Re: Synology DS109+ booting NetBSD (to root prompt)

[Frank Wille <frank%phoenix.owl.de@localhost>]

Matt Thomas wrote:

> U-Boot 1.3.3 (Dec  1 2008 - 22:03:05)
>
> CPU:   8533, Version: 1.1, (0x80340011)
> Core:  E500, Version: 2.2, (0x80210022)
> [...]
> CPLD revision: 1.0
> Synology Model: DS-109+

Very nice! I guess the MPC8543 models could then also be supported?
This would mean all PPC-based Synology boxes can run NetBSD!


> skc0: Marvell Yukon Lite Gigabit Ethernet rev. (0x9)
> sk0 at skc0 port A: Ethernet address 00:11:22:33:44:54

All Synology models I have seen store the MAC address in their flash. You
have to read it from there. There should be a FIS directory in the last
bytes of the flash, and the file containing the MAC is usually called
"vendor".

Refer to sys/arch/sandpoint/stand/altboot/brdsetup.c, function
read_mac_from_flash().


> Not sure the PCI irqs are correct.

The MPC824x Synology boxes all have the same PCI-IDSEL -> IRQ mappings. But
this is probably different for e500.


>  But it's a start!

All MPC824x-based models have a PIC, which controls system power, LEDs,
beeper, and reports button events. It might also be present on your board.
Communication is then done via the second UART, by sending and receiving
characters at 9600bps.

Some also have a memory-mapped CPLD for additional functions in the dual and
quad-drive boxes. It controls the disk LEDs, the fan and can be used to
check the disk power state and the memory configuration.

I can provide you with all information (protocol, register layout) if you
need it.


It would be a good idea to use a boot-loader, like we did with altboot for
the sandpoint-based NAS boxes. It can be automatically started from flash,
when powering the device on, and it can load the kernel from a NetBSD
partition or from the network.


Toru Nishimura and me are planning to tackle e300-based NAS boxes, like the
Thecus N1200/N3600 in future. Are there any plans to add e300 support?

We might also consider to make a new port for PPC-based NAS, which could at
least include e300 and e500, together with a suitable boot-loader. Maybe
called "socppc", like OpenBSD did?

-- 
Frank Wille