : yes