RE: Re: [cobalt-users] Msg for Gerald Waugh - re fried BIOS on Raq4i

["Gunther Stammwitz" <gstammw@xxxxxxx>]

Hello people,

The bios in my cobalt raq3i seems to be broken - maybe a flash-procedure for
a 2.4-kernel failed. How can I replace the bios or restore it via the serial
console ?

The system still boots up, but it cannot load any kernel images any more.

This is happening (logged from the serial console):

         Cobalt Networks, Inc. - Connecting the Dots
                  Firmware version 2.3.40

Current date: Nov 30 14:41:28 UTC 2002
ROM build info: Tue Jun 19 01:18:56 PDT 2001 unicron.cobalt.com System
serial number: invalid csum! Memory found: 128 MB Initializing I2C bus: done
Scanning PCI bus: done Initializing IDE: done
  IDE 0 master: found
Initializing SCSI: done
Initializing ethernet: 2 ethernet controllers installed - done Initializing
flash: done
  Flash bank 0: Intel E28F008S5 1MB (89:a6)
  Flash bank 1: not installed.
Initializing USB: done
Mounting rom_fs: done
Initializing i18n - language "en": done

Press spacebar to enter ROM mode
Booting default method - From disk

First stage kernel: Decompressing \length erro- done


And then the system freezes... 
Okay.. I thought maybe the disk is broken so I tried to boot from ROM, but
it's all the same: [...] Press spacebar to enter ROM mode

Cobalt:Main Menu> boot

Cobalt:Boot Menu> bfr
First stage kernel: Decompressing \length erro- done


Looks like I really got a problem. I've also been trying to load the kernel
from console. What I did was to get the file vmlinux.gz from a raq4i, unpack
it and then send it, vmlinux, via ASCII to the raq after typing load_kernel.
Vmlinux is 1,47 MB (1.552.144 Bytes) large. The rack got the kernel but it
doesn't work: [...] Cobalt:Boot Menu> dl_kernel 
[now it takes about 3 minutes to upload the kernel]
Loading Kernel: done
Cobalt:Boot Menu> bfr
[is this the right command???]
First stage kernel: Decompressing \length erro- done


How can I flash it / replace the bios / get the machine working again ?


Greetings,
Gunther




Re: [cobalt-users] Msg for Gerald Waugh - re fried BIOS on Raq4i

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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From: Gerald Waugh 
Subject: Re: [cobalt-users] Msg for Gerald Waugh - re fried BIOS on Raq4i 
Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 14:01:36 -0800 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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On Monday 30 December 2002 15:53, Bruce Timberlake wrote:
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
> Hash: SHA1
>
> > BIOSes are written for very specific hardware.  A K6-powered RAQ3 or 
> > RAQ4 is very, very different from a PIII-powered RAQ550. Different 
> > CPU, bridge chipset, IO controller, et cetera.
>
> And the RaQ 550 OSRCD has correct ROM images for each type of 
> hardware...
>
> > If you did indeed successfully (though I use the term ironically) 
> > flash the BIOS, you'll need to pull the now-bad one and replace it 
> > with another.  I believe Bruce Timberlake and others gave details a 
> > few months ago, perhaps on -developers... check the archives.
>
> Wasn't me -- I think it was Gerald.  Also, "pulling" it is The Tricky 
> Part -- it's not a socketed chip, it's soldered in place.  And I don't 
> even know what type of chip it is, or where to get a replacement, etc.  
> Or how you'd boot the box enough to get a "Sun-issued" image into it 
> provided you could replace the chip.  You need a standalone ROM burner 
> I think...

Yes pulling the chip, is a little touchy.
The EEPROM is AM29F080B-90EC.
I need to get more anyone know where i can buy some.

We install a socket on the ones we repaired so far.

Gerald

-- 
http://frontstreetnetworks.com         http://raqware.com
Front Street Networks LLC   |  Phone: 203-785-0699
229 Front Street, Ste C, New Haven, CT 06513-3203

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