Re: Broadcom SB1 query

[Thiemo Seufer <ths@networkno.de>]

Jonathan Day wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> Can anyone verify that the current kernel in
> linux-mips git archive will work on a Broadcom 1250
> (SB1), specifically the "Swarm" or the "Sentosa"
> flavours of the BCM91250.

A 2.6.18-rc4 from a one week old git checkout works fine on a SWARM
here, booted via tftp. The same kernel fails to boot on another
SWARM board from the onboard IDE, I guess the swarm-ide is currently
broken.

> I have not been able to get anything more recent than
> a 2.6.17 kernel to compile and boot, the 2.6.18-rc
> kernels seem to randomly either lock up or reboot very
> early on in the kernel initialization. However, I am
> undecided whether it's a kernel issue,

I presume you know that PCI devices and more than 1 GB of RAM don't
work under Linux.

> a hardware
> issue (we've had nothing but trouble from these
> boards) or a toolchain issue (versions: gcc 4.1.1,
> libc 2.4, binutils 2.17.50) as I've found a few large
> projects that should compile just fine are blowing the
> compiler up.

Hm, libc 2.4 means NPTL, that's not yet widely deployed and could well
account for some exciting failures.

> If someone can post (or e-mail me direct) on what the
> latest combination of kernel and toolchain that works
> on the Swarm is, I would greatly appreciate it. This
> problem is driving me nuts. (Ok, more nuts than
> usual.)

Current Debian unstable works for me.


Thiemo