Kernel does not boot since 2.6.25 (under IBM Netvista N2200)

[Antonio Cardoso Martins <digiplan.pt@gmail.com>]

I have compiled many custom kernels for the IBM Netvista N2200 (8363).  http://jeanchristophe.duber.free.fr/netvista_8363/
This is a thin client, that does not have a BIOS, just a simple firmware, and is able to boot a linux kernel with the following requirements:

- Kernel cannot be compressed;
- Kernel must be in .ELF format;
- ELF program-header-count (offset 0x2c) must have the value 1;
- Filesystem must be ext2, and kernel must have the name kernel.2x00 and lie in the root directory;
- Kernel command line parameters are not possible, as the firmware cannot handle them;

I must patch drivers/video/geode/gx1fb_core.c
static char mode_option[32] = "640x480-16@60";
and changed to
static char mode_option[32] = "1024x768-16@60";

also arch/x86/kernel/setup.c
ROOT_DEV = old_decode_dev(boot_params.hdr.root_dev);
and change it to
ROOT_DEV = Root_SDA1;

And use a custom .config file, like the one in http://www.urbana.fm/~antocm/files/netvista-2200/N2200-openSUSE-10.3-v3/config-linux-2.6.24.7-N2200-RT
Also note that this Geode GX1 machine with Cyrix Cx5530 has no serial ports, PS/2 keyboard or mouse plugs. It has just two USB ports, one VGA, one Ethernet RJ-45 and one Compact Flash adapter to IDE in the motherboard.

However, since kernel 2.6.24.7 that i am not able to boot the kernel anymore. It stops right after being copied to RAM. I would say that the kernel don't even start, because the message "Software is Loading..." just stays on-screen.

I have tried 2.6.25, 2.6.25.2, 2.6.26.3 and 2.6.27-rc7 with no success on any of them.

I would say something has changed in the ELF format since 2.6.25.

Could anyone give me some hints on this? There is a small but strong community holding on to this Penguin.

Best regards

-- 
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Antonio Cardoso Martins
        digiplan.pt@gmail.com
Homepage: http://urbana.fm/~antocm
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