Coreboot and SeaBIOS

[pete]

Trying another "experiment" this morning.

The relaxing "chill" after a busy Christmas Even here...(we are "empty" nesters here). Now staying out of the Kitchen for Day #2 of Christmas activities...

I ran out of SSD ZIF drives so I am testing right now with the Kingspec SSD drive mounted inside of the Joggler. Works well. Its not as fast as the SSD ZIF drive but it boots and reboots just fine with XP. This testing is on another Joggler which I have installed an additional internal USB port. This one I used 22 guage wire for and it was much more difficult to place the wires. Best so far is using 24-26 guage tiny thin wires for the "extra" USB port. I found a source for these wires inside of a USB cable.

[sjjg]

I have just spent the last couple of hours reading through the thread from start to finish. Really incredible work going on.

I know that the focus has been on getting Windows running. I'm wondering how the UEFI replacement plays with Linux. I understand that there are issues with accelerated, this is not a problem for me, VESA graphics are sufficient.

A bigger issue is the problems with networking and USB. I would like install a very small Linux image on the internal flash (I believe the latest version supports the SDIO lanes?) and then build up an installation slowly on the internal MMC. However, USB access is useful and networking is essential.

What are your experiences with Linux and this SeaBIOS? Would be interested to hear any stories you have.

[pete]

A bigger issue is the problems with networking and USB.

USB works well. Tested and running fine now concurrent with the PATA port ZIF connection is just a ZIF drive or USB drive and USB to NIC on the same unpowered/powered hub. I am currently using an Asix based USB to NIC.

I'm wondering how the UEFI replacement plays with Linux

.

It doesn't.

[TomR25]

Amazing work, one question though: How fast would you say it boots up from complete off to Windows XP through USB using this method? If someone could time it I'd be extremely greatful

[pete]

30 seconds from a USB connected SSD ZIF drive.

[Mevi]

Yes Tom, the switch to Coreboot/SeaBIOS will knock a good amount off the total boot time. The EFI takes a lot longer to do it's thing before XP even starts it's boot.

[pete]

I soldered up two more Jogglers yesterday using 24 guage wire for the USB ports. The USB port booting is almost as fast as the PATA port booting. There is more involved though.

I put a small USB to ZIF drive device and ZIF SSD device where the Wireless device was; folded over itself it doesn't use too much space. It is simpler though with the longer ZIF cable folded over the motherboard to the area by the wireless network card.

Easy to image while in XP by using Minitool partition manager and a USB to ZIF device. Its just a copy and paste. I then use GParted to turn on the boot flag on the first partion and all is well. Testing a USB SSD stick to see the difference today.

[TomR25]

@Pete, did you manage to test a USB SSD? I'm going to be doing exactly this with a 64GB MicroSATA 1.8" drive mounted on the back of the joggler in the upcoming week. I still haven't shown you guys my joggler-in-car install, completely different to the one that was done a few years back and possibly different to any carpc ever installed! I'll save that for another thread though.

[pete]

The USB SSD works but is not as fast as the USB to ZIF to ZIF SSD drive or the ZIF SSD to PATA connector.

USB boot works well from a direct connect or a hub.

I am looking forward to seeing your car PC endeavor. I recently updated mine to the Atom D525. One was a Via 1.2Gb and the other was a first gen Atom based CPU. No touchscreen. I taped into the bus/GPS RGB low resolution HU and navigate via the radio knobs buttons and steering wheel buttons.

[TomR25]

Well I corebooted and seabiosed the joggler, which was dead easy might I add. One thing though, I need to revert Mevi's XP build to normal so it'll run on the new BIOS... Can anyone point me in the right direction of what needs doing/replacing?

thanks in advance dudesss

[Mevi]

It's not too difficult to unpatch XP.

NTDETECT.COM, NTLDR in the root of the boot drive need to be replaced with the 'copy' versions that I kept there. You will also need to do the same with windows\system32\drivers\vga.sys.

Depending on whether you mind keeping the old EFI partition, or if you want to make it tidy and just clone the NTFS partition, you may also need to edit boot.ini in the root, changing the partition from (2) to (1).

I had to also rewrite the boot sector... You might need to download bootsect.exe on your main PC. The command is below, just replace that x: with the letter of your target boot drive.

Bootsect.exe /nt52 x:

I think that's everything. Oh, if you are using a USB stick, Windows will only let you see the first partition. If you are using a SSD or HDD, you'll be fine.

[TomR25]

I couldn't for the life of me get bootsect.exe to work, but luckily i've managed to get it booting into XP and pretty quickly at that Did I hear someone say that Linux wouldn't boot from coreboot? I popped a live ubuntu stick into it for a laugh, though not funny in the slightest, and it's worked up until the point it loads into the option to chose installation or "Live CD"...

PS. Thank you!

[pete]

I utilize Linux GParted for this piece. (boot flag on the NTFS partition).

[verg0]

Would love to get linux working with coreboot someday....

[Mevi]

No problem Tom, glad you got it all sorted. I'm having to give advice from my patchy memory as all my Joggler stuff is in storage or backed up and I have a new laptop! I remember doing the bootsect stage myself, but perhaps it's not always necessary. I wonder if it needs admin privileges or if UAC stops it. Anyway, not an issue now.

[hawsey]

Just installed this on a Joggler and whilst messing about with DSL , had an idea that I think would be good if possible .
Mickchip has already managed to boot DSL on Seabios
so if the Joggler had this on internal memory if that is large enough and when the Joggler is switched on say after 10 seconds it would boot in to DSL
Don't think I have made this as clear as I could but I am sure you get the idea .

[mickchip]

Don't think this is possible as coreboot/seabios doesn't see the interal mmc.

[hawsey]

Ahh you see I knew there would be an answer
The live cd dsl you managed to get to boot, was it working ie keyboard / mouse, if so would it be possible to make it boot off a usb stick on Seabios with the settings allready applied?

[mickchip]

Never tried actually installing it to a stick, might give it a go tonight.

[pete]

Goofing around made up a new DSL boot stick.

I did edit the boot.cfg file a bit...not sure if I messed anything up.

I put the boot stick inside of an original O2 Joggler. It did boot up fine. I plugged the keyboard mouse into the side USB port and it doesn't seem to work. Will try another keyboard / mouse combo.

Touch works great.