Re: Linux support for IBM ThinkPad Disk shock prevention update...

[Alejandro Bonilla <abonilla@linuxwireless.org>]

05-04-14 at 16:58 -0400, Shawn Starr wrote:

>>>>We just need to figure
>>>>out to get the specs from IBM
>>>>        
>>>>
>>>Best bet is probably reverse engineering it...
>>>      
>>>
>> 
>>Lee, 
>>
>>I know this is far from easy... but, What do we need to do this? I haven't
>>seen such a cooler feature in a Thinkpad like the HDAPS. (Well, maybe the
>>fingerprint reader) But, how can we / I help, if this is ever done?
>>
>>    
>>
>
>Please see:
>
>http://dxr3.sourceforge.net/re.html
>
>I have discovered several previously unknown emu10k1 hardware features
>using this procedure to reverse engineer the Windows drivers, including
>a per channel half loop interrupt, and added support to the Linux driver
>for some of them.
>
>It may be much easier to find the read and write register subroutines
>than in the above guide.  The Windows driver I was working with had
>exactly one subroutine that used the inb, inl, inw, outb, outw, outl
>instructions, so it was trivial to set breakpoints to log all the port
>I/O.  I later found it was even easier, the version of SoftIce I was
>using allows you to set I/O breakpoints, so all you need to start
>logging the register activity is the port.
>
>I had a little trouble loading the IDA symbols into SoftICE at first,
>just because the first few scripts I found on the net didn't work.
>
>Some devices use memory mapped IO, I have no idea how you would RE
>these.  Maybe someone else has some pointers?
>
>Lee
>  
>

The only thing I got back from IBM was:

       Please be advised, that the e-mail forum you
       have reached is provided for non-technical
       support and web registration issues of IBM.
       ave reached is provided for non-technical

       Please send your research proposal to IBM at
       T.J Watson Research Center at 914-945-3167.

I don't think I'm l33t enough like to call there and discuss for what we 
are looking for. Also they will probably tell me, " Ahh, well we 
currenly don't want to release anything because of legal issue" (Like I 
was already told)

- Alejandro