Subject: Port to EBSA285

From: Francois Desloges <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 30 Aug 1999 09:40:47 -0400

Hi there,

I've unsuccessfully been trying to find how to build/install a small system
based on a linux 2.2.x kernel on a EBSA285 full time for a week now, based
solely on the www.arm.uk.linux.org and www.netwinder.org web sites

This has appeared to be a very frustrating and exhausting experience due to the
lack of structure on both sites and the state of out-of-dateness of most link
offered on the main arm site.

I'm not here to complain, I just want my job (the Linux Router Project meets
the ARM-Linux  project on an embedded system) to get done as efficiently as
possible and I can't afford to lose a week like that. Tell me if I can help in
some way, but the documentation structure of the ARM project definitely has to
be improved.

         So here are the questions I need to get answered first in order to
be bootstraped for development:

1) I've read on Alan Cox kernel Release Notes that the ARM users cannot use the
official Linux kernel but should get their platform specific tree. What does
this mean? Can I easily use the official Linux kernel or should I stick to
Russels' development?

2) Is there an EBSA 285 distro, or an EBSA285-HOWTO that would allow me to
install a minimal working kernel+system on the EBSA285?  We will at first use a
HD and a Promise Ultra33 card (I think that's what is recommended by Russell) 
before transfering the system on flash, as will be required by our
final (embedded system) product. After all we only require a rather small
system !  

3)Vendors from DiskOnAChip claim that they have a Linux driver, whatever that
means.  Is there such a thing as a Flash filesystem? 

4) Most of the questions on the main mailing lists are about the RiscPC and the
Acorn Installation process. Is there an EmbeddedSystem or EBSA285 or kernel
development related list?

5) How far is the NetWinder architecture from the EBSA285. Can I use there
stuff? This would be great since they're close from here (Montréal). Would some
of their developpers help me getting started?

6) Do you know somebody around Montréal that is already used to Linux kernel
hacking on the ARM / EBSA-285  that I could eventually hire if I require it ?

Thank You in advance and sorry for the bad english

  --
François Desloges
[email-masked]
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From: Alex Holden <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 30 Aug 1999 15:28:45 +0100 (GMT)

On Mon, 30 Aug 1999, Francois Desloges wrote:
> 1) I've read on Alan Cox kernel Release Notes that the ARM users cannot
> use the official Linux kernel but should get their platform specific
> tree. What does this mean? Can I easily use the official Linux kernel or
> should I stick to Russels' development?

It means what it says. You need to get the ARM patch from:
ftp://ftp.arm.linux.org.uk/pub/armlinux/kernel-sources/v2.2/patch-2.2.10-rmk3.gz
and apply it to linux-2.2.10 to get an ARM kernel tree.

> 2) Is there an EBSA 285 distro,

You don't need an EBSA285 specific distribution, the NetWinder, Debian,
or Titan (I would recommend the latter) distributions should work on it.

> means.  Is there such a thing as a Flash filesystem? 

Isn't the DOAC driver a binary module for x86? ISTR somebody was
developing an Open Source one, but I don't know how far that got. You may
well be better using something which pretends to be an IDE disk (such as
Compact Flash).

> 4) Most of the questions on the main mailing lists are about the RiscPC
> and the Acorn Installation process. Is there an EmbeddedSystem or
> EBSA285 or kernel development related list?

No, any Arm Linux questions are acceptable here.

--------------- Linux- the choice of a GNU generation. --------------
: Alex Holden (M1CJD)- Caver, Programmer, Land Rover nut, Radio Ham :

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From: <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 30 Aug 1999 09:28:38 -0500 (CDT)

Hi,

> or Titan (I would recommend the latter) distributions should work on it.
Any pointers on where to get the Titan distribution?  I know where to
get the Netwinder and Debian distros.  Thanks.

--
Kyle Mestery			| StorageTek's Storage Networking Group
[email-masked]		| http://www.freebsd.org/
[email-masked]		| http://www.netwinder.org/
	Protect your right to privacy: www.freecrypto.org

---

From: Marco Pantaleoni <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 30 Aug 1999 16:33:09 +0200

> means.  Is there such a thing as a Flash filesystem? 

For a long time the only driver publicly available for M-Systems
DiskOnChip was binary-only and for i86. Now there is a somewhat
preliminary open source free driver from David Woodhouse. It is
available at:

        ftp://ftp.linux-mtd.infradead.org/pub/mtd/DiskOnChip/

Marco

========================================================================
Marco Pantaleoni                                          [email-masked]
Padova, Italy                                        Tel: ++39-49-686951
Software Engineering for Unix                -    PLUTO Linux User Group
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---

From: Alex Holden <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 30 Aug 1999 15:46:32 +0100 (GMT)

> Any pointers on where to get the Titan distribution?  I know where to

There used to be a full mirror at:
ftp://ftp.netwinder.org/pub/mirrors/carleton/
But it looks like they got tired of hosting it, so you'll have to get it
from the main site instead, which can be quite slow at times:
ftp://ftp.nw.carleton.ca/
The best version to use at the moment is probably:
/pub/winder-testing/pre2_titanVI/

I've had the first pre release running on a couple of machines for quite a
while, and it's very stable. I never did manage to get X running, but I
think Rod said he had it working, so perhaps the pre2 will have that
fixed.