Re: Using Linux on ML405: Some basic questions

Re: Using Linux on ML405: Some basic questions

[Peter Mendham]

Sharon Feldman wrote:
> > [snip]
> > I have a few questions, I was wondering if someone could help me out:
> > [snip]
> > 3) I will eventually be wanting tri-mode ethernet support, ideally under 
> > a 2.6 kernel.  I've been trying to follow the discussions on this 
> > mailing list with respect to the support for the tri-mode MAC and 
> > scatter gather/DMA support.  Can anyone summarise what sort of stage 
> > this is at? Is auto-negotiation supported? Once I get past the hurdles I 
> > have at the moment my next step is to attempt incorporating the tri-mode 
> > IP and getting it working under Linux.  If there's anything I can do to 
> > help the effort at that point I'd be glad to put in some time.
>
> The Adaptor Files Nee To Be Updated To ML405, To Support Tri-Mode Auto-Negotiation.
> The Current Driver Will Work Fine For 1GB, But That's All.
>   
Thanks for you reply, can you tell me where to look to find out more 
about this?

-- Peter

Re: Using Linux on an FX60 board

[RichardL]

Hello all!

Has anyone gotten to the point where they are trying to load LENOX on their
application board which is using an FX60. The FX60 has two Power PCs and we
are having trouble loading LENOX from the sysace to our ddr. Has anyone
experienced difficulties due to the dual ppcs?

Richard Lowry
Weathorford International
Ft Worth, Texas



Peter Mendham wrote:
> 
> Sharon Feldman wrote:
>> > [snip]
>> > I have a few questions, I was wondering if someone could help me out:
>> > [snip]
>> > 3) I will eventually be wanting tri-mode ethernet support, ideally
>> under 
>> > a 2.6 kernel.  I've been trying to follow the discussions on this 
>> > mailing list with respect to the support for the tri-mode MAC and 
>> > scatter gather/DMA support.  Can anyone summarise what sort of stage 
>> > this is at? Is auto-negotiation supported? Once I get past the hurdles
>> I 
>> > have at the moment my next step is to attempt incorporating the
>> tri-mode 
>> > IP and getting it working under Linux.  If there's anything I can do to 
>> > help the effort at that point I'd be glad to put in some time.
>>
>> The Adaptor Files Nee To Be Updated To ML405, To Support Tri-Mode
>> Auto-Negotiation.
>> The Current Driver Will Work Fine For 1GB, But That's All.
>>   
> Thanks for you reply, can you tell me where to look to find out more 
> about this?
> 
> -- Peter
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Linuxppc-embedded mailing list
> Linuxppc-embedded@ozlabs.org
> https://ozlabs.org/mailman/listinfo/linuxppc-embedded
> 
> 

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Using Linux on ML405: Some basic questions

[Peter Mendham]

Dear all,

I am experimenting with Linux on an ML405 dev board in preparation for 
designing a board of our own.  I am not massively knowledgeable about 
Linux internals and am learning as I go along.  At the moment I'm 
working with a 2.4.26 kernel and the demonstration hardware 
configuration.  I have built the kernel and created a new root file 
systems using buildroot/busybox.  Most of the time I have a working 
system :)

I have a few questions, I was wondering if someone could help me out:

1) I don't really understand how the kernel image gets loaded from the 
.ace file.  I've seen articles which say that the SystemAce controller 
puts the kernel image directly into RAM, but on inspection of the 
datasheet I can't see any capability other that JTAG programming and 
acting as a slave to a processor.  Can anyone explain the way this works?

2) I'm trying to simplify the kernel as much as possible, is there a way 
to do without devfs?  If I don't have devfs do I need an initrd?  If so, 
what do I need to put on the initrd, can it just be a minimal /dev 
directory?

3) I will eventually be wanting tri-mode ethernet support, ideally under 
a 2.6 kernel.  I've been trying to follow the discussions on this 
mailing list with respect to the support for the tri-mode MAC and 
scatter gather/DMA support.  Can anyone summarise what sort of stage 
this is at? Is auto-negotiation supported? Once I get past the hurdles I 
have at the moment my next step is to attempt incorporating the tri-mode 
IP and getting it working under Linux.  If there's anything I can do to 
help the effort at that point I'd be glad to put in some time.

Many thanks in advance,
-- Peter

RE : Using Linux on ML405: Some basic questions

[alayrac]

Peter,

I'will try to help you on systemace only.

XACCACE can load an ace file from a FAT16 partition into the FPGA fabric
using boundary scan chain (JTAG).

First of all it loads the FPGA fabric, the bitsream file. If you have a
look in Applications in the ML405 project there should be a bootloop
code marked as activated and as used to initialized BRAM.=20
This code is loaded at address 0xFFFFFFFC (where there is a BRAM) wich
is the reset address of the powerpc. Thus after bitstream dowload, the
powerpc is in an infinite loop so that it won't try to access any
peripheral, especially memory.

Then systemeace will downlaod the elf file, in your case the kernel
image (it could be standalone apllication as well as uboot).

To do so the systemace take controle of powerpc through jtag chain (just
as you are dowing with the JTAG cable when you are debugging you code on
powerpc inside the FPGA). In fact the FPGA fabric include a JTAG daisy
chain, so that the PowerPC is seen on JTAG chain after FPGA
initialization (if you start an xps design from scratch you will see in
the wizard that you can select the debug chain of your powerpc from JTAG
or stub...)

So just to finish, as soon as system ace can see the PowerPC through
JTAG, it can see and use all powerpc peripherals and espaecially the
memory in your case. So it read the destination address of the elf image
to laod (from the elf file itself) and just copy the data at the
specific address. Then it put the PC at this address and sart the
powerpc.

Regards.

Chris

CRESITT INDUSTRIE
12 Rue de Blois, BP6744
45067 ORLEANS Cedex 2
Tel : 02.38.49.45.59
Fax :02.38.49.45.55
Email : christophe.alayrac@cresitt.com=20
Web : http://www.cresitt.com


<----> -----Message d'origine-----
<----> De=A0: linuxppc-embedded-
<----> bounces+christophe.alayrac=3Dcresitt.com@ozlabs.org
[mailto:linuxppc-
<----> embedded-bounces+christophe.alayrac=3Dcresitt.com@ozlabs.org] De =
la
<----> part de Peter Mendham
<----> Envoy=E9=A0: lundi 27 novembre 2006 15:44
<----> =C0=A0: linuxppc-embedded@ozlabs.org
<----> Objet=A0: Using Linux on ML405: Some basic questions
<---->=20
<----> Dear all,
<---->=20
<----> I am experimenting with Linux on an ML405 dev board in
preparation
<----> for
<----> designing a board of our own.  I am not massively knowledgeable
about
<----> Linux internals and am learning as I go along.  At the moment I'm
<----> working with a 2.4.26 kernel and the demonstration hardware
<----> configuration.  I have built the kernel and created a new root
file
<----> systems using buildroot/busybox.  Most of the time I have a
working
<----> system :)
<---->=20
<----> I have a few questions, I was wondering if someone could help me
out:
<---->=20
<----> 1) I don't really understand how the kernel image gets loaded
from
<----> the
<----> .ace file.  I've seen articles which say that the SystemAce
<----> controller
<----> puts the kernel image directly into RAM, but on inspection of the
<----> datasheet I can't see any capability other that JTAG programming
and
<----> acting as a slave to a processor.  Can anyone explain the way
this
<----> works?
<---->=20
<----> 2) I'm trying to simplify the kernel as much as possible, is
there a
<----> way
<----> to do without devfs?  If I don't have devfs do I need an initrd?
If
<----> so,
<----> what do I need to put on the initrd, can it just be a minimal
/dev
<----> directory?
<---->=20
<----> 3) I will eventually be wanting tri-mode ethernet support,
ideally
<----> under
<----> a 2.6 kernel.  I've been trying to follow the discussions on this
<----> mailing list with respect to the support for the tri-mode MAC and
<----> scatter gather/DMA support.  Can anyone summarise what sort of
stage
<----> this is at? Is auto-negotiation supported? Once I get past the
<----> hurdles I
<----> have at the moment my next step is to attempt incorporating the
tri-
<----> mode
<----> IP and getting it working under Linux.  If there's anything I can
do
<----> to
<----> help the effort at that point I'd be glad to put in some time.
<---->=20
<----> Many thanks in advance,
<----> -- Peter
<---->=20
<----> _______________________________________________
<----> Linuxppc-embedded mailing list
<----> Linuxppc-embedded@ozlabs.org
<----> https://ozlabs.org/mailman/listinfo/linuxppc-embedded

Re: RE : Using Linux on ML405: Some basic questions

[Peter Mendham]

alayrac wrote:
> <----> I have a few questions, I was wondering if someone could help me
> <----> out:
> <----> 
> <----> 1) I don't really understand how the kernel image gets loaded from
> <----> the .ace file.  I've seen articles which say that the SystemAce
> <----> controller puts the kernel image directly into RAM, but on
> <----> inspection of the datasheet I can't see any capability other that
> <----> JTAG programming and acting as a slave to a processor.  Can anyone
> <----> explain the way this works?
>
> XACCACE can load an ace file from a FAT16 partition into the FPGA fabric
> using boundary scan chain (JTAG).
>
> First of all it loads the FPGA fabric, the bitsream file. If you have a
> look in Applications in the ML405 project there should be a bootloop
> code marked as activated and as used to initialized BRAM. 
> This code is loaded at address 0xFFFFFFFC (where there is a BRAM) wich
> is the reset address of the powerpc. Thus after bitstream dowload, the
> powerpc is in an infinite loop so that it won't try to access any
> peripheral, especially memory.
>
> Then systemeace will downlaod the elf file, in your case the kernel
> image (it could be standalone apllication as well as uboot).
>
> To do so the systemace take controle of powerpc through jtag chain (just
> as you are dowing with the JTAG cable when you are debugging you code on
> powerpc inside the FPGA). In fact the FPGA fabric include a JTAG daisy
> chain, so that the PowerPC is seen on JTAG chain after FPGA
> initialization (if you start an xps design from scratch you will see in
> the wizard that you can select the debug chain of your powerpc from JTAG
> or stub...)
>
> So just to finish, as soon as system ace can see the PowerPC through
> JTAG, it can see and use all powerpc peripherals and espaecially the
> memory in your case. So it read the destination address of the elf image
> to laod (from the elf file itself) and just copy the data at the
> specific address. Then it put the PC at this address and sart the
> powerpc.
>   
Wow.  Thanks Chris, that makes a lot of sense, although I had no idea 
that the SystemAce chip was quite so clever.  I take it that the 
bitstream in the .ace file is specially constructed by the tools to do 
the DRAM download?  What is it that produces the text:
loaded at:     00400000 004E21E4
board data at: 004DF13C 004DF154
relocated to:  00405660 00405678
zimage at:     00405C25 004DE92F
avail ram:     004E3000 04000000
I have always assumed that it is a piece of software that does this.  Is 
that correct?

Thanks very much for replying, the information is really helpful.
-- Peter

RE : RE : Using Linux on ML405: Some basic questions

[alayrac]

CRESITT INDUSTRIE
12 Rue de Blois, BP6744
45067 ORLEANS Cedex 2
Tel : 02.38.49.45.59
Fax :02.38.49.45.55
Email : christophe.alayrac@cresitt.com=20
Web : http://www.cresitt.com


<----> -----Message d'origine-----
<----> De=A0: Peter Mendham [mailto:petermendham@computing.dundee.ac.uk]
<----> Envoy=E9=A0: mardi 28 novembre 2006 11:53
<----> =C0=A0: alayrac; linuxppc-embedded@ozlabs.org
<----> Objet=A0: Re: RE : Using Linux on ML405: Some basic questions
<---->=20
<----> Wow.  Thanks Chris, that makes a lot of sense, although I had no
idea
<----> that the SystemAce chip was quite so clever.  I take it that the
<----> bitstream in the .ace file is specially constructed by the tools
to
<----> do
<----> the DRAM download?  What is it that produces the text:
<----> loaded at:     00400000 004E21E4
<----> board data at: 004DF13C 004DF154
<----> relocated to:  00405660 00405678
<----> zimage at:     00405C25 004DE92F
<----> avail ram:     004E3000 04000000
<----> I have always assumed that it is a piece of software that does
this.
<----> Is
<----> that correct?

It must be xmd that display messages in its console. All displayed
address correspond to sections (see the linker file) for exemple txt if
for the code , bss is for data...
There is no code running on the powerpc during elf dowload.
<---->=20
<----> Thanks very much for replying, the information is really helpful.
<----> -- Peter

kinds regards

Chris

Re: RE : Using Linux on ML405: Some basic questions

[Magnus Hjorth]

Those messages come from the Linux bootloader/decompression code, you 
can see the calls in arch/ppc/boot/simple/misc-embedded.c

Cheers,
/Magnus


Peter Mendham wrote:
>
> Wow.  Thanks Chris, that makes a lot of sense, although I had no idea 
> that the SystemAce chip was quite so clever.  I take it that the 
> bitstream in the .ace file is specially constructed by the tools to do 
> the DRAM download?  What is it that produces the text:
> loaded at:     00400000 004E21E4
> board data at: 004DF13C 004DF154
> relocated to:  00405660 00405678
> zimage at:     00405C25 004DE92F
> avail ram:     004E3000 04000000
> I have always assumed that it is a piece of software that does this.  Is 
> that correct?
>
> Thanks very much for replying, the information is really helpful.
> -- Peter
>
> _______________________________________________
> Linuxppc-embedded mailing list
> Linuxppc-embedded@ozlabs.org
> https://ozlabs.org/mailman/listinfo/linuxppc-embedded
>   


-- 

Magnus Hjorth, M.Sc.
Omnisys Instruments AB
Gruvgatan 8
SE-421 30  Västra Frölunda, SWEDEN
Phone: +46 31 734 34 09
Fax: +46 31 734 34 29
http://www.omnisys.se 

Re: RE : Using Linux on ML405: Some basic questions

[Peter Mendham]

Magnus Hjorth wrote:
> Those messages come from the Linux bootloader/decompression code, you 
> can see the calls in arch/ppc/boot/simple/misc-embedded.c
>
Excellent, thank you.  It is all beginning to make sense now.  I see 
that this code also gives the ability to edit the command line over the 
serial link, something which was sucking up a whole 5 seconds of my boot 
time.  I might have a play with that :)

Thanks again, all the responses have been really useful.
-- Peter

Re: RE : Using Linux on ML405: Some basic questions

[Andrei Konovalov]

Peter Mendham wrote:
> alayrac wrote:
>> <----> I have a few questions, I was wondering if someone could help me
>> <----> out:
>> <----> 
>> <----> 1) I don't really understand how the kernel image gets loaded from
>> <----> the .ace file.  I've seen articles which say that the SystemAce
>> <----> controller puts the kernel image directly into RAM, but on
>> <----> inspection of the datasheet I can't see any capability other that
>> <----> JTAG programming and acting as a slave to a processor.  Can anyone
>> <----> explain the way this works?
>>
>> XACCACE can load an ace file from a FAT16 partition into the FPGA fabric
>> using boundary scan chain (JTAG).
>>
>> First of all it loads the FPGA fabric, the bitsream file. If you have a
>> look in Applications in the ML405 project there should be a bootloop
>> code marked as activated and as used to initialized BRAM. 
>> This code is loaded at address 0xFFFFFFFC (where there is a BRAM) wich
>> is the reset address of the powerpc. Thus after bitstream dowload, the
>> powerpc is in an infinite loop so that it won't try to access any
>> peripheral, especially memory.
>>
>> Then systemeace will downlaod the elf file, in your case the kernel
>> image (it could be standalone apllication as well as uboot).
>>
>> To do so the systemace take controle of powerpc through jtag chain (just
>> as you are dowing with the JTAG cable when you are debugging you code on
>> powerpc inside the FPGA). In fact the FPGA fabric include a JTAG daisy
>> chain, so that the PowerPC is seen on JTAG chain after FPGA
>> initialization (if you start an xps design from scratch you will see in
>> the wizard that you can select the debug chain of your powerpc from JTAG
>> or stub...)
>>
>> So just to finish, as soon as system ace can see the PowerPC through
>> JTAG, it can see and use all powerpc peripherals and espaecially the
>> memory in your case. So it read the destination address of the elf image
>> to laod (from the elf file itself) and just copy the data at the
>> specific address. Then it put the PC at this address and sart the
>> powerpc.
>>   
> Wow.  Thanks Chris, that makes a lot of sense, although I had no idea 
> that the SystemAce chip was quite so clever.  I take it that the 
> bitstream in the .ace file is specially constructed by the tools to do 
> the DRAM download?  What is it that produces the text:
> loaded at:     00400000 004E21E4
> board data at: 004DF13C 004DF154
> relocated to:  00405660 00405678
> zimage at:     00405C25 004DE92F
> avail ram:     004E3000 04000000
> I have always assumed that it is a piece of software that does this.  Is 
> that correct?

This is from the bootwrapper code (arch/ppc/boot/simple/)

> Thanks very much for replying, the information is really helpful.
> -- Peter
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Linuxppc-embedded mailing list
> Linuxppc-embedded@ozlabs.org
> https://ozlabs.org/mailman/listinfo/linuxppc-embedded