From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-path: Received: from majordomo by infradead.org with local (Exim 3.16 #2) id 13f4Hy-0003PI-00 for mtd-list@infradead.org; Fri, 29 Sep 2000 18:49:38 +0100 Received: from [12.17.135.1] (helo=firegate.datalight.com ident=root) by infradead.org with esmtp (Exim 3.16 #2) id 13f4Hw-0003PC-00 for mtd@infradead.org; Fri, 29 Sep 2000 18:49:36 +0100 Received: from loqtis2 ([10.0.0.242]) by firegate.datalight.com (8.8.5/8.8.7) with SMTP id KAA05725 for ; Fri, 29 Sep 2000 10:44:51 -0700 Message-Id: <200009291744.KAA05725@firegate.datalight.com> Date: Fri, 29 Sep 2000 10:47:01 -0700 From: Tony Questad Subject: re[2]: SBC-MediaGX To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Sender: owner-mtd@infradead.org List-ID: >> My understanding (you better check this before trying anything) is that >> the BIOS extension only contains the VBF code needed for DOS to see the = VBF=20 >> volume. If you trash it, all that will happen is that you won't be able to >> access the VBF volume, and you can always reinstall it from the Arcom >> floppy. The BIOS itself is in another flash chip entirely. I think. That sounds right -- on the MediaGX the BIOS is contained in a seperate BIOS = ROM, and the FlashFX BIOS Extension is stored in the beginning of the flash = array. Erasing this will remove the FlashFX driver, but if this is not a = concern at this time, you can always reprogram it from the original Arcom = disks. >> >Another question: why is the BIOS extension area soo big as >> >the extension itself is only about 14kB? The autoexec.bat file >> >on the Arcom bootfloppy mentions that the extension was enlarged >> >some time ago to 256KB in order to accomodate the Windows CE >> >registry??? >> Don't know. I stuck with 256kB on my board for the same reason you did. I=20 >> don't think it's critical; what's the maximum size for a ROM extension? >> 16kB? 32kB? What is the erase zone size on that board? You would need to reserve space in = erase zone sized chunks; On a flash part with 128KB erase zones, the minimum = you would need to reserve would be 128KB, no matter how large your BIOS = extensions are. You do not want the area that your BIOS extension is in being = moved around by FlashFX, or any wear leveling system as it would need to stay = put in the beginning of the flash -- The reason for 256k escapes me at this = moment, as I remember that the BIOS Extension for FlashFx is probably 16kb, but = I am sure they were using the other area for CE related issues. It may very = well be that the first 128k (or 64k) was reserved as a full sector to handle = the 16kb BIOS extension, and the rest was done for future growth. **************************************************************************** Senior Development Support Engineer Datalight, Inc tel: 425 951 8086 x142 21520 30th Drive SE, Suite 110 fax: 425 951 8094 Bothell, WA email: tony.questad@datalight.com 98021 Leverage over 100 man-years of embedded system experience! 24-hour/7-day=20 support is found at: http://datalight.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/datalight **************************************************************************** To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe mtd" to majordomo@infradead.org